Buyer's Guide

Browse Sections

Editor's note

Virtualization has changed the way IT admins deliver services to their users, and it is here to stay. Desktop and application virtualization software enable admins to deliver virtual desktops and virtual applications to their users, helping employees to work both faster and more efficiently from remote areas.

Desktop virtualization provides users with desktop services abstracted from the underlying host system. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is the most popular way to perform desktop virtualization where virtual desktops are run in the host data center. With VDI, users can interact with the OS and applications as if they were running locally.

There are two main approaches to VDI -- persistent and nonpersistent VDI. Persistent VDI gives users their own desktop image that they can customize and save for the future, similar to a traditional desktop.

Nonpersistent VDI provides a batch of uniform desktops that users can access when necessary. They revert back to their original state after the user logs out.

Application virtualization is the separation of application installation from the client computer that is accessing it. Using desktop and application virtualization in the enterprise can:

  1. Increase security
  2. Increase agility
  3. Control access to applications
  4. Simplify maintenance
  5. Increase user productivity

When purchasing desktop and application virtualization products, buyers have a lot of options to sort through. Buyers will benefit most from a platform that can deliver both of these services, and they should pay special attention to VDI functionality, app virtualization, management capabilities for virtual desktop and applications, data governance, as well as the platform's ability to accommodate mobile and remote workers.

This buyer's guide can serve as a vital resource for buyers who wish to obtain both these services from one platform. In this guide, expert Robert Sheldon describes the necessary features to watch for when considering the VDI buying options. Read on as we provide in-depth descriptions of all of the choices and their notable features so you can deliver the most effective virtualization experience for your users.

1Key capabilities in a virtualization platform

Read about the notable functions and features that desktop and application virtualization tools possess and, of those features, what buyers should look for when evaluating what platforms would be most suitable.

2Evaluate leading desktop and application virtualization options

Discover the desktop and app virtualization vendors in the market that offer both capabilities and how they compare in meeting your organization's virtualization needs.

3The leading vendors that virtualize desktops and applications

The virtualization market offers a range of vendors to consider. Read this in-depth overview of different desktop and app virtualization products -- their features, capabilities, versions and purchasing options.