Virtualisation is a key factor in modern business strategies. After all, being able to run applications and desktops virtually makes your company more flexible and agile, and allows you to save costs and improve your company’s security all around.

This is especially true for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions, one of the best ways of taking advantage of virtualisation in your business. It can do wonders in saving costs while also ensuring that your business remains comfortable in keeping up with the needs of the modern business environment.

In this article, we’re going to go over the ins and outs of VDI, as well as the basics of every VDI option. We’ll take a look at each one, so we can help you navigate the many options available and choose the VDI option that’s right for your business.

Why Businesses Need VDI Solutions

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions are essential for any modern business. After all, the benefits provided by implementing a VDI solution are second to none, with virtualisation allowing for a modern approach to your business’s computing needs.

Instead of using on-premises and physical computer hardware—which can be expensive and difficult to manage—virtualisation helps you move into a cloud-based infrastructure, enabling you to take advantage of cloud-based virtualisation throughout your business.

Here are a few of the key benefits that VDI can bring to your business:

  • Security: Centralising data and applications on a secure, cloud-based server means that your most sensitive data is protected, much better than an on-premises system can provide.
  • Flexibility: VDI allows your employees to work from anywhere with an internet connection, meaning you can easily facilitate work-from-home options. A VDI implementation is also far more scalable than using physical desktop devices.
  • Reduced Costs: On-premises desktops are expensive and cost a lot to maintain, whereas utilising a VDI is far more cost-effective. On top of this, IT support and maintenance come at a fraction of the cost.
  • Disaster Recovery: VDI can help you quickly recover your operations in the case of disaster, due to the ease of cloud backup and the ability to get yourself up and running.

Overview of Common VDI Solutions

Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is one of the most popular and robust VDI services available.  Provided through Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, AVD is the premier VDI service for businesses. Their high level of security and reliable service is second to none, due to their servers having top-level protection, meaning you can rest assured your data is safe.

Moreover, they provide a high level of scalability to ensure that you can accommodate growth and right size to save costs. You can easily add or remove virtual desktops as much as you need to, meaning that businesses that have fluctuating workloads can benefit massively from this.

AVD is also popular in general because of its cost-effective platform, with affordable prices and lots of cost-saving features within Microsoft Azure. On top of this, you can take advantage of other Microsoft services alongside AVD, giving you access to the best tools available for any business.

With Microsoft Azure, you’re getting the best value for your money, as well as a platform that is trusted, well-supported, and will serve your business for years to come.

VMware Horizon

VMware Horizon is another VDI solution, that is also quite popular. Very similarly, VMware provides a cloud-based solution for virtualisation but also offers on-premises services. This is great for businesses that want to use both on-premises and cloud, but AVD is lacking in the ability to connect to a wider ecosystem like Azure.

Another major drawback of VMware Horizon is its complexity, due to being a more in-depth solution. This is great for larger businesses that want to be able to customise every part of their implementation, but for most businesses, it can prove to be a headache to integrate VMware Horizon into your wider business.

Due to only being a VDI solution and not a cloud provider, you’ll also need to look at implementing VMware into another cloud provider, such as Azure anyway. Moreover, VMware Horizon is scalable but not to the extent that AVD is. VMware also has far less flexibility in its pricing options all around.

All of this means that, while great for larger businesses, VMware Horizon is just a major pain for most businesses that don’t need the complex infrastructure it provides.

Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops

Similar to VMware Horizon, Citrix is designed for both cloud and on-premises use, and for larger enterprises looking for a more specific option at the cost of efficiency and ease of operation. It provides similar features to the aforementioned platforms but is complex to use and can be cumbersome.

On top of this, Citrix will also need a separate cloud provider to be able to work effectively, and the best way to do so is to integrate Citrix, Azure, and potentially Microsoft products, meaning that it’s more hassle than just using AVD unless you really need the extra features.

Amazon WorkSpaces

Amazon WorkSpaces is a cloud-based VDI environment from Amazon, which is designed to be easy to use and set up. Both are managed by the cloud provider, as opposed to VMware Horizon and Citrix, but WorkSpaces doesn’t integrate with Microsoft products like AVD does.

On top of this, WorkSpaces can be far more costly and have far less customisation than AVD, to the point where it can be cumbersome in its simplicity.

On-Prem VDI

It is possible to set up an on-premises VDI, using tools like VMware Horizon or Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. But, you lose the massive benefits that the cloud brings — while also making it more difficult to integrate into the cloud in the future.

Ultimately, the best way to implement a VDI is using a cloud service, to ensure you get all the benefits of virtualisation and cloud computing without the drawbacks of an on-premises system.

Which is right for you?

Azure Virtual Desktop is generally the easiest and most effective option for most businesses, with it striking a balance between being too simple and too complex, being easy to set up and understand, and integrating with a host of Microsoft tools — all within a fully scalable platform, with lots of cost saving methods integrated.

VMware Horizon and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktop can be a great option for businesses that need them specifically, but generally speaking, the benefits that AVD brings to the average business can’t be matched.

If you’re looking to get started with Azure Virtual Desktop, reach out to us today and see how we can help you get started with your VDI implementation today.