1. A virtual desktop management server computing system comprising: a memory; a computer processor; an a control layer module comprising: first logic instructions stored in the memory that when executed on the computer processor, cause the computer processor to receive a client application request from a client device for user data stored in a remote location from the client device in a centralized datastore communicatively coupled to the server computing system; and second logic instructions stored in the memory that when executed in response to a request from the first logic instructions, cause the computer processor to: determine the remote location of the stored user data being requested; determine whether the remote location of the requested user data is on a virtual disk that is associated with a virtual desktop of a first virtual machine assigned to the user that is not currently running; in response to a determination that the first virtual machine is currently running, instruct the virtual machine to obtain the requested user data; in response to a determination that the first virtual machine is not currently running: identify one or more hypervisors that have access to the virtual disk stored in the centralized datastore; select a control virtual machine that is running on one of the one or more hypervisors, wherein the control virtual machine is distinct from the first virtual machine assigned to the user, and wherein the control virtual machine, when instantiated on a particular hypervisor, provides on demand access to user data for a plurality of users located on respective virtual disks accessible by the particular hypervisor when the corresponding virtual machines are not running; cause a connection to the control virtual machine; and cause the control virtual machine to mount the virtual disk; access the user data from the virtual disk; and generate a client view of the user data; wherein the connection to the control virtual machine, the mounting of the virtual disk, and the providing access to the requested data occurs while the virtual disk is not accessible through the associated non-running virtual machine assigned to the identified user.