VDI vs. Webtops: Definitions, Differences, and Use Cases

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Whether you need to connect your remote or hybrid workers or provide access to a persistent digital system for a healthcare, education, or government organization, virtualization is the way to go.

In 2023 the most widely used technology to connect people with virtual digital systems is virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). However, webtops are also still very much in play. We’ll take a look at both concepts, what they are, their pros and cons, and what they can be used for, to help you make a choice for which to use in your business.

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a technology used to create virtual desktops which users can access from any device, no matter where they are. VDIs are hosted on remote servers, usually cloud or on-premises data centers.

To create VDI, IT teams use hypervisors — specialized software to build and manage virtual machines (VMs). Once the virtual machine is created on the host server, its hardware, software, OS and applications are assigned and the VDI is designed around the needs of the company and its end users.

IT then sets up network configurations and settings and onboards users, providing them access to the VDI, which remains hosted on a VM in the remote server.

There are many benefits to deploying VDI in your organization. These include:

Even with all of the potential benefits, there are some concerns and challenges that can’t be ignored, such as:

VDI is currently used in a wide range of industries and sectors due to its benefits and modern technologies.

For companies looking to make the jump into virtualization, there are several excellent VDI providers in the market. Knowing which one to choose will depend on what type of project you are developing, how many users will connect to your VDI and what business goals you are trying to achieve.

Some of the top providers include:

Other well-regarded VDI providers include RedHat Virtualization and Oracle VM Virtual Box.

Webtops also give users access to a virtual desktop. However, they use different technologies. Traditionally, with webtops, users connect to a desktop via a web browser, although some providers provide a downloadable application for the same purpose.

Whether users access the desktop environment via a browser or an app, webtop systems are hosted on a remote server, just as in the case of VDI. Users can access the virtual desktop from any device, no matter where they are located, as long as they have an internet connection.

Webtops require advanced technical skills to set up and manage. They are not supported as widely as VDI. The webtop software needs to be downloaded and configurations made by IT teams to deploy webtops.

Webtops share many benefits with VDI, as they both are a type of desktop virtualization technology. But they also have some differences.

The benefits and differentiators of webtops are:

Webtops also share similar cons with VDI, but additionally, the technology has some drawbacks when compared to virtual desktops. These include:

VDI has slowly been taking over many of the former webtop use cases, but there are still some areas where webtops shine:

A company can develop a webtop environment with the support of all the top virtualization providers, including VMWare, Citrix, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft and others. However, there are other dedicated webtop solutions popular among developers:

The answer to this question is pretty straightforward if you know the specifics of what you want to achieve by building a virtualized desktop environment.

If your company is small and you only need to connect a couple dozen users, and your budget is tight, you might consider evaluating free webtop solutions. Remember that they need to be properly configured and that connectivity is key.

Additionally, if you are running highly demanding applications and advanced graphics and video, remember that webtops may not perform as desired.

On the other hand, if your company or organization plans to scale, is of medium or large size and is looking for a professional solution for desktop virtualization that can handle heavy workloads and drive outcomes, you might be better off looking into VDI technology.

Here are some questions to ask and debate with your IT team:

Knowing the answers to these questions will help give you a clearer picture of which technology to use.

The differences between webtops and VDI are clear. VDI technology is evolving at a rapid pace and its uses are skyrocketing as the world embraces digital tools. On the other hand, webtops are a minimal, elegant solution that may well serve your needs.

In the end, it comes down to having the right tool to do the job. Identify your business goals and that will help you decide what tech you need.

If you’re implementing VDI in your organization, be sure to read our quick guide. And if you’re not sure who to partner with for the technology, review our guide to the best server virtualization software.