What is VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure)?

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is an advanced technology that leverages virtual machines to manage and provide virtual desktops. Unlike traditional desktop environments confined to specific physical devices, VDI allows a preconfigured image of an operating system and its applications to be accessed from any compatible device. VDI hosts desktop environments on a centralized server, deploying them to end-users on demand. A prominent example of Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop, featuring Windows 10 VDI multi-session, which efficiently scales for many users with a smaller pool of virtual machines. Windows VDI, a cloud-based desktop and app virtualization service, offers a multi-user Windows 10 experience, making it an ideal solution for remote workers. This flexibility ensures that organizations can deploy Windows virtual machines that are accessible from anywhere at any time.

How Does VDI Work?

VDI operates by using a hypervisor to segment servers into virtual machines that host virtual desktops, which users can access remotely from their devices. All processing occurs on the host server, and users connect to their desktop instances via a connection broker. This software-based gateway serves as an intermediary between the user and the server, ensuring a seamless connection. The virtual desktops can be accessed from any location or device, providing unparalleled flexibility and efficiency.

Persistent VDI vs. Non-persistent VDI

VDI can be implemented in two main ways: persistent and non-persistent.

Persistent VDI: Users connect to the same desktop each time, allowing for personalization and saving changes even after the connection resets. This setup mimics personal physical desktops, offering a consistent user experience.
Non-persistent VDI: Users connect to generic desktops with no changes saved between sessions. This approach is simpler and more cost-effective, making it ideal for organizations with many task workers or employees performing repetitive tasks.

Why Choose VDI?

VDI provides numerous advantages, including enhanced user mobility, ease of access, flexibility, and greater security. Historically, its high-performance requirements made it expensive and difficult to deploy on legacy systems. However, the advent of hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) has revolutionized VDI deployment, offering scalability and high performance at a lower cost.

Benefits of VDI

While VDI’s complexity may not suit every organization, it offers significant benefits for those that implement it:

Remote Access: VDI users can connect to their virtual desktops from any device or location, facilitating remote work and ensuring access to files and applications from anywhere.
Cost Savings: VDI reduces hardware requirements for end devices since processing is server-based. Users can access virtual desktops from older devices, thin clients, or tablets, minimizing the need for expensive new hardware.
Security: Data in a VDI environment resides on the server rather than the end device, protecting data if an endpoint device is stolen or compromised.
Centralized Management: VDI allows IT to easily patch, update, or configure all virtual desktops in a system, simplifying maintenance and management.

Use Cases for VDI

VDI is versatile and can be used in various environments, with specific use cases where it excels:

Remote Work: VDI’s ease of deployment and centralized management make it perfect for supporting remote workers.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): VDI allows employees to use their own devices while maintaining security and performance since data is processed on a centralized server.
Task or Shift Work: Non-persistent VDI is ideal for organizations like call centers, where many employees perform limited functions on shared desktops.

VDI vs. Desktop Virtualization

VDI is a type of desktop virtualization, a broader term encompassing any technology that separates a desktop environment from the hardware used to access it. Other forms of desktop virtualization include remote desktop services (RDS), where users connect to a shared desktop running on a remote server.

VDI vs. Virtual Machines (VMs)

Virtual machines (VMs) are the backbone of VDI. VMs are software-defined machines created by partitioning a physical server into multiple virtual servers via a hypervisor, also known as server virtualization. While VMs can be used for various applications, one primary use is running virtual desktops in a VDI environment.

Implementing VDI

For successful VDI deployment, especially in large enterprises, implementing it in an HCI environment is recommended due to HCI’s scalability and performance, which align with VDI’s resource needs. Smaller organizations with fewer than 100 virtual desktops might find HCI unnecessary and overly expensive.

Best Practices for VDI Implementation

Prepare Your Network: Ensure sufficient network capacity to handle peak usage times and demand spikes, as VDI performance is closely linked to network performance.
Avoid Underprovisioning: Conduct capacity planning using performance monitoring tools to understand resource consumption needs.
Understand Your End-Users’ Needs: Determine whether users need customizable desktops (persistent VDI) or can work from generic desktops (non-persistent VDI) and provision resources accordingly.
Perform a Pilot Test: Use virtualization providers’ testing tools to run a pilot VDI deployment and ensure correct resource provisioning.

By understanding and implementing VDI, organizations can leverage this technology to enhance flexibility, security, and efficiency in their operations, making it a vital tool for modern, dynamic workplaces.

Explore VDI’s potential for your organization and discover how it can transform your approach to remote work and digital infrastructure.