Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is the traditional way of serving virtual desktops to corporate users. It involves setting up servers in the local data center, running virtualization software and virtual desktop management infrastructure, from providers like VMware or Citrix, and has high upfront costs.
VDI is centralized, so the IT team is responsible for managing the infrastructure. This means that hardware, software, licenses and distribution are all handled internally. The IT department has full control over the VDI site and can keep sensitive data on-premises.