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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.
Desktop virtualization is an emerging technology ready for prime-time and should be part of every
organizations 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).
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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Impact Research
Research Method
Research Method
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.
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Impact Research
Understanding Virtualization on
the Desktop
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Operating
System
Applications
Presentation
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Presentation Layer
Corporate
Applicatin
Application Layer
Desktop OS Layer
`
Physical Machine Layer
Layers of Desktop Computing
Application Virtualization
Desktop Virtualization
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Impact Research
Presentation Layer
Presentation Virtualization
Corpora
te
Applica
tin
Application Layer
Application Virtualization
Desktop OS Layer
Machine Virtualization
`
Physical Machine Layer
Abstraction Layers in
Desktop Computing
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Impact Research
Connection Broker
Host Servers
Virtual Machines
Virtual Desktop
Virtual Desktops
Virtual Machine
Server Infrastructure
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Client Access
Impact Research
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Current Desktop
Virtualization
Future Desktop
Virtualization
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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
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.
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.
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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