Some companies find this feature useful to ensure accessibility. Others find it useful as they can require employees to use their own devices and reduce cost of hardware investment. In most cases, they can use any available device and log on to a virtual desktop. Such use cases opt for non-persistent VDIs. The virtualized desktops are managed from a centralized location and they all have the same applications and tools. Non-persistent VDI is the best option for use cases that require high availability, like call centers.
Certain software and technologies are essential components of the virtual desktop infrastructure. A virtualization platform breaks up the system architecture into layers and separates the operating system from the underlying hardware. A software called the hypervisor creates the virtualization layer. It emulates physical resources and allows you to create multiple virtual machines from one server. Therefore, the virtual desktops running on the VMs are detached from the hardware and isolated from each other.
Server virtualization also ensures that data stored on an operating system is safe in case of hardware failure. The display protocol is a component that allows users to see their remote desktop. It includes a set of technologies responsible for transporting and rendering the remote display to the end-user device. Additionally, it manages USB, printer, and other device redirection.
A connection broker, also known as a session broker, distributes sessions between clients and virtual machines and ensures users connect to the appropriate virtual desktop. Note: Your virtual desktop infrastructure can also include desktop pools - groups of virtual desktops that have the same software, running on identically configured virtual machines.
This simplifies administration and management over a large group of employees working in the same department. Instead of installing an application the traditional way, it is recommended to use application virtualization in a VDI environment. This technology provides easier and faster application deployment by creating a virtualized application image and replicating it in virtual desktops.
The final component in a VDI setup are points of access, that is, client devices from which users access their virtual desktop. Clients can use a variety of devices, depending on what the VDI infrastructure is designed to support, including web browsers, mobile devices, thin clients, zero clients, and personal laptops.
Users connect to virtual desktops via the connection broker. It authenticates each user and directs it to a virtual desktop instance. Once inside, users utilize a replica of the master desktop.
The master desktop stores all the required applications and distributes it via application virtualization. All virtual desktop instances are hosted on virtual machines.
The VMs are created and managed by the hypervisor, the main component that provides virtualization of the entire system. Virtual desktops can be grouped into desktop pools which ensures easier management and configuration. Unless an attacker has infiltrated a live session, there is no danger of data loss in the event of device theft. This approach also protects the organization from ransomware and malware. VDI also has its drawbacks, but they are mostly specific to the technology: The compute, storage, and software licensing costs of the server tend to rise quickly as the number of users and their application-related requirements increase.
Workload capacity and bandwidth needs will also balloon up proportionally. User density should be forecasted and calculated prior to implementation. VDI infrastructure can get complex because it warrants hardware and software components working in tandem. A lot depends on the internet connectivity speed of the end user and the bandwidth available in the data center. This eliminates the possibility of end users storing sensitive data on a private machine or that of their devices being hacked.
Schools and universities : VDI — and increasingly, DaaS — in schools means more opportunities for delivering and receiving education. Students and faculties can be issued devices for use during their tenure at the institution. Call centers and other companies that work in shifts: In an organization with a task-based workforce that flexes up or down, shared desktops are the norm. Employees can simply log on to a simple, non-persistent VDI, bring up a standard desktop with a limited set of apps assigned to them, complete their tasks, and log off at the end of their shift.
These are also environments where BYOD is most prevalent. Almost every user is a power user and needs a non-standard configuration. Recent developments in VDI technology and reductions in hardware costs have made such resource-intensive work possible on VMs. Share this Article. Related Articles. Support Downloads Community. Success Center Get expert guidance, resources, and step-by-step instructions to navigate your path to the cloud.
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Sign Out. What is virtual desktop infrastructure VDI? Persistent vs. What are the benefits of VDI? What are the limitations of VDI? How does VDI support digital workspaces? Citrix solutions for VDI. How does VDI work? In all VDI deployments, the following characteristics apply: Virtual desktops live within virtual machines on a centralized server. Each virtual desktop includes an operating system image, typically Microsoft Windows.
The virtual machines are host-based, meaning multiple instances of them can be housed on the same server within the datacenter. The connection broker—a software layer that acts as an intermediary between users and virtual resources—finds a virtual desktop within the resource pool for each client upon successful access of the VDI environment.
Meanwhile, a hypervisor creates, runs, and manages the various host machine VMs that encapsulate individual virtual desktop environments. Persistent VDI works as follows: A user is assigned a standardized desktop from the resource pool the first time they log on.
Each subsequent time they access the VDI environment, they are connected to the same desktop with all of their changes retained in the virtual OS image—even after the connection is restarted. In contrast, nonpersistent VDI works as follows: The end client may be connected to the same desktop every time OR to a randomized one from the pool. In either case, no changes are saved upon restarting. Since nothing is saved once the connection is terminated, IT does not have to maintain a large number of customized OS images, allowing for simplified data center management and reduced costs.
When implementing VDI, thin clients are often considered because the management and maintenance these devices require is minimal. If you are using thin clients with your VDI implementation it is important to understand what support different virtualization vendors provide. Understanding this support can help you ensure that your vendor matches your existing hardware or can inform your future hardware purchases. You can use WorkSpaces with both thin and zero clients.
However, thin clients do not support most peripherals, including USB storage devices, webcams, and printers. Citrix supports three categories of thin clients, all based on high-definition experience HDX technologies. Depending on the version you use, you can access basic VDI capabilities with Horizon Standard or support for advanced capabilities, including thin clients.
To use thin clients, you need either Horizon Advanced or Horizon Enterprise. Enterprise expands access to support for virtual storage area networks, Linux support, and utilities for health and performance monitoring. Cloud Volumes ONTAP supports up to a capacity of TB, and supports various use cases such as file services, databases, DevOps or any other enterprise workload, with a strong set of features including high availability, data protection, storage efficiencies, Kubernetes integration, and more.
You can also learn about case studies of major companies who turned to Cloud Volumes ONTAP to make their VDI deployments cost-effective, highly available, and easy to orchestrate with the flagship NetApp cloud solution. Cloud Central. View All Blogs. More about Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. Subscribe to our blog.
Thanks for subscribing to the blog. Hypervisor Hypervisors are software or hardware used to host and manage your VMs.
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