What is end-user computing (EUC)?

In its most strict sense, end-user computing (EUC) refers to computer systems and platforms that help non-programmers create applications. However, there is a lot more to EUC and its related technology, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), which essentially hosts desktop environments on a central server. It is considered a form of desktop virtualization.

Key to the success of an EUC/VDI initiative is bringing the components of the platform to users and managers without requiring systems expertise, allowing a more fluid introduction of new technologies to end users. Given the scope of roles and responsibilities, any platform that is used to support an initiative should be intuitive, agile, scalable, and manageable. These features reduce the level of expertise required to keep up with the changing digital workplace.

What’s important is that a well-designed EUC/VDI plan can allow users to access the digital platforms they need to be productive, both on-premises and working remotely in the cloud.

It’s no secret the work environment has changed dramatically. Businesses require new ways of working to survive, remain successful and return to growth. Resiliency and business continuity are driving organizations to redesign and recalibrate operations. EUC/VDI is at the forefront as application delivery to a remote workforce becomes critical for success.

At the same time, today’s users have changed. As creators and consumers of content they demand access to increasingly rich data, images, video and sound in order to do their jobs, while some of the more extreme users need to interact with images at high precision. Many organizations have all types of users, from the task-based up to the 3D graphical image user.

The ability to change and adapt to these new requirements defines an organization. To achieve the required level of desktop flexibility, agility and mobility often requires new cloud optimized infrastructures that can be scaled on demand with simple, automated, processes and tools.

A few key use cases illustrate the value of building an EUC/VDI solution, which is designed to support mixed workload environments without the need for specialized knowledge of compute, network, and storage platforms.

For organizations with a diverse physical footprint, it can be challenging to deliver consistent digital workplace resources. An EUC/VDI solution offers an opportunity to deliver improved consistency in the desktop and access to user applications in remote offices. It's easy to add new users and troubleshooting tasks can be minimized.

For organizations that are concerned with regulatory compliance, or that want to improve management of their software licensing, an EUC/VDI environment can deliver a centralized platform for all user desktops and applications. With this centralized platform, security can be tightly managed and software licensing can be controlled. The EUC/VDI environment can be designed to provide everything that users need to perform their jobs while closely maintaining the range of external software installations by individual users.

Supporting a remote workforce is now mandatory in almost every organization. This reality requires a more diverse set of digital platforms. An EUC/VDI environment is the first step toward a hybrid multi-cloud experience that can support this diversity without breaking organizational standards of operation. And an EUC/VDI solution can be designed that provides desktops and applications so that remote users can easily consume them across multiple devices and can increase productivity while adhering to the organization's platform requirements.

Het doel van EUC/VDI is om alle essentiële applicaties of databases voor de dagelijkse bedrijfsvoering in kaart te brengen en in hetzelfde geoptimaliseerde platform als de desktops te consolideren. Op deze manier worden de systemen voor de dagelijkse processen in kaart gebracht en geoptimaliseerd, samen met de gebruikersdesktops. De oplossing hierachter levert de benodigde performance waar de gebruikers om vragen. Bij het gebruik van een efficiënt platform worden de vaardigheden om de EUC/VDI-omgeving te onderhouden tot een minimum beperkt. Ook voor het in stand houden van de processen zijn minder vaardigheden vereist.

De vooruitgang op het gebied van cloudtechnologie en -integratie heeft tevens grote gevolgen gehad voor EUC en VDI. Organisaties moeten de productiviteit van hun werknemers nu op meerdere manieren kunnen verhogen en daarnaast moeten ze hun data beveiligen, kosten verlagen en zeer uiteenlopende workloads beheren. Een robuuste cloudinfrastructuur biedt hierbij uitkomst. Een hybride aanpak voor fysieke, virtuele en clouddesktops is onvermijdelijk, maar ook een best practice.

Dankzij NetApp^®-cloudoplossingen voor virtuele desktops kunt u de vruchten plukken van de voordelen van VDI in de cloud en veel uitdagingen op het gebied van kosten en complexiteit vermijden.

• Onze Virtual Desktop-service (VDS) voorziet in een algemeen besturingsvlak voor het provisioneren, implementeren en beheren van virtuele desktops in elke cloudomgeving.
• Onze Cloud Volumes-reeks, met onder meer Azure NetApp Files in de Microsoft Azure-cloud, biedt de schaalbaarheid, stabiliteit en performance die vereist is voor VDI-omgevingen.
• De NetApp Cloud Backup-service zorgt ervoor dat de data van uw gebruikers veilig en altijd beschikbaar is, en met onze Cloud Data Sense-service voldoet u aan alle voorschriften en hoeft u zich daarover geen zorgen te maken.

As with most complex enterprise challenges, there is not one size fits all. What’s clear, however, is that companies should get started either modernizing your existing VDI environment or deploying modern VDI solutions across private and public clouds. If you are expanding your operation into the cloud to maintain business continuity due to either planned or unplanned events, then NetApp VDI solutions will allow you to run the most demanding, mission-critical VDI applications and workloads while delivering advanced data management capabilities.

Most businesses run on a combination of public and private clouds. Co-existence brings its own set of challenges: VDI silos, data silos, management complexity, and fragmented user experiences. NetApp helps by decoupling VDI application and data from location. We enable a consistent, repeatable and predictable experience on any cloud.