Cloud computing is becoming a more common infrastructure in the global market, which is one of the most spotlighted keywords recently in on- and off line markets. In contrast, it has been spread to the consumer market domesticlly after telecommunication companies and conglomerates formed a provider market by huge capital investment. Among cloud services, many companies pay attention to the service called desktop virtualization or desktop clouding which is an enabler of green IT, smart working and tightened security. Because company directors in charge of service planning have pointed out the obstacle caused by confused terminology and overinflated effects, I write for a magazine that intends to provide a the real market analysis and effects of virtualized desktop. Therefore this details the market situation for planners and technical trends for engineers.
Concepts of cloud computing versus virtualization
To clarify concepts of cloud by comparison between cloud computing and similar words which are familiar with us for several years is important. People might regard cloud computing as representative technology involved with Green IT due to effects to save energy and IT resources, which can be described as virtualization technology. Herein computer resources mean hardware resources such as CPU, Memory, Hardisk as well as Software including operating system and various applications, and it could be classified according to types of resources as SaaS(Software as a Service), DaaS (Desktop as a Service) and so on. The core technology of cloud computing should be virtualization technology which is regarded as familiar technology for IT experts because it was developed 40 years ago and connected to unix virtualization technology. Therefore it will be helpful for people to define key success factors through understanding the background of how this technology created large market as a megatrend. First of all, it is said that this technology has been spotlighted as it enables an increase of current maximum CPU clock speed beyond limitations such as excessive heat and power consumption, and to develop economic display and mobile devices as high speed wired or wireless networks mature. Additionally it is another reason that virtualization technology enables the user to use multi operating systems running on a single hardware platform which make for platform high efficiency and flexibility.
Lastly there is one more accelerator; server consolidation can deliver individual platforms to end users and offer convenient management environments. In summary, it can be said that current virtualization technology enables dynamic resource allocation independently to contribute to an increase in the efficiency and flexibility of future computing environments and to simplify change management.
Desktop virtualization market
The Gartner group expects the desktop virtualization market to grow to 65.7 billion sales, equivalent to about 40% of the worldwide business desktop market in 2013, it can be converted to 50 million desktops. In contrast, the domestic desktop virtualization market began to be formed in 2010. The market trend shows that virtualized desktop have been expanded to an enterprise-wide range from being partly introduced at the level of call centers, IDC centers and educational center. The rapid spread of this technology could be analysed as a prevention of large security violations and the leaking of inside information as well as smart for working business. The domestic market scales of desktop virtualization will be expected to grow to 110 billion market growth in 2013, equivalent to 0.5 million desktop from 44.3 billion in 2009. The virtualization software solution accounts for a 15 percent portion of expected investment costs. Others are server, network, PC license fees and so forth. The global vendors such as Citrix Korea, and VMware Korea dominate domestic markets but domestic vendors such as SoftonNet and Tilon are in hot pursuit of global vendors. Finally, we can find implications of survey results performed by CIO magazine that the top three considerations of CIOs in customer market among are the top ten strategic technology selected by Gartner group.
Consideration on planning stage
As mentioned above, the critical success factors of virtualized desktop service include both the clear definition of primary prerequisites to introduce desktop virtualization successfully and an exhaustive review on known issues such as network overload, license issue and service restrictions during the planning period. To examine the considerations according to introduction goals are as follows. First of all, for the stronger data security, we should unify the data management process, reduce the risk of leaking information through the segregation of the internet network and business network, and intensify security certification using user certification and Active Directory. Secondly, for the integrated management of IT resources, we should consider standardization of virtualization, implement integrated monitoring systems and automatic resource allocation and restoration. Third, we should change fixed cost to variable cost through an efficient IT resource management scheme for reducing operation and investment costs and we should prepare constant business supporting scheme through business contingency plans, flexible capacity plans and high speed resource provisioning for high stability. Most solutions have prevented service disruptions from performance problems caused from integrating all desktops into the server, by both using specific protocols and integrating WAN acceleration function to reduce network overload. Additionally, software license issues are divided into two groups such as operating license issue and third party software license issues. For example, in the case of Microsoft, we should buy additional licenses such as window client software assurance or VDA(Virtual Desktop Access) license in order to change the window or package software into the virtualization model. In the case of third party software, we should prepare a countermeasure referencing on authoritative interpretation form Program Deliveration and Mediation Committee. And aside from this, it is required of the payback strategy on investment costs that we should review not only virtualization software, storage system and additional PC licenses but also disaster recovery systems for centralized service. Various implementation strategies will be necessary for a successful virtualization project, we should focus on the reduction of management and maintenance costs instead of delivery costs in aspects of payback costs or we should consider just application virtualization instead of desktop virtualization along with business properties.
The effect of introduction for desktop virtualization
Many companies are passive about desktop virtualization in the lack of specific evidence on introduction effects such as stronger security, growth of production and Green energy. Let’s introduce successful cases below to catch up with beneficial effects, which were performed by the SI company with the purpose of high management efficiency, agile mobility, increased security and Green IT effect. In aspect to increased security, the company achieved not only their bigger target of increased security but productivity and maintenance efficiency through 1 year test operation. Further examination, desktop virtualization was evaluated as high increased security solution without impediment of business convenience because customers always connect virtualized desktop located in data center whenever they try to connect their desktop. Additionally, in smart working terms, mobile worker’s PC become easy to amplify security violation risk because not only could customers use data in office PC when mobile worker do business by private or public PC, but what set environments inside PC cause a number of trouble whenever accessing internal office systems. Therefore mobile platforms and heterogeneous OS based desktops can provide connectivity while minimizing security risks through virtualized desktops. Besides in case of offering internal system connectivity to system developer or system operators working in remote areas, the benefits could be described as desktop virtualization to enable customers to make allocations, changes and restorations promptly, to apply stronger security regulations and to offer a safety collaboration environment. Finally in increased management efficiency and Green IT terms, the advantage is magnified as resources can be allocated or restored easily in response to or according to user requests. Moreover data loss from hardisk failure can be removed. Table 2 as below shows how much power is saved when customers use low-power terminals such as thin clients or Netbooks after desktop virtualization is applied. It can lower electric bill and cooling costs as well as transportation expenses, in other words having a Green IT effect indirectly.
Closing remarks
In a wide-open cloud computing age, many companies have checked the validity of introducing desktop virtualization as infrastructure for increased security and smartworking. The market maturity of this technology can be expected that it will enter common use within 2 years, the roadmap for spread shows the development sequence such as virtualized data center, backup center, virtualized desktop and cloud infrastructure. As the introduction effect was mentioned in the beginning part of this article, this technology increases security and smartworking, which brings the real benefits such as cost reduction, efficient management, and Green IT.
Finally it will be expected that native vendors can solve common problems such as excessive initial investment costs and management issues. At present, as the technical leader in Korea has developed virtualization solutions as well as integrated management solutions based on open technology platforms, they can offer not only a breakthrough of a common problem, but an opportunity to practice symbiosis.
[reference]
1. the industry survey of virtualization and cloud computing, 2010, IT Labs
2. Cloud computing, the market trend and industrial strategy of next-generation computing technology,
2010, deico industry research institute
3. the market trend of desktop virtualization and effects,Technology Inside,2011.1
