The computer world runs in cycles that revolve around processor power, network performance, and support costs. The main way to view this is to think in the terms Front End and Back End. In Computing the Front End generally means the interface that a user utilizes or is nearest to the user. The Back End is the systems that are considered to be in a Data Center or the farthest away from the user that they would have a connection too. In the simplest terms Front Ends are PCs, Tablets, Cell Pones, or even Dumb Terminals, Back Ends are Server Systems and Mainframes.

The original environment was Back End heavy, we had mainframes that did all the work and Dumb Terminals for the user Front End. Then we moved to more of a Front End solution where PCs had a lot of power and ran the applications (mostly)  and the Back End was more of a data storage system.

Now the paradigm is shifting back. In the Virtual World the servers (Back End) are again doing more of the processing of work load and the PCs, Note Pads, Cell Phones, .... (Front End) are more of just and interface to them.

A few examples are:

• Remote Desktops where user run a very small application the allows them to control a computer remotely or even control a simulated computer on a server (which can run multiple simulations simultaneously) know as a Virtual Desktop.
  

• Remote Applications, this is where a user actually runs an application remotely VS locally but get the functionality as if they have the application installed on the device they are using.

In the Virtual World the Back Ends become the work horse and the Front Ends are merely the interface to them, Some of the impacts this causes include:

Up Sides
Ease of Application and End User Support
Lower Costs for End User Systems or Longer Life Cycles
Better Environment Management

Down Sides
Higher Backend Costs
Larger  and Better Network Design
Constant Connectivity Concerns