Market. Study. Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices. September, By Mark Bowker With Bill Lundell and John McKnight

Transcription

1 Market Study Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices By Mark Bowker With Bill Lundell and John McKnight September, , Enterprise Strategy Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

2 Contents White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 2 Introduction... 3 Desktop Virtualization Drivers and Resultant Benefits... 3 Security, Cost Optimization, and Improved User Experience Foster Alternate Desktop Strategies... 3 Desktop Virtualization Deployment Challenges and Concerns... 5 Cultural Resistance and Current End-Point Infrastructure Investments were the Most Common Concerns... 5 Desktop Virtualization Best Practices and Recommendations... 6 Respondents Report Significant Early Use of and Interest in VDI Technology... 6 Conclusions All trademark names are property of their respective companies. Information contained in this publication has been obtained by sources The Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) considers to be reliable but is not warranted by ESG. This publication may contain opinions of ESG, which are subject to change from time to time. This publication is copyrighted by The Enterprise Strategy Group, Inc. Any reproduction or redistribution of this publication, in whole or in part, whether in hard-copy format, electronically, or otherwise to persons not authorized to receive it, without the express consent of the Enterprise Strategy Group, Inc., is in violation of U.S. copyright law and will be subject to an action for civil damages and, if applicable, criminal prosecution. Should you have any questions, please contact ESG Client Relations at (508) This ESG White Paper was developed with the assistance and funding of Citrix.

3 Introduction White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 3 For many years, IT organizations have spent enormous amounts of time and money supporting and managing desktop computing environments, a situation that is becoming even more challenging due to the increasing globalization of the workforce, the proliferation of remote work agreements, growing numbers of corporate applications, mounting concern over green considerations such as power and cooling efficiency, and evertightening IT budgets. In this environment, it is a daily struggle for IT to keep pace with application updates, software patches, security vulnerabilities, and general help desk requests all while holding the line on capital and operational costs. What s more, regulatory compliance mandates and information security concerns have made effective desktop management an even higher priority as companies look to lock down desktops to minimize business and legal risk. IT organizations have historically sought to alleviate the time and cost associated with redundant, labor-intensive PC management tasks by implementing various thin client computing technologies, primarily for task-oriented workers, in which full-featured PCs are replaced with less expensive client access devices that connect to central servers and contain little in the way of locally-stored applications or data. However, while previous attempts at addressing PC challenges via thin client computing models have provided some benefits, they have fallen short as viable PC replacement strategies due to factors such as poor performance, limited scalability, and oftenunacceptable limitations on end-user preferences and behavior. Now, a new wave of desktop virtualization technologies which encompass end-point management, OS image management, application virtualization, and secure remote access solutions promises to address these shortcomings. ESG finds that many companies have adopted some form of application virtualization or terminal services solution to address a specific application requirement, but until now have not considered their existing solutions as a strategy to deliver end-user workspaces to the company at large. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is one of the prevailing architectural choices to which IT executives have recently shifted focus in hopes of solving some of the challenges created at the end-point. These solutions enable the centralization of entire, personalized end-user desktop operating environments so that they can be efficiently executed, accessed, managed, and protected from a central location. This allows organizations to reduce operational costs, improve service levels, and satisfy compliance and information security requirements, all while maintaining an identical and, in some cases, improved end-user experience. ESG recently conducted ten in-depth interviews with current and planned adopters of desktop virtualization with a focus on VDI in order to determine the reasons why these solutions are being investigated and implemented, as well as the benefits, challenges, and concerns they present. Desktop Virtualization Drivers and Resultant Benefits Security, Cost Optimization, and Improved User Experience Foster Alternate Desktop Strategies Among the organizations contacted by ESG, security was a universal catalyst for seeking alternative end-user computing models. However, for two financial services companies and one government agency, it was the key driver behind desktop virtualization initiatives. For a large insurance company responsible for a significant quantity of NPPI (non-public personal information), the choice was a no-brainer: offload all of this sensitive information from end-point devices and implement VDI to consolidate all of this data within the confines of the data center or risk being the next major data breach in the headlines. In addition to eliciting fines from industry regulatory agencies, this also has the potential to cause irreparable brand damage. In the case of the other financial institution, it was their intellectual property, rather than customer data, that had to be secured. This was especially pertinent in light of the number of internationally-based developers currently operating. Leveraging a VDI solution had the desired effect of centralizing and protecting this proprietary data, but it also had some additional unforeseen benefits. Overseas workers enjoyed considerable improvements in both performance levels and the quality of collaboration with their U.S.-based counterparts. Perhaps most significantly, leveraging VDI as part of its desktop virtualization initiative led to the forestallment of a new data center construction project, thereby averting a sizeable capital investment. Similarly, the government organization was

4 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 4 looking to lock down end-point devices in a manner that precluded users from having to go to a designated location in order to access certain levels of classified information. By employing a centralized end-user computing model, the agency expects to address their potential data leakage concerns while simultaneously eliminating user inconvenience by providing data to anyone at anytime. This is consistent with previous ESG research on desktop virtualization. In fact, in the 2009 ESG research report titled Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Market Trends, when asked to identify the pain points associated with managing and maintaining end-point devices, including desktop and laptop devices, respondents consistently singled out PC security as their top operational and business challenge (see Figure 1). This included organizations in more heavily regulated verticals (specifically, finance and government) concerned with protecting information governed by compliance requirements (14%), as well as those that simply appreciate the benefit of keeping sensitive information including intellectual property protected (12%). Figure 1. Top 10 Challenges with Desktop/Laptop PCs and Other End-Point Devices Organization s current operational and business challenges with respect to desktop/laptop PCs and other client access devices providing general-purposes PC functionality (Percent of respondents, N=480) Enforcing end-user compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., information security, privacy, data retention, etc.) Securing confidential data resident on client access devices 14% 12% 60% 66% Application deployment/upgrade time and/or complexity 9% 58% Operational cost of IT staff required to support endusers/client access devices No consistent backup of desktops, laptops, and other client access devices 10% 10% 56% 54% All operational and business challenges Providing consistent computing experience for remote/mobile users Unauthorized application usage or configuration changes by end-users 6% 6% 54% 54% Biggest operational and business challenge Patch management time and/or complexity 4% 54% Recovering end-user desktop environments and data in event of disaster 5% 53% OS deployment/upgrade time and/or complexity 8% 51% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Source: Enterprise Strategy Group, In addition to the obvious security benefits inherent in desktop virtualization solutions, ESG s conversations revealed a common desire to optimize the cost structure of end-point device environments and improve the overall

5 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 5 computing experiences of PC users. Cost reduction is measured in many ways, depending on the organization, but the reduction of support and management requirements was a fairly universal desire. Minimizing the patch management process with single image management not only means more consistent PC images, it also frees up helpdesk resources to provide value in other areas of the IT environment. In fact, regarding the redeployment of administrators from tactical assignments to more strategic endeavors, one interviewee went so far as to say, Where IT isn t adding value, they should get out of the way. As far as actual numbers, one respondent was able to reduce the number of desktop support administrators by 75% and reassign those resources to a new project, which prevented the need to hire externally. Of course, the ultimate purpose of IT is to maximize the efficiency of the employees it supports. It follows, therefore, that most of interviewees expect desktop virtualization to improve the overall end-user experience in terms of performance, flexibility, and manageability. There were multiple mentions of remote working capabilities, with one respondent crediting its VDI and application virtualization solutions with providing his users with productivity from anywhere. The mobility attributes of the technology were further reaffirmed by an educational institution where users were impressed to see files open faster on VDI end-points than on local ones. Perhaps the most compelling business justification, complete with quantifiable numbers, involved a hospital where doctors experienced significant delays in login times for exam room-based end-point devices. The nearly two minute waits were affecting the number of patients physicians could see over the course of a day. By leveraging VDI in this case, login times were reduced to 10 seconds, which directly translated to more billable hours. Desktop Virtualization Deployment Challenges and Concerns Cultural Resistance and Current End-Point Infrastructure Investments were the Most Common Concerns As with all technologies, desktop virtualization is not a panacea. For all of the benefits it delivers, current users have experienced certain shortcomings and potential adopters still have concerns about the individual components of technology. The issues cited over the course of the desktop virtualization interviews were consistent with the challenges and concerns mentioned in Table 1. Interestingly, cultural resistance among IT staff and users was the top challenge cited by early VDI adopters as well as several interviewees. While only one organization noted IT s resistance due to a desire to apply patches the traditional way, several interviewees observed that their users were resistant to the technology at first, but quickly saw the benefits. Table 1. Top 10 Challenges and Concerns for Early and Potential VDI Adopters Top 10 Challenges for Early VDI Adopters (N=99) Top 10 Concerns for Potential VDI Adopters (N=147) 1. Cultural resistance from end-users (34%) 1. Concerns regarding application performance (33%) 2. Cultural resistance from within IT organization (26%) 2. Infancy of technology (33%) 3. Poor performance (26%) 3. Too much invested in current PC infrastructure (32%) 4. Increased network bandwidth requirements (25%) 4. ROI is not compelling (27%) 5. Printing and scanning support and configuration (25%) 5. Lack of familiarity with technology (27%) 6. Difficulty working with multimedia and other bandwidthintensive applications (23%) 6. Inability to work offline (26%) 7. Inability to work offline (22%) 7. Concerns regarding end-user experience (24%) 8. Lack of support from application vendors (18%) 8. Users resistance to a centralized computing model (23%) 9. Prohibitive end-user licensing agreements for productivity applications (17%) 9. Prohibitive end-user licensing agreements for productivity applications (22%) 10. OS licensing management (16%) 10. Prohibitive OS licensing model (22%) Source: Enterprise Strategy Group, 2009.

6 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 6 One regularly noted limitation of VDI technology was the inability to work offline. Interviewees mentioned a desire to see improved access features for mobile employees in future desktop virtualization iterations, with the ability to check out images and/or work offline. Another roadblock to alternate desktop computing adoption involves OS and application licensing, which becomes increasingly difficult in virtualized environments. ESG found that some businesses had implemented solutions that required two Microsoft client licenses for each user one for the local image and one for a hosted image. Although this method required doubling the end-point licensing costs, it still proved to be a viable deployment option justified by improved security and application accessibility. While OS licensing issues will need to be addressed before widespread adoption of desktop virtualization can be expected, a more significant barrier is current investment levels in desktop and laptop infrastructure. While no respondents identified this as a deal breaker, in several instances, deployments of the technology were expected to be limited initially until hardware assets were fully depreciated. It is also worth noting that many of the interviewees ESG encountered were likely to consider more pervasive desktop virtualization deployments during the next PC hardware refresh cycle. The majority of these organizations expect to heavily leverage thin client devices in conjunction with desktop virtualization implementations. Desktop Virtualization Best Practices and Recommendations Respondents Report Significant Early Use of and Interest in VDI Technology While it can be argued that many of the challenges surrounding traditional PC management and maintenance are intensifying, these problems are not necessarily new to IT staffs. When ESG asked survey respondents about current usage of and plans for VDI solutions, a significant 21% of respondents indicated that their organization is currently using a VDI solution (in the form of active production environment or test/development implementations), with an additional 8% saying they have plans to deploy the technology. Thirty-one percent of respondents said they had no current plans to deploy VDI, but would consider it, while the remaining 41% had no plans or interest in the technology at this time (see Figure 2). Figure 2. Adoption of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Technology What are your organization's plans regarding virtual desktop infrastructure technology? (Percent of respondents, N=480) We have not yet deployed a VDI solution and we have no current plans to do so, 41% We are currently using a VDI solution, 21% We have not yet deployed a VDI solution, but we plan to do so (includes active evaluations), 8% We have not yet deployed a VDI solution, but would consider it, 31% Source: Enterprise Strategy Group, While VDI activity is significant, it should be noted that most deployments are both new and limited in scope. As shown in Figure 3, 80% of current VDI users would classify their current implementation as a limited production or test/development implementation. Among production users (whether full or limited production) nearly three-

7 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 7 quarters (72%) of respondents have been running the technology in a production environment for just one year or less. Figure 3. Status of VDI Deployment Among Current Users You have stated that your organization is currently using a VDI solution. Which of the following best describes the status of your organization s VDI implementation? (Percent of respondents, N=99) Test/development use only, with no current plans to migrate to production, 4% Full production use (VDI implemented for all intended users, locations, etc.), 20% Test/development use only, with plans to migrate to production, 20% Limited/pilot production use (VDI implemented for a limited set of users, locations, etc.), 56% Source: Enterprise Strategy Group, Speaking with current desktop virtualization adopters, ESG discovered several common themes that led to and helped propagate the continued success and value of new deployments. These observations, which include both technical and business implications, are comprised of the following: Accept that Desktop Virtualization is Not a One Size Fits All Solution It is important to highlight the fact that a majority of companies today do not expect technologies such as VDI to be deployed ubiquitously to end-users. Most ESG interviewees, as well as the respondents to ESG s quantitative research, only expect to extend VDI to a sub-segment of their user communities to address specific business requirements and/or application needs, at least initially. This research further indicates that many organizations are using a variety of end-point virtualization technologies for various users, including virtual-machine based desktops (i.e., VDI), application virtualization, Terminal Services, and blade PCs. While VDI might be perfect for an employee splitting time between the corporate LAN and a home office, a client-side hypervisor might be a better fit for a mobile worker requiring offline access capabilities while maintaining a separate work and personal environment on the same end-point device. In addition to the selection of end-point virtualization solutions, organizations should also consider where application virtualization is the best fit. One interviewee responsible for an educational institution had an expansive application virtualization deployment because of its perceived efficiency advantage over VDI; however, VDI was leveraged to support two specific applications that required tight operating system integration. IT staffs should evaluate virtualization architectures for different users and leverage synergies between technologies like VDI and application virtualization whenever possible. Consider Network Impact and User Impact Network implications should be a crucial part of the evaluation process. Depending on specific priorities, delivering desktops over the WAN proved to either be a primary driver for supporting remote employees or

8 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 8 was something interviewees would consider, assuming delivery of workspaces could be accomplished without any degradation to performance or availability. While interviewees with a high concentration of campus-based employees utilizing the corporate LAN expressed elation regarding performance levels, those with more distributed workforces articulated concerns about thin pipes and high latency global networks to these edge-based locations and the subsequent effect on users. However, it is worth noting that one organization with a globally distributed VDI implementation stated that all off-shore developers have maintained productivity levels despite using centrally provisioned desktops running in U.S.-based data centers. IT staffs must evaluate all deployment scenarios and use cases to not only ensure that all can be wellserved by a centralized desktop computing model, but also which specific solutions may be best-suited for each use case. The key is to understand the reliability (packet loss), performance (latency), and density (bandwidth) requirements for users based on role and location, and ensure that network-delivered virtualized desktops can meet these conditions. Contemplate all Potential Cost Implications of Virtual Desktops It is important to recognize that TCO and ROI calculations extend beyond the technology and IT infrastructure necessary to support desktop virtualization deployments and, as such, are not limited to a structured system for calculating success metrics. Several initial desktop virtualization deployments were judged largely on their abilities to solve bigger business issues and provide operational improvements. For instance, ESG interviewed a financial institution that was able to support local developers without having to build a new overseas data center. The aforementioned health care organization that was able to increase billable hours by significantly reducing log-in times, enabling doctors and practitioners to see more patients over the course of a day, is another prime example. It is important that all costs associated with various desktop virtualization solutions, both in terms of additional investments or savings, are considered in the evaluation process. While, in some cases, data center infrastructure may need to be upgraded to accommodate centralized desktop computing, more often than not, existing technology assets can be leveraged to provide optimum efficiency. Users also recognized single image management as an improved method to maintain one instance and update all virtual desktops simultaneously, rather than managing each individual virtual machine. This not only reduces the workload of IT administrators, significantly lessening the chance for human error, but it also decreases the impact on storage infrastructure and related costs. Taking this a step further, storage system features like thin provisioning and data deduplication foster improved capacity utilization by avoiding the over-provisioning of disk space and eliminating duplicate files across multiple users. Maximize Hardware Investments Organizations were certainly in no rush to rip and replace existing end-point infrastructure to accommodate VDI roll-outs. In fact, repurposing existing PC devices during initial VDI and application virtualization deployments allowed interviewees to test the waters and see if the solutions are viable before committing to the technology. Even when the value of the desktop virtualization solutions had been demonstrated, most organizations waited until PCs reached the ends of their useful lives before moving to a thin client hardware environment. In fact, a few interviewees actually credited VDI with allowing them to squeeze some extra time out of their existing desktop and laptop machines because of the reduced burden on the hardware. Thin client devices have typically been deployed in terminal services environments where more than half (54%) of respondents indicated usage of the technology. 1 Most organizations expressed interest in thin client devices for users that would be leveraging desktop virtualization solutions. One hospital in particular was committed to an exclusively thin client infrastructure in support of VDI initiatives moving forward. Deploying desktop virtualization solutions to extend thin client adoption helped lower energy costs and 1 Source: ESG Research Report, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Market Trends, February 2009.

9 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 9 increased refresh cycles upwards of five to seven years in some cases. Interviewees also found that deploying thin clients with newer LCD monitors helped to lessen the emotional impact to end-users who might misinterpret virtual desktops as a loss of their PC identity, while simultaneously helping to phase out energy inefficient CRT monitors. Use Server and Desktop Virtualization Technologies in a Complementary Manner Echoing a rallying cry of No single vendor can provide an end-to-end desktop virtualization solution, several interviewees indicated that their organization has taken a hybrid approach to desktop virtualization by integrating components from multiple vendors. IT staffs shared a common desire to build upon their existing investments in virtualization by extending its value to desktop environments. A federal government user recognized the strengths in the server virtualization solution of one vendor and the desktop virtualization technology of another. The key, to this user, was leveraging the strength of each solution in order to deliver an uncompromised, and vendor-transparent, experience to the end-user. Sell Desktop Virtualization Internally Once again, consistent with prior ESG research on the topic of desktop virtualization, the primary advocates of VDI adoption within organizations were typically high level IT managers and even CIOs. As end-point computing becomes more strategic to IT organizations, traditional desktop groups are able to shift focus from device management to more critical application support. To this point, Figure 4 reveals that after high level IT management, server groups were most likely to be the biggest backers of desktop virtualization. Perhaps more significant is the fact that server groups were almost twice as likely as desktop groups to be driving virtual desktop technology, which is almost assuredly tied to the positive experiences that server virtualization deployments have provided. One technical architect responsible for server virtualization technology lent credence to this assumption when he said, VDI images are just small virtual servers. It is, therefore, paramount to consider the shifting dynamics in end-point device management when mounting an internal VDI campaign. Figure 4. Top 5 Internal Advocates for VDI Technology Which individual or functional group was the biggest advocate for a VDI solution in your organization? (Percent of respondents, N=99, multiple responses accepted) CIO / senior IT management 41% IT (server group) 23% IT (desktop group) 14% IT operations/help desk Sales force 5% 6% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Source: Enterprise Strategy Group, It is also crucial to keep end-users in mind as key stakeholders in the desktop virtualization deployment process. While typically lacking any sort of influence on the decision-making process, they do have the power to affect the success of alternate desktop computing strategies. The most effective way to combat resistance from this group is to espouse the key benefits that individuals should expect to see from a centralized PC model. VDI provides a fresh out of the box experience at every login, meaning users won t notice performance degradation over time as data and applications are added to virtual desktop images. Another significant consideration for users is the quick recoverability that desktop virtualization solutions

10 White Paper: Desktop Virtualization Drivers, Challenges, and Best Practices 10 can provide in response to hardware-based issues such as failures, as well as lost or stolen end-point devices. Accident-prone employees never have to worry about the damage a dropped laptop might cause since the actual desktop has been abstracted from the local physical device and safely resides in a data center, waiting to be associated with a new device. VDI also increases the range of tasks users can accomplish, which has a direct impact on productivity by providing location-independent access to a broader set of applications. Several interviewees were the key promoters of evaluating and implementing desktop virtualization based on their previous experience with it. One VP of IT sold it internally to other high level executives as a better way to work rather than simply VDI. When it comes to funding considerations for desktop virtualization, one of the grey areas remains determining chargeback assignments for business units and organizations that rely on the technology. Another interviewee saw forging a partnership with line-ofbusiness stakeholders as the answer to this problem because there is a greater willingness to foot the bill for a solution if the proof of value to users is evident. However, despite the fact that TCO/ROI numbers can be good conveyors of value, one respondent cautioned that his CFO balked at the figures he was provided, saying they seemed too good to be true. Conclusions Most interviewees with current desktop virtualization initiatives underway expected wider deployment of these solutions to a broader group of users over the next 6 to 12 months. Initial deployments have proven to be a success for the user communities they have targeted. A thorough evaluation of end-user requirements matched up against existing desktop virtualization technologies is proving to yield success and open doors for continued opportunity inside the business. Businesses are continuing to deploy desktop virtualization solutions based on an employee role and are aligning them with the appropriate underlying data center technologies, including application virtualization, VDI, and blade PC solutions. Desktop virtualization has many moving parts that all have to work in concert. Thin client device roll-outs are quickly being aligned to support desktop virtualization environments. The majority (42%) of companies purchasing new client access devices to support their VDI implementations are purchasing thin clients, indicating that businesses are willing to invest in improved end-user experiences, application access, and productivity. Business objectives appear to outweigh any concerns over increased data center infrastructure costs. Security, reduction in support costs, and improved application access are the main drivers of desktop virtualization. Companies are also looking to extend the benefits of server virtualization to the desktop computing environment. Improved data protection, a fresh out of the box experience every time, and the ability to enable end-user self help are all creating a spike in interest around desktop virtualization and enabling the business to deliver flexible application access to end-users regardless of location or device. ESG s quantitative research, combined with indepth interviews, shows that desktop virtualization technology is quickly maturing to improve business efficiency and end-user productivity.

11 Research Methodology To gather data for this report, ESG conducted a series of 10 in-depth telephone interviews with qualified IT professionals responsible for overseeing desktop and mobile computing strategies for their organization. ESG analysts talked with both current and planned users of desktop virtualization technologies specifically virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and discussed the business and technology drivers that inspired the deployment or evaluation of these solutions, as well as the resulting benefits and challenges. Additionally, the quantitative data cited throughout the report is from a February 2009 ESG Research Report titled Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Market Trends. The information in that report was collected via a comprehensive online survey of 480 IT professionals from public- and private-sector organizations in North America and Western Europe. 20 Asylum Street Milford, MA Tel: Fax: