This document provides an overview of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and desktop as a service (DaaS). It defines VDI and DaaS, describes different delivery methods for VDI including on-premise, cloud-based (DaaS), and hybrid models. It discusses factors that influence choosing VDI vs DaaS and lists benefits and challenges of each approach. The document also provides market data on adoption rates and top vendors for VDI and DaaS solutions.

1. 8/29/2020
A brief introduction to VDI | Fas Mosleh
FAS
MOSLEH
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO VDI AND DAAS

2. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 2
Contents
Introduction:.................................................................................................................................................3
Summary of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Software.....................................................................3
VDI delivery methods................................................................................................................................4
When DaaS?..............................................................................................................................................6
DaaS Drivers – Cloud-First and Reduced Capex....................................................................................6
DaaS Solutions ..........................................................................................................................................8
Market Introduction .............................................................................................................................8
DaaS market trends and adoption rates...................................................................................................8
Factors that affect the choice of VDI vs DaaS.......................................................................................9
Why VDI Matters: ...................................................................................................................................10
VDI Benefits for users..........................................................................................................................11
Summary of Advantages of VDI vs. dedicated desktops.....................................................................13
VDI Challenges ........................................................................................................................................14
VDI market data......................................................................................................................................15
Typical Verticals (top in blue)..............................................................................................................16
Top VDI Providers ...................................................................................................................................17
Citrix and VMware seen as Virtual Client Computing Software leaders.............................................17
Top DaaS providers.................................................................................................................................18
VMware - Horizon Cloud.....................................................................................................................18
Citrix - Managed Desktops..................................................................................................................18
Amazon Web Services - WorkSpaces..................................................................................................18
Microsoft - Windows Virtual Desktop.................................................................................................18
Cloudalize - Desktop-as-a-Service.......................................................................................................18
Evolve IP..............................................................................................................................................18
Appendix .....................................................................................................................................................19
Brief summaries of the prevalent VDI Solutions.....................................................................................19
Opensource Solutions.............................................................................................................................21
Different types of desktop virtualization................................................................................................23
Other Resources......................................................................................................................................24

3. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 3
Introduction:
Summary of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Software
A Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) moves desktop management from a local environment to
a virtualized one. It is an environment where desktop operating systems (OS) and applications
are hosted within a virtual machine (VM) running on a centralized server (e.g. data center).
Desktop images can be accessed by different types of endpoint devices such as desktops, laptops,
thin clients, mobile devices... Single images are built and deployed to each end user (i.e.
endpoint) and managed centrally for IT operations including updates, security events and
troubleshooting.
VDI solutions reduce IT support expenses by using the same OS and application with reduced
overheads of installation, updates and management due to the central deployment of a single OS
with apps.

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VDI delivery methods
Vendors can deliver VDI through several methods. Earlier VDI solutions began with the typical
on-premise server-hosted virtual desktop model, focusing on the data center.
As VDI and cloud computing matured, the software-as-a-service model of desktop computing
has been reborn in the form of DaaS. In its simplest form, DaaS1
is VDI in the cloud.
1
Some DaaS providers deliver their "desktop" experience via Windows Server (AWS and VMware, for example). This obviates
Microsoft's multi-tenancy licensing, Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA), which requires the hosting hardware to be
dedicated to each individual customer and requires customers to own the client OS license.

5. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 5
And, as with most cloud-based solutions, the customer must rely upon the cloud service provider
(CSP) to deliver critical infrastructure that is no longer under the control of the IT organization.
DaaS solutions are marketed as being able to handle the challenges of traditional VDI, such as
complexity and cost but with cloud delivery model benefits where customers need not make a
huge upfront (Capex) investment but pay a monthly flat fee for a proven VDI infrastructure.
Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) hosted in the
cloud and paid for as a subscription service, usually charged for by the seat. DaaS
solutions use a multi-tenancy architecture where a single application instance is
delivered to multiple users, or "tenants". The third-party service provider assumes
the responsibility for managing the desktop infrastructure.
The third is a hybrid approach that leverages both the on-premise and cloud-based models.
VDI and DaaS – Why?
– Customers turn to VDI and DaaS because managing desktops and users is difficult.
– Advantages include
– Centralized management (install, update)
– Security
– support for bring/choose-your-own-device initiatives.
– Lower TCO costs of operations, energy
– Disadvantages include
– Compute-intensive applications like CAD and GIS applications may not run well on VDI or DaaS (graphics oriented
apps).
– Performance bottlenecks during login, booting storms
– Not really as easy to install and manage for IT teams unfamiliar with VDI
3

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When is DaaS Relevant?
DaaS Drivers – Cloud-First and Reduced Capex
Customers turn to VDI and DaaS because managing desktops and users is difficult. With VDI and DaaS,
organizations benefit from centralized management, security, and support for bring/choose-your-own-
device initiatives.
But DaaS offers other cloud service type advantages vs. VDI. DaaS is an attractive solution for
companies moving away from managing their own hardware either in an on-premise data center
or colocation. If they have a first-cloud strategy or if they don’t have enough IT resources to train
up or dedicate to Citrix or VMware VDI, then DaaS may be the best way forward.
Plus with DaaS, the costs of deploying and maintaining the hardware required to run each virtual
desktop shifts from a capital expense (capex) to an operational expense (opex). DaaS benefits
can include easier patch management and software updates, faster migrations, quicker new user
provisioning, better disaster planning and recovery, and improved application and data security.
Users can also benefit from DaaS by being able to access corporate data and applications through a
desktop experience on a wide range of either company-provided or BYOD devices using a network or
internet connection
The graph below is just one example of where VDI vs. DaaS solutions may be adopted based on the
specialized requirements of the users environment (x axis) and IT resources/skills required (y axis).
VDI vs. DaaS (Example only)
2
More
Specialized
Environment
(high performance or
Security needs)
More IT resources
Less IT resources (Cloud 1st)
DaaS
In house VDI
•Trading houses
•Healthcare
•High Security shops
•Stable workforce
•Education/Universities
•Professional services orgs
•Changing workforce
Less
Specialized
Environment
As a function of IT resources and
complexity of client environment

7. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 7
DaaS Inhibitors
If the organization must use special USB devices beyond keyboards, mice and headsets then DaaS may
be harder to implement. For example healthcare organizations often have smart card readers, imaging
or other devices that attach to their desktops using USB and require special drivers not found in the
base OS. Such USB devices usually require development work to handle the special drivers in order to be
compatible with DaaS. So DaaS might be a less ideal fit in such environments.

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DaaS Solutions
Market Introduction
Cloud hosted desktops are provided as a DaaS solution by many top VDI providers including Citrix,
VMware, Microsoft, Amazon.
DaaS lags in adoption behind VDI (on premise) but is gaining steam.
Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) hosted in the cloud and paid for as a
subscription service, usually charged for by the seat. DaaS solutions use a multi-tenancy architecture
where a single application instance is delivered to multiple users, or "tenants". The third-party service
provider assumes the responsibility for managing the desktop infrastructure.
Market Research Future predicts the technology will realize a compound annual growth rate (CAGR)
of more than 16% from 2018 to 2025, when it expects the VDI market to reach about $25.5 billion.
DaaS market trends and adoption rates
In 2019, DaaS vendors made several major moves. Microsoft made their DaaS
solution, Windows Virtual Desktop, generally available September. Citrix Managed Desktops
moved to general availability in August, and Dell and Microsoft announced cloud and
virtualization partnerships focused around VMware. Yet despite the benefits of DaaS and these
market shifts, adoption remains lower than some expected.
In Gartner's 2016 DaaS report, analysts predicted that "by 2019, 50% of new VDI users will be
deployed on DaaS platforms" as the deployment of DaaS solutions "cannibalize on-premises
VDI at refresh." However, a 2018 survey, Gartner found that DaaS adoption was still
significantly lower than VDI adoption, especially among large enterprises.
In the 2019 Market Guide for Desktop as a Service report, Gartner noted that by 2023 they
expect that "price reductions and product maturity will lead organizations to move 20% of VDI
users into DaaS offerings in the cloud," significantly less than their earlier predictions.
Furthermore, Gartner noted that DaaS "progress has been stymied somewhat by the fresh
injection of hype from Microsoft's entry into the DaaS market."
Despite the limited adoption of DaaS, Gartner sees growth in the market. "Microsoft's entry into
the desktop as a service (DaaS) market has dominated Gartner inquiries since September 2018
and rejuvenated interest in DaaS maturity and business value,". They also noted that DaaS is
"now being adopted by midsize and large enterprise organizations, primarily for disaster
recovery, and elastic and temporary use cases."

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Given the increase in remote work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , it is reasonable to
predict an uptick in interest around technologies that provide secure remote workspaces like VDI
and DaaS.
Factors that affect the choice of VDI vs. DaaS
IT team resource and skills
The level of IT expertise that exists in-house can be a factor. Companies with many IT
generalists lacking Citrix or VMware experience and who don’t necessarily want to acquire it
would be more receptive to having their VDI being managed by third-party experts. This would
also help them to focus on more strategic business (user apps and data) needs.
The VDI or DaaS decision comes down to a company’s business objectives and requirements.
This may include how they want to manage the costs of the VDI (Opex or Capex) as well as IT
resource training or deployment. Other factors will include the state of existing IT infrastructure,
current in-house VDI expertise, and security and compliance regulations, plus any special device
requirements.
Source: dinCloud

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Why VDI Matters:
Increased worker mobility and supporting remote users
With workforces being more mobile (especially due to COVID-19), home based and remote
working is becoming very common. With desktop virtualization, everything is managed and
protected in one central location/center/server. Accessibility is a key VDI benefit for these
remote, long-distance, and/or mobile end users, especially if they don’t have a fixed work
location.
VDI therefore gives organizations the ability to access desktops from remote locations, and with
different computing devices
Simplified backup
A centralized server-hosted virtual desktop (SHVD) infrastructure provides simplified backup operations.
With appropriate infrastructure and bandwidth in place, this approach minimizes network congestion
during backups that would be a disadvantage with a huge volume of desktop systems.
IT can provide higher security control and compliance.
With VDI, servers can be secured physically and virtually in a more manageable manner, with
less risk of local desktop vulnerabilities. For example, administrators can provide central security
policies that apply to all users and minimize the malware footprint, in the case of an infection.
The desktop can be re-commissioned from the base image when problems arise. IT Admins can
better maintain security – like protecting files from improper downloading, or mass virus
updates.
Reduced cost and hardware turnover
VDI can reduce the need to purchase new hardware (Capex), reducing associated software,
licensing, and support costs (Opex). For example, older desktop hardware (with sufficient native
capacity) can be retained and used as thin client devices for users who are working on general-
purpose tasks that do not require high-end client devices.
IT management of endpoints
Since VDI replaces PCs, the deployment, management, and maintenance of replacement
endpoints becomes much easier2
. Endpoint devices can be laptops, thin (or zero) clients, tablets,
mobile devices, etc. Updates can go beyond just desktop PCs, to include a wide range of mobile
devices and thin clients including accommodating BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) if required.
2
For example, in VDI, patch management and software updates can be distributed in a centralized and simplified way, because IT no longer
needs to manage the individual deployment to each unique computer.

11. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 11
Centralized management software (deployment can proceed from a centralized management
console) is used to enable IT administrators to maintain devices in the network from one central
server (data center).
Desktops can easily be virtually created by copying images and files, and then swiftly deployed.
End users are not tied to any particular hardware with VDI, so desktop fixes and new desktops
can get them up and running in no time. Updates need not be solely to desktop PCs, but also can
include mobile devices and thin clients.
VDI Benefits for users
PC user resistance fades with a common UI that spans devices
Typical PC users love the control and privacy of their PC environment and it’s hard to convince
them to move to a virtual desktop environment. But, once they try it out – they adapt quickly.
Why?
Look and feel
First, apart from some login screen differences the front end looks and feels just like a traditional
desktop experience. When logging in, the user sees their personal desktop just as they normally
would, even including preferred settings. What’s also compelling is that the end user can now
obtain this same desktop UI look and feel on different clients – such as a PC or tablet or even
mobile phone; this is a VDI advantage
Less user intervention
Upgrades, application deployments, and virus protection can be centrally managed, rather than
needing to be handled individually (and manually) at endpoints/workstations. I.e. Routine
upgrades, installations, can be completed without user intervention. This saves end users’ time
and enhances their productivity.
With many VDI solutions, the active desktop state can be preserved, enabling users to pick up
right where they left off.
Worker productivity goes up with VDI Productivity:
When end users encounter an endpoint issue, such as a virus, or the need for an upgrade, or
recovery from a system failure they don’t have to become IT experts or beg for IT admins to help
them. The recovery or upgrade or virus cleaning is done centrally, increasing user productivity
immensely.
IT admins can focus on other initiatives because the management and maintenance of all their
end users is centralized, and changes and upgrades are done via group updates. Not needing to

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physically touch the endpoint hardware for device set-up or troubleshooting opens up IT admin
work schedules to tackle more important issues.
Better security and data protection
The data is completely centralized, making it more secure and better protected. This also reduces
the chances of users inadvertently spreading viruses or unauthorized downloading of sensitive
data.
How many times have we lost data on a PC because the backup routine was not set up correctly?
Do you use OneDrive religiously? I don’t. With the right IT procedures put in place centrally, the
regular backing up of data greatly reduces the risk of loss.

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Summary of Advantages of VDI vs. dedicated desktops
• Higher user productivity due to centrally managed installation, upgrading and IT
management
• Higher IT admin productivity (no need for physical onsite IT)
• Enables geographically distributed workers at a much lower IT admin cost (install,
troubleshoot)
• Lower TCO - lower maintenance, energy and admin costs
• More secure (central control with highly encrypted networks)
• More consistently applied upgrades, updates and backups
• Lower licensing costs (with the right centralized management software, unlimited user
licenses are cheaper)
• Lower endpoint costs (thin clients are cheaper than PCs and last longer plus they use less
power and generate less heat)9.Resource Savings:

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VDI Challenges
Constraints on the growth of the desktop virtualization market include system complexity and
compatibility issues, and bottleneck issues caused by large scale boot-ups, logins, antivirus, and
user workload actions.
Large organizations are facing issues such as boot storms, login storms, anti-virus scanning
storms, and user workload applications while using the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
• A boot storm is caused when many users boot up the system/infrastructure at once, face a
creating a bottleneck scenario
• A login storm is caused when a large population of VDI users log into their desktops
simultaneously
Boot storms and login storms are the two major challenges for VDI, which bring difficulties in
the deployment and management of virtualization scenarios.
In the anti-virus scanning storm, pre- scheduled, anti-virus scanning creates extreme demands on
the virtualization system with large, random read Input/output Operations Per Second (IOPS).
During a steady state, about 10 random write IOPS can be caused for each virtual desktop, which
can create a bottleneck scenario related to user workload applications.
Currently, avoiding these bottlenecks and providing access to a large population in a virtualized
environment at a single point in time is difficult if not almost impossible to attain. This
constrains the adoption of desktop virtualization, as users find it less attractive compared to
existing web-based smart workplace solutions.

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VDI market data
Source: Markets and Markets
The cloud-based VDI market size was valued at $3.654 million in 2016, and is estimated to reach
$ 10,154 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 16.5% from 2017 to 2023. Source: Markets
and Markets

16. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 16
Typical Verticals (top in blue)
• Finance
• Education 3
• Healthcare
• Government
• Professional services (consultant)
• IT & Telecom
• Retail & Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Media & Entertainment
• Manufacturing & Automotive
• Others (Oil, Energy, Utility, Travel, etc.)
Desktop Virtualization still most popular in healthcare vertical
With 14.85% penetration, Healthcare4
continues to be the largest business vertical market for
on-premises VDI and Server Based Computing solutions. (source: Christiaan Brinkhoff)
3
For more information on the effectiveness of VDI for the Education marketplace read 8 Great VDI Benefits for Education
4
For more information on the effectiveness of VDI for Heathcare read https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2018/03/uscs-keck-
medicine-taps-vdi-boost-security-accessibility

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Top VDI Providers
Citrix and VMware seen as Virtual Client Computing Software leaders
In 2020, IDC sees Citrix and VMware as the leaders, but Microsoft and Amazon are not far behind.

18. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 18
Top DaaS providers
• VMware - Horizon Cloud
• Citrix - Managed Desktops
• Amazon Web Services - WorkSpaces
• Microsoft - Windows Virtual Desktop
• Cloudalize - Desktop-as-a-Service
• Evolve IP
• dinCloud - dinWorkspace
• MTM Technologies - AnywhereApp
Some of the solutions they provide:
VMware - Horizon Cloud
www.vmware.com/products/daas-vspp.html
Citrix - Managed Desktops
www.citrix.com/products/citrix-managed-desktops/
Amazon Web Services - WorkSpaces
aws.amazon.com/workspaces/
Microsoft - Windows Virtual Desktop
azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/virtual-desktop/
Cloudalize - Desktop-as-a-Service
www.cloudalize.com
Evolve IP
www.evolveip.net

19. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 19
Appendix
Brief summaries of the prevalent VDI Solutions
The key players in the desktop virtualization market include Citrix Systems (US), VMware (US),
NComputing (South Korea), Microsoft (US), Cisco Systems (US), Oracle (US), Red Hat (US), Evolve IP (US),
Huawei Technologies (China), Ericom Software (US), HPE (US), and Parallels International (US). There are
also several open source alternatives.
VMware
VMware Horizon 7 goes beyond VDI to provide end users with one place to securely access all
their desktops, applications and online services from any device, anywhere. With Horizon 7, IT
organizations can take advantage of closed-loop management and automation, as well as tight
integration with the software-defined data center.
Amazon
Amazon WorkSpaces is a managed, secure cloud desktop service. Amazon WorkSpaces can
provision either Windows or Linux desktops in a few minutes and quickly scale.
Red Hat
Red Hat® Virtualization is an open, software-defined platform that virtualizes Linux and
Microsoft Windows workloads. Built on Red Hat Enterprise Linux® and the Kernel-based
Virtual Machine (KVM), it features management tools that virtualize resources, processes, and
applications—giving a stable foundation for a cloud-native and containerized future.
Nutanix
Nutanix makes infrastructure invisible, elevating IT to focus on the applications and services that
power their business. Customers can leverage a software-defined appliance ideal for running
industry-leading VDI solutions. The Nutanix enterprise cloud platform leverages web-scale
engineering and consumer-grade design to natively converge compute, virtualization and storage
into a resilient, software-defined solution with rich machine intelligence.

20. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 20
Oracle
Oracle VM VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for
enterprise as well as home use. VirtualBox is a feature-rich, high-performance product for
enterprise customers; it is the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source
Software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2.
Parallels RAS Software
Parallels RAS helps customers remotely deliver applications and desktops to their employees
reducing complexity and cost of remote application delivery and VDI.

21. A Brief Intro to VDI Page 21
Opensource Solutions
Xen Hypervisor is an open-source type-1 or baremetal hypervisor, which makes it possible to run
many instances of an operating system or indeed different operating systems in parallel on a
single machine (or host). Xen is the only type-1 hypervisor that is available as open-source. Xen
is used as the basis for a number of different commercial and open source applications, such as
server virtualiza... read more
HashiCorp Vagrant provides the same, easy workflow regardless of your role as a developer,
operator, or designer. It leverages a declarative configuration file which describes all your
The Xen Project is the home for several virtualization-related open source projects. The
community is focused on advancing virtualization in a number of different commercial and open
Riverbed, The Digital Performance Company, is united in our purpose of Advancing the Human
Experience in the Digital World. Behind every digital experience is a human one, and Riverbed
enables organizations to measure digital experiences and maximize digital performance so they
can deliver better and more powerful human experiences
Maxta Hyperconvergence is redefining enterprise IT infrastructure through a groundbreaking
approach to hyperconvergence that dramatically simplifies operations while delivering much
Sangfor aDesk VDI – A Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Solution. Sangfor Technologies is the
global leading vendor of IT infrastructure solutions. It is specialized in Cloud Computing,
Network Security & Optimization with products including but not limited to: Hyper-Converged
Infrastructure, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, Next Generation Application Firewall, Internet
Access Management, WAN Optimization, SSL & IPSec VPN and so on.
OpenVZ is an Open source container-based virtualization for Linux. Virtuozzo leverages
OpenVZ as its core of a virtualization solution offered by Virtuozzo company. Virtuozzo is
optimized for hosters and offers hypervisor (VMs in addition to containers), distributed cloud
storage, dedicated support, management tools, and easy installation.

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flexVDI is an Open Full-Stack VDI Solution – It offers a full-stack solution for building your
own Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, in an easy an approachable way. With a wide range of
clients for both PC and mobile devices, unique features and extensions that add a huge deal of
flexibility to the presentation protocol, flexVDI is one of best VDI products on the market, sold
at an amazing price.
The FOSS-Cloud is a pure Open Source VDI solution - an integrated and redundant server
infrastructure. It provides virtual servers and workstations that are accessible locally and also
from the Internet. FOSS-Cloud covers all aspects of a cloud solution and supersedes open source
projects which are subject to license fees - like Citrix, VM Ware, etc.

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Different types of desktop virtualization
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
• Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)
• Remote Desktop Services (RDS)
Market Penetration of VDI solutions( by vendor) by vertical (Netherlands example only)
Citrix dwarfs everyone in NL
Citrix led with 64% market share in 2018 with VMware following at 31% (Netherlands)

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Other Resources
For a detailed understanding of how to successfully deploy Citrix on AWS see
https://docs.citrix.com/en-us/tech-zone/design/reference-architectures/citrix-virtual-apps-and-
desktops-on-aws.html
https://www.nakivo.com/blog/deploying-hyper-v-vdi-guide/