Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) products, such as VMware Horizon 7, enable IT departments to run virtual machine (VM) desktops and applications in the data center and remotely deliver these desktops and applications to users as a managed service. This computer-within-a-computer strategy enables multiple VMs to be run per physical server core.

For administrators, this means desktop and application management can be simplified and automated. Admins can quickly create virtual desktops on demand based on location and profile, and securely deliver desktops as a service from a central location.

End users can access their personalized virtual desktops or remote applications from company laptops, their home PCs, thin client devices, Macs, tablets, or smartphones. Horizon 7 is the leading platform for Windows desktop and application virtualization, providing a consistent user experience across devices and locations while keeping organizations data compliant and securely stored in the data center.

When VDI solutions first started appearing, about a decade ago, the strategy was to take a Windows desktop system, virtualize it, and place it in the data center. Unlike this traditional VDI, Horizon 7 is built on technologies that allow components of a desktop or application to be decoupled and managed independently in a centralized manner, yet reconstituted on demand to deliver a personalized user workspace. For example, when the user logs in, a virtual desktop can assemble itself on the fly by combining an instant clone of a master image (VM) with a user environment profile and one or more containerized applications that attach themselves to (but are not installed in) the VM.

In addition, Horizon 7 integrates with VMware Workspace ONE on a common identity framework to provide a single catalog for accessing Windows applications and desktops, as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS), web, cloud, and native mobile applications.

If you are not familiar with Horizon 7 you can read more on our Digital Workspace Tech Zone at

https://techzone.vmware.com/resource/what-horizon-7

Horizon 7 is a complete solution that delivers, manages, and protects virtual desktops, RDSH-published desktops, and applications across devices and locations. From provisioning to management and monitoring, Horizon 7 offers an integrated stack of enterprise-class technologies that can deploy hundreds of customized desktops and RDSH servers in a few minutes from centralized single images.

Horizon 7 can be integrated with Workspace ONE through VMware Identity Manager (either on-premises or as part of the Workspace ONE service). VMware Identity Manager is provided with Horizon 7 Enterprise Edition or Workspace ONE when purchased.