Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) servers can be deployed on-premises or in the Cloud. Organizations may have opted for on-premises VDI to meet security or regulatory mandates, or for their own governance reasons. This demands that an organization’s IT department be responsible for the management of the VMs that power VDI, as well as the underlying infrastructure, which itself would need periodic maintenance and replacement after its useful life was up.
On-premises infrastructure requires significant investment in server and storage hardware as well as for network bandwidth adequate for the expected number of simultaneous users; however, cloud desktops require no such investment or maintenance, just a predictable, monthly subscription.
Cloud desktops empower end users to manage their own accounts, create directories, control applications, run administrative tools, and add applets and gadgets to their hosted desktop, with less administrative overhead.
By eliminating the need to purchase new hardware when users are added, cloud desktops simplify desktop computing and its support, increases scalability, and is an ideal computing paradigm for young companies or those experiencing rapid growth.