Why Desktop Virtualization is a Bad Idea (and It's Not New Either) By Vinay Pai published: Wednesday, June 11 2008
Desktop virtualization is all the rage these days. Instead
of running applications and your favorite O/S from your desktop, your "desktop"
runs in a VM on a server that is centrally managed by IT. Dozens of different
desktops are crammed on to this server, and your desktop is streamed to the
lightweight PC when needed. Several vendors (Citrix, VMware, even Sun) have
products in this space.
Now, let's turn the clock back 12 years to 1996. The
Macarena craze is sweeping the nation, and a much-younger Larry Ellison is
raving about how the network computer will change the computing landscape. All of
your apps run on powerful, centrally managed servers (mostly Sun servers
running Oracle databases), and the network computer renders the results in a
browser. Wait a minute, doesn't that sound familiar?
Now let's rewind another 9 years to 1987. U2 and Madonna are
topping the charts, and X11 is all the rage in the computing scene. (Okay, two
out of three are still around and thriving.) Every student developer and every corporate
developer has the latest X Windows terminal with a fancy windowing system and
applications that run on more powerful servers. As Yogi Berra would say, "It's
déjà vu all over again."
Here's why desktop virtualization is a bad idea in this day
and age:
- The
desktop is much cheaper than the server. I can go to my nearest Fry's or Best
Buy and buy a dual-core laptop with 2 GB RAM for $500-$600. Desktop hardware is
a commodity, whereas servers are still pricey. Have you priced a 4-socket
server with 32 GB RAM lately? And add in the price for your favorite
hypervisor. Your favorite server vendor still has to pay for their kids' braces
somehow.
- As
a developer and as an end user, I like to install stuff on my desktop/laptop:
iTunes, Yahoo IM, Apache, Eclipse, you get the picture. My former VP of HR wanted
to actually regulate the IM client used by everyone in the company. Now, he was
an ex-paratrooper who's now retired to become a surf bum. Go figure. But I'm
glad we didn't standardize on IM clients.
- And
how about unplugging your laptop and working from your patio, or your dining
room, or your sofa during an NBA playoffs game? I've got 802.11g at home, but
54 Mbps is still way too slow to stream my desktop (or any apps) from my
corporate server over VPN.
Now don't get me wrong.
I'm a big fan of virtualization. VM's are great to have on your desktop so that
you can run Linux instances on your Windows box. You can develop and test your
app from the comfort of your living room. Virtual desktops on the other hand,
ain't such a hit in my book.
Related Links:
Citrix , VMware , Sun , Oracle Database , VDI - Redo or Breakthrough? , The Case Against Desktop Virtualization
Vinay Pai has 20 years of experience working in the
technology industry. As the VP of Product Engineering at Cassatt, his team
develops enterprise software to help manage data centers more efficiently. Prior
to joining Cassatt in Oct 2004, Vinay was the engineering manager of a group
that developed web, web services and XML technologies at Sun Microsystems. He
was responsible for the delivery of the Java Web Services Developer Pack. Vinay
has also held several QA manager roles in the Web Services and J2EE organizations
at Sun.
Prior to joining Sun, Vinay has held various development and
management roles during his 9 years at Schlumberger. In Paris, France,
Vinay managed a software development team that developed engineering design and
data acquisition systems for well construction and well testing. As a developer
in Austin, Texas
and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Vinay has written software for
oilfield applications in the areas of data acquisition and data management.
Vinay has also worked for IBM and EDS and had also founded Victory Software,
which developed and marketed game software.
Vinay holds an MS Electrical Engineering, BS Electrical
Engineering and BA Computer Science degrees from Rice University.
Vinay has presented four technical papers at conferences and has published a
paper in the Journal of Theoretical Computer Science. He also holds US patent
6,683,553 related to XML and Web Services technology. On a personal
note, Vinay is an avid golfer and golf coach for his son and teenage daughter.
Vinay also enjoys skiing, running, and basketball. He recently coached his
son’s third-grade YMCA basketball team.
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