Even with all the hype surrounding its launch, back in October 2009 few customers I talked with were excited about using Windows 7 as their desktop virtualization OS. What a difference a few months can make. Increasingly, IT directors are excited about Windows 7 because it provides a rationale for justifying investments in desktop virtualization.

Deploying Windows 7 in a virtual desktop environment can save companies a load of time and money because they no longer have to worry about whether their current desktop PCs meet Windows 7 system requirements. Plus, they can avoid the hassle of backing up their current XP desktops and reloading – and configuring – those systems with Windows 7.

For the past month or so I have been testing Windows 7 on a laptop configured with dual core AMD CPUs and 8 GB of memory. Having worked with lots of different desktop virtualization architectures, I wanted to see if the Windows 7 operating system could handle two different types of type 2 hypervisors (Sun’s VirtualBox and VMware Server running on top of a desktop operating systems). There was no problem running these desktop hypervisors on Windows 7 with actual virtual machines running (VMs). In the past, I have tried running just Virtualbox on Windows XP and had problems with the application being unresponsive (this was on a laptop configured with 3 GB of memory and an Intel Core Duo CPU)!

As we move through 2010, this will definitely be the year of desktop virtualization, partially because of the desire to support Windows 7. One thing companies need to keep in mind when considering Windows 7 for desktop virtualization is how Microsoft handles virtualization licensing. VECD (Virtual Enterprise Centralized Desktop) is a license that Microsoft requires for customers implementing desktop virtualization. The VECD license must be purchased in addition to the base Window operating system license – one for each virtual system.

Even with the added licensing cost, desktop virtualization implementations produce a solid return on investment (ROI) – in my experience 18 to 21 months is realistic. Not bad, especially if you consider swapping desktop PCs for a true zero-administration thin-client device, such as the Sun Ray.

Unlike PCs, Sun Rays can last 10 to 15 years (they average 200k hours MTBF) and use a lot less electricity than an average desktop PC (< 8 watts vs. >80 for the PC). If the device fails, you can replace it with another device and keep on computing, no need to call IT for hardware support !

So if you’re looking for a way to get your end users on board with a transition to desktop virtualization, choosing Windows 7 for your desktop is a good way to go – it will definitely get your users excited!

Systems Alliance has some great tools for assessing the potential benefits of VDI in your environment. To learn more sign up for a no-cost VDI assessment here. Or call your local Systems Alliance rep to arrange an on-site meeting: 1-877-797-2554.