Traditional desktops are difficult and expensive for IT staff to manage. Securing and supporting desktop computing, including equipment purchase, deployment, repair, maintenance, upgrading and replacement, consume significant IT resources. According to IDC, it was estimated that the costs associated with managing PCs are over US$1,000 per PC per year and continue to rise annually. And, with the increasing trend of globalization and mobility, enterprises are rethinking how desktops are deployed and managed.
 

Virtualization allows a large number of individual machine-servers, storage devices and desktops to be consolidated onto a single platform in a hosted virtual machine. This could significantly improve manageability and efficient use of human and system resources for enterprises. However, deploying a virtual desktop infrastructure internally is found to be nearly impossible for most companies. It is too difficult, costly and time-consuming for enterprises’ IT staff to integrate and support all the technologies required for virtual desktop infrastructure development.
 

NTT Communications turns Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) into a cost-effective, reliable outsourced service. Our Virtual Office offers companies the ability to host individual desktops inside virtual machines that run on our data centre servers. Users have the flexibility to access their desktops remotely from any PC or thin client in the world using the MagicConnect USB key. With the operating system and applications managed centrally inside NTT Communications’ data centre, enterprises can quickly realize the full benefits of Desktop Virtualization without having to build and deploy the infrastructure internally.
 

Such benefits include:

NTT Communications’ Virtual Office is the first bundled solution in the market for desktop virtualization, bringing together different service components to deliver a cost-effective, centralized solution that ultimately results in lower TCO, improved manageability and enhanced security.

Features and benefits of individual components within the Virtual office Solution are:
 

- Dedicated Virtual Server Hosting

Our dedicated virtual servers are built on a solid NEC hardware foundation: ESX-Enterprise server installed with VMware VI3.5. All Virtual Machines are under VMotion and DRS. If one physical server fails, all VMs will automatically shift to another available Host without service interruption.
 

- MagicConnect Remote Access Solution

With a MagicConnect USB key, remote users can easily access the office PC environment in a secure way:

i) Each MagicConnect USB key is personalized and paired with each Virtual PC;

ii) MagicConnect Server Authentication (PKI authentication) is required;

iii) Usual login authentication is required;

iv) End-to-End encrypt communication.
 

- TeamWorks Web Collaboration Service

TeamWorks is a versatile web-based collaboration service that facilitates internal communication among staff and departments by sharing files, tasks, scheduling and contacts in an organized and intuitive manner. It helps to keep track of project status, manages events and invitations, and therefore enhances the overall work efficiency.
 

- SecureVault Online Backup

SecureVault enables data backup in the most secure and effective way. All data from the virtual PC and servers are replicated in SecureVault’s virtual server automatically on schedule. Administrators can instantly restore the backup data to any system through the internet. Web reports of backup status and data statistics are available for review.
 

- Endpoint Policy Management

EPM is a powerful remote PC assets management tool which allows IT to manage the inventory and security of IT assets directly through the internet regardless of the PC’s geographical location. It has a web-based administration console that can be accessed from anywhere via the internet. It provides full redundant infrastructure and 24x7 monitoring by NTT Communications.
 

- Microsoft Office 2007 and Trend Micro Antivirus
 

- Reduced desktop TCO

As enterprises no longer own or maintain physical assets, capital expenditure is greatly reduced and computing costs are shifted from fixed to variables. Operating costs are also reduced by 25-30% annually as a result of reduced IT labour and maintenance costs as well as power consumption.
 

- Improved manageability and flexibility

Virtual Office allows enterprises to quickly deploy and scale virtual PC environments to specific user requirements. IT administrators have the ability to manage users, data access rights and application usage dynamically. Users can log in from any remote thin client or laptop easily with a USB key and experience a consistent and personalized PC environment every time.

- Enhanced security and reliability

By virtualizing the desktop, company data can be centralized on a well managed, reliable and secure server inside NTT Communications’ data centre. No sensitive data is stored in remote thin client laptops and therefore information leakage can be prevented in case that laptop is lost or stolen. In short, Virtual Office makes company information accessible to mobile staff anywhere without compromising the security of that data.

- Disaster Recovery

Since complete desktop environments are centralized inside a virtual machine and managed in the NTT Communications data centre, in the event of disaster, we are able to recover and redeploy the PC environment instantly. If a physical disaster strikes office premises, business can still be continued from anywhere else with all the PC operations and data kept intact inside our virtual machines.
 

NTT Communications’ Virtual Office solution helps organizations achieve return-on-investment (ROI) improvement versus the current desktop computing costs. We virtualize all desktop layers and integrate them into one single, secure and self-service platform that allows desktop computing to be delivered as a hosted subscription service. Virtual Office simplifies the traditional large-scale desktop deployment and management, resulting in unprecedented TCO savings and IT security while delivering a much more consistent and reliable desktop environment to enterprises.