Enterprise Browsers vs Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): What are they, what do they do and how are they different

Recently I've had conversations with several large customers around enterprise browsers. Coming into those meetings, these customers seem to have had the impression that enterprise browsers could replace VDI. 

In some instances and use cases, they can, and I can understand these hopes and dreams. After all, VDI is a more expensive option than a browser. I've also seen a lot of chatter on the internet lately about how these browsers can indeed replace VDI. Based on the number of conversations had, I wanted to explore what an enterprise browser is, What VDI is, how they differ and whether enterprise browsers can truly replace VDI.

What is an enterprise browser?

So, first off, what is an enterprise browser? An enterprise browser is a web browser designed specifically for use in a corporate environment. Unlike standard browsers, enterprise browsers are tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses, offering enhanced security, manageability and integration with enterprise tools. These browsers are built to handle the complex web applications that businesses often use, providing better compatibility and performance for enterprise applications than typical consumer browsers.

Some of the key features of enterprise browsers include:

• Enhanced security: Enterprise browsers come with robust security features designed to protect sensitive corporate data. This includes integrated threat protection, enhanced privacy controls and the ability to restrict access to non-work-related websites.
• Centralized management: IT departments can deploy and manage enterprise browsers across the organization from a central point. This includes the ability to configure settings, manage extensions, and update policies uniformly, ensuring that all users have a consistent and secure browsing experience.
• Integration with enterprise applications: Enterprise browsers can be customized to integrate seamlessly with tools like CRM software, ERP systems and other internal portals, improving workflow efficiency and user experience.

Enterprise browsers offer a blend of performance, security and management features that are crucial for modern businesses. They address specific corporate challenges and needs, making them a valuable component of enterprise IT infrastructure.

Enterprise browsers are particularly beneficial for organizations that handle sensitive data, require strict compliance with regulatory standards and seek to enhance productivity while maintaining a high level of security for browser-based applications. These browsers are also ideal for companies with a distributed workforce, as they facilitate secure, managed access to enterprise resources from any location, ensuring consistent experiences and robust data protection.

Some of the major vendors in the enterprise browser market are Island, Google, Palo Alto and Citrix to name a few. Breaking down the differences between these vendors is best left to a future article but I thought it best to mention them for context.

What is VDI?

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a technology used to create and manage virtual desktop environments hosted on a central server, either in a data center or the cloud. VDI allows IT administrators to deliver and manage desktop images, which include an operating system and applications, to users across various types of endpoint devices, such as desktops, thin clients and mobile devices. This is not a new technology by any means, but it continues to evolve. VDI, for the sake of this post, includes not just virtual desktops but also server-based computing (SBC) and cloud desktop or desktop as a service (DaaS).

Some of the key features of VDI include:

• Centralized management: One of the main advantages of VDI is the centralization of desktop management. IT administrators can manage, update and secure all virtual desktops from a centralized data center, reducing the complexity and cost associated with managing multiple physical machines.
• Enhanced security: Since all data is stored in the data center and not on local devices, VDI reduces the risk of data theft or loss due to device theft or compromise. Additionally, IT can implement robust security protocols and monitoring at the data center level, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards.
• Flexibility and scalability: VDI environments can be quickly scaled up or down based on the organization's needs. New virtual desktops can be deployed rapidly for new users, and resources can be adjusted to meet changing workloads without the need to physically modify the endpoint devices.
• Remote access: Users can access their desktops from anywhere, using any device that supports the VDI client software. This feature supports remote and mobile workers, allowing them to have the same desktop experience they would have if they were in the office.
• Cost efficiency: With VDI, organizations can extend the life of older hardware or deploy less expensive thin clients, as the heavy computing is handled by servers in the data center. This can lead to significant cost savings in terms of both hardware investments and maintenance.
• Disaster recovery and business continuity: VDI facilitates better disaster recovery strategies as all desktops and data are stored in the data center. Backups and recovery processes can be implemented and managed centrally, ensuring quick restoration of services in the event of a disaster.
• Personalization and user experience: While VDI can deliver a uniform desktop experience across the organization, it also allows for personalization where needed. Persistent desktops can maintain individual user settings and data across sessions, whereas non-persistent desktops provide a clean state at each login, ideal for task workers and enhanced security settings.
• Network optimization: VDI solutions often come with technologies that optimize bandwidth usage and compress data transmission between the data center and client devices, ensuring a smooth user experience even over lower bandwidth connections.
• Integration with cloud services: Modern VDI solutions integrate seamlessly with cloud services, allowing organizations to leverage cloud computing environments alongside or instead of local data center resources. This integration supports hybrid deployments that can optimize costs and performance.
• Monitoring and analytics: Advanced VDI solutions provide tools for monitoring and analytics that help IT teams understand usage patterns, optimize resource allocation and troubleshoot issues proactively.

VDI is particularly beneficial for organizations with high-security requirements, mobile workforces or those looking to extend the lifecycle of older desktop hardware. It is widely used in industries such as healthcare, education, government and finance, where data security and compliance are top priorities.

Some of the major vendors in the VDI market are Omnissa, Citrix, Microsoft and Amazon to name a few. As with enterprise browsers comparing vendors is best left for another time.

How is an enterprise browser different from VDI?

While an enterprise browser is a specialized tool for accessing the web securely and efficiently, (VDI) is a broader technology designed to host and manage virtual desktops and win32 applications. Here's how they differ:

• Scope of use: An enterprise browser is specifically used for web-based applications and internet browsing with added controls and customizations suitable for business use. In contrast, VDI provides a complete virtual desktop experience, where users can access not only browsers but also a full range of desktop applications, user settings, and files, all hosted on a central server.
• Performance and resource utilization: Enterprise browsers run on the user's local machine, using the machine's resources for processing, which can be more efficient for web-based tasks. VDI, however, runs on powerful servers in a data center, streaming only the interface to the user's device. This setup centralizes resource usage and management but requires more bandwidth and server capacity.
• Flexibility and accessibility: VDI allows users to access their entire desktop environment from any device, offering a high degree of flexibility and mobility. An enterprise browser, while also accessible from various devices, does not provide access to non-web-based applications or the full desktop environment.

Can an enterprise browser replace VDI?

In short, not really, an enterprise browser cannot fully replace VDI because they serve different purposes. An enterprise browser is an excellent tool for enhancing the security and efficiency of web-based activities but lacks the capability to manage and deliver a full desktop environment or publish a Windows or Linux-based application remotely.

If all a user needs is access to web-based applications securely, then an enterprise browser is all they need. In fact, studies have shown the most common VDI-published app is the web browser, and why would you want to stand up a bunch of complex and costly infrastructure just to give users access to a secure browser?

That said, it's not likely the only application they need. We're not getting rid of our dependence on Win32 applications anytime soon. To borrow a phrase from one of my co-workers, "Win32 applications are like cockroaches, even a nuclear war wouldn't get rid of them." VDI provides a comprehensive solution that includes access to all desktop applications, user settings and data, which is essential for most remote work and full-scale IT management.

While both enterprise browsers and VDI are valuable tools in the corporate IT arsenal, they are best used as complementary tools rather than as replacement tools. Organizations can leverage both technologies to maximize productivity and security using enterprise browsers for optimized web access and VDI for complete desktop virtualization and access to win32 applications. Understanding the unique benefits and limitations of each can help IT leaders make informed decisions that align with their operational needs and strategic goals.