What Is VDI?
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a technology in which an employee’s work environment — operating system, applications, and data — is deployed not on a local computer but on a centralized server. The user connects to their virtual desktop from any device — a thin client, laptop, tablet, or home PC — and gets a fully functional personalized workspace regardless of their location.
IT-Solutions designs and implements VDI solutions for companies that require centralized control over workstations, corporate data security, and flexible work organization.
VDI helps prevent the leakage of employees’ personal data, information about the company’s financial position, laboratory research and development data, lists of counterparties, information about agreements with suppliers and customers, and other sensitive information. All activities are centrally controlled by the server administrator, while employees retain access to all the data they need to perform their work.
In terms of workplace flexibility, VDI is an excellent solution for organizing remote work.
How It Works
Virtual desktops are deployed on servers in a data center or in the cloud. The hypervisor creates isolated virtual machines for each user or user pool. The connection is established through a specialized protocol (PCoIP, Blast Extreme, ICA/HDX), which transmits only the screen image and keyboard and mouse input, while all computing takes place on the server. Data is never stored on the endpoint device.
Platforms
- VMware Horizon — a leading enterprise VDI platform with deep integration with vSphere and support for hybrid environments
- Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops — a flexible platform for delivering both full virtual desktops and individual applications
- Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) — cloud-based VDI running on Azure with native integration with Microsoft 365
When Should You Consider Implementing Virtual Desktops?
VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) should be considered when a company moves to a hybrid or fully remote work model and the traditional approach to workplace management no longer meets its needs.
If there is a need to protect corporate data from leakage through users’ endpoint devices, VDI enables all information to be stored centrally in a data center rather than on employees’ local machines.
VDI is also relevant when the IT team spends significant time maintaining and updating workstations. Desktop virtualization reduces this workload because administrators manage centralized images rather than each individual device.
VDI is equally valuable when employees work from different types of devices — laptops, thin clients, or tablets — and require the same working environment regardless of where they connect from.
Finally, if there are requirements to control access to sensitive data at the level of individual users or groups, VDI enables flexible centralized management of access policies, helping ensure compliance with internal and regulatory security requirements.
Business Benefits of VDI
Centralized Management. OS and application updates, security configuration changes, and deployment of new workstations are performed centrally and simultaneously for all users, without requiring physical access to each device.
Data Protection. All corporate data is stored on the server rather than on the endpoint device. Losing or having a laptop stolen does not result in a data breach. Administrators can centrally control access to data, USB ports, printing, and the clipboard.
Work from Any Device. Employees have the same personalized work environment regardless of the device they use to connect — a thin client in the office, a home computer, or a tablet.
Fast Recovery. If an endpoint device fails, the user can connect from another device and continue working without losing data or settings. Deploying a new workstation takes minutes rather than hours.
Extended Equipment Lifecycle. Thin clients and older PCs can remain in service significantly longer because all computing is performed on the server. This reduces the costs associated with replacing endpoint devices.
Lower TCO. Centralized administration, lower endpoint costs, and automation of routine tasks significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of workplace infrastructure.
The significant benefits of implementing virtual infrastructure become apparent after 2–3 years of use. In addition, the return on investment for transitioning to virtualization is approximately five years.
For example, a traditional architecture is based on conventional PCs, whose service life typically ranges from six months to five years. However, once individual components reach the end of their service life, compatible replacements may no longer be available on the market. VDI does not have the same issue because thin clients contain a minimal number of components, all of which generally have a long service life.
Desktop and workplace virtualization (VDI) can reduce the total cost of ownership by approximately 50%. This includes savings on both capital expenditures and hardware investments. Operational costs are also reduced. Managing such an infrastructure is significantly easier because most tasks are automated within the virtualization platform itself.
What We Do
- Analyze requirements and select the optimal platform (VMware Horizon, Citrix, Microsoft AVD)
- Design VDI architecture based on the number of users and workload types
- Select server hardware and data storage systems
- Deploy and configure the platform
- Configure user profiles and security policies
- Integrate with Active Directory, authentication systems, and corporate applications
- Migrate users from physical workstations to VDI
- Train administrators and provide technical support
Planning to migrate to VDI or want to assess whether it is the right solution for your company? Contact our specialists — we will calculate the optimal configuration and demonstrate the actual savings compared with maintaining physical workstations.
