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persistent desktop

Definition

persistent desktop

A persistent desktop is a virtual desktop that maintains user settings and data so that each time a user logs into the persistent desktop, all of his personalized settings, shortcuts, files and data appear.

In contrast, non-persistent desktops, also called stateless desktops, do not retain personal desktop information. At the end of each session the desktop reverts back to it's original state.

Because persistent desktops require more storage, backup and other infrastructure and administrative resources, many virtual desktop (VDI) environments are built with non-persistent desktops or a mix of non-persistent and persistent desktops.

Related glossary terms: RemoteFX, Windows Remote Desktop, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), GPU (graphics processing unit), remote desktop, Citrix XenApp, remote desktop connection broker, host virtual machine (host VM), virtual floppy disk, Windows as a Service (WaaS)

Contributor(s): Bridget Botelho

This was last updated in May 2012

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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