What is a Virtual Desktop Environment?
The days of cubicles stuffed with massive desktop computers, each with its own individual environment that powers company software and data, are coming to an end. The landscape of how and where business gets done is entirely different from even a decade ago. And the desktop that powers the ever-growing remote-style business? It’s virtual, providing a user experience identical to the traditional desktop but with some added advantages. Virtual desktops connect users to company applications and data from any device. These devices can be personal laptops, mobile devices, or thin clients, and they access a centralized server that hosts operating systems, apps, and files. Virtual desktop environments (VDE), or sometimes virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), is an excellent option for remote workers but is also powerful enough to handle on-premises employees, too. Plus, eliminating on-site equipment can be a cost-saving measure. You may already know what virtual desktop environments are, but you might need a guide on executing the transformation without disrupting operations. You’ve come to the right place because this step-by-step guide has everything you need to get your VDE solution up and running. Microsoft Azure and Amazon’s AWS provide VDI solutions, but to them, your business is just another number. Summit Hosting understands how important your business is to you, and our VDI platform was designed with you in mind. Try it today and see the difference for yourself!What Can Virtual Desktop Environments Accomplish?
As with any other change you make for your organization, knowing what virtual desktop environments can accomplish helps justify the effort. Whether you’re looking for improved security or additional support for your remote staff, desktop virtualization could be the answer.- Security compliance – Data security is a hot-button issue, with privacy and sensitive data a constant concern for businesses and consumers. Unlike traditional desktop experiences, the centralized locations of VDI solutions mean security updates and compliances can happen instantly to all desktop instances, keeping you up to date.
- Multi-device connection – Traditional workstations involve a physical desktop computer tethered to a company network. However, today workstations can be laptops, mobile devices, thin clients, or any other number of devices. With virtual desktop environments, you can access company apps and data from any of these devices without requiring specialized installation.
- Allows for remote access – Business is more mobile than ever, demanding greater access to critical business functions while not in the office. Using a VDI solution, your in-field or remote workforce has the same tools as your in-office staff, meaning peak productivity from wherever your team reports.
How To Implement a Virtual Desktop Environment
Organizations are turning to virtual desktop environments and Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solutions for many reasons, from powering resource-heavy apps to eliminating on-site data centers. Regardless of why you’re implementing a virtual environment, the process can seem daunting, but we’ve broken it down into a handful of easy-to-follow steps to make it digestible.1. Analyze Business Needs
Every business is unique and utilizes VDI environments to solve different problems. Before getting started, you should ask yourself some crucial questions that analyze the needs of your business. Ask yourself and other stakeholders what problems a virtual desktop experience will solve. Will it replace physical devices or boost your IT infrastructure for application hosting? These questions can help answer what VDI services make the most sense for your situation. Complete cloud-based VDI overhauls can be costly, but many businesses transition slowly using a hybrid-cloud approach, offloading apps and data over time instead of all at once. This hybrid approach is only possible thanks to the scalability that virtual desktop providers offer. Future resource demands can be tough to predict, but virtual desktop environments allow businesses to scale resources on demand without needing upfront investment. That means upgrading your tech stack to handle a surge in sales is as easy as a button click.2. Determine Security Access
End users access virtual desktop environments over an internet connection, making security a prime concern. Security starts by determining who on the team needs access to your VDE. Implementing organizational access charts will help you decide which employees need access to various VDI services. Remote workers are also vulnerable to cyberattacks from the equipment they use. For example, call center employees need headsets, but allowing access to share features or USB input can expose data. When you configure security, these considerations are vital to data privacy. Furthermore, your VDE security strategy should include various layers to protect company data. While each layer adds to the monthly pricing, the protection can far outweigh the costs. These security layers can consist of the following:- Multi-factor authentication
- Firewalls
- Self-protecting connection brokers
- Anti-malware
- Anti-virus
- Intrusion prevention
- Remote client restrictions
- Physical building (data center) security