Hewlett-Packard, with its Consolidated Client Infrastructure, and IBM are also in the virtualization game, providing end-to-end systems and garnering distribution agreements with other players. And just to keep things interesting, even Citrix is in on VDI, with its Citrix Desktop Server. The jury is still out, though, on Citrix's acquisition of XenSource.
Where's Microsoft? Reports that it will reduce the management functionality of Longhorn virtualization suggest it will not be competitive in enterprise desktop virtualization, for now anyway. We're sure Redmond is watching VDI developments with interest, however.Challenges
As with any fundamental architectural shift, there are considerations beyond the technology at hand. Not insurmountable deal-breakers, just items to note.
First off, VDI will change how your organization doles out computing resources—and it's not simply tweaks to under-the-covers IT processes. Users will interact with their desktops differently, especially if you're replacing PCs with thin-client terminals. Additionally, resource-intensive apps may not perform as effectively in a virtual environment.
On the IT side, you'll see workflow changes. VDI won't eliminate desktop maintenance and management, rather, new kinds of workflow and troubleshooting techniques will emerge. And if your organization has separate server and desktop teams, either the server team will inherit much of the workload or you'll need to get your desktop team involved in VDI management.
Other considerations: