Top IT Trends: Where’s VDI?

The Techster is getting ready to move offices so it’s been a time of cleaning out files, which is always fun. I have in front of me a list of Gartner’s Top Ten strategic technologies for 2010 and 2009 and it’s interesting to see kind of where things crossed over in terms of VDI. In 2009, while virtualization was number one on the list, there was really no mention of desktops or clients at all. It was all about server virtualization. By 2010, client computing had made the Top Ten chart, debuting at Number Three.

This was what made client virtualization so important all of a sudden, according to Gartner: “Enterprises need to develop a five- to eight-year client computing roadmap before making near-term decisions such as whether or how to upgrade client hardware or move to Windows 7. The progression of desktop virtualization technology and the range of devices available make this an important analysis. Build a strategic client computing roadmap bringing all issues and devices together, or you will be following vendor roadmaps.”

I also recall in this period between 2009 and 2010 Gartner made the bold prediction that virtual hosted desktops would account for 40 percent of the worldwide professional PC market by the end of 2013. Things will have to happen quite quickly for that prediction to come true. So, we these old market reports staring me in the face and awaiting disposal to the nearest trash can, I turn to Google to see where VDI stands in Gartner’s Top Ten strategic technologies for 2011. Pardon me while I switch to another window. And the answer is . . . big surprise . . . I figured with client computing at Number Three last year and predictions of major growth, certainly it would make the Top Five this year, perhaps even number two or three behind the obvious Number One, cloud computing . . . still, the answer is . . . nada. VDI, or desktop virtualization, or client virtualization, or however you want to characterize it, is nowhere on the list of Gartner’s Top Ten technology initiatives for 2011. Go figure. What are the Top 10:

1. Cloud Computing
2. Mobile Applications and Media Tablets
3. Social Communications and Collaboration
4. Video
5. Next-Generation Analytics
6. Social Analytics
7. Context-Aware Computing
8. Storage Class Memory
9. Ubiquitous Computing
10. Fabric-based infrastructure and computers

What do you think? Has VDI fallen off the radar screen? Most research shows that 80 to 90 percent of IT professionals are either deploying some form or desktop virtualization or considering it. Wouldn’t that seem to be an important trend? Or am I just prejudiced because the name of my blog is VDI Trender?