Organizations are starting to adopt virtual desktops. And with disconnected client solutions like VDIworks2Go from VDIworks, the trend to go virtual should continue to climb throughout 2009. If server virtualization is still considered the king of the virtualization market, desktop virtualization solutions definitely have to be considered the rising star. More and more people are talking about desktop virtualization solutions, and companies are starting to reposition and redefine their offerings. Even the heavy weight of server virtualization, VMware, is talking up their vClient technology.To find out more about the desktop market, I met with Amir Husain, president and CEO of VDIworks. Q: Could you please tell us about your company, what you do and where you fit into the overall virtualization market? A: VDIworks specializes in virtual desktop technology. Virtual desktops are quickly becoming an alternative to traditional PCs, and the mix of server-based and client-based virtual desktops that VDIworks provides, is especially attractive.Server-based virtual desktops centralize PC resources in one place, making them far easier to manage. In addition, we can include connectivity technologies that allow an end user to be situated as far away from the data center as they want. For workers on the go, this is a huge advantage. They simply need to plug in and they can instantly be productive. Q: There are a lot of virtual desktop providers out there. Even the hypervisor vendors themselves claim to have virtual desktop functionality. What makes VDIworks different? A: We have a long legacy in centralized computing and our technologies are several generations old. You are not taking a gamble when you select a VDIworks-enabled solution. We offer technology that can work with any hypervisor, too, or with any hardware provider. From a technology perspective, we remain the only virtual desktop management company that provides customers the ability to manage their physical and virtual assets all in one place. This has tremendous value for IT departments desiring simplicity, and wanting to avoid the multi-vendor stew that virtualization management can often become. Q: What has the company been up to in the past few months?A: VDIworks recently announced VDIworks2Go, a software solution that enables the mobile workforce to capitalize on virtual desktops. With VDIworks2Go, workers access a centralized virtual desktop from their laptop and then they can take it with them, allowing them to fully benefit from a virtual desktop and centralized computing, even on the go. When mobile workers return to the corporate network, they can check the virtual desktop back in and any changes that have been made are synchronized back to the server. With a larger amount of workers using laptops and working outside the office, VDIworks2Go enables disconnected workers to realize all the benefits of the virtual desktop. Q: What are some trends you see in virtualization?A: Well, there is little doubt that organizations are adopting virtual desktops. We have seen phenomenal recent success in selling our products. Two of the early vertical markets where we have seen a significant up tick in activity is are healthcare and education. We believe that virtualization will continue to make inroads into both these areas as hospitals and schools look to reduce energy costs, cut down on the number of PCs and increase their ability to monitor and maintain computers. Here in Texas, the Donna Independent School District selected VDIworks Virtual Desktop Platform for all its 64 computer lab facilities and 840 classrooms for a total of more than 5,400 individual seats. Schools also benefit from centralizing their PC resources. For example, it’s far easier to monitor student use of the Internet when the PCs are all in one place. Q: Do you believe the economy will have an adverse impact on your business?A: All technology markets will be impacted, since this downturn is significant. However, virtualization and virtual desktops can deliver significant ROI and cut down on operational expenses in the area of datacenter space, energy and cooling. We have proven this repeatedly with numerous customers; centralized computing leads to IT management savings. In fact, what virtual desktops have done is make centralized computing — once a very expensive project — more affordable for enterprises in many industries. Software Development