The Importance of Delivering Apps Through VDI

As the demands of the business world have increased tremendously in just the past few years, many companies are seeking out solutions through the use of virtualization to help understand what is cloud computing. One of the options gaining more mainstream appeal is the use of a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), which essentially hosts a desktop operating system from a data center, all within a virtual machine. With the rise of bring your own device (BYOD) policies in the workplace, employees have also become more attached to their mobile devices while also getting used to the idea of doing work while on the go. With these factors in place, it is more important than ever for workers to access applications of the desktop and corporate variety from whatever devices they may be using. Delivering these application through VDI is the way to make it happen, but there is no single approach that works best in every situation. In fact, there are a wide variety of approaches each business will need to take into account before fully immersing themselves in virtualization.

Perhaps the most common method of delivering applications is through full desktop environments. This approach uses almost no virtualization, which has made it increasingly impractical in today’s business world. The one major advantage to this strategy is the fact that employees are simply more accustomed to it since each PC or laptop has a desktop operating system from which they can access their applications. The biggest downside, however, is that almost none of the benefits of using VDI are present. Encapsulated desktop environments are a different story. This method takes a whole desktop environment and encapsulates it, executing it along with an operating system and applications onto a PC or other machine. This allows users to have environments they manage for themselves, preserving personal data and preferences, along with a fully secured enterprise environment for business purposes. Many of the questions surrounding security in a BYOD environment are addressed with this approach, making it a relatively popular choice.

There are other ways to have people access a virtual desktop environment. One is a streamed desktop environment, where requested desktops are delivered through the network, though the data may stay in the data center or reside locally. But accessing the right desktop isn’t always the main goal. In most cases, businesses want employees or customers to access the right applications from a virtual environment. Encapsulated apps accomplish this by being loaded onto PCs, Macs, and laptops while still keeping the data in the data center, allowing IT departments to manage the complexities of the apps and their routine updates. Encapsulated applications can also be streamed, allowing the data to be stored through either the data center or from a local system. Apps may also be accessed remotely through the use of virtualization software, thus helping companies and workers take advantage of the benefits of BYOD.

Taking one of these approaches helps organizations find ways to gain the most from virtualization. Some businesses may even use multiple methods to maximize the benefits. Using a virtual desktop infrastructure helps reduce administrative and support costs since each user accesses the same virtualized image, meaning any updates and changes that need to be made are managed from one location. That also means IT departments won’t have to waste time updating each individual computer with the latest technology. Installing applications and patches is much easier with VDI, but it also carries with it the risk of downtime should there be a server-side issue. While every endpoint user can benefit from VDI, everyone is similarly affected if something goes wrong. Businesses will have to take this into account when choosing what approach they would like to pursue.

It’s more important than ever before for employees to be able to access business applications no matter what device they’re using. VDI can streamline this process, making it easier for administrators to manage the environment while also helping employees get their work done more quickly. VDI does require a considerable upfront investment, but such a transition is well worth it when the overall benefits are experienced company-wide.