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How to reduce VDI costs
VDI fills very specific IT and security needs. For everyone else, it's time to consider more modern options that will redefine workplace efficiency.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Explained
A virtual desktop is a user interface that enables users to interact with a virtual environment hosted on a remote server, rather than on their local machine. This setup lets users access their desktops and applications from any device with an internet connection.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) refers to the technology used to create and manage virtual desktops. VDI hosts the desktop environment on centralized servers and deploys it to end users on demand. This infrastructure supports multiple virtual desktops tailored to individual users while being centrally managed by IT administrators.
How VDI works
VDI works by running desktop operating systems and applications inside virtual machines (VMs) on a centralized server. When a user logs in, the VDI system assigns them a virtual desktop from a pool of VMs and connects to it through a thin client or web browser. The user interacts with this virtual desktop as if it were running on their local machine, but all processing and data storage occurs on the server.
Why are businesses using VDI?
VDI gained popularity as a technology that provides end users with a self-contained, streamed computing environment independent of their device, delivered from a centralized data center. This approach was popular with IT and security teams because it offered centralized management and access control for a distributed workforce.
Given the differing needs of IT and security teams, it's the "lowest common denominator" they can agree on: IT teams can put applications in the hands of users, and cybersecurity can rest easy knowing data remains under the organization's control.
With the onset of remote work, this strategy became more widespread as many organizations already had VDI infrastructure and experience. For many organizations, VDI was the only way to meet their needs. The downside? Most organizations found the VDI investment costs to be very high, yet the overall VDI experience among practitioners and users was very poor, resulting in low satisfaction.
The downsides of VDI
In most organizations, 80-90% of the applications used are web-based external or internal applications. The remaining 10-20% is some combination of command line and thick application needs. Sure, VDI may be worth it for certain situational needs, but if an organization can reduce their reliance on VDI by 80% or more and the associated costs, there is no reason not to consider it. Even if they can only reduce it by 50%, it will be a huge win for the organization.
Most importantly, it is simply unnecessary for such a small footprint of resources to negatively impact the user experience for all users who require application access. This is especially true given that not all users use or require VDI in the same way, and even targeted reduction or elimination can be extremely valuable. In the eyes of most practitioners who deal with this frustration daily, change is needed.
This is not to say that desktop virtualization could or should disappear tomorrow, but it is clear that organizations and users are eager for measures to reduce their reliance on such an application delivery experience.
Enterprise Browsers: A Modern Way to Cut Down on VDI
The challenges inherent in desktop virtualization stem from exactly what made it attractive in the first place: how to securely give users access to the critical applications they need. At the time, there were IT and security benefits to moving the computing layer to the cloud or on-premise servers.
However, end users pay the price in unavoidable latency and performance penalties.The solution to this dilemma is to push as much processing as possible back to the endpoint, restoring a native end-user experience.
Today, there are alternatives to desktop virtualization: enterprise browsers offer a more user-friendly, lightweight option while still meeting the needs of many businesses.
- Secure application access.
If your primary requirement is to provide a secure and controlled environment for employees to access web-based applications (internal or external), command line needs, or remote desktop needs, then an enterprise browser is the right choice. - Strengthening endpoint security.
Organizations looking to strengthen their endpoint security by protecting users, applications and devices from potential threats can benefit from an enterprise browser. - BYODpolicy.
In an environment where employees bring their own devices to work, enterprise browsers can provide a non-invasive application delivery experience like other technologies. Moreover, they provide a complete level of privacy, allowing users to continue using the browser of their choice for personal and non-critical work needs. Most importantly, they ensure that your organization's critical applications and data are protected while they are at work. - Compliance requirements.
In industries with highly regulated requirements, such as finance and healthcare, deploying an enterprise browser can help secure access to applications and comply with industry regulations. The audit perspective from the browser's physical location at the presentation layer is extremely rich and very unique. - Resource-constrained environments.
In situations where virtual desktop deployments can be resource intensive, using an enterprise browser on existing devices is a more viable solution. - A unified client experience.
If you require VDI to serve specific application needs, the Enterprise Browser is your only client for accessing web applications and rendering VDI with HTML5 within the browser. All major VDI players support this today, so you can have a single natural interface for all your applications.
How enterprise browsers can reduce VDI costs
Enterprise Browser significantly reduces the infrastructure complexity and cost associated with traditional VDI deployments by delivering and securing applications directly through the browser.
infrastructure
Traditional VDI requires a robust server infrastructure to host desktop images and applications. Additionally, VDI solutions often require sophisticated load balancers to manage connections and maintain availability and performance. Additionally, storage costs can be prohibitive in persistent VDI environments. These impacts, while significant, add to the complexity and cost of VDI. Enterprise browsers shift the workload to the last mile inside the browser, reducing the need for virtualization infrastructure.
Maintenance and Management
VDI is costly to maintain because it requires extensive infrastructure maintenance and VDI management, including patch management, hardware upgrades, and support for end-user issues. The Enterprise Browser eliminates the maintenance costs associated with traditional VDI systems because it requires no additional hardware. It also reduces management costs by centralizing controls within the browser, reducing the need for multiple security tools and streamlining policy management.
License Costs
VDI solutions and their back-end systems can incur significant licensing costs. This includes additional licenses for the VDI platform and the operating systems and applications used in VDI sessions. And these subscription costs are only increasing. An enterprise browser can reduce the need for VDI by 80-90% and save on licensing costs.
Endpoint Control and Management
Ensuring secure and compliant endpoint interactions within a VDI session requires additional endpoint control and management solutions that require their own licensing, infrastructure and management overhead. Reducing the number of virtual desktops in your environment directly reduces the number of agents and management tools you deploy to those desktops.
Island's approach to enterprise browsers
Island 's enterprise browser offers a compelling alternative to virtual desktops by providing strong built-in protection against common web threats, advanced data control capabilities and streamlined management tools that are easy for IT teams to deploy and maintain.
No traffic going through Points of Presence (POPs). No server maintenance. No frustrated end users. At a fraction of the cost. All built into a Chromium-based browser that end users can deploy and use with no training. Island simplifies management and provides a smoother, faster and more secure user experience.
The best choice
Ultimately, the right solution is one that enables you and your IT teams to work smarter, not harder. Whether you're using a third-party business process outsourcer to act as your call center, dramatically simplifying your contractor onboarding process, or enabling a fully secure BYOD program, an enterprise browser can help you strike the right balance between security and productivity, while reducing your reliance on VDI, to dramatically improve the user experience.
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