CLOUD CLIENTS AND VIRTUAL CLIENTS

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

CLOUD CLIENTS AND

VIRTUAL CLIENTS

The Transformation of Virtual Desktops Through Mobility and Cloud Computing

Over the past three years, the technology we used to know as virtual desktop infrastructure has had to adapt rapidly to new trends in mobility and cloud computing. IT departments must now deal with multiple device types rather than a company-owned desktop, while the cloud is radically changing application delivery methods, as well as back-end infrastructure deployments.

DECEMBER 2013

451 RESEARCH:INFRASTRUCTURE COMPUTING FOR THE ENTERPRISE

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KEY FINDINGS

• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is now only one of many delivery models for the transformation of workspaces – a process being driven by the consumerization of IT, the proliferation of non-Windows devices, the rise of a mobile workforce, and a fundamental shift toward cloud computing.

• Recent technical advances have addressed most of the initial shortcomings of VDI in areas such as persistent desktops, storage cost and performance, the ability to replicate the PC experience convincingly, and the economics of licensing virtualized instances of Windows. • A coming wave of mobile applications will impact the enterprise to a much greater degree

than the need to support a diverse group of devices. The real pain will begin when IT must deal with hundreds of mobile apps accessing corporate data.

• The big opportunity now, which fits the cloud model well, derives from the rapid decline in the value of the Windows franchise. Increasingly, enterprise information workers use non-Windows devices, yet they will need to access non-Windows applications for some time to come.

TITLE

Cloud Clients and Virtual Clients

ANALYST

John Abbott, Founder, Distinguished Analyst

RELEASE DATE

December 2013

LENGTH

26 pages

ABOUT THIS REPORT

Over the past three years, the technology we used to know as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) has had to adapt rapidly to new trends in mobility and cloud computing. IT departments must now deal with multiple device types rather than a company-owned desktop, while the cloud is radically changing application delivery methods, as well as back-end infrastructure deployments. This report covers the latest developments in virtual desktop technology and looks ahead to discuss how the market should evolve over the next 12-18 months.

VDI is now only one of many delivery models for the transforming of workspaces – a process driven by the consumerization of IT, the proliferation of non-Windows devices, the rise of a mobile workforce, and a fundamental shift toward cloud computing. This report aims to provide a deeper dive into the technology, vendors and use cases of desktop virtualization. It examines the two major new trends that are transforming VDI as we have known it: the need for enterprise IT to incorporate and manage mobile devices and their associated data; and the emerging opportunity of desktop-as-a-service.

CLOUD CLIENTS AND VIRTUAL CLIENTS

© 2013 451 RESEARCH, LLC AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

1.1 KEY FINDINGS . . . 1

1.2 METHODOLOGY . . . 2

SECTION 2: LIBERATING THE DESKTOP 4 Figure 1: DVE Taxonomy . . . . 5

2.1 HOW ‘TRADITIONAL’ VDI HAS EVOLVED . . . 5

2.2 FIXING VDI . . . 6

2.2.1 Persistent or Non-Persistent? . . . . 6

2.2.2 Cost of Storage . . . . 7

2.2.3 Replacing PCs . . . . 7

2.2.4 Licensing Issues . . . . 8

2.3 VIRTUAL DESKTOP MANAGEMENT . . . 9

2.4 MOBILE MATTERS . . . . 10

2.5 CLIENTS IN THE CLOUD . . . . 12

Figure 2: Cloud Infrastructure Services Adoption . . . .12

SECTION 3: M&A 15 3.1 VMWARE AND CITRIX . . . . 15

3.2 OTHER SIGNIFICANT DEALS. . . . 15

3.3 MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT . . . . 15

SECTION 4: THE VENDOR LANDSCAPE 17 4.1 WORKSPACE VIRTUALIZATION . . . . 17

4.1.1 Major Vendors. . . .17

4.1.2 Independent Vendors and Startups . . . .18

4.2 VIRTUAL DESKTOP MANAGEMENT . . . . 19

4.2.1 Major Vendors. . . .19

4.2.2 Independent Vendors and Startups . . . .20

4.3 INFRASTRUCTURE OPTIMIZATION . . . . 22

4.3.1 Major Vendors. . . .22

4.4.2 Independent Vendors and Startups . . . .25

CLOUD CLIENTS AND VIRTUAL CLIENTS

© 2013 451 RESEARCH, LLC AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

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