Hosting the Desktop Part 1: VMware View or Citrix XenDesktop?

Posted on 08.Mar 2010 by Ray Heffer in Citrix, VDI, VMware, Virtualisation

Since VMware View was released in November 2009 and Citrix XenDesktop 4 in the same month, you could be mistaken that this is a game of tennis at Wimbledon with all the hype about each product. I first started working with desktop virtualisation in a VDI sense (not terminal server based) when VMware VDM 2.0 beta was released in 2007 (now VMware View), and for a moment VMware seemed to be ahead of the game. Prior to that, I had to put up with Citrix Desktop Broker which was made end-of-life a short while after its release. Then Citrix released XenDesktop 2.0, and with desktop provisioning making storage issues a thing of the past thanks to Citrix Provisioning Server (formerly an Ardence product), the ball seemed to be firmly back in Citrix’s court.

Having stayed with Citrix through to the current XenDesktop 4, I must admit I have been tempted by the offering VMware View 4 is making. VMware View 4 now has a new display protocol called PCoIP which according to VMware, will outperform the Citrix ICA protocol.

VMware have also put a strong emphasis on the ease of installation VMware View 4 has to offer, compared to Microsoft RDS (Remote Desktop Services) and Citrix XenDesktop, in addition to some significant performance improvements. What has got me excited though is the actual virtualisation platform (vSphere for Desktops) which has the same features as vSphere 4 Enterprise Plus. Whilst it has the same features as vSphere 4 Enterprise Plus, it has been configured specifically for hosting desktops and doesn’t require you to purchase a separate host license for the virtualisation platform. Citrix XenDesktop similarly bundles XenServer as part of their packages.

Some of the other new features include ClearType font rendering, multi-monitor, 1920×1200 display resolution and even horizontal & vertical monitor support. Also according to VMware, a 10,000 hosted desktop environment would require around 125 servers, whereas Citrix would require 239 servers. Don’t shoot the messenger though as I do feel there is a little ‘marketing’ spin on this, because I haven’t seen evidence that this is based on identical hardware requirements. Citrix XenServer is not something to be overlooked.

In terms of licensing VMware have a purely concurrent user model which means that you need a license for each connected (concurrent) user. Licenses are purchased in packs, for example the View Enterprise 100 pack that contains vCenter Server standard, and vSphere 4 for Desktops with an unlimited number of hosts. I remember when I was using VMware VDM 2.0, cost would prohibitive due to the fact I needed to buy VMware ESX licenses to host my desktops. Now this isn’t the case it seems they are matching up with Citrix on the cost model too.

As expected Citrix also offer concurrent licensing, with XenDesktop Standard, Advanced, Enterprise and Platinum editions all licensed based on the number of concurrent virtual desktops in use.

So who is the winner in this game of VDI tennis?

Honestly I think it is so close I wouldn’t like to say one way or another. If you already have a team of Citrix expertise in your department then go with Citrix XenDesktop 4. On the other hand if you are free to decide which way to go then check out VMware View 4. What I will say is that Citrix do have other technologies that can compliment your VDI solution, such as the Access Gateway with Advanced Access Control, EdgeSight for XenApp and NetScaler. If you are building an enterprise scale VDI solution then these products would also be part of the overall mix, which may bring Citrix into the lead.

A recent post on the VMware blogs discussed the acquisition of RTO Software, here is an excerpt from the blog:

“This is an exciting technology. For those unfamiliar with the specifics of what Virtual Profiles actually does, the technology seamlessly virtualizes, caches and synchronizes a desktop user’s roaming profile, while improving both the performance and data integrity of the profile. When a user logs on, instead of monolithically delivering the entire user profile and making the user wait for all of it, Virtual Profiles performs a “just-in-time” delivery.”

You can read the full article here: http://blogs.vmware.com/view-point/2010/02/vmware-to-acquire-rto-software.html
You can find more information on VMware View here: http://www.vmware.com/view
VMware View 4 Licensing FAQ: http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/VMware-View4-Pricing-Licensing-Support-FAQ.pdf

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment below!

citrix xendesktop 4, VDI, vdm, virtual desktop infrastructure, vmware view 4