Workspace Virtualization

Virtualized workspaces have been around for more than 40 years, starting with IBM’s VM and MVS mainframes, and more recently with virtual desktops (VDI), desktop as a service (DaaS), workspace as a service (WaaS), and as an application of converged infrastructure (CI).

But for all that history and different approaches from companies like Citrix and VMware, market acceptance of client virtualization (i.e., software solutions that virtualize both full desktops and applications) has been low.

While virtualization in the workplace hasn’t spread widely, it is gathering momentum. In fact:

• 64% of executives say mobile enablement is the number one benefit of desktop virtualization
• 32.5% are not using virtual desktops, but plan to in 1-3 years
• 97.5% of those using DaaS are satisfied with it
• 1 in 3 plan to implement DaaS in the next 3 years

By 2018 approximately 40 billion devices and 3.8 billion mobile users together will produce 6.75 terabytes of data per person per day, noted Robert Young, Research Director, IT Service Management and Client Virtualization Software, IDC. “That’s a staggering amount of data. What’s more, business users will increasingly want access to this data from anywhere, at any time, on any device.”

“The days of IT-dictated end-user environment are over,” commented Ian Song, Research Manager, Client Virtualization, IDC. “Virtual client computing software is the solution for IT to bridge traditional desktop management with the new mobility-centric use cases.”

By centralizing management of all these devices and applications in the back-end datacenter, they can be accessed and managed more easily than sending a technician to each endpoint device. Client virtualization also allows IT to better manage access to data and more effectively demonstrate and stay in compliance with industry regulations such as HIPAA, SOX, and PCI.

Many organizations have struggled to solve the complexity and cost issues involved with the design and implementation of the underlying infrastructure required to run virtualized environments for storage, networking, and computing that can scale and operate a high-availability virtualized client environment. This struggle can impact the end-user experience, adoption, and even the success of the implementation.

That’s why the first step in achieving workspace virtualization benefits is determining where it will be the best fit in your organization, and how to begin. That should start with an evaluation of how applications would perform in your environment.

That can range from a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Assessment to a Proof of Concept Appliance (POCA) that would include a complete VDI environment. The POCA would enable you to immediately begin testing your applications in your own environment, and the installed analytics tool would capture and quantify effects to the infrastructure as applications and features are enabled and tested.

Working with a partner like PC Connection will equip you with the expertise and services to help you understand the server, storage, network, and application needs for your unique environment and pick the right desktops to virtualize. A proven partner has the tools to enable you to make implementation decisions using data from your own applications and assets, to best address your business and user objectives.