VDI vs VDI

 High Implementation Costs

If your primary objective is to save money, skip VDI. The cost of implementing VDI, which requires significant upgrades in network equipment, server hardware and storage, is comparable to buying a new computer for every employee in your company. And unlike upgrading computers, you can’t stagger the purchases over several months; you’ll need to find room in the budget to purchase all the equipment at once ( True, storage is the key, but once the network is ready, you can phase in hardware to thin client units Also, VDI’s centralized operating system and applications make computer sharing much easier and subsequently fewer computers need to be purchased. PCs last longer and older PCs are able to run on a newer operating system and updated applications. “Bring your own device” or BYOD programs, made possible by VDI, save the company money and streamline user experience.)

Greater Chance of System-Wide Errors

While VDI can make troubleshooting easier because technicians often don’t need access to a specific piece of hardware, server-side problems can create complications that affect everyone using the server or that specific image. To minimize this downside, you must have the budget and technical knowledge to set up and maintain redundant servers. That way, a problem with your VDI won’t cause your workplace to come to a screeching halt.

( It's best practices is the key to design your deployemt on these lines. Also if smart, design to expand into incorporating disaster recovery plan template. Please keep in mind, For the individual user, PC outages will be less of a problem because data and applications are centralized, so if there is an outage users can just move to another PC and continue their work. In the long run, system outages decrease with VDI. Your system becomes less vulnerable to attacks and centralized administration makes it more likely that problems are spotted before they cause outages. Outages are costly and with fewer there is less downtime and more employee productivity.)

VDI Images Create Unique Management Issues

One substantial advantage of VDI is the ability to install drivers, applications and other programs onto a single image that all employees can use. Unfortunately, your workplace may need to accommodate some employees who need greater autonomy when installing applications or creating personalized settings. For every employee that needs the ability to save his own settings or needs specialized applications, your IT department will need to create a separate image. Multiply the specialized image by the number of employees who will need one, and you could be looking at substantial storage requirements even if you work to prevent virtualization sprawl. Also, every time you need to make an update to the VDI, you’ll need to update each image, which can eliminate some of the convenience of the system ( Once again storage is the key !!!, With application hosting & app laying kinda covers 99% or your users needs. )

 Increased Network Requirements

For offices composed of workers who spend most of their time using word processing or spreadsheet applications, VDI network requirements are minimal. However, if a large percentage of your workforce needs graphics rendering capabilities or video streaming, you’ll need to know that your server can handle the traffic. The source of this problem often exists at the server level, because server manufacturers cap the number of graphic slots available. Once again, the right server can handle this problem, but the solution could be cost prohibitive. ( With HDX & Flex , these user would have a higher client end point ' PC or Mac' with streaming would be redirected to the end point not causing performance problem on the server. )

Future Planning

VDI is more adaptive because changes to the system are faster, which is advantageous in the modern business environment where adaptation is essential for survival. When shifts happen in your sector, your system will adapt more quickly and this makes it easier to adjust to the conditions. Since VDI is the future of company systems, your initial investment represents a move towards future efficiency. Pricing of your products and services reflect your productivity and your company’s future competitiveness should increase as a result of VDI. Also as you see the cost of end devices drop.( As of the new raspberry thin client systems become more and more stable)

Before committing to a VDI, take some time to evaluate the various needs of the entire workforce.

Use that information to size your theoretical servers and determine the other hardware requirements necessary to switch to VDI.

Then take a look at your budget, factoring in any changes in man hours needed to maintain a VDI. Now that you have a clear picture of the pros and cons of VDI, you can make an informed decision that will benefit you.