Supporting hybrid + remote workforce with VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) requires sizing hardware to user patterns: persistent vs non-persistent VDI, with vs without GPU, knowledge worker vs power user vs task worker. Pro Disk Network supplies VDI-validated hardware bundles with our standard 12-month advance-replacement warranty.
VDI Platform Options
Citrix XenDesktop: Citrix Cloud or on-prem broker, ICA protocol, broad app compatibility. VMware Horizon: deeper VMware vSphere integration, Blast Extreme + PCoIP protocols. Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop: cloud-hosted, on-prem possible via AVD on Azure Stack HCI. Microsoft Windows 365 Cloud PC: fully managed Microsoft service. Parallels RAS: cost-effective alternative to Citrix/VMware. Nutanix Frame: cloud-managed DaaS.
Standard VDI Bundle Specs
200-300 user cluster: 3× Dell PowerEdge R740xd or HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 with dual Xeon Gold 6248R (48c total), 768 GB DDR4-2933, 4× cache NVMe + 16-24× capacity NVMe for vSAN. Per-host: ~100-130 persistent or 200-250 non-persistent VDI users.
GPU Options for Knowledge / Power Users
NVIDIA Tesla T4 (16 GB GDDR6): entry tier for general business apps + light CAD. 32-48 GPU-backed sessions per card. ~$400-500 refurbished. NVIDIA A10 (24 GB GDDR6): mainstream for engineering, video editing, advanced visualization. 24-40 GPU sessions per card. NVIDIA A40 / L40: premium CAD/CAM workloads.
Sizing Assistance
Email us user count + work type breakdown (task worker / knowledge worker / power user) and we will return: (1) recommended cluster size, (2) per-host configuration, (3) GPU recommendations if needed, (4) network sizing (25 GbE minimum for vSAN). Free, no commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many VDI users per host?
Depends on user type. Task workers (light apps): 200-300 per host. Knowledge workers (Office, Teams, Chrome): 100-130 per host. Power users (CAD, dev, video): 30-60 per host. GPU-backed sessions: 24-48 per GPU card.
Persistent vs non-persistent — which?
Persistent (each user has dedicated desktop): for power users, finance, dev. Non-persistent (clones from gold image): for task workers, kiosks, schools. Most enterprises use a mix.
Can I do hybrid on-prem + cloud VDI?
Yes — Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Stack HCI gives you on-prem AVD hardware that bursts to Azure cloud when needed. Citrix and VMware also support hybrid deployment patterns.
