Remote and hybrid work has become common in the industry ecosystem. Enterprises struggle to allocate resources, time, and money to fulfill managerial requirements. The biggest challenge they face is ensuring business continuity with a workforce that is distributed globally.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is gaining popularity day by day. Industry leaders & CEOs are now opening up to the many VDI deployment benefits.
VDI has two implementation options: cloud and On-premises deployment. While both offer remote access to virtual desktops, they serve different purposes. Choosing the right model depends on your organization’s unique needs, IT capabilities, and long-term strategy.
In this article…
Let’s explore the key differences to find the best fit for your business.
What is On-premises VDI?
On-premises VDI solutions allow organizations to host and manage their virtual desktops within their own data centers, giving them full control over the IT environment.
Enterprises can customize their setup to meet specific operational or regulatory needs. However, scaling requires additional investment in hardware and IT resources. Here’s why you should choose on-premises VDI solutions:
- Lower latency with local servers.
- It can be cost-effective in the long term.
- Full control over security settings to mitigate risks.
- Customize and control the environment as per your specific needs.
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What is Cloud VDI?
In contrast, in the cloud environment, the third-party provider hosts and manages all your data on their servers. It allows you to leverage virtual technology without the need for a huge capital expenditure.
Cloud VDI solutions differ from on-premises VDI in various features. Cloud VDI utilizes low-spec devices to provision virtual desktops without the installation of servers.
This cloud-based model gives users instant access, and enterprises pay for the resources they use. Moreover, enterprises can scale up or down depending on their growth and requirements.
Here’s why you should choose Cloud VDI for your business:
- Easy to scale based on changing demands.
- Access desktops from any device or location.
- Subscription-based model with no hidden fees.
- Disaster recovery options for business continuity.
- Automatic updates and patches to reduce IT overhead.
On-Premises VDI or Cloud VDI-Which Works Best for Your Business?
Many enterprises struggle to understand the different types of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), such as on-premises VDI and Cloud VDI.
If you are struggling with it, you surely need to know which one best suits your budget, security, and personalization requirements.
It totally depends on what type of usage your business has, especially when your workforce needs to work on GPU-intensive applications. Here’s how you can decide:
1. Deployment
On-premises VDI: Businesses maintain and handle all their associated processes to improve efficiency. It includes everything from purchasing hardware to setting up or making updates.
Larger enterprises often choose this model because they have the resources to build and manage their infrastructure. However, managing on-premises infrastructure is challenging for startups and mid-level companies.
Cloud VDI: A third-party provider hosts the infrastructure. Businesses access desktops through the internet. This option eliminates the need to buy or maintain servers. Small and mid-size companies often prefer Cloud VDI to reduce upfront costs and IT workload.
2. Cost
On-premises VDI: In the case of on-premises VDI deployment, the enterprise bears the costs of the server, hardware, maintenance, and data centers. Long-term expenses include system upgrades and IT staff salaries.
Cloud VDI: Many firms struggle with the question of cost in cloud VDI. The cloud infrastructure is cost-effective, as firms only need to pay for what they use, with no upfront costs. The expense rises or falls, depending on how many resources are consumed.
Also Read: Hosted VDI Cost Calculation: Factors impacting your VDI Pricing
3. Security
On-premises VDI: Data stays within the company’s physical environment. Businesses with strict data privacy rules, such as those in the legal or defense sectors, often choose this model. However, maintaining security requires skilled IT staff and additional investment.
Cloud VDI: Many IT leaders fear that the cloud will open doors to security and compliance issues. However, transitioning to cloud VDI can dramatically reduce the risk of data loss. It combines cloud security with advanced endpoint protection to secure your data, even in uncertainties, regardless of employee location or device.
Reputable providers follow global security standards like SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001. Providers offer features such as multi-factor authentication and 24/7 monitoring for end-to-end protection and delivery. According to an Accenture study, moving workloads to the cloud leads to savings in total cost of ownership (TCO) of 30-40%.
4. Scalability
On-Premises VDI: Scaling requires purchasing more hardware and upgrading infrastructure. This process can be slow and costly for startups, which have limited budgets and resources.
Cloud VDI: Businesses can scale resources quickly based on workforce size or project needs. This flexibility is ideal for seasonal operations or growing companies.
Jeff Pitsch’s Expert Opinion on On-premises vs. Cloud VDI
Ace Cloud Hosting reached out to Jeff Pitsch to find out which one is more beneficial for your business. Jeff has been working at SBC/EUC for the past 20 years. We asked him to elaborate on the topic “VDI Deployment: On premises or Cloud,” to help you understand the best of both worlds.
Many companies are adopting a hybrid model using both cloud and on-premises VDI. Jeff Pitsch, an independent EUC expert with over 20 years of experience, agrees with this statement. Here’s what he had to say:
“Some businesses will always need on-premise solutions,” says Pitsch. “Others will rely on the cloud. But most large organizations use a mix of both because no single model fits every situation.”
On-premises and cloud have become a point of argument for firms with different needs, but it has become almost a war between the two viewpoints. There seem to be many people who look at this as black and white. You can do one or the other.
I could go through and list down all the advantages and disadvantages and try to push one over the other. But there’s the reality check; it is not black and white. It is only grey. Some companies will go entirely on premises, entirely cloud, or, in my opinion, most cases end up in a hybrid model.
For the most part, smaller companies will typically be either VDI on premise or cloud, but as the company grows, you will see more and more hybrid. Why?
The major reason behind choosing a hybrid cloud infrastructure is business needs. Simply, deploying only one cloud or on-premises VDI model can’t satisfy the requirements. The decision of on-premises vs. cloud should be based on use cases and business needs. You may end up using a hybrid approach for that use case.
Many people will argue that the cloud is too expensive for small and medium-sized firms. I am not a fan of this argument because it implies cost as the only critical factor. You are doing your company a disfavor if you decide based on price and cost only. Cost is always a part of the calculation, but there are many times when the benefits outweigh the costs.
I know of more than a few companies deploying over 10,000 desktops on various clouds and having desktops in their data centers. This was well before the pandemic. They have their reasons, and to them, the benefits were far greater than the cost, and let us be honest, that must be a hefty bill.
I would ask you to keep an open mind and have sound judgment when deciding which to use. Before the pandemic, I remember many companies saying, ‘We will not be going to the cloud, so do not even bother talking about it.’ As mentioned, ‘never say never’- if not all, 81% of companies are now in the cloud due to the pandemic. I am not saying they should have been planning on moving to the cloud, but ignoring it when required will only damage their business in the long run.
Keep yourself up to date on new and existing technologies, even if you aren’t currently planning on using them. If something does come up where you need to move quickly to that technology, you will be in a much better position to take advantage of it.”
Meet the Expert
Jeff Pitsch is an Independent EUC Evangelist. His top skills are in Virtualization, Cloud Computing & End User Computing. Based in Alto, Michigan, United States, he likes to blog at JeffPitsch.com & loves writing and editing content. He also loves to speak & deliver messages to the audience with his speech.
He has been attached to server-based computing (SBC) & end-user computing (EUC) for more than 20 years. He believes that personal relationships make the EUC community great, so you can chat or talk about whatever you like anytime. You can reach him at [email protected]
Follow him on social media: Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Move to Cloud VDI with Ace Cloud Hosting
While the firms debate the benefits and drawbacks of the VDI deployment types, the future says that VDI mostly relies on the cloud. No doubt, the points mentioned above showcase why the transition to the cloud can sign off IT bottlenecks. After all, moving to the cloud is a critical transition. And it’s crucial to get it right.
You can move to the cloud at your own pace with Ace Cloud Hosting. We offer reliable and secure cloud-hosted desktops for businesses across industries, designed for performance and security. You can scale as needed and access desktops anytime, anywhere. Our team provides dedicated support and end-to-end delivery, even during weekends or holidays.
Request a free trial or speak with an expert today at +1- (855) 219-0431 to know more about the benefits of Hosted VDI & VDI.
