Oregon State University’s (OSU) College of Business found itself at a crossroads: Stick with a complex VMware Horizon setup or take a bold leap with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Nerdio. By choosing the latter, OSU transformed its student labs into a flexible, scalable powerhouse—perfectly tuned to meet the demands of modern learning.
With only four full-time staff plus student helpers, the lift became burdensome from both resource and cost perspectives, prompting a move to Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). “For the past 30 years, we have run an open-use computer lab where students come in, log in, and use a machine out of a pool of machines,” explains Alan Sprague, OSU College of Business IT Manager, “The hardware churn of running an on-premises Horizon environment was just starting to kill us.”
Transitioning to the cloud
The team needed a flexible and scalable virtual desktop environment to manage an open-use computer lab with 120 machines that weren’t tied to dedicated users but rather used as a resource pool for students logging in and out throughout the day.
While exploring Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, they were introduced to Nerdio, quickly learning that Nerdio was not only a premier Microsoft partner but also a game-changer for transitioning to AVD.
Automation to the rescue
One of the core benefits of Nerdio’s platform was automation. In traditional setups, virtual machines (VMs) would remain on, racking up expenses regardless of usage. Nerdio, however, automated the scaling process so that machines powered up when a student logged in and powered down when no longer needed.
“We only needed ArcGIS for one term a year, and the cost of maintaining Nvidia-powered infrastructure year-round was astronomical,” Noah Estes, OSU College of Business Operating System Network Analyst. Explained. “Leveraging Azure and Nerdio’s automation, we were able to significantly reduce these costs, renting compute power only when needed. Spinning up services, using them during class, and spinning them back down afterward, giving us the agility we never had with Horizon.”
Going beyond simple on/off functionality, Nerdio Manager’s automation allowed them to swap between high-performance SSDs during active use and lower-cost storage afterward, further driving down costs. “The flexibility and customization we have now weren’t possible with our previous solution,” Estes noted.
Cost control and scalability
Moving from a CAPEX-heavy model with VMWare to an OPEX model with AVD and Nerdio gave OSU budgetary predictability and allowed them to forecast technology spend more accurately. “Instead of requesting $70,000 every five years, we now have a manageable annual line item,” Sprague explained. This shift gave the IT team peace of mind and allowed them to direct funds toward other strategic initiatives.
A blueprint for campus-wide efficiency
The success of the College of Business’ implementation has set a precedent across the Oregon State University campus. Other departments, some still managing on-premises systems and manual computer imaging, have begun to look toward Nerdio as a viable solution. As Sprague said, “We’re the proof of concept, and now the campus can leverage our efforts. We’ve already done the heavy lifting, which will help other schools go from zero to live labs in a week.”
A more efficient, empowered IT team
Nerdio’s platform has transformed the way the team manages resources, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks rather than hardware maintenance. They no longer face the late-night calls to troubleshoot server issues. “I don’t have to run to the labs at odd hours or sacrifice weekends,” Noah reflected, “We’re saving at least 40% of our time, and it’s changed our work-life balance.”
Enabling the next era of learning
Ultimately, Nerdio has provided a solution that’s tailored to the team’s unique needs and sets them up for future growth. With Nerdio’s help, the College can deliver twice the compute power to its students—providing enhanced services and capabilities in a streamlined, cost-effective way. “We’ve gained control, flexibility, and scalability without sacrificing the autonomy we need to support our students,” Sprague concluded.
