Virtual and remote desktop strategies
When an organization elects to use remote or virtual desktops, it must make many strategic decisions. These decisions include how to deliver the applications and desktops, what endpoints users use and which vendors to choose for various tools.
Top Stories
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Tip
09 Dec 2024
6 steps to fix a black screen on a Windows 11 remote desktop
Remote desktops are a common technology to provide access to Windows systems, but these types of desktops are susceptible to errors such a full black screen. Learn how to fix this. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Dec 2024
Understand the limitations of running Hyper-V in Windows 11
There are many reasons to use Hyper-V on Windows 11 instead of hosting on Windows Server, but there are some key limitations to keep in mind before deploying this technology. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 May 2020
What is a roaming profile and how does it work?
Although several newer tools are available, Microsoft roaming profiles is a simple and time-tested way to manage a user's profile across physical and virtual desktop environments. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 May 2020
Design firm ups productivity with Workspot
Mead & Hunt is using Workspot virtual desktops to enable remote work during the pandemic -- and it's paying off in ways the firm didn't expect. Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Apr 2020
A deep dive into the internet, bandwidth, and how users in EUC and elsewhere affect capacity
Rachel Berry offers us a look into how the internet works and whether more people working from home could result in potential bandwidth issues. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2020
For VDI, coronavirus pandemic could require a new approach
Organizations may need to set up VDI deployments or alter existing infrastructure to support the influx of demand for remote work support due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2020
HPE bolsters VDI product offerings
With an eye toward maintaining business continuity, HPE is making VDI product moves. Experts said the news comes at a critical time for companies. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2020
Remote work tools go from '0 to 100' in Corona
This city has turned to technology -- like Citrix virtual desktops -- to maintain services in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. CIO Chris McMasters discusses the lessons already learned. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Mar 2020
Workspot VDI key to engineering firm's pandemic planning
Southland Industries was in the process of transitioning to a virtual desktop service when COVID-19 emerged. In this Q&A, Israel Sumano discusses how the outbreak accelerated those plans. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Mar 2020
4 VDI automation use cases that lower IT's management burden
IT pros should understand the role of automation in VDI because automating certain tasks such as virtual desktop creation and monitoring can free up IT to focus on other issues. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Mar 2020
Coronavirus could spur desktop-as-a-service adoption
Some organizations -- like a city in California and a university in Australia -- have turned to desktop as a service in the face of disruptions like the coronavirus. Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2020
Bank grows with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops without growing IT
For more than a decade, Renasant Bank has partnered with Citrix to accommodate growth without a drastic IT staff increase. Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2020
Workspot launches Cloud Desktop Fabric
Workspot claims its new Cloud Desktop Fabric architecture will improve virtual desktop performance by connecting users to the cloud resources closest to them. Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2020
Workspace focus splits virtualization market
The once-stable virtualization market is changing as some vendors begin to think more about workspaces. In this Q&A, IDC's Shannon Kalvar talks about what it all means. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Jan 2020
IGEL Disrupt 2020: My initial report
Windows Virtual Desktop support is officially available; IGEL is working on Workspace ONE and Intune integration. Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2019
Benefits of virtualization highlighted in top 10 stories of 2019
Based on our top 10 most-read stories of 2019, IT pros sought to learn the benefits of virtualization, as well as the drawbacks, as the technology gained ground. Continue Reading
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Video
30 Oct 2019
How to automate software installation for Windows VDI
Software installation can be mind-numbingly tedious. Here's how to use Chocolatey, a package manager, to automate the process for virtual desktops running Windows. Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2019
St. John's Health modernizes with digital workplace technology
St. John's Health modernized its workplace experience by simplifying IT's management of applications with VMware's Workspace One. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Jul 2019
What does IT need to know about VDI web browsers?
End users can easily access their virtual desktops and applications through any supported HTML5 web browser. Learn about the pros and cons of using VDI and web browsers together. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Jul 2019
Explore options for VDI disaster recovery
Every VDI deployment should have a disaster recovery plan that doesn't break the bank. Explore some ways to implement VDI disaster recovery in an organization. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Jul 2019
Teradici unveiled “PCoIP Ultra.” How is it different from PCoIP and where does it fit in the market?
Teradici have evolved a lot in the last few years, but as in the past, they have an emphasis on high-end use cases. Now they’re bringing in support for H.264, and NVIDIA hardware encoding, too. Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Jun 2019
Raspberry Pi 4: Now the ultimate cheap thin client?
It has a lot more under the hood, and it’s still inexpensive. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Jun 2019
Manage Windows Virtual Desktop with a PowerShell script
IT admins can use PowerShell scripting to manage Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop. In this step-by-step guide, IT can learn the details of this management method. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Jun 2019
Navigate the challenges of VDI licensing
Finding the right VDI license plan can be difficult. Navigate some of the major challenges of VDI licensing, and learn how to overcome them in VMware Horizon View. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Jun 2019
When you have both IDaaS and UEM, where do you build your conditional access policies?
A lot of IDaaS and UEM capabilities overlap, including authentication, third-party security integration, and contextual policy engines. Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2019
Citrix Cloud management adoption relies on integration, features
Before organizations adopt Citrix Cloud management for their virtual desktops and apps, they must familiarize themselves with the platform's strengths, newest features and limits. Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 May 2019
Client virtualization still has its fans and use cases: A look at Hysolate and Qubes OS
Isolation starting from the operating system is one way to ensure data protection without restricting user productivity. Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2019
Cloud hosting may be the future, but on-premises hosting is the present
Citrix has laid out a path to move to cloud-hosted desktops and applications, but many organizations have to focus on their needs today and maintain on-premises hosting. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 May 2019
VDI applications maintain many use-case advantages over DaaS
DaaS is growing rapidly, but on-premises VDI holds an edge in use cases that require granular control, network stability, application flexibility, OS licensing and secure data. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 May 2019
How to use PowerShell to track VDI resources
It's never ideal to have underutilized servers in a VDI environment. Here's how IT pros can create a PowerShell script to track VDI resource utilization. Continue Reading
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News
30 Apr 2019
Dell Unified Workspace could make life easier for IT admins
VMware's integration into Dell devices and services as part of the newly unveiled Unified Workspace product could be a boon for IT admins. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Apr 2019
What are the benefits of on-premises hosting for virtual desktops?
IT shouldn't overlook the benefits of on-premises desktop hosting, such as more choices for virtualization software. Cloud-hosted desktops also fall short in areas such as infrastructure control. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Apr 2019
VDI image optimizers: Always useful, and now even more important
Thanks to Windows 10 and the cloud, you’re probably spending more time working on optimization than ever before. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2019
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops gets UX, security upgrades
Citrix continues to add new capabilities to its cloud products, but getting consumers to adopt as-a-service offerings remains a hurdle. Continue Reading
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Opinion
25 Mar 2019
Microsoft makes FSLogix free to all. What does this mean for the rest of the industry?
Functionality that third-party vendors once competed on will be freely available, allowing (or pushing) them to compete elsewhere. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Mar 2019
Improve VDI load balancing for Hyper-V deployments
Managing virtual machine workloads is one of the crucial aspects of VDI management on Hyper-V hosts. The preferred method is Microsoft's dynamic load balancing. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Feb 2019
Top 4 challenges of hyper-converged infrastructure for VDI
HCI and VDI often go well together, providing simpler scalability and flexibility for virtual desktops. But what happens when a VDI deployment has requirements outside the norm? Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Feb 2019
Client virtualization, part 2: How client VMs have evolved into current offerings
Vendors and open-source projects alike are using the benefits of client virtualization, while fixing some of the flaws. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Feb 2019
Secure VDI environments with these 3 tips
Virtual desktops present unique security concerns. Take these three steps to better secure VDI environments from the start. Continue Reading
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Opinion
14 Feb 2019
Client virtualization, part 1: Is it the past or the future? (With a retrospective on XenClient)
Part 1 examines why type-1 (bare metal) hypervisor is the way to go, and uses XenClient XT as an example of why early efforts failed. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Feb 2019
Avoid disastrous bottlenecks, scale storage for VDI with HCI
HCI offers many benefits for VDI deployments, particularly when it comes to scaling resources. There are a few caveats to watch out for when planning storage for VDI, however. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jan 2019
Can hyper-converged infrastructure cut VDI costs?
Hyper-converged systems may cost more upfront, but organizations must also calculate long-term costs to determine if HCI is a fit for their virtual desktop infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Jan 2019
VDI Like a Pro team announces VDI Performance survey results
Evidently, just because your desktop is in the cloud doesn’t mean it will always perform at its best. Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jan 2019
Talking to Ericom’s new CEO about Ericom Shield and cloud security
Incoming CEO David Canellos has a background in the cloud/web/SaaS security space, which is indicative of the potential in Ericom Shield. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jan 2019
Build your business case for thin client hardware
Take an in-depth look at thin clients, including the benefits, drawbacks and use cases, to determine if these endpoints can cut costs and protect data. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Jan 2019
Discover thin client hardware and learn the benefits it offers
Thin clients can help many organizations, especially when it comes to storing information in one space. Learn about the different thin client designs, as well as their cost-saving benefits. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Dec 2018
Diverse VDI endpoints require new management methods in 2019
IT professionals must make sure they are prepared to manage different types of endpoints as a part of their VDI deployments because the modern workforce requires it. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Dec 2018
VDI trends toward DaaS, mobility in 2019
With the new year approaching, the time is right to reset the VDI table and look at the rise of desktop as a service and mobile devices as VDI endpoints. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Dec 2018
3 VDI management New Year's resolutions for 2019
IT professionals making New Year's resolutions should take a look at their VDI management approach and find ways to improve it with technology such as AIOps. Continue Reading
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Quiz
28 Nov 2018
Pop quiz: Desktop virtualization certifications for Citrix and VMware
VMware and Citrix offer numerous certifications for their virtual desktop and app products. Test yourself on the different levels and types of certifications and what each one covers. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Nov 2018
IT reaps the benefits of HCI for virtual desktops and apps
Hyper-converged infrastructure can deliver benefits to IT on the back end, but many of those benefits can also directly affect virtual application delivery and performance. Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Oct 2018
How DaaS platforms handle cost optimization in the public cloud
When virtual desktops are running in the cloud, we need to keep a close eye on resource consumption to keep costs down. Here’s how DaaS platforms do it. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Oct 2018
Get to know virtual desktop image optimization tools
Desktop image optimization tools can help IT run a more efficient VDI deployment by overriding certain native OS functions and utilities. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
28 Sep 2018
5 decisions for application and desktop virtualization
IT has to make several major decisions to ensure that it makes the most of its application and desktop virtualization deployment, such as selecting a hosting method and end-user devices. Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2018
Microsoft breaks into DaaS with Windows Virtual Desktop
Microsoft jumps onto the desktop-as-a-service bandwagon with its Azure-hosted Windows Virtual Desktop platform, but the service faces tough competition from market leader Amazon Workspaces. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Sep 2018
How VDI provisioning can help IT effectively manage resources
VDI management requires more than simply monitoring desktops. IT must understand users' resource needs and provision its back-end infrastructure to reflect them. Continue Reading
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Opinion
21 Sep 2018
How workspaces can affect a virtual desktop deployment
Workspaces are poised to redefine the desktops users work with. As a result, virtual desktops could become just a part of a larger end-user computing approach. Continue Reading
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Quiz
19 Sep 2018
Do you know the optimal VDI use cases?
Any IT pro considering VDI must know where to apply it. Find out if you know when and where VDI is a good fit with this quiz on user types, important considerations and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Sep 2018
Top tips for virtual desktop delivery success
Successfully deploying virtual desktops is no easy feat. IT pros shared their stories of adopting virtual desktops in a customer panel at VMworld 2018. Continue Reading
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Quiz
30 Aug 2018
Can you handle application and desktop virtualization?
Virtual app and desktop deployments offer many benefits to IT, such as ease of management and improved security. Test yourself on the benefits of desktop virtualization. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Aug 2018
How to make virtual desktop images easier to manage
There are several common mistakes VDI shops make, including allowing users to gain elevated privileges, that make it more difficult to deliver a quality end-user experience. Continue Reading
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Quiz
15 Aug 2018
Can you manage virtual desktop user profile settings?
IT can control virtual desktops more directly with user profile management. Take this quiz to find out if you know about the different profile types and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Aug 2018
How desktop and app virtualization vendors handle mobile devices
If IT pros want to provide their users with access to virtual desktops and apps on mobile devices, they should know which vendors offer which virtualization services. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jul 2018
Four questions for virtual app and desktop deployment
Choosing a virtual desktop delivery method and determining how to host desktops and applications are just two enterprise workstation decisions IT must make. Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Jul 2018
Are the protocol wars over? 2018 Edition, part 2: New use cases & competition
A look at new remote display protocol use cases, and who might be winning. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2018
How the move to Windows 10 could lead IT to deploy VDI
When IT moves users to Windows 10, it should take the time to also look at the potential of VDI, a technology that has grown a lot in recent years and become more affordable. Continue Reading
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Quiz
09 Jul 2018
Can you use root cause analysis for VDI troubleshooting?
When IT pros adopt root cause analysis for VDI, they must know how to best use it to solve performance problems before they affect end users. Take this quiz to see if you're ready. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2018
How to simulate a multisite network with VMware Workstation
If you want to test out a WAN link between two networks with VDI, VMware Workstation can help. Here's how it works. Continue Reading
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Quiz
21 Jun 2018
Ready to start VDI capacity planning? Prove it
Planning VDI capacity can be challenging and confusing. See if you have what it takes to plan for factors such as remote access and future changes. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Jun 2018
Will the VFX industry start embracing the cloud with Foundry’s Athera?
A case study in highly specialized DaaS: The VFX industry lags behind others when it comes to moving to the cloud. Foundry hopes to change that with Athera. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Jun 2018
How can IT retrieve VDI server configuration information?
IT pros may need to retrieve server configuration information to diagnose problems with their VDI. They can do so in Windows-based deployments with the right PowerShell cmdlets. Continue Reading
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Quiz
04 Jun 2018
Do you understand all your VDI options?
IT has important decisions to make when choosing a VDI deployment, including whether to use persistent or nonpersistent desktops, what devices to give end users and more. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2018
ControlUp targets virtual desktop, server overprovisioning
If IT pros overprovision virtual desktops and servers, they waste money and resources. But there are other problems associated with poor resource allocation. Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2018
NComputing finds spot in desktop virtualization market with SME focus
NComputing CTO Richard Sah discusses new opportunities for IT to take advantage of desktop virtualization, thanks to lower cost and the emergence of hyper-converged infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Guide
07 May 2018
The definitive VDI cost savings guide
VDI cost is a key consideration in any deployment because the price affects numerous other decisions, including how to manage, maintain and repair the desktops. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 May 2018
Does deploying VDI affect other systems?
VDI can affect areas of a company network, such as internet bandwidth. IT can mitigate the effects of VDI users by allocating resources and monitoring system performance. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 May 2018
VDI Like a Pro 2018 Survey sneak peek: What’s happening in VDI/SBC/DaaS market share?
There’s a lot of enthusiasm for the cloud, and the market is wide open. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Apr 2018
Raise your hand if you’re using Citrix Cloud services
Citrix has been proactively marketing cloud services for about two years, but why is the adoption rate low? Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Apr 2018
Three key VDI installation decisions IT must make
Deploying VDI effectively comes down to several key decisions, including whether to run the back-end infrastructure on premises or with a DaaS provider. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Mar 2018
Three VDI capacity planning steps IT must follow
When planning its VDI deployment, IT must account for the resources users will need to avoid over or under provisioning the virtual desktops and anticipate potential growth. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Mar 2018
How does user location affect VDI capacity planning?
When coming up with a VDI capacity plan, IT must account for exactly where users are located and possibly consider an SD-WAN or edge computing. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Mar 2018
Get a jump on VDI issues with root cause analysis
The right root cause analysis tools and methods can help IT identify the source of VDI problems and resolve them quickly to minimize the effect on user experience. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Mar 2018
Six VDI testing steps to take with any deployment
Whether IT is upgrading an existing VDI deployment or implementing VDI, there are a series of tests it should run, including making sure users can access their virtual desktops. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Feb 2018
How desktop virtualization vendors are improving management
IT pros want to see better security and more monitoring capabilities in their virtual desktop management tools. The ultimate goal is a quality user experience, though. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jan 2018
Dell EMC VDI helps university expand application access
Desktop virtualization is notoriously difficult. With a unique approach, the University of Arkansas put together an award-winning project using Dell EMC VDI hardware and software. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jan 2018
Four root cause analysis benefits VDI shops should know
When it comes to pinpointing the source of a VDI problem, IT should turn to root cause analysis, which can also help enhance the user experience and save time. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jan 2018
How to quantify VDI user experience
IT can take steps to quantify the virtual desktop user experience by recording data on factors such as latency and image quality, as well as conducting user surveys. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jan 2018
How to pick out the right VDI use cases
VDI can help organizations, but only if IT applies it to the right use cases. Identifying those virtual desktop use cases starts with understanding the user type and location. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jan 2018
Citrix enables Nvidia vGPU live migration
Virtual desktop users are averse to downtime. A new capability from Citrix and Nvidia allows for live migration of vGPUs so VDI shops can keep graphics processing up and running. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 Jan 2018
Citrix, VMware, thin clients, printing, DaaS, and Windows 10: Six things I'm watching in 2018
Predictions are overrated! Here are the expectations I have of Citrix, VMware, thin client vendors, printing vendors, DaaS, and Windows 10 migrations as we begin 2018. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Sep 2017
Don't let network latency issues slow your VDI or DaaS roll
Data can get to users faster if it is closer to them. As a result IT must keep that distance in mind when setting up a VDI or DaaS deployment. Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jul 2017
Consider key factors in the physical vs. virtual desktop debate
When deciding between physical or virtual desktops, IT admins must evaluate the costs, look at their application requirements and understand their users' needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jun 2017
Get into the groove of Office 365 licensing for VDI
Virtual desktops change the traditional licensing game. Office 365 typically allows for five device installs, but the rules are different in an Office 365 VDI deployment. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Mar 2017
Don't let VDI drain the IP address pool
IP addresses can get gobbled up in VDI deployments because each virtual desktop and each endpoint takes up an address. Admins can fight back with IP address management tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Mar 2017
Is VDI susceptible to ransomware threats?
VDI environments are in danger of ransomware attacks. They can encrypt personal and professional data that cannot be decoded once the user's session ends. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Mar 2017
Roaming profiles help deliver a consistent virtual desktop experience
Nonpersistent VDI strips users of their ability to customize their desktops. With user environment management methods such as roaming profiles, they can take some ownership back. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Feb 2017
How to make your VDI project plan a winner
VDI can simplify life for IT admins, but they must plan the project out from the pilot phase through implementation. Keeping unexpected cost and complexity in mind is critical. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Feb 2017
Compare virtual apps vs. virtual desktop deployment
Selecting a desktop virtualization method is a difficult decision for any IT admin. It's important to consider efficiency and user experience to make the best choice. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Aug 2016
Four problem areas to watch for when VDI troubleshooting
When it comes to VDI, IT must be ready to troubleshoot common problems associated with virtual desktop performance, back-end infrastructure, product platforms and persona management. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Aug 2016
Take control of virtual desktop access with two-factor authentication
Traditional passwords simply aren't good enough for VDI shops. Instead they need to make users' devices require a second form of authentication or use one-time passwords that change frequently. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2016
How to bake up Raspberry Pi thin clients for VDI
Raspberry Pis are one of the lowest-cost computing options out there, so it's only natural for IT to wonder whether they're suitable as thin clients for some enterprise use cases. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jun 2016
Don't let VDI network latency grind virtual desktops to a halt
Network latency problems can make even the simplest tasks impossible on a virtual desktop. IT needs to use performance monitoring to identify the source of latency to fix the problem. Continue Reading