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What is Virtualisation?

Virtualisation is the utilisation of technologies that create separation between computing resources, software and applications. This allows the running of multiple applications through a centralised, controlled environment making efficient use of IT resources, thereby saving money, space and energy, among other benefits. It is proved technology that is transforming the way IT is implemented and managed and is fundamentally enhancing the way a business operates.

Server Virtualisation
Server Virtualisation, the most common form of virtualisation, permits the management of multiple operating systems inside one physical server. The virtual servers are separated from the physical hardware by a virtualisation layer. The benefits of this are that it requires less physical servers, increases the security of the host server, allows it to schedule and allocate resources, and requires less maintenance.

Desktop Virtualisation & VDI
Desktop virtualisation is the running of desktop operating systems in a virtualized environment. A Virtual Machine is a self contained file, which can be moved and compressed, that is hardware independent. Desktop virtualisation separates the physical machine from the software. VDI refers to the delivery of a complete virtual operating system running on a dedicated virtual machine. This means that many people can use the same server at the same time without impacting each other and they will feel as if they are using their own desktop. Users may be geographically scattered but are all connected to the central machine by a proprietary local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) or the Internet.

What is Application Virtualisation?
Application Virtualisation is the method of centralising application software and associated licences and delivering the application from the central machine to the virtual desktop. The virtualised system monitors access to the application software to ensure that the number of concurrent licensed users is not exceeded. Furthermore, regular reporting on licence usage allows any organisation to add to or reduce their numbers of the licences based on actual usage. This is Tribune’s ‘Just in Time Licensing’.

Our Virtualisation Offerings
Tribune specialises in the complete virtualisation arena, including server, application, storage and networks. Our specialist area of expertise and IPR is our Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution where our implementations have been used in a number of industries to resolve business critical issues. Tribune has developed a staged approach that takes our customers from an initial proof of concept (POC), to demonstrate that VDI works in an end user environment leading to a full implementation rollout and support contract.

Tribune VDI Lifecycle

Tribune provides solutions depending on each organisation’s specific requirement and funding objectives. These are achieved through offering a combination of managed service and / or project based assignments. Tribune can spread the cost of its virtualisation solutions by providing a range of flexible payment options designed specifically around our client’s budget.

Initial engagement options
Upon working with a new client, Tribune will, if preferred, engage in a fixed price Proof of Concept or Pilot, running either as a remote service or on the client’s site. This will enable the client to see VDI working in an environment as close to the real thing as possible and with actual client data and applications. At the end of the POC or Pilot, Tribune will deliver recommendations and a report to the client. Tribune also offers a number of other optional pre-packaged consulting offerings, VDI assessments, Total Cost of Ownership / Return on Investment (TCO/ROI) and Business case reports which will give the client a better understanding of the costs and benefits ahead of the important decision in support of implementing a VDI solution. The objective at the end of this initial work is that the client has a much better understanding of what can be delivered, its fitness for purpose and its price competitiveness prior to incurring any further expenditure.

Solution design
The next stage will be to carry out a detailed solution design and quotation. Tribune’s VDI solution protects existing ICT investment in that existing PCs and laptops can be re-purposed to work in a VDI environment and / or the client can move to new, lower cost devices as part of normal replacement cycles. Extended lifecycles apply in a VDI environment as there is less pressure on the access device’s processing power to work in VDI. This means that many existing devices can be re-used and when they are eventually retired, they can be replaced with low price devices.