Cloud Management - Deploying and Managing a Cloud Infrastructure - page 115

media consumption device, and an actual business laptop. Security problems arise when
data is traveling long distances in a public channel because it can be intercepted and then
rest on a mobile device that could easily be lost or stolen.
The solution is simple: keep data confined within the virtual environment. We call this
solution the virtual desktop. It is nothing new, but it is revolutionary, and before cloud
computing technology got to where it is now, it was not a complete solution. We will
explain more in the next section.
Virtualizing the Desktop
Desktop virtualization is one application that can be made available on the enterprise
cloud. A virtual desktop environment can be accessed through any device with a proper
screen, moderate to good computational performance, and Internet connectivity. The
virtual desktop will wholly reside within the virtual cloud in private servers, so no sensi-
tive data is ever passed to the devices except for control data and visual data, but for the
user it would seem as if they are using a PC.
This is one of the most secure ways of implementing a “bring your own device” initiative
within a company, and it leaves IT to focus on the more important tasks like big data ana-
lytics and better process management.
A virtual desktop is simply a virtual machine (VM) running in cloud servers and config-
ured as a Windows PC. The VM will contain a Windows OS installation as well as emulate
all the hardware functions of a PC. It is then controlled by client devices through a small
application that allows it to connect and interact with the virtual machine. This is pretty
much like Remote Desktop only you are not connected to actual hardware but to a VM.
No data goes out of the VM unless it was meant to, such as when someone uploads some-
thing to the Internet through the VM. But essentially, it will act as an office PC, where all
files are contained in a secure environment. This means that no sensitive data is ever sent to
and saved on the client device, probably a tablet or smartphone.
Virtual Desktop Providers
Notable providers of virtual desktop services are VMware, Oracle, and OnLive. The apps for
accessing the virtual desktops are usually provided free and can be downloaded from the
Google Play Store and the Apple App Store for their respective mobile platforms. Users can
even register for free accounts and have their own rudimentary virtual desktop provided
with very limited resources. In the case of OnLive, they provide 2 GB of storage and some
Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel for free accounts. Users who want
more have to pay for regular subscription, as is the case for corporate customers.
Here is the answer to the problem of employees bringing their own devices to be used for
work: no device management at all. What we now need to manage here is access security.