Low Cost VDI Replacement

VDI Replacement Strategies Hararei


Organizations use VDI for a number of different use cases. These include avoiding the cost of high end user devices for ‘fat client’ legacy applications, enhancing data security by keeping data on centralized servers, enabling remote access to users on any device, simplifying desktop management, and probably most importantly to prevent data exfiltration to managed or unmanaged user devices.

However there are many issues with VDI

  • VDI is complex, creating headaches in managing its agents and infrastructure.
  • VDI is still expensive, costing $1000 per user per year in licensing PLUS the compute costs of VDI instances.
  • VDI still lacks data security when extending access to part-time employees and contractors.

In past years, VDI was a valid alternative for offering remote access to entire desktop environments, or to enable legacy ‘fat client ’ application access. There are now better alternatives that can provide access to both private on–premise applications and Cloud–based SaaS applications, with better security controls.

If the key motivation is to provide access to legacy applications while preventing security risks such as data exfiltration, the Zscaler solution may be applicable.

Zscaler customers have reported that they can cut their VDI costs in half by using a Zscaler-based alternative, and importantly, increase their security posture. Of course, each customer is different, and the exact strategies employed, and the Use Cases to be solved may vary.

The Zscaler solution is agentless, which means there is less to deploy and manage, which saves money for administration. The solution is browser-based wich means no deployment overheads, and no additional software on a thin client.

In addition to the security posture advantages, the np-agent, browser-based solution provides the following advantages:

  • Enables seamless mergers and acquisitions (M&A) with secure third-party access
  • Onboards employees in hours, not days
  • Lowers costs across capex, opex, and maintenance
  • Reduces data center footprint and provides greater elasticity in the cloud
  • Provides zero trust security for private apps on AWS
VDI
Data Exfiltration

How Data Exfiltation Works

Zscaler offers an agentless, browser-based alternative to VDI for secure application access on unmanaged devices

Zscaler VDI Architecture

Zscaler’s cloud-native VDI alternative, including Browser Isolation, Data Protection, and Browser Access, offers four key advantages:

  • Increased end user productivity Zscaler offers a faster, more reliable end user experience that keeps employees and contractors productive.
  • Greater IT admin ease-of-use Zscalers cloud native, agentless approach eliminates VDI challenges such as ongoing planning and maintenance, performance monitoring, scaling, and IT tickets from frustrated users.
  • Reduced costs Zscaler delivers remote application access without the cost sprawl of VDI stemming from excessive licensing, compute and infrastructure, IT ticket resolution costs, and lost end user productivity.
  • Enterprise-grade data security Prevent risky user actions in browsers and block data from exfiltration by leveraging multiple data protection engines.

The Zscaler VDI Alternative is an agentless, browser-based alternative to VDI, delivering secure application access on unmanaged devices for contractors and employees alike.

Zscaler reduces VDI Dependency, while sparking secure productivity on any browser and device for employees and contractors anywhere.

Zscaler offers a VDI alternative to reduce reliance on VDI for non-persistent desktop scenarios



Contact Us for a discussion on how to relace your costly VDI infrastructure with Zscalers agentless, secure, browser-based alternative!