This simplifies the interactions between the streamed application, other locally installed software and the operating system, virtually eliminating software conflicts and image management problems.  It can also effectively “sandbox” applications in isolated containers, allowing better security.  

Blade PCs repartition the PC, leaving basic display, keyboard and mouse functions on the user’s desk and putting the processor, chipset and graphics silicon on a small card (blade) mounted in a rack on a central unit.  PC blades, unlike server blades, are built from standard desktop or mobile processors and chipsets.  The central unit, which supports many individual blades, is secured in a datacenter or other IT-controlled space.  In most cases, remote display and I/O is handled by dedicated, proprietary connections rather than using RDP over the data network.

Blades promise a higher level of manageability and security than distributed PCs through restricted physical access, software image policies and limits on the types of activities users can do on the client device.  OS, application and data storage is centralized in a storage network.

Blade PC vendors initially targeted a user-to-blade ratio of one-to-one, where each user was dynamically assigned a blade and they had exclusive use of it.  However, as blade solutions and virtualization software has advanced, most vendors are now enabling one-to-many capabilities.

In conclusion, to virtualize or not to virtualize on the desktop no longer represents a critical planning question. The new question is, “What desktop environment strikes the balance between productive users and IT's need for increased manageability and security?”