Desktop Virtualization Ready for Prime Time

Lower prices and a growing need to manage multiple OS and consumer devices help drive adoption.

Virtualization isn’t exactly a newcomer in the corporate world. Gartner reports that about 40 percent of all servers have already been virtualized and the figure will likely top 75 percent in only three years. But there remains untapped opportunity for organizations looking to ratchet up efficiency, with many enterprises only beginning to use desktop virtualization on a widespread basis.  A 2011 study conducted by Imprivata found that 35 percent of healthcare organizations have adopted desktop virtualization. A number of other industries measure in with similar numbers, though the actual number of devices using VDI is growing rapidly. According to Gartner, the worldwide market for VDI will grow from about 500,000 units in 2009 to nearly 49 million units by 2014. The percentage of virtualized desktops will rise from about 10 percent in 2008 to 60 percent in 2012.