What is VDI ?

VDI(Virtual desktop infrastructure) is a computing model that adds a layer of virtualization between the server and the desktop PCs. A VDI environment allows your company’s information technology pros to centrally manage thin client machines, leading to a mutually beneficial experience for both end-users and IT admins. VDI Provides Greater Security, Seamless User Experience, and Superior data security. Because VDI hosts the desktop image in the data center, organizations keep sensitive data safe in the corporate data center—not on the end-user’s machine which can be lost, stolen, or even destroyed. VDI effectively reduces the risks inherent in every aspect of the user environment. With VDI, the end-user experience remains familiar. Their desktop looks just like their desktop and their thin client machine perform just like the desktop PC they’ve grown comfortable with and accustomed to.

VDI is not one product, but rather a technology consisting of five separate components:

·  Thin Client Computer

o Most leading thin client manufacturers are coming out with new devices geared toward VDI. The only difference between these devices and their standard thin client device offerings is one or more built-in 3rd Party Connection Brokers. Some are also offering local graphics acceleration where MPEG1 & MPEG2 are rendered locally using the thin client’s display adapter, while others are offering VOIP Soft Phone Support. Although any computer could act as a thin client device, true thin client terminal are more often the choice for VDI and companies don’t want to continue to manage the client OS.

·  3rd Party Connection Broker

o The Connection Broker is the brains of the architecture that determines which Remote Desktop Host (XP Pro or Vista) a user is assigned or connected to. The broker is often a full-blown management product allowing for the automatic deployment and provisioning of Remote Desktop Hosts.

·  Virtualized Remote Desktop Host

o Single User Windows XP Pro, Windows Vista or Linux Client OS Hosts, Virtualized on VMware. Client computers connect to these hosts via remote display protocols like Microsoft RDP, Citrix ICA or NX.

·  VMware Infrastructure 3 Server (VI3)

o VMware ESX Server software allows for hosting of hardware agnostic Virtual Machines. In the case of VDI, ESX is used to host many Virtual Machines of the Remote Desktop Host Operating Systems.

·  VMware VirtualCenter

o Software component for managing ESX Server and libraries of Virtual Machines