Desktop virtualisation

The office in the cloud: EIKONA makes implementation simple and successful.

Schedule consultation

Desktop virtualisation

Desktop virtualisation on distributed servers is often a hot topic for enterprises. Although cloud computing is taking the IT industry by storm, this buzzword raises many questions, too: Should hardware and software licences be purchased or rented? Is the company using an in-house server, or should it outsource? What about data security? What requirements does the internet connection have to meet? What are the one-time and recurring costs?

Non-binding inquiry

Desktop virtualisation for logistics

Desktop virtualisation separates the traditional fixed PC workstation from local hardware. In fact, it no longer matters whether you bring your own device (BYOD) or work on a company computer. We thus significantly reduce the number of physical application and infrastructure servers that you have and transfer them to much more powerful terminal server environments. This saves you from having to invest in expensive powerful desktop PCs. All you need is a thin client, laptop or even an existing older PC. The PC does not have to be equipped with powerful hardware or a lot of storage capacity because we provide these components on our servers for individual workstations. As a result, you can even use the latest applications and software on outdated notebooks. We can even make it possible for you to use your own servers, too.

Use modern server infrastructure

At EIKONA, we accompany you on the next stage in your digitalisation journey and provide reliable hosting at our high-performance data centre in Nuremberg, Germany. Desktop virtualisation provides unlimited access to your applications and data – while ensuring maximum security. You are also completely location independent because you always have your office in the cloud with you. It suddenly becomes easy to distribute workstations throughout the company or allow people to work from home. At the same time, you reduce your operating costs and simplify workflows by centrally providing operating systems and software. If you do have a problem, our support team will be standing by 24/7 to help.

Data security and data protection

Data security and availability increases with virtual desktops that are fully located in the data centre. Threats such as viruses and Trojans can be fought off better because security measures and updates are centrally managed and updated. Also, desktop virtualisation makes it easy for administrators to define access permissions that are needed to install new programs or perform similar actions. This ensures that users can work efficiently while maintaining the required level of security.

The path to your
Desktop virtualisation

Consulting, analysis and objective

We discuss your personal objectives with you so that we can meet your needs and preferences. We also analyse your hardware requirements and draw up a suitable solution.

Installation and testing phase

The applications are virtualised on the servers in our data centre. The operating system and all applications run on a virtual machine. You can test our terminal services once the installation is complete to ensure that all the components are tailored to your needs.

Work flexibly

After a successful test phase, you can use desktop virtualisation with all its features. Your employees can access their cloud workstation from anywhere using PCs, laptops, mobile devices or thin clients. We make desktop virtualisation easier than ever, regardless of whether your employees work in a traditional office setting or from their homes.

50%
want to set their own work hours
35%
can be more productive in a flexible environment
39%
want to work from home or on the road
Team sits together at the desk and analyses IT costs.

The true costs

People often look only at the superficial costs of hardware and software. They rarely take into account hidden costs such as the electricity needed to operate and cool hardware, software licences and maintenance. We will happily work with you to calculate the true costs and show you how you can really save with desktop virtualisation.

Desktop virtualisation reduces the workload on your IT staff, who can now manage clients flexibly and centrally. Errors and administrative effort are kept to a minimum since we provide, install, monitor and maintain the operating systems and applications ourselves. Your data is backed up with multiple redundancies. Avoid the need to invest heavily in the latest hardware in future. You can also budget your expenses better since costs can be precisely calculated per workstation.

Your benefits
at a glance

With EIKONA's desktop virtualisation solution, you can easily virtualise your desktop PCs and reap the following benefits:

High data security

IT security plays an important role in modern-day cloud outsourcing. Our data security quality standards are always up to date. Our firewall is constantly being tested.

High availability

We can guarantee exceptional server availability thanks to our relationship with a TÜV-audited, ISO 27001-certified enterprise data centre.

Reduced administrative effort

IT outsourcing and application virtualisation can significantly reduce administrative overhead at your organisation. Servers and desktop PCs require constant maintenance – which desktop virtualisation eliminates.

High flexibility

Use the system and work from anywhere on your virtual workstation. All you need is a mobile device. You can access the computer system in any work environment – at home, on the train or in the park.

Cost savings

Powerful PCs cost a lot of money. You can avoid this expense by using external servers and inexpensive thin clients.

Managed backup

Stop worrying about backing up your data. We will handle that for you as part of our sophisticated IT security and backup plan.

Protect the environment

You save vast amounts of energy by shutting down your physical servers and their cooling systems. This protects the environment and your wallet.

High performance

The use of powerful, constantly modernised hardware at the data centre unlocks enormous performance gains and lets you work more efficiently.

EIKONA Logistics Gübau Logistics
Hartmuth Wenzel, Head of the IT Department at Gübau Logistics
We have safeguarded our investments in IT infrastructure by partnering with EIKONA Logistics. Our corporate group's growth is thus supported at all times. Desktop visualisation allows us to add new PC workstations very quickly – our IT environment has never been this nimble.
Hartmuth Wenzel, Head of the IT Department at Gübau Logistics

Get the most out of your logistics!

Make an appointment now

Frequently asked questions

Every company starts out asking one question: Is desktop virtualisation worth doing for me? And isn't it always a case-by-case decision?

In most cases, the real question is not whether desktop virtualisation is worth doing, but rather how much to virtualise. As a company, you are already operating your own small data centre once you reach a certain number of employees: You will have at least one server and various network components such as switches and routers, all kept in a (hopefully) air-conditioned room that all workstation PCs are connected to. That means your first step should be to find out how much this equipment actually costs each year: power, cooling, maintenance, acquisition costs, service provider costs for fixing small malfunctions and the possible costs of a total system failure as well as downtime until recovery. Experience shows that many of these companies have at least one major system failure in any given five-year period – and everything comes to a standstill during this time. Rien ne va plus. And that can easily last two to three days, if not longer. A minor disaster that could at least be heavily mitigated or even avoided with planned IT outsourcing and desktop virtualisation.

This can be an attractive proposition for some budget managers since it eliminates almost all capital expenditure on server and storage environments and transfers virtualised desktops, which are rented monthly, to opex budgets. This often produces additional positive effects.

So you should start by preparing a risk analysis?

Exactly. Companies who have conducted a risk analysis can go into a conversation with a potential service provider well prepared. The two parties can then clarify what requirements to meet. For example, a company might want to keep a server in-house for certain reasons – that is by no means incompatible with desktop virtualisation. The service provider will advise on available integration solutions and educate the client about the costs. It is generally cheaper for companies to combine desktop virtualisation with IT outsourcing. Once the customer and service provider have agreed on an appropriate plan, the next step is implementation.

Is there a way to test the service before it goes live across the company?

That's something that reputable companies always do. Desktop PCs are virtualised on the data centre servers - including the operating system, required applications and all licenses. Users can then check the services to see if they meet their needs and expectations. Any required improvements are done by the service provider. Once everything has been squared away, it is time to roll out the solution across the enterprise. Users can then access their cloud workstations from anywhere.

What type of client should companies use?

It depends on each company's particular requirements. If a company goes for full desktop virtualisation, it could theoretically use a zero or thin client because everything happens on the server. However, many companies still have desktops that they would like to continue using in order to get the most out of their investment. That is not a problem. Put plainly, just about any PC that does not boot from floppy will make a decent client. Your choice of hardware will depend on whether you want to also use certain applications offline and therefore have to install them locally. The more of these applications you have and the more computing power they require, the more your client will have to be able to do. Companies should generally seek personalised advice on whether and how special requirements can be implemented in an ideal client infrastructure. Service providers generally offer to provide proven and tested client hardware if needed.

Are there systems that cannot be virtualised?

On the client side, there is basically nothing that you cannot virtualise. In IT outsourcing, old server systems in some industries, including logistics, may be impossible to virtualise. This is particularly true of the IBM AS/400 mainframes that some logistics providers still use. However, if customers wish, these systems can also be integrated into a virtual infrastructure. Reputable providers will always address these kinds of requirements and find workable compromises where necessary. However, many older systems that manufacturers no longer support can still be used through virtualisation while maintaining a reasonable level of security. This includes Windows 2008 servers, which Microsoft no longer supports. Nonetheless, some companies have to keep using them because they are the only systems that support key applications. This is perfectly feasible, albeit with limited liability for the hosting service provider.

Don't companies need a fibre optic line for large volumes of data?

Not usually. In fact, the data packets sent between the virtual desktop in the data centre and the workstation are generally quite small. This is because only the screen content is transmitted – and only from places where something has changed. Going by our experience, we can say: Ten employees will need a bandwidth of 1-2 mpbs. We estimate that each employee will continuously require approx. 128 kbps. This can generally be achieved in most regions, including those that still lack a fibre-optic network or other forms of fast internet. However, we have been supporting a longtime customer who has connected 60 employees over a 4 mbps line and can work without any problems once we have done all the necessary fine-tuning.

What criteria does a data centre have to meet in order to provide desktop virtualisation?

Given the importance of hosting, customers should ask their service provider for details about their data centre in advance. Data centres are grouped into four tiers (there are also subtiers). They range from basic hosting without redundancies – i.e. without a safety net – and annual downtimes of around 29 hours to completely redundant structures and annual downtimes of no more than 45 minutes. The more powerful the data centre, the more expensive it is. Be forewarned, through: This is the wrong place to scrimp and save since that will only hurt your security and availability. Ideal performance requires, at the very least, redundant servers and the ability to perform maintenance while the server is running. Those features are not offered until Tier 3, though. In any case, the chosen data centre should be ISO 27001 certified.