3... 2...1... Counting Down to Working On-The-Go

Kuala Lumpur, July 4, 2012 - Innovative technology has produced gizmos and gadgets that many cannot live without. Employees are increasingly bringing their smartphones, tablets and other personal devices into the workplace, blurring the line between work and play.

Working in a fast-paced, globalized environment and the need for 24/7 response are driving organizations to seek solutions that can help their employees better embrace workplace mobility.

With mobile workstyles poised to be at the centerfold of future workplace productivity, businesses need to start preparing their organizations for workstyle transformations. Being able to work on your own customizable Windows desktop regardless of the device used is essential to enabling flexibility and mobility of the workforce.Yaj Malik, Area Vice President, ASEAN shares a step-by-step guide on adopting desktop virtualization.

Three Phases: Assess, Design, Deploy

1. Assess
The first step is for enterprises to take a hard look at their employees. Depending on their roles and responsibilities, employees require different applications. IT departments need to categorize corporate applications to ensure that all employees are sufficiently provided for. I

In order to get a good assessment, organizations need to draw up a project roadmap to factor in the different components. Important considerations would be the allocation and prioritization of applications and virtualization.

At the same time, organizations need to ascertain the level of employee receptivity to desktop virtualization. Some employees may not be aware of its benefits due to inadequate experience with the technology and might not share the same enthusiasm towards change.

Most desktop virtualization projects are enterprise-wide initiatives; therefore it is important for companies to educate employees on the benefits. This includes the convenience of accessing corporate resources via their personal consumer devices.

2. Design
IT departments need to map out detailed requirements and plan decisions before commencing the implementation. This involves prioritizing all aspects of desktop usage from networking to storage and applications, as well as presenting them in a detailed architectural plan.

IT departments need to evaluate compute resources and ascertain when and where the right amount of resources should be allocated to ensure productive efficiency. A well thought-out plan eliminates unnecessary time spent on troubleshooting issues post-implementation.

3. Deploy
Through a well thought-out implementation and rollout, IT departments would be a step closer towards building a strong foundation for a consistent virtual desktop experience for all their employees.

Before deployment, IT departments need to test solutions in a production-like environment to ensure that any potential errors are mitigated. As part of the deployment, IT departments should employ monitoring and management solutions that allow them to proactively observe and diagnose how best to optimize their desktop virtualization adoption.

One way for organizations to kick-start the adoption process is by engaging consultants who will be able to minimize risk owing to their knowledge and experience. Specialized consultants can help speed up the implementation process.

Alternatively, organizations with personnel well-versed in application (or desktop) virtualization can choose to manage the implementation of desktops internally with assistance from web-based platforms providing ample guidance.

Desktop virtualization is the cornerstone of workplace mobility. With ready access to corporate files and applications on any device, businesses will be equipped to fully embrace mobile workstyles, keeping up with the fast-moving workplace environment. Virtualizing desktops to optimize working on-the-go is not a complicated process. With the right plans in place, having your customized desktop wherever you go is as easy as 1-2-3.