Desktop Virtualization – Is it time?

Today is opening day of VMWorld in San Francisco! Nortec has several of our Senior Consultants attending. http://www.vmworld2009.com/

I read an interesting article on Desktop Virtualization in Tech Republic. Server virtualization has taken off and there is more and more buzz around desktop virtualization. Is it time to for virtualization on the desktop? Tech Republic asked their CIO Jury, “Is your IT department strongly considering a deployment of virtual desktops?” - Out of 12 CIOs , 9 gave no votes and 3 gave yes votes. However, some yes votes were very enthusiastic yes so are these CIOs the early adopters or are they the minority?

Virtualization on the desktop is driven primarily by cost. This savings is mostly the cost to manage the desktop not the actual physical cost for hardware. In this current economy driving costs lower is a priority for most CIOs. The challenge is that the virtualized desktops still come up short for many applications and around multi-media. When it comes to simple desktops with minimal applications virtual desktops make tremendous sense but as the complexity goes up sometimes it cannot be done. Citrix does continue to lead in the desktop virtualization space with more and more capability around multimedia and providing the complete desktop experience users are looking for so this helps with the adoption.

I think that those implementing desktop virtualization today are early adopters, but desktop virtualization will not eliminate the desktop. Over the next 3 - 7 years there will be a slow shift to about even - 50% desktops and 50% terminals as virtual desktops.

After that well………….

Applications are moving to the internet and “cloud computing” so as this happens the virtual desktop will continue to make more sense. Provided the internet bandwidth can get ahead of the desktop demands we will eventually only need a web browser. However, as rapidly as technology is changing, it will still take time.

Link to Tech Republic Article:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=2607