Oct
20
2009

VMware View & Citrix XenApp, the similarities & differences.

Last week I held a presentation for our Sales department. As we sold a lot of Citrix Xantippe over the last few years they wanted me to tell them more about the differences between a VMware View and the traditional terminal server based Citrix XenApp solution. So I made a summery about the differences and similarities. When VMware also asked me about the presentation I decided to translate it into English and share it with you all.

Similarities with VMware View XenApp
Crappy written applications are not good candidates for a centralized computer environment. Same
Display protocol is key for a good user acceptance. Same
Introduction of an extra management layer. Same even more.
Extra costs per user (View+VECD+Profile Mngt) Same (XenApp+TS CAL+Profile Mngt)
Excellent and high available back-office environment. Same
Endpoint Management is not a thing to forget. Same
Need a network connection (not with offline VDI). Same (not with App. Virtualization)
Easy to offer remote access. Same
Good network connection between locations are  key. Same
Differences with VMware View
 XenApp
VDI maximizes the today’s resources like processors,memory and storage. Not, Because of a lot application are 32Bit today the Windows OS is the limitation.
VDI uses a desktop operating system. XenApp uses a Windows server operating system.
Same way of thinking about desktop management. Different way of thinking about desktop management.
Desktops clone, delete, suspend and snapshots. No cloning, snapshots and always on.
Bad applications only affects only virtual desktop user. Bad application affects all users.
Color depth 32Bit. 24Bit
Large user freedom possible. Not possible because of shared OS.
On the fly maintenance possible. Not possible to move sessions between hosts.
User session roaming easier. Only with web interface.
Designed for LAN-Speeds Designed for WAN-Speeds
Depends less on desktop OS. Depends more on Windows server OS.
Mix of OS: Linux, JEOS, 64Bit, 32Bit etc etc Bound to the Windows server OS.
More logical choice after server virtualization. Not logical and big step.
Easy back-up and recovery. More complex back-up en recovery.
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  4. Trade in XenaApp for VMware View
  5. VMware View 4 released
Written by Arjan van 't Hoff in: Citrix, VMware, VMware View/VDI | Tags: , , ,
Arjan is a solution consultant within the Centric IT Solutions organization. He has a focus on all things that has to do with virtualization such as server, application, storage and network virtualization.
  • VirtArc
    Christ I can't believe you posted this rubbish, no wonder you're in sales.
  • Jan
    VDI maximizes the today’s resources like processors,memory and storage
    Uhhh storage in vdi needs a big investment in a san with lots of storage space,AND lots of memory --> citrix not
    -citrix xenapp does cpu en memory optimization already since metaframe
    -citrix xenapp user session roaming only by webinterface?? my god...who told u this?
    - citrix xenapp bad application affect all users? ever heard of application isolation and streaming?

    I'm sorry but this comparison makes no sence to me since there are a lot of faulty facts here.
    Better ask someone who's xenapp cca for some real facts when you make a comparison

    good effort though!

    grts,

    Jan

    Jan
  • JC, you are absolutely right it is not a comparable matrix. The reason for that is simple because it was never intended to be a comparable matrix!! It is a matrix about the differences and similarities, as the title says. See it this way women and men also have differences and similarities, that doesnot make the one better than another it just makes them different from eachother !!!
    Arjan
  • JC
    this is not comparable matrix you should compare is Xendesktop versus Vmware View and not with Xenapp since V,ware don't have any similiar product in their protofolio, and your matrix comparisation are in most of the case complete wrong, for me you don't understand what Xenapp solution is otherwise you won't make this matrix as you have made.

    Regards
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