Virtualization vs Remote desktop for analytics

I am a dedicated Mac user. However, I am also a data analyst. Sometimes the programs I need to run analysis only comes in a Windows version. I deal with stats, data mining, a little SQL type stuff. I even need the Windows Excel due to add-ins, etc. My data is rarely over 10GB. Most is far less than that.

Here is my question- I am better off running a virtualization side on my Mac (ie Parallels) or to buy a Windows desktop/server, load the Windows programs into it and then remote desktop in from my Mac. Thus I am running the analysis process on the Windows machine.

Upsides and downsides? Comments?

Thanks

Your usage almost certainly can be done through virtualization. Either Parallels, Fusion, or even the free VirtualBox should be able to run those programs you indicated. Unless you really want a Windows desktop server for other reasons, running virtual software should be fine.

+1 here for VMs. Virtual machines run the Office software perfectly well. You would only need native hardware access for applications requiring high end graphics support. Excel will run perfectly well in a VM.

Cheers