Are persistent desktops managed? What are the limitations of using persistent desktops?
Yes, persistent desktops are managed. Persistent desktops are generated from a template just like a non-persistent desktop. The difference between the two is their refresh policy. A persistent desktop is created with the “on administrative request” refresh policy whereby the desktops are not re-created from their template unless explicitly requested by the administrator. As a result, all changes made by the user of that desktop (e.g. installing software) are available across logins. However, Kaviza does not save the changes made to these desktops and, as such, they are not backed up. If the server housing the desktop fails, all changes will be lost. Therefore we recommend that these persistent desktops be saved from time to time with standard backup software. Note that using persistent desktops reduces the management economies of scale provided by VDI. Thus persistent desktops should be provided to users only if absolutely necessary.
