How to get savings on the desktop

It is well known that draconian standardisation of the desktop can produce large savings. These are down to reductions in complexity, and all that it entails in terms of support costs. However, there are other options.

The topical solutions mean escaping from the licensing regimes imposed by Microsoft, but this is just masking the real problem.

Many believe that the current technology architectures have been pushed almost to the limit. So putting to one side the option of escaping to Linux, what are the choices?

The main ones, not in any order of effectiveness, are: helpdesk; self-healing applications; server-based applications; standardisation of the infrastructure behind the desktop; increasing the resilience of the supporting infrastructure; and a roaming/redundant desktop strategy.

A single helpdesk provides the best results, but it does not have to be physically in one place. It may well be a virtual department employing staff spread throughout an organisation.

Self-healing applications should be incorporated as part of the desktop. Server-based applications allow a fundamental transition to be made to a thin-client architecture.

Thin-client devices, such as those supplied by Wyse and IBM, eliminate local registries, risky local storage of important data, virus threats, and meddling by well-intentioned users.

Standardisation of the infrastructure behind the desktop mainly involves the centralisation of data, storage of software on the network, and automated and effective back-up. This simplifies and standardises the distribution of software.

Increased resilience of the supporting infrastructure really means implementing a storage network type of architecture. This leads to significant improvements and can provide near real-time back-up for recovery from failed desktop situations.

The objective of a roaming/redundant desktop strategy is to allow any user to employ any desktop, and for it to operate immediately with his or her personal settings. Failed hardware just means the user logging onto another nearby desktop.

Server-based applications make the process particularly easy. A policy of only one device per user, for example a laptop or a desktop, is the answer.

So which options have the biggest financial impact? The objective is to avoid the need for users to contact the helpdesk in the first place. With this in mind, the best options are:

• Server-based applications
• Standardisation of infrastructure behind the desktop
• Increased resilience of the supporting infrastructure
• Typical levels of savings come to about 30 per cent

So far so good, but what can go wrong? First, laptops can be a major cause of increased desktop support costs. You should treat laptops in the same way as a normal fixed desktop.

Second, graphics-rich applications are not suitable for support via thin clients. And third, user resistance and corporate culture can create unexpected difficulties.

Also, many real support costs are not identified in any budget. Some 60 per cent of such costs are indirect and invisible. The result is that no one wants to spend money to eliminate costs that do not officially exist.

Finally, cost-cutting strategies usually depend on the bandwidth available to the desktop. The thin client, however, is less dependent, particularly when it comes to taking over remote desktops.