Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) - What Is It?

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, also known as Hosted Virtual Desktop or VDI sounds complicated, but it basically means that you can access your desktop remotely from anywhere in the world - the only thing you need is access to a device and an internet connection.

Users access their Hosted Virtual Desktops work via their chosen device (it could be a standard PC, laptop, tablet or android to name a few). Ultimately, you or your employee’s experience will look just same as it always has.

The data (your desktop wallpaper, shortcuts, documents etc.) is stored on a remote server, in a secure datacentre (this can also be referred to as the ‘Cloud’) instead of being on a hard drive of an end-user machine.

As the files and software applications are stored virtually, should your computer be lost, stolen or breakdown, or your hard drive corrupt, all important documents will be unaffected – they remain safely stored and accessible from an alternate device.

Leading companies such as Citrix and Microsoft have joined forces to offer desktop virtualisation solutions to customers, meaning you have peace of mind that your desktop is hosted by a reliable source.

- 24x7 Access to bespoke ‘desktop’ functionality via any device with web browser capabilities
- Improved data security, logging, monitoring and deployment
- Faster IT deployment for new users (desktops can be set up in minutes not hours!)
- Reduced IT overhead costs
- Longer lasting and more energy efficient PCs
- Automatic Data Back-up and Storage
- Forms an integral part of an IT Disaster Recovery Plan
- Greater flexibility for business owners and employees who travel

One of the greatest frustrations for any PC or laptop user is when their system is down due to hard drive failure. It’s extremely worrying how much data may have been lost. In circumstances like this, it’s also common to find there has been infrequent back-ups (unless you have an IT support contract), hence escalating the risk factor of losing critical data.

In situations like this, VDI becomes the tool you wish you have in your IT suite, simply because you will never lose any critical data through a hardware failure.

If you were to experience a hard drive failure, and this is more common than some would think, the good news is that with VDI, you could use any other PC or laptop with internet connection, log on and continue your work as if nothing happened.

You call out an engineer who would remove your PC or laptop or replace the hard drive. The new hard drive would then be configured, all your software reloaded (assuming you have stored your codes and passwords) before you can use your PC or laptop again. Of course, you will then be working from a blank canvass unless you stored important document elsewhere.

There are no guarantees that document(s) you were working on when the hard drive failed would be retrieved from the failed hard drive so you could lose a huge chunk, if not all of your data. Of course, if you have IT support and regularly back up data as part of the support then the loss of data is minimal. What you do lose is the time it takes to resolve the problem and have your system fully operable again. With VDI, the ability to log on to another machine means you do not lose this time and can continue where you left off. Whilst you complete your work, somebody could be taking care of your system and restoring your existing machine.

And similarly, what happens if your laptop gets stolen?

To find out more about how to implement Virtual Desktop Infrastructure for your business, drop me a message, call 0845 363 0403 or visit our website http://urbanitsolutions.co.uk