desktop virtualization

There are several different conceptual models of desktop virtualization, which can be broadly divided into two categories based on whether the technology executes the OS instance locally or remotely. It's important to note that not all forms of desktop virtualization technology involve the use of virtual machines (VMs ). Desktop virtualization employs hardware virtualization technology. Virtual desktops exist as VMs, running on a virtualization host. These VMs share the host server's processing power, memory and other resources. Users typically run a remote desktop protocol (RDP ) client to access the virtual desktop environment. This client attaches to a connection broker that links the user's session to a virtual desktop. Typically, virtual desktops are nonpersistent, meaning the connection broker assigns the user a random virtual desktop from a virtual desktop pool. When the user logs out, this virtual desktop resets to a pristine, unchanged state and returns to the pool. However, some vendors offer an option to create persistent virtual desktops, in which users receive their own writable virtual desktop. When most people think of desktop virtualization, VDI is probably the first thing that comes to mind. VDI is a technology in which physical servers host virtual desktops in an organization's own data center. Like server computing and virtualization, VDI relies on underlying hardware virtualization technology. Users sometimes use the terms desktop virtualization and VDI interchangeably, but they aren't the same. Other types of desktop virtualization -- including the shared hosted model, host-based physical machines and all methods of client virtualization -- aren't examples of VDI. RDS is also an on-premises desktop virtualization technology. Unlike VDI, however, RDS doesn't rely on hardware virtualization, nor does it use desktop OSes. Instead, the server acts as a session host, running a Remote Desktop Session Host . One potential disadvantage of using this method is that application virtualization can be a problem. RDS runs desktop applications on Microsoft Windows Server , and an application that's designed to run on Windows 10 won't necessarily run on Windows Server. This is especially true for Microsoft Store apps. DaaS is a public cloud -based desktop virtualization service that vendors offer. Organizations lease virtual desktops on an as-needed basis from a cloud provider. DaaS is generally accessible from anywhere using an RDP client. An on-premises platform is best suited to organizations that have already acquired, or have the budget to purchase, server hardware and any other required resources. An on-premises platform might also be a good choice for organizations that wish to repurpose their existing desktop OS licenses. Lastly, on-premises VDI is a good fit for organizations that lack the internet bandwidth needed to support a cloud computing DaaS offering. A cloud-based option tends to be a good fit for organizations that don't have the IT expertise or budget to support an on-premises virtual desktop deployment. Cloud-based deployments are also well suited to organizations that employ seasonal or temporary workers because administrators can add or remove end-user capacity on an as-needed basis without incurring a significant investment in server hardware. Host-based forms of desktop virtualization require end users to view and interact with their virtual desktops over a network using a remote display protocol. Because all processing takes place in a data center, user devices can be traditional PCs, thin clients , zero clients , smartphones or tablets. Host-based physical machine. The OS runs directly on another device's physical hardware. Client virtualization requires processing to occur on local hardware. Server virtualization is the abstraction of a server OS and the apps from the physical machine, which creates a virtual server, running on a physical server above the actual server operating syst