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The services and information below are aimed at the Penn IT professionals. For getting IT support, please go to the Get IT Help section on this website.

Overview

The Virtual Desktop service hosts a desktop operating system within a virtual machine running on a centralized server. This allows IT organizations to rapidly deploy and maintain Windows desktops and Applications by providing a unique toolset that streamlines desktop and application deployment.

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Penn students in lecture hall

Benefits

  • The service enables users to log on to a secure Windows desktop from a personal computer, mobile device, tablet or thin client via the network. Giving users the ability to access a Penn desktop and the applications they need anytime, anywhere and on any device. Academic fieldwork, administrative computing and work-from-home scenarios become highly accessible, secure, and stable.
  • Desktop Support via the IT Service Desk becomes scalable in a way that’s not possible with physical computers. Upgrading Operating Systems and Business Productivity software becomes a coordinated event rather than an upgrade process spread out over several months.
  • Security is enhanced when working with confidential and sensitive information. Virtual Desktops and their respective data can be confined to the datacenter; therefore, dramatically reducing the risk of data loss through lost or misplaced hardware. Data from virtual desktops is never cached nor stored on the endpoint device.

Target Audience

University faculty, staff, students

Funding Type

Rates

Standard Desktop

FY2025
$26.78
Per Month
2 CPU 4 GB RAM, 25GB personal storage available, non-persistent, single location

High Availability Desktop

FY2025
$33.99
Per Month
2 Standard desktops per user, one in each location, non-persistent

Desktop Memory Increases

FY2025
$2.06
Per Block Per Month
2 GB blocks

Application Delivery Licensing

FY2025
$11.33
Per Concurrent User Per Month
Licensing is paired with Standard Desktop service option.
Includes CAL and Horizon license for 1 user.

ISC rate increases are generally aligned with University increases.

The ISC rate review process is timed to coincide with the University’s annual budgeting process. Rates are reviewed over the summer, and if any require a change, they are approved for the following fiscal year. ISC will make its best effort to communicate these changes to clients by the end of October to allow for budget updates. Exceptions may occasionally occur (e.g., a vendor changes a pass-through fee midyear), and when they do, ISC will do its best to provide as much lead time for clients as possible.

Client Care

Your space to help IT Staff

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