No One Size Fits All for Virtual Desktops

By Zenith Infotech 1

When we find a technology that offers real advantages, we are often tempted to sell everyone on it. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution for IT. This is especially true of virtual desktops.

We can rattle off a list of advantages of virtual desktops, from centralized administration and longer replacement cycles to remote access and device independence. Still, a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) makes more sense for some organizations than for others. For every business that sees tremendous gains from VDI, others find the cost and complexity isn’t worth it.

It’s important to target your VDI recommendations to businesses that will get the most benefit from it to achieve sales success and to maintain your credibility.

High-Value VDI Targets

1.     Road warriors
If a business has a lot of employees who travel, VDI can be a lifesaver. VDI lets workers access their desktops and company systems no matter where they are. Using devices like tablets and netbooks is easier when going through airports. Traveling also increases the likelihood of loss, theft or damage, so centralized data storage provides a significant security and recovery bonus as well.

2.     Work from home employees
Since these employees are not onsite, system maintenance and upgrades are harder to perform. Some companies require employees to mail in their computer or come to the office for upgrades. Others have employees perform maintenance on their own or go to an approved third-party IT vendor. All of this costs valuable money and time. Virtual desktops let machines by accessed, patched and upgraded remotely by the IT admin who knows their systems inside and out.

3.     Computer labs/banks
Any organization that provides computers for public use benefits from virtual desktops. From computer labs in schools to Internet cafés, VDI makes lab management much easier. All computers can be standardized, machines can easily be wiped and reset periodically, and user access can be controlled to prevent unauthorized downloading and data storage.

4.     Variable/seasonal workforces

Some businesses base their employment on business cycles more than others.  Tax preparers are busiest during tax season, while an outdoor venue is slow during the winter.  Engineering firms often hire project-based staff, while schools have off in the summer.  Highlight the advantage of being able to instantly bring up or delete VMs based on their business cycles.

The key to sales—whether it’s retail or the IT industry—is understanding what people need and want. Trying to give one simple answer for everyone doesn’t work for your customers or for you. Finding the niches where a VDI solution is particularly helpful and targeting your approach for that need is the best way to get clients on board with hosted desktops.

Zenith Infotech specializes in delivering enterprise-class IT solutions for virtualization, storage, and business continuity for IT providers. Zenith’s TigerCloud multi-tenant converged infrastructure enables SMBs to deliver hosted servers, Desktop-as-a-Service and Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service. Learn more at www.zenithinfotech.comor email [email protected].