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WORKSTATION MANAGEMENT
Workstation management accounts for a large portion of every organization's IT budget. Purchase costs are only a limited part of total costs, because the organization will also be required to devote resources to managing a workstation throughout its operational lifecycle.
Workstation hardware components have varied lifespans, and when one component fails it has knock-on effects on the overall operation. Although processor lifespans are relatively long, the very nature of hard disks and power supplies renders these components more fragile. The latest thin clients often include neither of these two components, meaning that they enjoy a lifespan significantly longer than traditional PCs. Each of the logical components that make up a workstation has its own operational constraints: -- - Data: saving, conformity With workstation virtualization you can define templates that contain an operating system and one or more applications. The system dynamically replicates templates to create as many virtual PCs as required. Modifications (patches and updates) to applications and operating system are applied to the templates only. The notion of deployment/remote distribution ceases to exist as the operation takes place in a transparent way the moment a virtual PC is created. If a template is altered, all the virtual PCs assigned to it will be altered automatically. If an unexpected problem occurs, it is as easy to rollback as it is to update, all you have to do is apply the previous (carefully archived) template. Workstation virtualization makes it possible to define read-only virtual PCs that return to their original state (i.e. to their assigned template) each time they are launched (an operation that the administrator can schedule at regular intervals). This means that every user experiences "a new workstation every morning." This, by definition, ensures the correct operation of workstations and applications, whereas, the behaviour of conventional PCs deteriorates over time for a variety of reasons (installation of unwanted applications, viruses, temporary and log file build-up, etc...). Workstation virtualization makes it possible to precisely define the nature of the virtual PC. The administrator is able to provide users with a relatively small local disk (C: ) to encourage them to make use of centralized shared storage resources. This improves data security and makes it easier to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements (storage, filters, traceability...). |
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NDV product sheet
