Applied desktop virtualisation: Reg readers speak

Survey results In November 2010, we polled Register readers to find out where you lot are at with desktop virtualisation.

Some 192 IT pros, mostly from the UK and the US, completed a big survey, which was framed by The Register's research partner Freeform Dynamics and sponsored by Microsoft. The findings are in and fully crunched and so we have commissioned Freeform to produce a study based on the results.

And very good it is too. In the study, we considered common approaches to desktop virtualisation:

• Traditional thin client, e.g. Citrix or Windows Terminal Services
• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) based on a shared server architecture
• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) based on a dedicated blade architecture
• Application virtualisation, e.g. through application streaming solutions
• Client partitioning, e.g. with multiple virtual machines running on the same desktop PC

To summarise from the experiences of our readers, desktop virt remains an immature market, but user conversations are moving on from the "why" to the "how" of the technology.

The headline finding is that desktop virtualisation is a natural element of any working practice modernisation and efficiency programme, and provided you cast the net widely enough when looking for benefits, can drive significant savings within the business.

As for our sub-head "Aging desktops and the old car syndrome" ... find out more in our lovely Register report Applied desktop virtualisation. ®