IT administrators can choose to purchase virtual desktop thin clients for their VDI, or repurpose older or even obsolete PCs by using them as virtual desktop endpoints, which can save money. The technology has evolved to allow many users to share an operating system that is running multiple desktops. Previously, only one user could access a virtual desktop from a single operating system. It is also common to run a virtual desktop on cloud-based virtual machines. An organization may host the virtual machine on premises. Instead of running on the hardware, the operating system, applications and data run on a virtual machine. Virtual desktop providers abstract the operating system from a computer’s hardware with virtualization software. With desktops as a service (DaaS), a service provider hosts VDI workloads out of the cloud and provides apps and support for enterprise users. The user experiences the operating system and applications on an endpoint device, just as if they were running locally. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) refers to a type of desktop virtualization that allows desktop workstation or server operating systems to run on virtual machines that are hosted on a hypervisor in on-premises servers. The advantage of this type of virtual desktop is that a network connection is not required for the user to access the desktop. Host-based machines can also be physical machines hosting an operating system that remote users log into.Ī virtual machine can also be client-based, where the operating system is executed locally on the endpoint. With persistent desktop technology, that user connects to the same VM each time they log in, which allows for desktop personalization.

With host-based virtual machines, one virtual machine is allocated to each individual user at login. There are a few different types of virtual desktops and desktop virtualization technologies.

Vmware horizon virtual desktop