Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Virtual desktop infrastructure delivers the flexibility you need

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is an alternative desktop delivery model that allows users to access desktops running in the datacenter. Unlike Terminal Services, in VDI each user gets access to a personal desktop from any authorized device, thereby improving desktop flexibility. IT departments can take advantage of all the benefits of centralization, including centralized management of desktop workloads and improved business continuity.

Although VDI does have some tangible benefits for specific users, we encourage customers to separate facts from hype, in order to make a sound decision on the most cost-effective way to optimize their desktops.

• VDI does not reduce desktop costs because it can represent a significant up-front investment in infrastructure, including hardware, software, storage, and network. And, unless steps are taken to improve basic desktop management and deployment processes, just choosing VDI for desktop deployment will not reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) either. Customers looking to reduce costs should deploy Application Virtualization and Windows Vista folder redirection and roaming profiles, which are proven to reduce costs across a large majority of your users, and deploy VDI only where desktop flexibility is more important than cost savings.
• VDI requires constant connectivity to the network and cannot be used for mobile workers. Additionally, current VDI technology does not provide an optimum user experience for remote users, especially for multimedia intensive applications. However, VDI should benefit nonmobile users in large enterprises that have sophisticated IT departments, such as contractors, offsite workers, telecommuters, and specific remote office scenarios.
• Although VDI can be a complex and costly investment, the Microsoft VDI solution provides a comprehensive technology platform at a very competitive price. Microsoft VDI technology provides users with a rich remote experience, while providing IT with integrated management capability.

Microsoft VDI technology includes the following features:

A scalable, stable, and high-performance hypervisor that hosts the virtual desktops. Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V is a next-generation hypervisor that includes features such as quick migration, high availability, and live backups.

An integrated management suite that allows IT to manage physical, virtual, and session-based desktops from a single console. Microsoft management capability also allows for managing non-Microsoft infrastructure components. System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 is part of System Center, which is an industry-leading IT management suite.

Application virtualization technology enables dynamic delivery of applications to the user’s virtual desktop, instead of installation of applications as part of the virtual desktop image. This ability helps reduce the memory footprint of the virtual desktops, and also improves application management. Depending on whether the application is executed locally or remotely, customers can deploy either Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 or Microsoft Terminal Services RemoteApp.

A desktop delivery mechanism manages the connections between a user’s device and the remote desktops that are running on the server. It also helps dynamically provision remote desktops by combining a pristine golden desktop image with a user’s profile and personal settings at runtime, and delivering a personalized desktop to the end user. Citrix XenDesktop delivers a rich remote desktop experience and adds value to Microsoft VDI technology. Windows Server 2008 R2 now has a native VDI connection broker as part of the new Remote Desktop Services platform, thereby offering the customer the ability to serve up both shared and personalized desktops.

In order to provide an effective licensing mechanism that enables customers to license remote copies of Windows, Microsoft has created Windows Virtual Enterprise Centralized Desktop. This subscription-based license allows organizations to install unlimited copies of Windows Vista (or a downgraded operating system) within the data center.

Announcing the Microsoft VDI suites:

In October 2009, the Microsoft VDI Suite and Microsoft VDI Premium Suite volume licenses will be made available, which will provide excellent value for customers, by making it simple to purchase comprehensive Microsoft VDI infrastructure and management software. The VDI Suite includes the basic infrastructure and management components required for a VDI deployment, and the VDI Premium Suite includes additional desktop and application deployment options to make it a more comprehensive offering. Both Volume Licenses are available as device based subscriptions on top of Software Assurance, thereby complementing the VECD license.

The Microsoft VDI Standard Suite will include licenses to the following technologies:

Hypervisor platform (Hyper-V Server 2008 R2)

An integrated management suite for VDI (System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2, System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2, and System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2)

Microsoft Application Virtualization through the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP)

Connection Brokering capability through Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services.

The Microsoft VDI Premium Suite includes all the features of the Microsoft VDI Standard Suite, and also includes:

Complete Remote Desktop Services capability, including the option to deploy session based desktops in addition to VDI desktops.

Microsoft Application Virtualization for Remote Desktop Services

Microsoft continues to partner with Citrix to provide enterprise VDI functionality at a very competitive price, such as a rich remote user experience, integrated management of physical and virtual desktop environments, single image management and storage optimization.