Desktop virtualization has parallels to the classic Samuel Beckett play “Waiting for Godot.”
In the 1950s tragicomedy, Estragon and Valdimir wait endless for Godot. But much like the market for desktop virtualization, this visitor never arrives.
Energy savings can reach 40 percent with virtualized thin-client desktops
That is until now. According to IBM, desktop virtualization is finally beginning to capture the attention of corporate IT departments – and energy savings is one reason why.
Between 60 percent and 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies are evaluating the technology and about 15 percent have implementations underway, says Jan Jackman, vice president of global EUS and cloud infrastructure.
The reasons are varied. Companies using thin-client computers with virtualized work environments can cut expenses by 30 to 60 percent and improve data security. Desktop support costs fall and in general users make 40 percent fewer help-center calls.
Energy consumption is another attraction among top corporate execs eager to demonstrate an environmental consciousness. Full-featured desktop machines burn 200 watts or more, but bare-bones thin-clients soak up only 20.
The energy savings can amount to 40 percent, says Jackman. This is what IBM achieved when it installed virtualized thin clients among its developers in China about a year ago, she said.
The desktop virtualization business is “really stepping up the pace,” Jackman said. Saving energy is part of the explanation.
