What is the Difference Between VDI and VM?

VDI and VMs are two methods of virtualization that differ in their objective and operation. However, there lies a significant distinction between VDI and VMs to be in a position to understand which best suits one's needs.

What is VDI?

VDI is a technology that enables the management and provision of virtual desktops to an end-user. In a VDI environment, the LAN stores desktop operating systems such as Windows or Linux on computers within a data centre. Each user has his/her own VM instance of a desktop that he/she can use remotely on different devices, including thin clients, laptops, and mobiles.

VDI offers several benefits, including:

- Centralized administration: One important feature is that the IT managers can monitor and manage the virtual desktops from a central location, thus reducing their time and costs.

- Enhanced security: Data is stored in the data centre, which has servers to ensure that data and software are never compromised, thus reducing the probability of losing important data.

- Availability is provided because users can access their virtual desktops from any place where the Internet is available, which increases their chances of working from home.

What is a Virtual Machine (VM)?

A Virtual Machine (VM) can be defined as a piece of hardware that uses other hardware to mimic a computer. It works in parallel with its operating system and applications and may be managed independently from the hardware that it uses. Virtual machines or VMs are created using the virtualization software or hypervisor that creates and allocates many virtual environments on the physical server.

VMs are used for various purposes, including:

- Server consolidation means having several Virtual Machines hosted on a single physical server to enhance the use of hardware and thus reduce costs.

- Trial and creation: Virtual machines offer separate setups for experimenting with new software or applications without impacting the operational environment.

- Support for legacy applications: Virtual machines enable running outdated operating systems and software that might not work on current hardware.

Critical Differences Between VDI and VMs

- Objective: VDI was created to provide virtual desktops to users, while VMs have a more comprehensive array of uses, such as server virtualization and hosting applications.

- In a VDI setup, centralized servers in a data centre host virtual desktops. On the other hand, VMs can be installed on separate servers or within a distributed setup.

- User experience: VDI offers users a desktop-like feel, enabling remote access to virtual desktops. Virtual machines are generally utilized for server-centric applications and might not provide an equivalent level of user engagement.

- Management tools and processes specific to VDI are necessary for delivering virtual desktops to end-users. VM management primarily emphasizes the infrastructure beneath it and the individual VMs.

- Scalability in VDI allows for easy adjustments to meet changing user needs by provisioning or de-provisioning virtual desktops as needed. Scaling virtual machines may require including or excluding physical servers, which can introduce additional complications.

Similarities Between VDI and VMs

Despite their differences, VDI and VMs share some similarities:

- Both utilize virtualization technology: VDI and VMs rely on virtualization software to create and manage their respective environments.

- Both solutions focus on maximizing hardware resource usage by running multiple instances on one physical server for resource optimization.

- Regarding deployment, VDI and VMs are flexible in that organizations can choose to have them on-premises, in the cloud, or a combination of both.

Conclusion

While VDI and VMs are both forms of virtualization, their applications and uses are different and have different features. VDI primarily concentrates on providing virtual desktops to users, whereas VMs have a broader scope, including server virtualization and hosting applications. Of course, there are many factors that you should consider when deciding whether to use VDI or against using VMs, and some of them are specific to your organization only – the needs of the users, security questions, and availability of resources.

This understanding of the VDI and VMs allows for an informed decision about which type is most applicable to an organization.