Remote work has become a necessity for many organizations. The ability to work from anywhere, at any time, has opened up new possibilities and challenges for businesses and their employees. For some, it has expanded the pool of potential workers to other countries or communities, allowing the best employee to be hired, wherever they are located. For education, it allows students to attend courses from other communities or through remote courses in other countries. In healthcare, patients are obtaining medical advice for routine issues on video calls. The key technology for all of this has been virtual desktop solutions. In this blog, we will explore how virtual desktop solutions have transformed the way we work and study remotely, providing flexibility, security, and productivity enhancements. We will also look at where the market is moving with all of the changes at Citrix and VMare.
Understanding Virtual Desktop Solutions
Virtual desktop solutions, more broadly known as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), are a type of technology that enables users to access their desktop environment remotely. Instead of having a physical computer or laptop, users can connect to a virtual desktop hosted on a server or in the cloud. That desktop can either be fully virtualized itself or it can be individually virtualized apps that are presented as a desktop. This virtual desktop provides the same functionality and experience as a traditional desktop, allowing users to access their files, applications, and settings from any device with an internet connection.
The Benefits of Virtual Desktop Solutions
- Flexibility and Mobility
One of the primary advantages of virtual desktop solutions is the flexibility and mobility they offer. With a virtual desktop, employees can work and students can connect from anywhere, whether it’s from their home, a coffee shop, or while traveling. This flexibility allows for a better work-life balance and empowers employees to choose the environment that suits them best. Additionally, virtual desktop solutions enable seamless collaboration among remote teams, as everyone can access the same virtual environment regardless of their physical location.
- Enhanced Security
Security is always the top concern for organizations, especially. Virtual desktop solutions provide enhanced security measures compared to traditional desktop setups. With virtual desktops, sensitive data and applications are stored and accessed centrally, reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access. Additionally, virtual desktop solutions often include advanced security features such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, and granular access controls, ensuring that only authorized users can access the virtual environment.
- Cost Savings
Virtual desktop solutions had always promised cost savings. Depending on your choice of VDI solutions, that may or may not be the case. The main benefit with virtual desktops is that there is no need to invest in expensive hardware for each employee. Instead, the virtual desktop environment compute power happens on servers or in the cloud, allowing for the use of inexpensive thin clients like Raspberry Pi’s or Chromebooks. Additionally, virtual desktop solutions enable better resource utilization, allowing organizations to scale their infrastructure based on demand. This scalability eliminates the need for over-provisioning, resulting in cost savings and improved efficiency.
- Centralized Management and Control
Managing a distributed workforce can be challenging, but virtual desktop solutions simplify the process. With a centralized management console, IT administrators can easily deploy, update, and manage virtual desktops for all employees. This centralized approach ensures consistency across the organization and reduces the time and effort required for IT support. Administrators can also enforce security policies, monitor user activity, and troubleshoot issues remotely, streamlining the management and control of the virtual desktop environment.
- Improved Productivity and Performance
Virtual desktop solutions can significantly enhance productivity and performance for remote workers. By providing a consistent and optimized desktop experience, employees can access their applications and files quickly and efficiently, regardless of their location or device. Virtual desktops also enable seamless integration with other productivity tools and collaboration platforms, allowing for efficient communication and collaboration among team members. Additionally, virtual desktop solutions often include features such as desktop customization, file synchronization, and offline access, further boosting productivity for remote workers.
Three of the best VDI solutions. But only one will cut costs and avoid vendor lock-in.
1. VMware Horizon (now called Omnissa Horizon) is a market leader known for its robust and feature-rich VDI solution. It offers a powerful ecosystem for delivering virtual desktops and published applications across various devices. It has deep integration with existing VMware infrastructure (vSphere, vSAN), high-performance display protocol (Blast Extreme), and advanced management features like instant clones and application layering. But that is also its main disadvantage. With the sale of VMware to Broadcom and massive price increases for the hypervisor required, VMware Horizon has become an impractical choice for most SMEs. The limited hypervisor choices have become Horizon’s Achilles’ heel.
2. Citrix is a long-standing pioneer in the desktop virtualization software space, and its DaaS (Desktop-as-a-Service) solution is a top choice for demanding enterprise environments. Its powerful HDX protocol provides an excellent user experience over various network conditions. However, it is notoriously complex to architect and manage, which can lead to a steep learning curve and higher administrative overhead. And equally, it is notoriously costly. The licensing can be complex, making it less suitable for small to medium-sized businesses or for businesses with seasonal or multiple shifts where a concurrent licensing model might be more convenient. After a recent purchase of the company, Citrix has begun to focus only on its largest enterprise customers and has shifted support to third-party distributors and dramatically raised prices. They no longer own the virtual deaktop space. There are plenty of Citrix competitors and there is no longer a need to pay Citrix prices to get an excellent product.
3. Inuvika OVD Enterprise is a product from a Canadian company formed in 2014. The product is a powerful and cost-effective virtual desktop solution. It stands out by leveraging a Linux-based architecture to deliver both Windows and Linux apps and desktops. It can be installed on-premises, in public or private cloud or can be offered as a DaaS service by its partners in over 60 countries. It Significantly reduces total cost of ownership (TCO) by up to 60% vs Citrix or VMware and minimizes the need for some expensive Microsoft Windows Server and SQL Server licenses. It works with any hypervisor, including lower cost ones like ProxmoxVE or Verge.OS providing maximum flexibility. With customers in highly secure environments like NASA, Dassault Systemes, governments and banks around the world, they have proven that they have what is required to challenge the best in the business.
See how Inuvika reduces TCO by 60%
Conclusion
Embracing virtual desktop solutions from Inuvika unlocks the full potential of remote work. With enhanced flexibility, security, and productivity, users can achieve better work-life balance and collaborate seamlessly with their teams from anywhere. Centralized management and control simplify administration, while cost savings are realized through improved resource utilization. Experience consistent and optimized desktop performance while protecting sensitive data and applications with our advanced security measures.
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