Virteva is an independent managed IT services firm headquartered in Minneapolis MN, offering IT consulting and uniquely efficient IT solutions.

The New DeviceTop

Where devices, applications and delivery methods meet

The introduction of the tablet, the proliferation of smart phones, and the use of personal laptops in the corporate environment are key drivers of The New DeviceTop model. Also referred to as the Consumerization of IT, business users today are bringing these devices to work and are demanding use and access to corporate applications and resources. Rather than resist the influx of these devices, IT practices, policies and technologies are being modified and upgraded to support The New DeviceTop model.

Workspace Delivery

Today’s business applications run on both OS centric and non-OS centric platforms. The traditional method of delivering applications using a desktop operating system like Windows 7 or the Mac OS, coupled to the computer, will be with us into the foreseeable future. As an option and growing in popularity, the Windows operating system can be decoupled from the computer, hosted in a datacenter and accessed from multiple devices through the network. Known as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) this delivery method has many advantages, such as security and mobility. VDI’s less robust cousin, Terminal Services (renamed by Microsoft as RDSH), has a place in the mix of delivery methods, and often times costs significantly less than a VDI deployment.

Application Delivery

Applications that are not able to run on certain operating systems or need remote distribution can be encapsulated (virtualized) as a self-contained executable file, can be streamed to the desktop, or can be accessed through a browser. Other applications that natively run in a browser, known as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), have enjoyed tremendous success over the last decade and play a significant role in application delivery for every sized organization today. All these methods supplement the traditional operating system based installation method.

User Virtualization

A foundational element of The New DeviceTop model is the user profile. As the user moves between multiple devices during their workday, their personal settings in each application and device will move with them. This capability enhances user satisfaction and enables a truly mobile and productive workforce. It also provides the flexibility to deploy native, virtualized or published applications to any user on any device. In addition, user virtualization provides tight control over which applications users can launch (and when) and it helps control application licensing costs as use of server-based computing expands.

Windows 7

With the end of support for Windows XP slated for April of 2014, over 90% of organizations have Windows 7 migration plans in progress according to a recent IDC report. This planned migration is causing organizations to take a strategic view of the OS centric delivery model and The New DeviceTop model. Virteva’s IT Consultants have tremendous experience and know-how in making these migrations more effective and efficient. As an example, by effectively leveraging user virtualization technologies in a Windows 7 migration, it’s estimated that the total cost of the upgrade can be reduced by up to 47%.

One Goal, Multiple Paths

Ensuring the secure and efficient delivery of applications to users is the objective of corporate IT. Rarely will one solution fit every need. A blend of traditional desktops, VDI, application virtualization and web-native applications that are OS independent is the pragmatic future for most organizations. Virteva’s IT Consultants can help you determine the best blend of technology based on the user profiles and the application use cases.