Case Study: Sheridan College streamlines desktop support and cuts energy use with Scalar Decisions VDI

Large Scale Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Deployment for Sheridan College Addresses Multiple Use Cases

Sheridan College, a multi-campus higher education institution in Ontario, needed a more efficient way to support aging computer labs, dated software packages, mobile users, distance education, and administrative staff while also reducing support costs and energy consumption. The college turned to Scalar Decisions to help evaluate and deploy a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) approach that could serve multiple user groups across campus.

Scalar Decisions implemented a large-scale VDI solution using centralized servers and zero clients, starting with 400 zero clients in the Learning Commons and labs and planning phased rollouts for distance education, mobile computing, and administrative staff. The result was streamlined device management, reduced re-imaging and helpdesk effort, improved access to required software from any device, and support for Sheridan’s sustainability goals, including a target to cut energy use by 50% over five years through power savings and zero-client adoption.

Sheridan College

James Duncan

Senior Technology Architect