Xross Connect has collaborated closely with the Microsoft eCDN since 2017, back before the acquisition when they were known as Peer5. Since joining Microsoft in 2021, the engineering team has been hard at work developing new features at breakneck speed.
Microsoft eCDN recently deployed support for companies that have virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) setups. Keep reading to learn more about eCDN, VDI, and how corporations can use these tools to optimize their networks.
What is VDI?
VDI is becoming an increasingly popular solution for providing remote access to work environments. VDI enables users to access their desktops, applications, and data from anywhere, on any device, without compromising security or data integrity. If you’ve ever heard of a “thin client,” then that’s exactly what we’re talking about. The data and applications are all stored and run on a secure, centralized server, and users access these servers remotely.
However, VDI setups can encounter issues with bandwidth and latency that negatively impact productivity and user experience. Fortunately, Microsoft offers an enterprise content delivery network (eCDN) solution that can help mitigate these issues and improve the overall performance of VDI setups. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at Microsoft eCDN and its benefits for companies with VDI setups.
What is Microsoft eCDN?
Microsoft eCDN is a content delivery solution that optimizes the delivery of video within a corporate network. It is designed to work specifically with Microsoft Teams and Stream, but is also compatible with third-party video platforms.
How does Microsoft eCDN work?
Microsoft eCDN uses peer-to-peer (P2P) networking to optimize content delivery and reduce network congestion. When multiple users are accessing the same content, the content is delivered both through a P2P network as well as from the HTTP source, reducing the load on the corporate network and improving overall performance.
Benefits of Microsoft eCDN for companies with VDI setups
Now that we understand what Microsoft eCDN is and how it works, let’s look at some of the specific benefits it provides to companies that use VDI setups.
- Improved performance
One of the primary benefits of Microsoft eCDN is improved performance. Microsoft eCDN reduces the load on the corporate network and minimizes the impact of network throttling on the user experience. This results in reduced buffering, and a more seamless experience overall.
Most eCDNs are designed for traditional corporate LANs, but now security-conscious companies with VDI setups can enjoy the benefits of eCDN as well. This means that employees connecting remotely can access video content more efficiently, without experiencing frustrating network overload and suboptimal video quality.
- Lower costs
With Microsoft eCDN, companies can significantly reduce their bandwidth costs. By delivering video content using P2P networking, Microsoft eCDN minimizes the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over the corporate network, which can result in substantial cost savings.
For companies with VDI setups, this means that they can provide employees with remote access to video content without incurring prohibitively high bandwidth costs.
- Better security
Microsoft eCDN also provides better security for VDI environments. By caching video content locally and using P2P networking, Microsoft eCDN eliminates the need for remote clients to connect directly to the corporate network, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security threats.
For companies with VDI setups, this means that they can ensure the security of their sensitive video content, even when employees are working remotely.
- Improved scalability
Microsoft eCDN can help companies scale their VDI environments more efficiently. With Microsoft eCDN, companies can stream video to unlimited viewers without worrying about the impact on network performance, as the P2P network actually becomes more and more efficient the more viewers participate in it.
For companies with VDI setups, this means that they can quickly and easily expand their remote work capabilities as needed, without encountering performance issues.
- Better user experience
Ultimately, the goal of Microsoft eCDN is to improve the user experience. By minimizing buffering, and delivering video content more efficiently, Microsoft eCDN helps ensure that users can access the video content they need to do their jobs.
For companies with VDI setups, this means that employees can work efficiently and effectively, no matter where they are located, resulting in improved productivity and job satisfaction.
To learn more about eCDN, head on over to learn.microsoft.com/ecdn
