Issue link: https://insights.oneneck.com/i/1422692
14 End-User Computing For Dummies, Nutanix Special Edition These materials are © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Any dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Many organizations use session virtualization, but it isn't a fit for every application. Some applications won't run on a server operating system and, from a user experience perspective, they interact with the Windows Server operating system, which may not be what the user is accustomed to. The user doesn't have carte blanche access, though. You can still limit what they can do. In essence, every user shares the underlying server hardware as well as the operating system. Individual sessions are isolated from one another, but everything else is shared. One additional complicating factor with session virtualization is that it requires always-on network connectivity to work, limiting its usefulness in low-bandwidth or no-bandwidth scenarios. When it comes to data security and the ability to quickly deploy an application to many users, session virtualization is often turned to as a viable option. All of the data that the user interacts with dur- ing a Terminal Services session stays on the server. Only screen updates are sent to the client. This practice reduces the potential for data leakage and eliminates risk if a user's endpoint is lost or stolen. In terms of endpoint device flexibility, session virtualiza- tion is widely supported, with clients available for just about any device you can image. For Windows systems, as long as the end- point software client can support the Remote Desktop Protocol, you'll have no trouble connecting to a server environment. In a downside for the user experience, since the user is only shar- ing a slice of the underlying server operating system, the envi- ronment isn't as customizable as one where the user gets to "own" the entire operating system. Moreover, if you ever need to allow users to install their own software, this can be difficult in a session virtualization environment and you'll need other options. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) One of those other options is the next item up for discussion! After server virtualization took hold, x86 virtualization was in full swing as administrators sought to virtualize everything in their path. At some point, some started wondering if the desktop envi- ronment could be virtualized as well. The answer was a resounding, "Yes!" and the results were often a resounding "thud." However, the initial roadblocks to success in VDI were ultimately removed — thanks in large part to the