VDI Starter Kit: It’s Already Built Into Windows

The world of desktop virtualization doesn't suffer from a shortage of great software. VMWare, Citrix, Microsoft and others have full ranges of software products that allow enterprises of any size to set up and manage Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, complete with every sort of bell and whistle one could possibly imagine.

Of course, most VDI setups make use of back-end servers, increasingly assisted by graphics processors to assure a smooth visual experience. But an IT professional looking for a taste of the virtualized experience need to look no further than the copy of Windows that, more likely than not, is already on their PC.

It's not widely known, but starting with Windows 8, Microsoft provides a built-in hypervisor -- at least in the Professional and Enterprise versions of the product. "Hyper-V" isn't turned on be default; you need to go to the "Turn On Windows Features" section of the control panel to activate it. And since it's only a hypervisor, you need to install your own virtual machines on top of it.

But since you probably have software right in front of you, it's as good a place as any for newbies to explore the advantages of virtual desktops. Configuring Hyper-V is straightforward; there are plenty of online guides to getting the job done.

Bring the Power of VDI to Your Enterprise: HP and NVIDIA have partnered to enable a more productive mobile workforce through Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. In the past, jerky video or "click-and-wait" design files sometimes led to frustrated users and conclusions that VDI wasn’t yet ready for prime time. But with virtualized GPUs, now it is. Learn how the combination of HP ConvergedSystem graphics server blades and NVIDIA GRID virtual graphics technology can provide the richest visual experience at the right cost, for even the most demanding applications:

Related Articles: