Introduction
If you’re looking to switch your company over from VDI or RDS, it’s important to do your research before making a decision. Both solutions have their pros and cons, so we’re going to break them down for you.
What is RDS?
RDS stands for Remote Desktop Services, and it’s a cloud-based remote desktop service that allows users to access their applications from anywhere. It’s managed by the cloud provider so you don’t need to worry about maintaining or upgrading hardware. RDS can scale up or down based on your needs, allowing you to host multiple users simultaneously. In addition, because RDS uses industry-standard protocols like TCP/IP it can be used with both Windows machines as well as Linux environments (and even Macs).
What is VDI?
VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) is the most common type of virtual desktop solution. It provides users with access to their desktops and applications via a cloud remote connection. VDI solutions enable users to access their desktops anywhere and anytime. There are several advantages to choosing VDI over RDS, including:
- A hardware-independent solution: Any device can be used as a client device for accessing your desktop and apps provided by your VDI system, including tablets, smartphones, and laptops.
- Software-driven: The user’s experience will not change regardless of whether they’re on a laptop or mobile device because everything runs through a software application that renders the desktop remotely. This means you don’t have to worry about any additional costs associated with upgrading hardware or purchasing additional devices for your employees if they want something other than their own personal computer at work–simply provide them access through any other device!
Cost
The cost of RDS is roughly equivalent to a single physical server while VDI requires you to purchase additional hardware, such as the hypervisor, VDI clients, and storage. This means that you will likely incur a higher initial capital expense with VDI.
However, if you are looking at the total cost of ownership (TCO), RDS could be more expensive than VDI because it requires more resources over its lifetime due to its lack of flexibility.
Resource Utilization
VDI can be better for one person per desktop environment
VDI is a better use of resources than RDS for many reasons. One of the most important reasons is resource utilization. With VDI, you are able to consolidate multiple users’ desktops onto a single physical machine or server, which means that each individual user does not require their own physical computer or server. Instead, they all share the same hardware and just have different files stored locally on their virtual desktops. This allows organizations to save money by reducing hardware costs and management overhead while also increasing overall productivity through access to applications even when they aren’t at their desks.
In contrast, RDS requires that every user have their own physical computer or server because it uses RemoteApp instead of providing full VM desktops like VDI does (more on this later). This means that each user needs an entire system—CPU, RAM memory/storage space, etc.—even if they only really need one app like Word on it! It also increases management overhead since there are more systems than people who use them regularly: If someone leaves then all those machines need updating etc., whereas if you used VDI then only one person would need updating instead (or none if no one leaves).
Security
Security is a crucial factor to consider when choosing between VDI and RDS. Although both are pretty secure, each has its own set of risks.
The desktop in VDI is hosted on the server—it’s not stored locally, so if something happens to your physical location or network connection, you may lose access to your PC. On the other hand, RDS uses a local instance of Windows Server running on your remote server (or even in the cloud) that you can access at any time through Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). This means that you don’t need an internet connection for it to work properly—and it won’t work if there isn’t one!
Another potential risk with VDI is malware; since everything is being run from one computer rather than many across an entire network (as with RDS), it would be easier for hackers to compromise one system than several at once when trying to enter through malicious code such as viruses or worms into all connected systems at once.
Management and Admin Overheads
To summarize, VDI offers the following benefits:
- It’s easier to manage and administer.
- It’s easier to secure.
- It has a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
VDI works better for one person per desktop environment, whereas RDS works better for one-to-many environments.
VDI works better for one person per desktop environment, whereas RDS works better for one-to-many environments. This means that if your company has employees working from a variety of locations and needs to support them in their daily workflows, then RDS may be a better option than VDI. Remote Desktop Services allows you to connect multiple devices (laptop, desktop) with applications to the same virtual machine hosted by Windows Server 2016. As long as each device has an app installed on it and the user knows how to use it properly, they can access their workstation without having to go back into the office every day or week.
Conclusion
If you’re still not sure which solution is right for your business, we recommend taking a look at our breakdown of VDI vs RDS. We believe it will give you all the information needed to make an informed decision on which technology is better suited for your needs.
