Desktop Virtualization Developments of 2015

There’s no doubt that desktop virtualization services and technology have made important strides

in just a few short years. As a result, a number of businesses have managed to liberate

themselves to a large extent from the hassles of maintaining servers and hardware to perform

vital office tasks. This has been accomplished by moving computing platforms into the cloud,

where they can be accessed by any Internet-enabled device, provided that the user has proper

authorization. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), then, is here—but is it here to stay? Will

desktop virtualization give way to another high-tech trend in the near future? Prognostication of

this sort can never be an exact science, of course, but it’s possible to make some educated

guesses about the future of VDI, at least as it should develop over the next few years.

Increased Adoption of Virtual Desktops

VDI adoption rates continue to climb slowly but steadily—it’s not quite “all the rage,” but the

popularity of this technology is clearly on the rise. There’s more to this trend than merely an

increase of absolute numbers of users—this technology should make inroads in fields that have

so far have resisted the encroachment of VDI. At present, VDI tends to be associated with

corporate offices, but the march of technology is expected to bring virtual desktops to the

healthcare and educational sectors, as well as other industries that all too often rely on outmoded

computing equipment.

It should be noted, however, that a lot of companies remain hesitant to adopt virtual desktops in

the workplace. For many, the expense and labor involved in maintaining in-house cloud

capability are prohibitive. This has been an ongoing issue with VDI for years now, but, as we

will see later on, these obstacles are rapidly fading from relevance.

BYOD

Strictly speaking, this isn’t an aspect of VDI, but it’s definitely a business trend closely related to

it. As you may know, BYOD refers to “Bring Your Own Device,” a policy where employees are

explicitly permitted to use their own hardware devices, which include smartphones, laptops, and

similar equipment, for business-related functions. As VDI becomes increasingly accepted in the

business community, we can expect to see an uptick in BYOD practices. The reason is simple:

Virtual desktops do not require a dedicated device to access their various features, so businesses

will permit personnel to use their own personal equipment, rather than furnish a desktop for each

employee. There are security risks involved with BYOD—for one thing, improperly secured

laptops can present an attack vector for hackers to exploit—but with decreased dependence on

dedicated desktops, bring-your-own-device policies are a virtually inevitable cost-cutting tactic.

Increased Emphasis on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

Maintaining an in-house computing environment that can manage the substantial demands that

come with desktop virtualization is not easy for any business. Setting up VDI capabilities is not a

one-and-done deal; it requires ongoing upkeep, including regular security patches and similar

updates. Fortunately, an answer to this problem can be provided by a third-party company

dedicated to outsourced software-as-a-service (SaaS). Companies of this sort can provide 24/7

managed virtualization and cloud computing services, thus relieving organizations of the need to

have their own in-house department. It’s a cost-effective solution that should prove increasingly

popular in the coming years.

Company Bio

Since 1999, CyberlinkASP has provided a wide range of information technology (IT) managed

services, including hosted virtual desktops, managed hosting, and outsourced IT and security

services. The company operates datacenters in Dallas, Chicago, and London.