THE EDGE
Agility and security
Running on a hyperconverged Edge
Computing solution, the VDI deployment
can provide improved workforce agility at
an affordable cost. Employees can log-on
securely to any machine on the network
and gain access to their files, emails and
applications – they’re not just limited to
PC terminals but can load their personal
desktop or applications on their mobile
device or tablet.
Running a VDI deployment in this way also
offers a cost-effective and secure method
to extend network access beyond the
office walls and provide remote access to
employees wherever they are. Plus, the IT
team can receive automated alerts that
flag potentially suspicious activity or log
users out of an account that has been
inactive for a pre-agreed time.
Generic sign-ins are often used across
organisations as a speedy way for
employees to access multiple machines,
but they do pose potentially huge security
problems. Whether it is doctors accessing
patient records or retailers handling sensitive
financial data, in both cases, companies are
legally responsible for protecting end-user
data. Failure to do so risks reputational
damage and even prosecution.
VDI, in an Edge environment, is able to
deal with these potential issues by making
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it quick and easy for employees to log in
across multiple machines with their own
Active Directory credentials.
This technology also offers multi-
factor authentication to guard against
unauthorised access, ensuring
businesses stay compliant with
consumer data protection laws such as
HIPAA, GDPR and PCI.
BYOD becomes cost effective to manage
too and no longer an issue that raises
operational and security concerns. An
employee’s personal mobile device,
laptop or tablet can be integrated onto
an officially-sanctioned VDI environment.
This takes it from a potential security
risk, to a secure, authorised and
monitored network device where
information is protected from accidental
disclosure and loss.
The changing face of VDI
Although VDI has always had the potential
to enable improved workforce agility
and centralised network management,
for some time, IT analysts and industry
experts stated that VDI adoption was
relatively slow.
Hardly surprising as it was previously
hindered by high cost, complicated
software licensing and weak network
connections. Now, with the advent of
hyperconverged Edge Computing and
the reductions in cost and complexity it
brings, businesses of all kinds and sizes
can benefit from VDI technology.
IT teams and end-users can easily adopt
VDI thanks to the added functionality,
improvements to network response
times and significant simplification of
system management.
Being able to create offsite backups
at remote locations or in the cloud
provides an added layer of IT resilience
and security, while automation and
centralisation capabilities now take care of
the most important, but time-consuming,
heavy-lifting.
Thanks to the perfect pairing of Edge
Computing and HCI, it’s hardly surprising
that VDI has risen in popularity in recent
years and this growth is not set to slow
down any time soon. ◊
IN THE PAST FEW
YEARS, EDGE
COMPUTING
AND HYPER-
CONVERGENCE
HAVE DISRUPTED
THE VDI MARKET.
www.intelligentdatacentres.com