VDI or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure has enabled many small, medium, and large scale companies to work remotely efficiently. On-premise VDI to Cloud Hosted Desktop solutions, most companies have adapted these virtualization solutions to have a cost-effective remote workforce.
Also, two giant VDI providers Citrix and VMware, have played a crucial role in serving this vast market. Due to the high competition and innovation in VDI technology, it is becoming challenging to understand each provider’s VDI setup.
In this scenario, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) like Ace Cloud Hosting have played a crucial role by offering DaaS or Desktop as a Service. DaaS offers you Virtual Desktop Infrastructure on the cloud where all IT infra is taken care of by the MSP. Hence, you don’t need to worry about any technicalities of VDI.
Here let’s compare the two virtualization solutions Citrix and VMware.
Citrix vs. VMware: Based on Product Classification
Citrix is a Florida based multinational company that offers virtualization products with the following names:
- Citrix Virtual Apps (formerly known as Citrix XenApp),
- Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (formerly known as Citrix XenDesktop)
- Citrix Hypervisor (formerly known as Citrix XenServer)
VMware is a California based multinational company that also offers virtualization products with the following names:
- VMware ESXi – It is an enterprise-class, type 1 hypervisor.
- VMware vSAN – It is an enterprise-class storage virtualization software.
- VMware NSX – It is a network virtualization and security platform.
- VMware Horizon – It is a VDI solution somewhat similar to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.
Citrix XenDesktop vs. VMware Horizon
Citrix offers VDI solutions via Citrix XenDesktop, now known as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktop, whereas VMware offers VDI solutions via its product, VMware Horizon.
Whether it’s Citrix or VMware, a virtual desktop infrastructure generally comprises components like Hypervisor, Connection Broker, provisioning technologies, Front End Systems, and an External Gateway.
Let’s compare the two solutions based on these components.
Component 1: Hypervisor
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops
For an on-premise VDI deployment, Citrix supports multiple hypervisors like Citrix Hypervisor, VMware ESXi, and Microsoft Hyper-V. It can be deployed on Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure. Moreover, in the cloud space, MSPs are offering Citrix managed services on their cloud infra.
VMware Horizon
Currently, VMware supports only a single hypervisor that is VMware ESXi, for the on-premise deployments. However, VMware offers some flexibility in the cloud space as it can be deployed on Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS, and IBM Cloud.
Which one to choose between Citrix and VMware?
Selecting the right VDI solution is not at all easy. Citrix and VMware both serve appropriate virtualization technologies. As we compared both the solutions based on the five components, we have reached the following conclusions:
- Citrix supports multiple hypervisors, which helps organizations to look towards a diversified hosting solution. However, VMware is a more targeted solution and gains market trust with its ESXi technology.
- Citrix’s Delivery Controller and VMware’s View Connection Servers both are unmatchable. The only caveat is the additional services they offer with their brokering services, as Citrix provides you with a single web-based administration for all admin-level tasks.
- Citrix and VMware have two provisioning technologies: PVS, MCS, and Linked clones, Instant clones, respectively. Technologies of both are relatable with each other in their functioning. Both the solutions can handle the workload with appropriate speed and consistency.
- Citrix Storefront has a good look and feel with a dedicated administration console. VMware VCS is also not complex to use.
- Citrix Netscaler Access Gateway offers you lots of additional features. However, it may increase your cost of licensing, and your in-house staff may undergo complex IT training. In contrast, VMware’s traditional security server and UAG are a little simpler and quicker to understand.
To learn about Azure Virtual Desktop Pricing visit, CloudDesktopOnline.