By virtualizing your end-user desktop estate into a centrally-managed service, you can deliver benefits not only to the IT administrators but also to the users. Some of these are detailed as follows:
Security and compliance: No data actually leaves the data center unless the IT department has specifically configured a policy to allow it, such as the ability to connect a USB pen drive. All that gets transmitted to the client devices are the screenshots of the virtual desktop, with keyboard and mouse interactions being sent back to the virtual desktop. It's a bit like having a remote control for your desktop.
Centralized and simplified management: Centralized desktops equal centralized management. Now that the desktops are virtualized and hosted in the data center, it is much easier to perform tasks such as updating and patching an operating system or installing new applications. The virtual desktops are all created from a single gold image that is maintained and updated centrally, so you don't have to visit every physical machine. You can simply update the image, recreate the virtual desktops with a few mouse clicks, and hey presto, all users get the new updated version. You can also troubleshoot the environment more easily, without the need for a desk visit.
Flexibility and agility: Having desktops hosted on a virtual platform allows you to scale up and scale down much more easily, without the need to necessarily purchase more physical desktops. You could use thin-client devices, or allow users to connect their own devices, as resources are now moved to the datacenter server infrastructure and accessed remotely. Environments can be spun up quickly and taken down just as easily, to accommodate seasonal workers or contractors working on specific projects. Users now have access to their virtual desktops wherever they are and no longer need to be in the office, at a desk, or have a PC to access their corporate desktop. They can continue to be productive even with inclement weather, traffic, or other events preventing them from getting to the office.
Mobile and BYOD from anywhere: Virtual desktop clients enable mobile devices, tablets, and non-corporate-owned devices to connect securely to corporate desktops. Following the flexible working theme, users can now choose a device that suits them to access their corporate desktop. Whether it be a tablet, smartphone, or a non-Windows platform, users can still access their corporate desktop securely from remote locations.
Operational cost savings: Implementing a virtual desktop environment and adopting operational best practices around image, patch, and profile management with centralized application deployment will result in saving operational expenditure (OPEX), compared to traditional desktop management. Capital expenditures (CAPEX) are still required to support the virtual desktop environment. One of the things I hear all the time is that deploying VDI will reduce costs. The thing to point out is that yes, it will reduce OPEX, but typically, the CAPEX at the beginning of a VDI project will be higher as you deploy the infrastructure. Overall, though, the costs will reduce through savings in the management of the solution, and you will not be caught in the typical three-year PC refresh cycle trap.