I was just reading a bit about virtual desktops when this jumped out at me:
“* Hosted virtual machine-based desktops, where a VM on a server supports 125 desktops …”
Um, is anyone REALLY trying to cram 125 desktops on to one single virtual machine? I thought I’d seen some crazy ratios before but this would have to perform just awful.
Sometimes just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
Email or call me or visit the SwiftWater Telecom web site for cloud computing services .
Vern
This is the next post in my series on good ways to apply cloud computing services to best advantage. Cloud computing is great technology but most people don’t have any idea how to actually apply it!
Today I’m going to talk about the virtual workstation, also know as the virtual desktop and why it makes sense for business of almost any size. For this recipe, choose a SwiftWater Telecom cloud powered virtual workstation as either a Linux desktop (starting at $10 per month) or a Linux/Windows Hybrid workstation that can run all your favorite Windows software as well (starting at $25 per month).
The built in VNC software means that the virtual desktop can be accessed from almost any machine anywhere with nothing but a simple web browser. The powerful Nomachine NX software allows you to print from the virtual desktop to a local printer, as well as move files back and forth to the virtual desktop with just a familiar drag and drop, all with a secure connection. Both versions come preloaded with popular software such as Firefox (browser), Thunderbird (email), Adobe Reader, OpenOffice.org (Microsoft Office compatible suite), and more.
What are the advantages of this to any business? No hardware to spend money constantly upgrading, add new virtual desktops without buying more computers, never worry about the time and expense of upgrading system software again, never lose critical business data from losing or having a laptop stolen, never worry about backups again, all data is safely stored and backed up on our highly reliable data center cloud. Turn the uncertainty of supporting and maintaining desktop computers into a simple and predictable monthly charge!
Along with the safety and reliability of the virtual desktop, the business gets the ultimate in flexibility. The virtual desktop and the critical data that employees need is never any further away than the closest Internet connection, almost anywhere in the world.
Drastically reduce the business cost of operating and maintaining physical workstations, gain the extreme flexibility, reliability, and safety of our powerful data center cloud, and go GREEN with an office of SwiftWater Telecom virtual desktops!
Call or email me today or visit the SwiftWater Telecom web site for more information or to order!
Vern
Today I was reading “Virtual desktops and thin client computing” where the author makes a number of assertions about why virtual desktops havn’t caught on. I think he misses the point by a mile.
Where are the cost savings on implementing virtual desktops? The first saving is condensing the only part of the virtual desktop that is likely to require hands on work in one place. Instead of having to mess with computers all over the place, the virtual machines are all in one place and can be accessed from anywhere in the world by a simpler piece of equipment that doesn’t require hands on support. Saying any support should be able to be done remotely is naïve.
Suggesting that computers are not going to require replacement as often is also far from correct. Every upgrade of Windows results in more old hardware becoming unsupported, it doesn’t matter if it still works fine.
The servers required to replace physical desktop machines are also far less in cost than those machines. Instead of wasting most of the capacity of individual machines and the electricity required to run them, servers running virtual desktops run at a much higher percentage of usage, making them a far more cost effective and green solution. Even assuming you pay for the hypervisor software instead of using excellent open source options such as Xen, the virtual desktop still far outweighs the physical desktop from a TCO (total cost of ownership) standpoint.
Finally, there’s the security standpoint. All data is retained in the data center and easily and verifiably backed up. Users can even take a thin client home with them and telecommute with no more risk to the data than working in the office. Lose a thin client and it’s no big deal, lose a hard drive full of confidential information and see what happens.
So, why don’t businesses jump on this? It’s simple, they have a bad case of “computer hugging”. They have the sense that it isn’t real unless they can lay hands on the computer itself.
And this is the perception that data center providers of virtual desktops need to change.
Vern, SwiftWater Telecom
The Server Room 