Social Benefit or Social Disaster

Outsourcing Virtual Desktop Business Proposal

Mary Heather Pruitt

ORG300 - 8 – Information Systems Design and Management

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Professor Georgette Jones

November 9, 2016

Outsourcing Virtual Desktop Business Proposal

The company is undergoing tough financial times, and the expansion of efficiency is currently needed to effectively use resources. The swiftness of the business can be enhanced through the introduction of virtualized applications that require minimal investments. A virtual desktop solution basically means that the user’s desktop environment is stored on a server as opposed to being stored on a localized PC. The virtual desktop simulates the user’s desktop environment so that users can have access to their desktop environment from anywhere, and from any device (De Oliveira, Mota, & Mota, 2013).

Cost and Concerns

Moving to a virtual desktop solution will not require a large investment as virtualized solutions work with standard office software, and the company will not need to purchase additional software in order to house the new technology. The company will outsource the virtual desktop solution, which will be regarded as an operation expense instead of an investment expense. Boutaba, Zhang, and Zhani (2013) highlight the cost and benefit aspects of a virtual desktop proposal. The first concern regards the usability of the virtual environment, as it cannot be used on an online platform. This is different from the workstation PCs where tasks can be conducted even when there is no internet connectivity. However, there are some companies that offer offline virtual solutions, but they are more costly than the online virtual solutions. The implementation of the virtual desktop also requires skilled expertise to manage. In case of a disruption, the productivity of the whole company may be affected. However, the company should select a reliable partner that will guarantee that the network will not be disrupted. There is also the issue of security, as allowing workers to access the workplace from multiple devices may place the security of company data at risk. Nevertheless, virtual desktop provides the benefit of data integrity as only authorized users can access the desktop environment, and it would be harder for unauthorized access to be allowed due to enhanced data protection.

Benefits

One of the benefits of the virtual desktop over the existing one is it will have lower IT costs, and the company’s costs of operations will be significantly reduced. As a result, the company will realize better financial results. For instance, the costs associated with the management and operation of PCs will be reduced. The company will no longer have to bear the cost of desktop configurations and the replacement of obsolete PCs with newer versions. All the applications will be available in the remote desktop environment, and this will have a significant reduction in the costs associated with PC maintenance. The second benefit is the fact that the virtualized desktop will accommodate a high number of end-users, therefore reducing the number of operating systems that need to be maintained (De Oliveira, Mota, & Mota, 2013). Currently, every worker is assigned a local desktop at the workplace, a factor that may limit the number of workers that can be accommodated. However, with the virtual desktop, the number of workers can be increased as employees can work from anywhere.

The third benefit has to do with productivity, as the start of the virtual desktop is expected to enhance productivity of the company. The desktop environment can be accessed from any device, and workers can use multiple devices as long as they have internet connectivity (De Oliveira, Mota, & Mota, 2013). This allows for an increase in productivity as employees can complete tasks on the go, and in non-workplace areas such as their homes. For instance, workers can only gain access into the company’s operating systems using the PCs at the workplace. This means that tasks can only be completed once the workers are physically at the workplace. However, the virtual desktop will allow workers to gain access into the company’s operating systems from anywhere and productivity will be enhanced as employees can work during holidays, or in the vent that they are unable to present themselves physically at the workplace. This will also present a new opportunity for an increase in the number of employees that can be accommodated into the company as the size of the workplace will no longer discourage many employees from being employed. Lastly, virtual desktop solutions allow for a more efficient management of software (Manvi & Shyam, 2014). Currently, the company continuously installs applications, scans for viruses, and backs up files on individual operating systems. On a virtual platform, everything is centrally managed, and the company is spared the need to update individual devices, as the modifications will be done centrally.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the implementation of a virtual desktop will be beneficial to the company. First, the company will realize cost-efficiency associated with reduced costs. Secondly, a larger number of end-users can be accommodated by the virtual platform. Thirdly, productivity will increase due to the mobility of the virtual platform. Lastly, better management of software will be realized. It has to be noted that the virtualized platform raises concerns to do with data security and the disruption of network connectivity. However, the benefits realized by the company surpass the risks associated with the implementation of the virtual desktop. Ultimately, the company’s main objective of improving its financial performance will be achieved.

References

Boutaba, R., Zhang, Q., & Zhani, M. F. (2013). Virtual machine migration in cloud computing environments: benefits, challenges, and approaches. Retrieved from http://rboutaba.cs.uwaterloo.ca/publicationYear.html#J_2013

De Oliveira, V. C., Mota, A. D. A., & Mota, L. T. M. (2013). Impacts of application usage and local hardware on the throughput of computer networks with desktop virtualization. American Journal of Applied Sciences. Retrieved from http://thescipub.com/abstract/10.3844/ajassp.2013.117.122

Mani, S. S., & Shyam, G. K. (2014). Resource management for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) in cloud computing: A survey. Journal of Network and Computer Applications. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084804513002099