Next Gen Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
A global bank needed to refresh its on-premise virtual desktop solution for 100,000+ end users. Four different Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions were already in place and the goal was to rationalise this whilst reviewing and upgrading the underlying technology. At the same time, the customer was embarking on a multi-year public cloud strategy, which also needed to be considered when migrating to a next generation VDI solution. Before taking this to formal RFP, the customer needed to understand the state of the market and the capabilities of the main vendors, both in terms of technical solution as well as the service overlay providing the support.
Synechron used its Strategic Solution Development framework to provide an accelerated review of the technology and vendor landscape relating to VDI solutions and services. The complex interactions between the hardware, software and service provider vendors, coupled with the strategic goal of migrating to a public cloud offering required significant analysis of the market, the inter-dependencies between vendor products and the reputation the vendors had both within the customer site and their peer organisations.
Synechron worked with client SMEs to define a reference architecture and capability model. These were used as the basis of a high-level requirements framework, which was then populated with underlying detailed requirements.
A longlist of 40 vendors was drawn up from the market and reduced to 15 based on requirements. Synechron then briefed the vendors ahead of a series of interactive workshops. The goal of the workshops was to understand relevant technical, service and commercial offerings from each vendor so as to enable customer stakeholders to objectively evaluate and score vendors relative to one another.
Synechron then normalised the scores across all the workshops, analysed the results, and produced a recommendations proposal to take specific hardware, software and desktop services providers into an RFP process, with the ultimate goal of identifying a single desktop service provider to provide the end-to-end solution.
- Reduced an initial “longlist” of 40 technology and service providers down to 4 desktop service providers for recommended entry into the client’s formal RFP process.
- Reference architecture developed, requirements captured, and target state defined through strong engagement with a multi-regional stakeholder population.
- Derived a fact-based, auditable decision around the rationalisation of 4 existing platforms across 3 regions within a 12-week period.
- Agreed on a realistic timeline for delivery and migration, allowing time for a formal RFP, onboarding, and transition in advance of existing contract end-of-life.
- Subsequently engaged Synechron to provide additional support and liaison through the RFP preparation phase, enabling customer’s SMEs to focus on higher-value activities whilst RFP preparations were underway.
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