Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

What is VDI?

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a technology that hosts desktop environments on a centralized server and uses virtual machines to provide virtual desktops to users on request over a network. As a form of desktop virtualization, it enables user mobility and remote access, along with significant IT cost savings and security improvements.

VDI provides a virtual desktop environment with secure, high-performance, on-demand access to managed virtual desktops and applications.

What are the benefits for VDI?

One of the key benefits VDI provides is allowing users to work from anywhere just like they were connected to their organization’s local network. This workforce transformation empowers virtual workers to keep operations running smoothly while working from home. In addition, there are other business benefits including:

  • Most devices that can be connected to the internet can be used for VDI. This reduces the need for equipment purchases or upgrade costs.
  • Enabling virtual desktops in the cloud has the positive side benefit that you can “cloud-burst” – quickly expanding from on-prem capacity to the cloud when demand for computing capacity strikes.
  • Typically, VDI has lower administrative and support costs, since users only are accessing the operating system and application images that reside on the a central VDI server.
  • Backup and restore capabilities are easy, with all of the users’ core software, apps and files stored on servers that are remote.
Enabling this technology requires high connectivity, so it is not for everyone, but it works best for information workers.

How can you secure your VDI environment?

While you cannot secure every BYOD device that attempts to access your network, you can protect your VDI environment. You need a security approach that can quickly detect an intrusion, rapidly isolate it from the rest of the network and from other devices, and prevent data exfiltration and malware penetration and proliferation.

By leveraging Unisys Stealth® deployed on all your endpoints that interface with your VDI, you can secure your VDI environment. With rapid isolation of the intruder, you can prevent lateral movement and data exfiltration.

What is a virtual desktop?

By transferring the physical desktop computer contents to the cloud, you can allow employees to connect to a virtual desktop from their devices at home. In addition, enabling virtual desktops in the cloud has the side benefit that the state can “cloud-burst” – quickly expanding from on-premise capacity to the cloud when demand for computing capacity strikes.

What is a use case for virtual desktops in the cloud?

A government agency made a heroic transition from working entirely on-prem to extensive remote work. In the office, the state employees used under-the-desk workstations with large monitors – equipment that was not going home with them. One option might have been to procure thousands of laptops to provision and take home, but with supply chains abruptly interrupted, that was not possible. Instead, the agency transferred their physical desktop contents to the cloud, allowing employees to connect to virtual desktops from their personal devices at home.

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