Skip to main content
Desktop Virtualization Cost Savings in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Desktop Virtualization Cost Savings in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

$249.00
Who trusts this:
Trusted by professionals in 160+ countries
Toolkit Included:
Includes a practical, ready-to-use toolkit containing implementation templates, worksheets, checklists, and decision-support materials used to accelerate real-world application and reduce setup time.
When you get access:
Course access is prepared after purchase and delivered via email
Your guarantee:
30-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked
How you learn:
Self-paced • Lifetime updates
Adding to cart… The item has been added

This curriculum spans the technical and operational rigor of a multi-phase VDI transformation program, comparable to an enterprise advisory engagement that integrates infrastructure design, licensing optimization, and end-user computing strategy across decentralized work environments.

Module 1: Assessing Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Readiness

  • Conducting a hardware lifecycle audit to determine which physical desktops are due for refresh and evaluating whether replacement with thin clients reduces capital expenditure.
  • Mapping user workload profiles (task worker, knowledge worker, power user) to determine appropriate VDI density and sizing to avoid over-provisioning.
  • Assessing network latency and bandwidth between user locations and data centers to validate feasibility of remote display protocols like PCoE or Blast Extreme.
  • Reviewing existing application compatibility with shared or virtualized environments to identify potential refactoring or repackaging needs.
  • Engaging with departmental stakeholders to quantify acceptable downtime thresholds during VDI migration and pilot phases.
  • Documenting current desktop support SLAs to establish baseline metrics for post-VDI operational efficiency comparisons.

Module 2: Architecting the VDI Infrastructure

  • Selecting between persistent and non-persistent desktop pools based on user personalization requirements and image management complexity.
  • Designing storage tiering strategies using SSD caching or automated tiering to balance IOPS performance and cost in shared storage environments.
  • Implementing high-availability configurations for connection brokers and hypervisor clusters to maintain desktop availability during host failures.
  • Configuring network segmentation and VLANs to isolate management, desktop, and storage traffic for performance and security.
  • Integrating VDI with existing identity providers (e.g., Active Directory, LDAP) to ensure seamless user authentication and group policy application.
  • Planning for GPU resource allocation in virtual machines to support engineering, design, or data visualization workloads without overspending on physical workstations.

Module 3: Optimizing Virtual Machine Density and Resource Allocation

  • Right-sizing CPU and memory allocation per VM based on telemetry from pilot deployments to maximize host utilization without performance degradation.
  • Implementing dynamic resource scheduling (DRS) and load balancing across ESXi or Hyper-V hosts to prevent resource contention during peak usage.
  • Using memory overcommit strategies cautiously, balancing cost savings against the risk of memory ballooning impacting user experience.
  • Deploying linked clones or instant clones to reduce storage footprint and provisioning time for non-persistent desktops.
  • Monitoring concurrent boot storm impact during logon hours and staggering user logins or using wake-on-LAN scheduling to smooth demand.
  • Configuring power policies to suspend or power off idle desktops during non-business hours to reduce compute and energy costs.

Module 4: Storage Cost Management in VDI Environments

  • Comparing the TCO of SAN, NAS, and hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) for VDI workloads based on scalability and operational overhead.
  • Implementing storage quality of service (QoS) policies to prevent noisy neighbors from degrading performance for critical desktop pools.
  • Using deduplication and compression at the storage layer to reduce capacity requirements, particularly in non-persistent desktop deployments.
  • Architecting separate datastores for OS, user profiles, and temporary data to enable independent scaling and backup strategies.
  • Evaluating the cost-benefit of all-flash arrays versus hybrid storage for write-intensive VDI operations like patching and antivirus scans.
  • Planning for snapshot retention policies that balance rollback capability with storage bloat from delta disks.

Module 5: Managing User Profiles and Personalization

  • Selecting between mandatory, roaming, or containerized profiles based on compliance, performance, and user experience requirements.
  • Implementing profile size quotas to prevent excessive user data from consuming shared storage and degrading login performance.
  • Integrating user environment virtualization tools (e.g., FSLogix, AppVolumes) to decouple applications and settings from base images.
  • Designing offline profile synchronization strategies for mobile or remote users with intermittent connectivity.
  • Automating profile backup and restore processes to reduce helpdesk tickets related to lost personalization.
  • Monitoring profile load times and troubleshooting registry bloat or large file accumulation in home directories.

Module 6: Licensing and Software Cost Optimization

  • Negotiating Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) licensing based on device vs. user models, considering BYOD and shared workstation scenarios.
  • Consolidating third-party application licenses by identifying underutilized software and enforcing license reclamation policies.
  • Leveraging Microsoft 365 E3/E5 licensing benefits for virtual desktop rights to eliminate standalone VDA license costs.
  • Validating virtualization rights in existing application licenses (e.g., Adobe, Autodesk) to avoid compliance violations.
  • Implementing application layering to reduce the number of full desktop images and associated OS and middleware licensing.
  • Tracking license usage with reporting tools to identify over-provisioned software and adjust procurement accordingly.

Module 7: Monitoring, Reporting, and Continuous Cost Control

  • Deploying VDI-specific monitoring tools (e.g., VMware Horizon Helpdesk, Citrix Director) to correlate user complaints with infrastructure metrics.
  • Establishing baseline KPIs for login duration, frame rate, and latency to detect performance degradation affecting productivity.
  • Generating monthly cost allocation reports by department or business unit to drive accountability for desktop resource usage.
  • Using chargeback or showback models to influence user behavior and justify continued investment in VDI.
  • Conducting quarterly capacity reviews to forecast hardware refresh needs and avoid emergency procurement premiums.
  • Implementing automated remediation scripts for common issues (e.g., hung sessions, profile corruption) to reduce Level 2 support labor costs.

Module 8: End-User Device and Peripheral Strategy

  • Evaluating total cost of ownership for thin clients versus repurposed PCs based on power consumption, support lifespan, and security.
  • Standardizing on USB redirection policies to support legacy peripherals while mitigating data exfiltration risks.
  • Testing audio and video conferencing performance in virtual desktops to ensure compatibility with collaboration platforms like Teams or Zoom.
  • Deploying zero clients with firmware management to reduce endpoint patching and configuration drift.
  • Assessing support for dual or multi-monitor configurations in virtual environments to meet power user productivity needs.
  • Planning for offline access scenarios using local desktop virtualization (e.g., VMware Workstation with encrypted VMs) for traveling employees.
!