Why Vdi for Smbs

A Look into VDI for SMBs

‘What is VDI’?

This is a common question amongst members of the IT community. Virtual desktop infrastructure, otherwise known as VDI, is virtualization technology. It involves running user desktops inside virtual machines and hosting them in data centers where they can be centrally managed.

Today, many businesses are showing a keen interest in adopting virtualization solutions because of the vast benefits it offers. More importantly, the promising scope of the virtualization platform gives organizations every reason to do so.

When discussing VDI, our first thoughts are often related to the associated costs and complexity of the implementation process. Rather, we must focus on why VDI is a smart IT strategy, and how it is affordable and necessary for SMBs.

In the following sections, we shall examine the reasons and benefits of VDI for small business.

VDI Solutions Offer a Competitive Advantage

The ability to respond to new and ever-changing demands in today’s dynamic workplace environment is an effective game changer. In reality, a solid customer-centric approach to business depends heavily on a good IT strategy. Failure to keep up-to-date puts companies at the risk of falling behind the competition. Imagine the consequences of this for large enterprises, let alone SMBs.

So, how can VDI help? Back then, obtaining and provisioning VDI hardware and software to meet business needs was a challenge particularly for small businesses. Today, there are many VDI vendors who help SMBs to effortlessly and inexpensively add new desktops and users. They also assist in increasing resources like storage and memory to match the needs of these users. Moreover, with the expertise of the right VDI vendor, you do not need to:

Do the heavy lifting on setup, configuration and maintenance.

Buy expensive Thin Client or Zero Client endpoint devices to support the VDI environment.

Under or over-provision network bandwidth to support user requirements.

All these go a long way in improving IT systems performance, giving SMBS that much-needed edge against larger organizations.

VDI Boosts Business Flexibility and Agility

Let’s look at another reason why VDI for SMB makes sense. Anything that gives systems administrators simplicity and greater control over their IT infrastructure is a winner, and VDI does just that. Virtualization greatly reduces the amount of time it takes to facilitate desktops and this streamlines ongoing support for desktop management.

For instance, IT does not need to manage individual devices when patching applications, backing up files and pushing updates or upgrades. Moreover, troubleshooting is a piece of cake in a standardized VDI deployment where PCs are accessible through a linked workstation. Think of how difficult and time-consuming it could otherwise be.

IT further saves time in searching for data, files and applications. The reason? Every user is presented with the same desktop environment, no matter what computers they use to access their profiles.

Moving on, does VDI increase SMB agility? The answer is yes: users can access their desktops and applications from almost any device with time and location independence. This also promotes BYOD programs because allowing users to bring their own devices to work improves morale and productivity. These features also open up more business opportunities for SMBs. With cloud based access, users can even work remotely, at home or abroad. Consider how useful this is in adverse situations. For example, sickness, natural disasters or hostile weather that prevent users from coming in to work.

In case of technical failure, SMBs do not need to wait for their machines to be repaired or replaced. You only have to install the VDI app on a back-up machine so that users can resume working immediately. There you have it. Decrease downtime without breaking the bank through VDI.

Key takeaway: VDI facilitates business continuity in all possible conditions with no loss of momentum.

VDI Offers High Security

Virtual desktops provide many different layers of security when it comes to protecting sensitive information. Users cannot access data through USBs or PCs in desktop virtualization. This is because valuable data is encrypted and stored in 24/7 data centers that offer the highest level of security. Tip: work with vendors who integrate frequent backups into their VDI solutions.

Now, security is a major concern in SMB environments for obvious reasons such as lack of resources and in-house expertise. With VDI, data resides in a centralized location so it becomes easier to identify and isolate potential threats. Also, consider the level of privacy which VDI vendors offer through solutions featuring enterprise-class security protocols, access management and encryption. All these are benefits which SMBs may not be able to achieve on their own.

Carry out research on secure and low-cost desktop virtualization for small business. For instance, Thin Clients reduce cost by not only being easy to deploy and run. If you don’t know where to start looking for these clients, ClearCube is here to help. We provide the best thin client and zero client solutions at affordable rates for SMBs. What’s more, you can even follow this link to avail your free trial on them.

An example is our cost-effective C3Pi Raspberry Pi 3 Thin Client. This device is perfect for SMB environments where task workers often run basic programs and applications. You receive a small, stateless device which guarantees high-performance multimedia and graphics in VMware Horizon and other standard VDI settings.

Key takeaway: VDI being only suitable for large companies is only a misconception. You can easily get simple and competitive VDI resources to support your SMB. The trick is to simply define the How, Why and When aspects of moving to virtualization.