I flew back to New York this week after attending VMword Europe 2011 in my old hometown of Copenhagen. I had expected that there would be more focus on virtual desktops and end-user computing than last year, and I was not disappointed. Sessions, demos, and keynotes all had end-user computing at center stage; projects like Horizon and Octopus were described and demoed in great detail. Keynotes at vendor conferences in general have to be provocative, challenging and memorable, and Steve Herrod, CTO and Senior VP of R&D at VMware, was all of those things.

But what was most interesting to me is that VMware is putting VMware View and virtual desktops in the backseat, referring to it as a "stepping stone" for the new world of end-user computing, where Windows will be a relic of the past sitting next to the Walkman and telephone answering machines. Well, before we accept the ultimate demise of the Windows desktop at the hands of VMware, let's separate some of the drivers behind the new world of end-user computing.

Consumerization, social media, mobility, bring your own Apple-device to work, etc. are absolutely affecting IT departments all over, and end-user computing as it has been done for the past 10-20 years is in for an overhaul. And while I absolutely agree that virtual desktops are not the ultimate answer, they do have an important role to play. The problem is the combination of vendor hype and customer desire for something new/different in order to deal with the pressures of the above challenges has created unrealistic expectations for virtual desktops. So, now that VMware is acknowledging that VDI is the not the end-all and be-all, maybe we can finally start getting realistic about virtual desktops. They will find their place in many organizations for security, compliance and flexibility, and live happily along-side many other new technologies that were once poised to change the world forever.

Also, rest assured that Windows-based physical desktops are going to be part of the corporate environment for many years to come; they are great at content creation, they have amazing local performance, and they are very cost-effective. Not to mention that it is a bit amusing that VMware is actually prolonging the demise of Windows with technology such as ThinApp and Fusion that actually helps organizations run Windows applications more effectively.

The future of end-user computing will be different and we all have our own predictions: personalized, context-sensitive, dynamic workspaces; HTML5 WebTops; and Universal Cloud Clients, to name just a few. We all envision a future where applications, data and resources flow freely between devices and are instantly accessible, secure and compliant. However there is one similarity that is common among each prediction and that is the notion of user-centric versus device-centric. Users are fast becoming one of the main drivers behind the evolution of the desktop - so get ready, identity-driven computing will be coming to a store near you!

For more information on VDI and the future of the desktop, visit our Desktop Transformation Resource Center at www.ca.com/desktoptransformation.