Not surprisingly, big players in the VDI market all tout lower TCO and higher ROI, mainly through improved manageability. Beware though: The complexity of your implementation may introduce challenges in calculating true TCO. Consider beginning with a pilot program in divisions that already have a robust storage infrastructure or have begun a server virtualization effort, where you can piggyback for the short-term.
What's that? You have no ideal area for a phased test deployment? Don't give up on making your case. In our calculations, the numbers just add up. While VMware has not yet released pricing, we estimated that VMware's VDI package with 24x7 support will likely run $18,500 for 25 desktops, and a single, two-way/dual core server will probably cost $9,000. Typical capacity estimates put six to 10 VDs per processor core, yielding 24 to 40 VDs on a single server. Thin clients and KVMs run around $600.
Comparatively, procuring 25 $1,500 desktops yields a lower initial expenditure, but this doesn't take into consideration savings in maintenance, deployment, travel and hardware replacement/rebuilds, to name a few.
All good, but you will need to manage expectations. While a virtual desktop environment does provide a level of on-demand resource allocation, make clear to business users that IT still needs plenty of notice for desktop rollouts. Carefully monitor the capacity and available resources of your VDI installation, and be prepared to add a server or additional VPN or WAN resources.
Bottom line, don't let a VDI deployment get ahead of you. Control is key. Have the infrastructure in place prior to committing resources, and build in extra capacity so that you have room to breathe.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
