Virtual Desktop Vs Physical Desktop | Which is best and Why?

Swami nathan

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The virtual desktop (VDI) and physical desktop’s have more parallels than differences in most of the ways we use our computer. Basically, the interface is the same: it looks like Microsoft Windows, as it is Microsoft Windows. The virtual desktop for VMware Horizon looks like Windows 7, the same start screen, the same background and the same icons. It runs the same apps, too. Therefore, you should have the same experience running your apps and completing your work on your virtual desktop and as on a physical desktop. In fact, if somebody walked up behind you and looked over your shoulder while you were working, they wouldn’t be able to tell you whether you were working on your physical desktop or a virtual desktop.

Virtual Desktop

A virtual desktop is accessible over internet connectivity from almost anywhere. You can use a PC, Mac, Laptop, iPad, smartphone or terminal to log on. Since you are running the VDI at a data centre, however, none of your data resides on the local device. So, if you lose your computer or it gets stolen, there’s no risk to your results. The Provider supports, patches, and manages the virtual desktop. You can log in to and add the control panel if you need more storage or a new app. This will be there for you the next time you log in. The one significant downside of a virtual desktop, however, is that it needs an internet service. You can’t access your virtual desktop if you don’t have an internet service, or if your internet service goes down. Hence it is critical to have a stable internet connection.

Physical Desktop

Although, as discussed above, there are similarities between your local physical desktop and a virtual desktop, there are also major differences. Your physical desktop is at one location, a single device. If your office physical desktop is installed this is where you can use it. Getting to your physical desktop remotely requires special software and, when you leave the office, you will have to leave your physical desktop running to access it. The tools required to remotely access your physical desktop also tend to have other disadvantages and potential security vulnerabilities.

Also, if your physical desktop is new, there should be plenty of horsepower to run what you need it to. If it’s old, though, it may struggle with some of the more recent applications. If you are running out of disc space, you will need to order and have another drive installed. You will also need to patch, back up and manage your Physical Desktop. For most businesses, this type of desktop support represents a huge IT expense. On the other hand, you have the freedom to take it with you if you have a laptop and work at home or while travelling. The device’s portability, though, makes backup, management and security much harder.

How Virtual Desktop Benefits the Remote Employees?

More and more businesses are starting to hire remote employees, as the prevalence of telecommuting grows. According to a study, approximately 50 % of the U.S. population works remotely at some point during the week. Those remote workers often access company files via their personal computers, meaning that your company may not have control over their home security.

Using a virtual desktop that Teceze provides allows businesses to assert greater control over their data security. Your virtual desktop data is stored in a secure data centre and you have the option of setting security policies and protocols to avoid downloading the data to the personal device of anyone. So, if the laptop of an employee is stolen, the data will be protected by password and your company data will still be protected.

Responsibility for company information security is shifted to the virtual desktop from your remote employees and they can access the virtual desktop at any time from any device.

Comparing Virtual Desktop with Physical Desktop –

The physical desktop and virtual desktop are identical in many ways. They have the same user interface and they run the same apps. There’s also huge differences between the two, though.

Physical desktop are only in one location and for this process to work, the computer would have to be on.
Physical desktop support means companies need to have IT technicians on-site at their disposal to repair many problems.
VDI is available through any device at any time, including PCs, Macs, Laptops, iPhones, Androids, and more.
Even though virtual desktops are hosted at a data centre, physical security and firewalls are added.
Businesses can choose the software, which means that on the virtual desktop / server only company-approved software is allowed. The ability to browse the Internet, for example, can be disabled if necessary.
The service provider can easily add more of his existing infrastructure if more storage is needed. Physical desktops require that you buy and upgrade external hard drives.
VDI will require an internet service to run, so it's important to have a reliable internet provider for employees.
Users can be easily added or deleted from the virtual desktop.

Company and Costs Requirements –

When virtual desktop concept began, some organizations tried to adopt it without a clear understanding of the business needs and costs. Many of those early projects have failed as a result.

Virtual desktop business needs focus on data and application licencing security and centralization of resources. Furthermore, virtual desktops may enable IT to terminate or at least decrease its support for desktop PC hardware, whether due to BYOD adoption or only by providing basic endpoint devices.

In the physical vs. virtual debate, certain market conditions explicitly determine that virtual desktop is the correct option. Offshore application developers, for example, are a key use case because remote management, security and centralization of code and testing processes are important. Additionally, developers often require administrative privileges, and in case of unexpected behaviour from an application they must be able to spin up a new virtual desktop quickly.

On the other hand, a field engineer working in a remote area or a frequent travelling salesperson may not always have adequate or cost-effective network connectivity to access a virtual desktop as a primary workspace

VID consists of a compilation of several software components. As a result, significant resource investments — human and technology — are needed for success. Most commonly, these components include a platform — such as Citrix XenDesktop or VMware Horizon — storage, physical and virtual servers, a mechanism for providing images, a remote security appliance, and more. Offers from cloud providers that bundle any or all of these components, but VDI is still pricey at the end of the day.

Looking to Move Your Business onto the Cloud?

At Teceze, we are a Tier 4 built and have compliant data centre that provides data storage, virtual desktop hosting, colocation, and more. Our London and California locations are convenient for enterprises across the UK and the US.

Contact us today to learn more about our services on our virtual desktop and data centre, and how we can help your business.

The only way to protect what you’ve worked hard to build is to be vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity. If you’d like to know more about how your business can benefit from managed services, just give us a call, we are here to help.