Forrester Research examines how desktops have evolved and how client management approaches must also advance.
Desktop managers must combine security, disaster recovery and management into a standard approach to managing the physical and virtual desktops to tomorrow.
Like other areas of computing, the desktop environment is undergoing several changes and IT needs to keep pace with the rate of change, while also maintain a secure, productive environment for its client systems.
Fluid desktops
Market Overview: Client Management Suites,” the PC environment is transforming from a homogenous, standardized system to include a variety of operating systems, devices and virtual machines. The change will cause vendors to update their suites and force desktop operations teams to take on more responsibility in terms of vulnerability management and disaster recovery, the Forrester report suggests.
According to a recent Forrester Research report “
“Desktop operations teams are now responsible for the security and disaster recovery of the devices (both physical and virtual) that they manage,” the report reads. “This means that IT organizations need client management solutions that not only help them manage and secure today’s more standardized PC environment but will also be able to support the desktop of tomorrow – one that is more virtual and heterogeneous than ever before.”
Today vendors’ client management suites typically include a standard set of capabilities such as operating system deployment and migration, configuration and patch management as well as software packaging and delivery. Commercial offerings also usually address asset and license management needs for enterprise IT customers. Forrester’s recent report says client management suites should also incorporate backup and recovery features, power management capabilities and vulnerability management technology.
“With a rapidly changing client computing landscape, the client management vendors recognize they must follow suit,” the report says. “On the horizon are bring-your-own-PC initiatives and client virtualization that will fundamentally change how we manage and secure the corporate computing environment.”
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