Ponder This

Wednesday July 26, 2006

Desktop Virtualization, views from others that are “Getting it”

I wanted to point out a recent article written by Ron Oglesby giving an overview of VDI. As it is called by VMware. Personally, I call it desktop virtualization. With the solution I've been working on, we use components from VMware. However, we are looking at other interesting approaches as well, that target different scenarios. After reading Ron's article I am glad to see that he is warming up to this approach. I strongly recommend taking some time and reading this, as Ron does a great job of simplifying what can b a complicated story. I'm finding though it resonates with most people fairly quickly. You can read the article here

Virtual Desktop Infrastructures (VDI): What's real today, what's not, and what's needed

I was starting to wonder if the presentation and talk I give had slipped out as I read some of the benefits that were pointed out. Here are some of the bullet points from the presentation I give. I think you will find some are very similar. This is not an entire list I categorise them into two areas.

Operational/User benefits

• Overcome applications not fit for server based computing

• Leverage Thin Client benefits today and still support legacy applications

• Provide users a dedicated environment

• Allow required users to have control over the desktop environment

Business benefits

• Increase Desktop Life-Cycle

• Upgrade handfuls of servers not truck loads of PC's

• Protect Intellectual Property and leave no data behind

• Easy to implement , fast to deploy and cheaper to manage

• Increased user satisfaction and mobility

I also added a quote from a customer CIO that is very much in line with a bullet point from Ron.

Quote:

“I have one application we have tried to make work in a shared environment. Unfortunately, it is poorly written and our business depends on it.”

I also wanted to agree, this architecture approach is not intended to displace existing application deliver solutions. A solution should interoperate with existing solutions that are in place. We clearly call this out in a white paper I recently finished. I think most of what is pointed out in the perfect solution section are important and difficult parts to achieve. Some are harder than others and not completely because of technology limitations. Some are actually close to being a reality as well. It' correct to call them out though, and push the technology providers to help make it happen. I think there are a couple pieces here we have not considered, but could do today and it has given me something to work on.

I think we actually are overcoming the hopping situation extremely well. It could be simplified a little more in our solution, but it is nice. As well as very easy to implement and manage. Overall, after reading this, I feel it confirms we are on the right track, we are not trying to take over the world with desktop virtualization and are very focused on solving specific deployment scenarios and targeted users. They just so happen to be where the most pain is. We already have the session brokering done and have real customers deployed today. The thoughts here validate this is a worth considering for the right deployment and I could not agree more. I strongly recommend you take the time to read this article as another view of things.