Understanding persistent vs. nonpersistent VDI
Should you go with persistent or nonpersistent VDI? The choice often comes down to storage.
There are two main types of desktops you can deploy in a virtual desktop infrastructure: persistent and nonpersistent. So, what's the difference?
With persistent VDI, each user gets their own virtual desktop -- also known as a one-to-one ratio. Nonpersistent desktops are many-to-one, meaning they are shared among end users. Each setup has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to storage, management and customization.
What is persistent VDI and how does it work?
With one-to-one persistent VDI, each persistent desktop runs from a separate disk image. The user's settings are saved and appear each time at login. These types of desktops allow for more personalization but require more storage and backup than nonpersistent desktops.
Pros: Customization and familiarity
It's easier to personalize persistent desktops because users can access their own data, shortcuts and files from the same dedicated desktop every time they log in. That level of familiarity may help users embrace VDI more easily because it provides consistency and customizations similar to a physical desktop.
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Persistent VDI may also be easier for IT admins to manage because the one-to-one setup is similar to a physical desktop deployment.
Cons: Storage requirements and image management
Storage can be a concern with persistent VDI. All those individual, customized disk images require more storage capacity than a single golden image does with nonpersistent desktops. The golden image, also known as a master image, is one of several stripped-down desktops that contain only essential applications and data. User settings and customizations are stored separately as user layers, which are applied to the golden image during the virtual desktop delivery.
Storage for persistent desktops is usually a separate logical drive, so it's integrated with the underlying VM, while the actual user data is stored on the desktop itself. However, some of the storage constraints that kept IT away from persistent desktops in the past have been eliminated.
An additional concern is that managing numerous diverse images is more complex than managing a master image, which can be altered and updated in one stroke.
What is nonpersistent VDI and how does it work?
When users access a nonpersistent desktop, none of their settings or data is saved once they log out. At the end of a session, the desktop reverts to its original state, and the user receives a fresh image the next time they log in.
Pros: Image manageability, better security, less storage
Since nonpersistent desktops are built from a master image, it's easier for administrators to patch and update the image, back it up quickly and deploy company-wide applications to all end users. Users can't alter desktop settings or install their own applications, making the image more secure.
Plus, if the image is hacked or compromised, IT can simply reboot desktops back to a clean state. If the same instance happened with a persistent desktop, that desktop user's credentials or other sensitive data could be compromised.
This setup also means there's less storage to deal with. User configuration settings and data are stored on separate hardware that's accessible remotely, such as a network share. That separates the OS from user data and allows admins to store that data on a lower-cost device.
Cons: Less personalization and application flexibility
With nonpersistent VDI, users cannot easily personalize their desktop. That's because nonpersistent desktops don't require dedicated user profiles to be saved and managed; in fact, some organizations deploy nonpersistent VDI so they don't have to manage distinct profiles. In some cases, the VDI setup may store profile information in a separate profile management tool. Or, IT can set user profiles to delete automatically from desktops when they're powered down, and spin up a new one from the base image on startup.
Since users share a common disk image, there's a certain amount of desktop customization admins need to ensure users can access all the apps they need. Virtual desktop admins can create several golden images for this situation -- one golden image for each type of user or department based on the users' needs.
IT administrators can use application management tools to deliver virtual applications as well. This technology separates virtual applications from the desktop. Once a user accesses the VM, the VDI delivers the applications in addition to the desktop. The user can then interact with the applications as if they were native to the OS. Tools in this market include Citrix App Layering, Liquidware FlexApp, Numecent Cloudpaging, Omnissa App Volumes and others.
Lastly, it's important to note that not all apps lend themselves to being virtualized. Legacy applications, especially, may cause issues when organizations try to virtualize them.
Editor's note: This article was republished in 2025 to improve the reader experience.
Alyssa Provazza is an editorial director at Informa TechTarget.
