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What is Desktop Virtualization and Why Hasn’t it Taken Over the World?

Dan Kusnetzky,Distinguished Analyst and Founder

Kusnetzky Group LLC

• What is virtualization anyway?• Virtualization has been in use for a long time• Many layers of virtualization in use today• What is Desktop Virtualization?• If it is so good, why hasn’t it taken over the world?• Some suggestions

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Agenda

• Moving a function into an artificial environment

• Uses excess capacity• Processing • Memory • Storage • Networking

• Offer an "ideal" environment for that function

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What is virtualization anyway?

• Virtualization technology first appeared on Mainframes in the 1960s

• Single vendor midrange systems introduced virtualization in the 1970s and 1980s

• It appeared on Industry Standard Systems (X86) in the 1990s

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Virtualization has been in use for a long time

There are Many Layers of Virtualization in Use Today

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• Desktop Virtualization means different things to different Suppliers

• It is the use of one or more of four different technologies1. Access Virtualization2. Application Virtualization3. Virtual machine software4. Management of virtual environments

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What is Desktop Virtualization

• Depending upon the goals different technologies are appropriate– Reduction of management costs?– Simplifying lifecycle changes and reducing

costs– Simplifying the adoption of and integration of

new devices

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What are the goals?

• The devil we know• Large initial investment• Disconnected operations• Avoiding change• Desire to leap over this type of change

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If Desktop Virtualization is so good, why hasn’t it taken over the world?

• Know what applications and workloads are in the environment

• Know the real requirements of your environment – Mobility– Training– Technology– Security– Management

• Select the proper tool for the task at hand rather than the tool du jure

• "If you don't know where you're going, you're likely to end up somewhere else.” Lawrence Peter

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Suggestions

Virtualization: A Manager’s Guide

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