Home Learn Virtual Desktop Infrastructure What Is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)? How virtual desktop infrastructure works, why you would use virtual desktops, and the key components of a VDI environment. Request demo Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Definition Overview Persistent vs. Non-Persistent Benefits Implementation Advancement Related Terms Resources definition Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Explained Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a mainstay of modern computing, used by a majority of organizations to support at least some of their employees. For users, VDI can be fairly transparent – you might not even know you’re using it. But what is VDI, exactly? How does it work, what are its key components, and why would a business choose to provision desktops virtually in the first place? The premise of VDI is straightforward enough: Instead of installing applications and storing data directly on a user’s endpoint device, IT creates and hosts a complete virtual version of the desktop in a data center or cloud. Users can access this virtual desktop remotely from anywhere, on almost any device, and work the same way they would with a local desktop. While VDI can support almost any type of employee, it’s an especially good option for use cases including: • Call center operatives • Salespeople • Remote workers • Engineers and artists using highly specialized software • Knowledge workers dealing with sensitive information To learn more about how VDI solutions work, the benefits they can provide, and what to think about in setting up a VDI environment, read on. Overview How Does VDI Work? Just as it sounds, a virtual desktop infrastructure is the infrastructure used to provision and manage virtual desktops for users. At a high level, VDI consists of four main components: • Hypervisor – The foundation of VDI, the hypervisor provides the virtualization layer that allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server. It manages the allocation of computing resources such as CPU, memory, and storage to each virtual desktop instance. • Virtual machines – Each virtual desktop runs as an isolated VM containing the operating system, applications, and user data for its individual desktop environment. As mentioned above, many VMs can run on a single server, and they can be moved easily across servers, data centers, and cloud environments. • Connection broker – Acting as an intermediary between users and their virtual desktops, the connection broker authenticates users, connects them to the appropriate virtual desktop, and manages their session. • Endpoints – Because the desktop environment and its applications run on a central server instead of relying on endpoint computing resources, users gain ample flexibility in the device they use for work – desktop, laptop, thin client, or even mobile device. Persistent vs. Non-Persistent Persistent VDI vs. Non-Persistent VDI Deployments At a high level, virtual desktop infrastructure comes in two flavors: persistent and non-persistent. • Persistent VDI: More Personalization, More Management In a persistent virtual desktop infrastructure deployment, VMs are stateful, saving settings, application customizations, files, and other user-specific modifications from session to session. This is ideal for knowledge workers, power users, and other personas who need or prefer a more personalized experience. Users also can use persistent VDI desktops offline, with all changes synced back to the original VM on reconnection. While persistent VDI is great for many types of users, it does come at a cost. Instead of maintaining a pool of standard VMs, IT has to store a separate and unique VM for each user. Differences in configuration also add significantly to management and support overhead. If a user’s VM fails, they’ll expect to be able to get it back the way it was – not just get a standard-issue replacement. • Non-Persistent VDI: Stateless Standardization If persistent VDI is better for users (and sometimes necessary), non-persistent VDI is generally better from an IT and security perspective. IT creates a supply of standard, interchangeable VMs based on a master image, sometimes called a golden image, that stand at the ready for assignment. Instead of having to provide a separate VM for each user, you only need enough VMs to support the maximum number of users at any given time. Any modifications are discarded at the end of the session, returning the VM to a fresh desktop image for the next user. While it’s possible to create standard desktop images with the applications and data required for specific personas using non-persistent VDI, they won’t remain standard for long. By comparison, non-persistent VDI makes it easy for IT to spin up an endless supply of tailored desktops for students, call center reps, temp workers, and so on, and know that any user can use any of the desktops created for their role. That’s far simpler to manage and support, and it also means that any issues that arise in a given session will be wiped clean at its end. The same holds for security: Any malware or vulnerabilities introduced during a session will be non-persistent as well, disappearing even if they’ve gone undetected. Benefits Benefits of Implementing a VDI Environment The widespread adoption of virtual desktop infrastructure is easy to understand, given its wide range of benefits for users, IT, and the organization. • Anywhere, any-device productivity – Users can access their complete work environment from any location, using any connected device. With this flexibility, the organization can support mobile salespeople and executives more easily, reduce hardware costs with bring-your-own-device (BYOD), and enhance employee satisfaction with remote work policies. • Consistent user experience – Providing a uniform desktop and consistent experience across devices and locations, VDI reduces training requirements and allows employees to work seamlessly across different offices and devices. • Better performance for resource-intensive applications – Engineers, designers, data analysts, and researchers rely on demanding applications that can tax the computing resources of their endpoints. Instead of paying for a fleet of high-end workstations, VDI lets IT run these workloads more efficiently on powerful centralized servers. • Centralized management – IT can manage, update, and troubleshoot every virtual desktop in the organization from a single location, greatly reducing the time needed for software updates, security patches, and user support. Operational efficiency increases while cost and downtime decrease. • Streamlined provisioning – IT easily can spin up a new VM that new hires can access on any company-owned or personal device. IT can equip call centers, retail environments, and other task-based or seasonal workplaces quickly and efficiently with non-persistent VDI desktops. • Cost efficiency – Even outdated or underpowered devices can run a VDI desktop. By extending the lifespan of endpoints, VDI can lower the total cost of ownership for desktop environments. Centralized maintenance and reduced energy consumption add to the savings. • Scalability – Adding headcount? Just spin up a few more VMs. With cloud resources available on demand to run centralized desktop workloads, expanding your workforce or adapting to seasonal fluctuations has never been simpler. To scale back down, you can deprovision and wipe VMs with a few clicks. • Security and compliance – All data is stored on the VM’s host, where it’s not vulnerable to the loss or theft of a client. Centralization also simplifies compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS by allowing better control over data access, storage, and transmission. • Continuous business and disaster recovery – Centralized data storage and backups make disaster recovery faster and more comprehensive. Displaced users can access their virtual desktops from alternate devices or locations to resume work quickly. • Green IT – VDI contributes to sustainability goals with energy-efficient centralized computing resources and longer device lifespans that reduce e-waste. implementation What to Consider Before You Implement a VDI Solution Like any major infrastructure initiative, a successful VDI implementation requires careful planning to scope the solution, assess infrastructure and staffing requirements, design security policies, and meet user needs as fully and efficiently as possible. • Will your network handle the load? – VDI relies heavily on network performance. Make sure you can provide the bandwidth and low latency needed for a smooth user experience – even for resource-intensive applications or content. Be prepared for a network upgrade. • How much server and storage infrastructure will it take? – You’ll need both the capacity to store centralized VMs, applications, and data, and the high-performance IOPs to prevent bottlenecks. Tiered storage and solid-state drives can help balance cost and performance. VDI also requires a powerful host to run the hypervisor. • What kind of virtual desktops will your users need? – Consider the requirements for different roles and personas, such as task workers, knowledge workers, and power users. Will all of their applications perform well in a standard VDI environment, or will some need special optimizations or configurations? Which groups will need persistent VDI desktops, and which can manage with non-persistent VMs? Considerations like these will help you choose the right VDI protocol, software solution, and hardware for your implementation. • What’s your endpoint strategy? – Will you still need to provision user endpoints, or will you go with BYOD? What kinds of client software, peripheral support, and user experience optimizations will help your users get the best results? VDI allows great flexibility in endpoints; it’s just a matter of thinking through the right approach for your organization. • What will the IT burden look like? – Does your current IT team have the skills and capacity to manage a VDI environment? What tools will they use? Can they build the responsive, seamless user experience essential for VDI adoption and success? Don’t forget about your helpdesk – some users might be confused about where to find their files and applications. • How will you handle security? – Review your existing security policies and compliance needs in the context of VDI. How will you provide the required data protection measures, access controls, and encryption for both data at rest and in transit? • Will VDI pay off for your business? – VDI can save you money, but it’s not automatic. Conduct a thorough analysis of your costs, including initial infrastructure, licensing fees, and ongoing operational expenses, and compare them with your current desktop management costs. Project your return based on factors like improved security, reduced hardware costs, and increased productivity. A clear understanding of ROI will help justify the investment so you can move forward with confidence. advancement Moving Forward With VDI A breakthrough technology when it was introduced in the early 2000s, VDI continues to evolve. Cloud-based VDI and Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solutions reduce on-premises hardware requirements and make VDI accessible for even small organizations. Artificial intelligence and automation capabilities are transforming VDI management for better performance, predictive issue resolution, and streamlined operations. Advanced graphics virtualization and GPU acceleration technologies make it possible to support even more graphics-intensive applications. While there may still be situations better suited for locally installed desktops, the possibilities for modern VDI are virtually unlimited. Related Terms What is Virtual Machine Backup? Virtual machine backup (VM backup) is the process of backing up the virtual machines (VMs) running in an enterprise environment. Learn more What are the Benefits of Virtualization? The advantages of virtualization range from better efficiency, flexibility, and cost control to improved uptime and disaster recovery. Learn more What is Endpoint Backup? Endpoint backup solutions offer data protection for employee user devices, including desktops and laptops for today’s remote workforce. 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