Virtual Desktop Infrastructure VDI

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is defined as the hosting of desktop environments on a central server.

It is a form of desktop virtualization, as the specific desktop images run within virtual machines (VMs) and are delivered to end clients over a network. Those endpoints may be PCs or other devices, like tablets or thin client terminals.

Key Functions

In all VDI deployments, the following characteristics apply:

The virtual desktops live within VMs on a centralized server
Each virtual desktop includes an operating system image, typically Microsoft Windows
The VMs are host-based, meaning multiple instances of them can housed on the same server within the data center
End clients must be constantly connected to the centrally managed server in order to maintain access to the virtualized desktops it’s hosting
The VDI implementation’s connection broker finds a virtual desktop within the resource pool for each client to connect to upon its successful access of the VDI environment
Meanwhile, a hypervisor creates, runs and manages the various host machine VMs that encapsulate the individual virtual desktop environments

Benefits

VDI supports enhanced user mobility and remote access, as a standardized desktop can be reached from almost any approved and compatible endpoint in any location. For workers who are frequently on the go and need to pull up a virtual desktop containing a full range of virtual apps and data, VDI is like having an office available on-demand. In that regard, it fits right into their digital workspace workflows that already feature similar, regular consumption of cloud, web and mobile apps across multiple contexts, especially if it’s persistent VDI.