[Term of the Day]: Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Term of the Day

“Virtual Desktop Infrastructure”

Definition — What is VDI?

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a desktop computing solution that extends Server Virtualization to the desktop. VDI was coined by VMware for its VMware server and Virtual Desktop Manager (VDM), VDI started getting its popularity in the mid-2000s. VDI is a data center technology centralizing many desktop environments onto one server. The desktop workloads including a Windows client operating system, applications, and data in server-based virtual machines (VMs). These VMs can be on the same network or can even be accessed over the Internet. VDI allows users to remotely work on virtual desktops and applications that run inside virtual machines (VMs) through their client devices. Since the virtual machines are independent and isolated from each other, users will have the exact experience as they are running on a desktop computer. In addition to that users can log in to virtual desktop clients from can work anywhere in the world and with any devices that including PCs, tablets, smartphones, etc.

Security and configuration management are additional benefits of the VDI solution. In this environment, data lives on the server rather than the end client device. This serves to protect data if an endpoint device is ever stolen or compromised. IT teams can manage any number of virtual machines with greater ease than physical ones – making configuration changes and updates far, far easier, and much quicker to roll out. Providers of VDI solutions include Citrix, Oracle, VMWare, and Microsoft.