Desktop Virtualization: A New Desktop Delivery
Technology Takes Flight
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Impact Research
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Executive Summary
Desktop virtualization moves desktop computing to virtual machines hosted on servers.

The end user interacts with a full desktop (typically Windows) environment while management of
software, processing, and storage is removed from distributed desktop machines.
There is significant interest in desktop virtualization.



About 39% of organizations are planning, piloting, or implementing solutions.
Currently about 5% of organizations have already implemented.
Info-Tech expects implementations to double in 2010 and continue to grow in the next decade.
Desktop virtualization is an emerging technology ready for prime-time and should be part of every
organization’s technology strategy.


Desktop virtualization is a relative newcomer and it is still in its early days in terms of adoption.
However, it has significant potential to address the end user needs of a larger proportion of the end
users than the established presentation virtualization (Citrix XenApp, Microsoft Terminal Services).
Some limitations still remain.


Desktop virtualization does not yet adequately meet the needs of truly mobile users or those who have
high media processing requirements.
There are a number of developments that suggest that hybrid solutions for these use cases will be
available beginning in 2010.
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Research Method
Research Method
Organizations by Industry

The Desktop Virtualization Impact Reports are based on
results from 204 surveyed IT managers and in depth
interviews with 30 IT leaders.
 All major industry segments, sizes of organizations, and
revenue brackets were represented.
 Organizations at all stages of implementation or
consideration of desktop virtualization were represented.
Organizations by FTE
5000+
13%
1-100
10%
5000+
13%
101-250
16%
1001-5000
28%
Education
7%
Wholesale/
Retail
3%
Manufacturing
20%
Government
11%
Trans/Utilitis/
Comms
12%
Healthcare
14%
Business
Services
16%
Financial
Services
14%
1 - 100
14%
101 - 250
17%
1001 - 5000
22%
251-500
13%
501-1000
20%
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Planning on implementing
& Implementers by FTE
Primary
Industry
3%
501 - 1000
17%
251 - 500
17%
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Understanding Virtualization on
the Desktop
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Key Definitions for Desktop Virtualization
Virtualization is all about layers of abstraction


A desktop computer is comprised of four system layers:
Physical
Machine
The processor, memory, and storage that sits on the
desk.
Operating
System
Typically Microsoft Windows but could also be a
desktop Linux variant or the Mac OS.
Applications
Such as an e-mail client, word processor, spreadsheet,
or enterprise application client (example: client side
application for a CRM system).
Presentation
The user interface including what is presented on the
desktop monitor and interacted with via input devices
(keyboard, mouse).
Presentation Layer
Virtualization inserts a layer of abstraction between
system layers. The system layer above interacts with an
abstraction rather than something “real”.
Example: In presentation virtualization (such as Terminal
Services) the user interacts with a presentation of an
application on their desktop. But the “real” application, OS,
and physical layers behind the presentation are not on the
desktop but on a server located somewhere else.
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Key Definitions for Desktop Virtualization
Different abstractions for different kinds of virtualization
Presentation Virtualization


In traditional remote access of server based applications, (Citrix
Presentation Server, Microsoft Terminal Services) only
presentation layer virtualization is used.
Presentation virtualization is also used for remote access of
workstation hardware such as a blade PC in the data center.
Presentation Layer
Application Virtualization


In application virtualization, an application can be downloaded
and run locally without special configuration of either the
application or the client PC or its OS. The application interacts
with an abstraction layer between it and the OS and machine
layers.
Examples of application virtualization solutions include VMware
View (ThinView), Citrix XenApp, and Microsoft App-V.
Desktop Virtualization

Desktop Virtualization uses both a Machine Virtualization layer
for hosting PC VMs on a server and presentation virtualization
for remote access of those virtual machines from the desktop.
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Key Definitions for Desktop Virtualization
Virtualization layers are not mutually exclusive


The different layers of virtualization can be combined for different desktop
computing solutions. For example:
• Desktop virtualization solutions combine presentation virtualization and PC
machine virtualization on a hosting server.
• Application virtualization and application presentation can also be combined
with desktop virtualization – a virtual desktop machine can be dynamically
provisioned with remote access and/or virtualized applications.
• Application virtualization can also be applied to server hosted applications,
making them co-exist on the same server more efficiently.
Connection broker software, such as what is
available from Citrix and VMware, can connect
individual users to different remote access
solutions. For example, a user might be connected
to a virtual desktop, a terminal services session, a
virtualized application, or a remote blade PC
depending on their needs and user profile.
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Key Definitions for Desktop Virtualization
Desktop virtualization moves desktop processing and storage
off the desktop

In desktop virtualization, a full instance of a desktop operating system (typically
Windows) runs on a virtual machine that is hosted on a server and remote accessed
from a client device (a PC, laptop, or thin client).
 For the end user, the experience of the virtual desktop should be the same as using a
local PC. For example, they will see and interact with Windows and their familiar
applications. They may not even be aware that the applications are no longer
executing on a local CPU and OS instance.
 Access is managed through connection broker software. The broker connects the
user with a specific virtual desktop. The most popular software for managing both
virtual desktops and brokering are VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop.
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Key Definitions for Desktop Virtualization
Desktop virtualization offers the best of both worlds:
centralization plus full desktops for more types of users



Presentation virtualization solutions (such as Citrix application presentation) are well
established. In fact Citrix has become synonymous not only with presentation virtualization but also
with thin client hardware. Typically when an IT manager says, “We use Citrix” they are referring to
terminal services presentation often via thin client. Benefits include centralized application
management and reduced desk side support requirements.
However, presentation virtualization remains a niche solution. After more than a decade on the
market, thin client/presentation solutions tend to be used mainly in areas where a narrow set of
processing tasks are done on the desktop (such as a call center). Broader use knowledge workers
continue to use full PC clients. Also, applications designed to run on a single machine don't always
work well in an shared application environment and are inevitably deployed at the desktop on a PC.
Desktop virtualization extends the benefits of centralized management of applications and data
from the traditional single task workers to knowledge workers. It does this by combining the benefits
of a full PC desktop environment (for users and client applications) with the centralization benefits of
a server based approach. This is a potential best of both worlds approach.
Presentation
Virtualization
Task Workers Only
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Current Desktop
Virtualization
Future Desktop
Virtualization
Task +Knowledge Workers
All types of users
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Desktop Virtualization Adoption
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Desktop Virtualization Adoption
Desktop virtualization adoption is expected to grow

Currently, desktop virtualization has been
adopted by less than 5% of organizations.
 Looking forward however, there is
considerable interest in adopting virtual
desktops.
 A large number of organizations are waiting
for the technology to mature. 2010 could see
twice as many implementations as 2009.
Implementing
(4%)
Deployed
(5%)
Piloting
(10%)
No plans
(43%)
Planning
(21%)
Evaluated, not going to
deploy
(17%)
Projected Desktop Virtualization Adoption
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Desktop Virtualization Adoption, Q1 09
39%
26%
12%
5%
To Date
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2009
2010
2011+
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Desktop Virtualization Adoption
Desktop virtualization works for a broad range of use cases
Using Virtual Desktop Solutions
Not Using Virtual Desktop Solutions
Broad range of job types:




Knowledge workers (executive staff,
analysts)
Process workers (customer service,
claims and loan processing)
Data-entry workers (processing
reservations, making order entries)

High-performance users who need local
graphics processing (video / graphic
designers)
Mobile users (significant offline use while
traveling, wide variety of connections – LAN,
WAN, dial-up, public WiFi)
Deployment by User Type
Wide range of connection types:



Stationary users (connecting using
Stationary users
permanent LAN links)
Roaming users (on multiple permanent
High-performance
LANs)
users who need
Remote/Home users (use the same Deployment
User Type
local by
processing
link/device to connect from multiple
locations)
0%
Stationary users
27%
27%
68%
73%
20%
40%
23%
60%
80%
100%
68%
None/few users
Some users
High-performance
users who need
local processing
Many users
73%
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23%
Impact Research
0%
20%
40%
60%
12
80%
100%
The Future of Desktop
Virtualization
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Future of Desktop Virtualization
The future: the ubiquitous desktop

Though they have different delivery frameworks,
most major vendors in enterprise computing have
the same vision of the future of the enterprise –
the ubiquitous or persistent desktop. Here are
some characteristics of this vision:
•
•
•
The end user owns a single desktop. That desktop is
the same whether accessed on a LAN-based PC, a
roaming laptop, an external home office PC, and
even a handheld device. This is a continuation of a
trend that began with roaming profiles.
Though this persistent desktop can be accessed
from a variety of end points, it is created and
managed from a centralized management point.
While access to the desktop roams, the desktop
image itself is also not fixed. The desktop virtual
machine can move from internal hosting servers to
external services (the Cloud) and to individual PCs
and laptops for offline access or to take advantage of
local hardware.
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Future of Desktop Virtualization
There are limitations to the current model

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Desktop virtualization currently falls short of the ubiquitous
desktop vision particularly in the area of mobility of the
virtual machine image. In VDI models, VMs tend to be
hosted on central servers and remote accessed from the
desktop.
Desktop virtualization has many of the same advantages
and limitations of traditional presentation virtualization. For
example, central management of applications is a benefit of
both, while latency of remote accessed applications and
susceptibility to network outage is a limitation of both.
Moving an application that has network latency issues from
terminal services to desktop virtualization will not improve
the experience of that application.
Desktop virtualization solutions also typically require more
storage and processing on the back end than traditional
terminal services solutions.
Operating system/software licensing costs are also proving
to be a challenge for adopters.
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How Persistent Virtual
Desktops Will Save
Money
In a large enterprise, PCs
are purchased in bulk but
not always from the same
vendor. This makes it
necessary to maintain
multiple configurations of
software and operating
systems (one for the
Dells, one for the HPs,
one for the white boxes,
etc.)
With fully virtualized
desktops, the apps and
OS are configured for one
virtual machine. PCs are
either VM hosts or remote
access terminals.
Differences in PC
configurations are
rendered irrelevant.
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Future of Desktop Virtualization
Virtual PCs have to become more mobile

While being centrally managed, the PC VM must be able to migrate from central
infrastructure to the desktop or to external host seamlessly, depending on where the
VM will perform best for the end users needs and circumstances.
 Developments in this direction are promising:
• VMware’s experimental “check out” feature where a managed PC VM can be
downloaded to a laptop for offline use while still being synchronized with central
images.
• Plans for client side bare metal hypervisors (Intel partnering with both Citrix and
VMware). The goal will be for PC VMs to run at near native performance when
they are hosted on a PC or laptop.
• Citrix’s provisioning server which can stream a desktop image and user
configuration to both a physical or virtual machine. This could include streaming
to a virtual machine on a client side hypervisor in the future.

Full PC VM mobility will begin to have a positive impact by 2011. Decision makers looking
to benefit from these developments – for example, to apply desktop virtualization for
mobile disconnected laptops – should plan 18 months out.
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Key Conclusions
See the Impact Report “Desktop
Virtualization: Assessing
Organizational Appropriateness”
to determine organizational fit.
Desktop virtualization is in the early days of adoption.

Adoption is expected to continue to grow in implementations and applicability to end user needs.
The value proposition is centralization of desktop and application deployment and management.


A centralized and virtualized approach to desktop management can be much more flexible and
responsive.
This has been the key value proposition for centralized solutions such as presentation virtualization in
the past.
Consider desktop virtualization as a part of your desktop replacement strategy.


Desktop virtualization provides an opportunity to reap the management savings of centralization while
serving a broader base of end users.
Traditional remote access application presentation has not succeeded as desktop replacement
technology beyond niche task workers.
Desktop virtualization is not for everyone.


There are limitations in desktop virtualization which include user applicability, implementation
requirements, and licensing costs.
To gauge the appropriateness of desktop virtualization for your needs see the Impact Research Report
“Desktop Virtualization: Assessing Organizational Appropriateness.”
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