VDI and Very Large Files

VDI allows organizations to separate the computers that an information worker uses from the files that they need to access. While this is often useful from a security perspective as it stops people having direct access to a file, it can also be useful from a pragmatic perspective where the individual’s computer is incapable of working with the file directly.

For example, you can use VDI to remotely access very large files, such as complex CAD documents or video files and applications which are tens of gigabytes or even tens of terabytes in size.

Transferring a file that large across a local area network is at best time consuming and at worst an exercise in extreme patience. Unless the network is configured correctly, moving huge files about can slow down the network experience for others in the organization. Even with a super-fast, gigabit network, there are few consumer laptop or desktop computers equipped with sufficient storage to host files larger than a few hundred gigabytes.

Using VDI, the file can remain in the data center rather than users transferring it across the network. The bandwidth requirements for accessing the large file in a remote desktop session to the VDI host server are much smaller. The VDI server has almost direct access to the file, if it sits on the same rack as the storage device.  Therefore, access is speedy and doesn’t inconvenience others on the network.

Another advantage of using VDI with very large files is that IT can provision VDI virtual machines with the appropriate hardware so that users can manipulate those files with good performance. The virtual server can employ hundreds of gigabytes of RAM, compared with the typical 16 to 32 GB of RAM on consumer client devices.

VDI allows an information worker to remotely access a virtual machine with powerful specifications that is also co-located with the large files they need to access. This makes their experience and everyone else’s much faster and efficient.

Underwritten by HPE, NVIDIA and VMware