desktop virtualisation, why change over now ?

It's not a secret that Vista hasn't exactly taken off as Microsoft would have hoped for.  The sucess of Windows XP means the majority of Windows users still run Windows XP over Windows Vista so with the release of Windows 7 on the horizon, many analysts preict now is the time for change.

Most businesses do not upgrade their client operating systems solely for software upgrade purposed.  Client operating systems are generally upgraded co-jointly with upgrading physical computers.

So, with Windows 7 looming is now what many of us hopefuls in the virtualisation space call "The Tipping Point" truely on our door step ?  And if so, is now a good time to take up desktop virtualisation ?

Well it could be the right time if you are prepared to make one or two internal changes.  High speed Internet is fairly reliable but it's advised to upgrade to an Internet connection with a 100% SLA (Service Level Agreement) to ensure maximum uptime.

Some SDSL providers offer this from as little as £125 per month, as do most leased line providers.

So when considering upgrading your computers, think about virtual desktops and the potential cost saving if you were to purchase thin clients or net tops for less than half the price of standard PC's.  Then consider the power saving, a standard computer running standard applications for 40 hours per week will cost around £300 per year to run in terms of power.  A thin client would cost around £40 per year to operate.

To finalise, when moving over to virtual desktops you can take advtnage of Microsoft's Software Assurance to guarantee you always have the most recent operating system.