Desktop virtualization is a process by which one or more computers serve as access points to a central computer that handles all the data and applications. This common practice has many advantages in corporate environments and can potentially save both time and money in the right environment.
In a standard network model, a user will interact with a computer that runs its own operating system, applications and processes, and transfers data back and forth to other computers either directly or via a server that stores network data. In a virtualized desktop model, sometimes called virtual desktop interface (VDI), the central computer does not merely hold the data, it also runs the programs and processes the applications. The terminals used by the users are shells displaying the workings of that main computer.
The primary advantage to this setup is that a person can have access to the same "computer" on any system on the VDI network. So, especially for large businesses, an employee might typically use a computer at their office but have to travel to other offices or access their network from remote locations. Since the applications are being run on the server side, the employee's desktop can be accessed from different terminals and a portable unit as well.
Network administration and technical support are simpler when only a handful of computers are doing the work and the outlying computers are operating as access points. Additional computers can be added to the network quickly since new machines only require the installation of the VDI software to operate. If the demands of the system increase and require upgraded hardware, only the central computers need to be upgraded, as the terminals only need to be powerful enough to run the VDI software. This also results in potentially lower hardware costs, as the interface computers often require minimal speed and power to run, and can even be acquired from another entity's outdated systems. There is also less expense in the installation of individual programs, since programs only need to be installed on the host computers. The integrity of data is improved since it is created and modified on the server instead of at individual terminals that transfer it across the network.
The system is not without drawbacks. There is an increased level of complexity in setting up and maintaining a VDI network versus a traditional network. Any communications problems within the network will result in all affected computers being completely inoperable, since they have no ability to function without access to the server. Users will not be able to work without an active connection to the network, meaning that they don't necessarily have the option of working from home unless additional network access has been arranged, and the user's Internet isn't down. Also, it can be more complicated to set up printers, faxes, and other peripherals to operate properly from their appropriate remote locations.
Not every private or business model will benefit from a VDI system, and the advantages and disadvantages should be weighed carefully, as it's not easy to change from one type of network to the other.
Source: ezinearticles.com