Virtual desktops offer centralized management, lower maintenance costs, improved security, and remote access to superior storage and computing capabilities. Historically, however, they were limited by the inability to
handle the graphics-intensive computing needs of designers, engineers, and scientists. The graphics processing requirements of computer-aided technologies (CAx), limited graphics API support, and the inability to share
physical GPUs all made it unfeasible to use virtual desktops as graphics workstations.
The latest generation of hardware-based graphics acceleration technology from VMware and NVIDIA makes this task not only feasible but practical, by moving the required functionality from the individual workstation
to the data center, making immersive 3D graphics available to remote users. This solution enables users with the most demanding graphics needs, such as 3D engineering applications, to take advantage of the superior
computing, storage, and networking power of the data center while freeing them from the limitations of the physical workstation.