XenDesktop - Anyone here use it / know about it?

[Arceon]

This may be a stupid question with an obvious answer, but just what is the point of XenDesktop?

I've gone over Citrix's description, and as with all their others its just a list of buzzwords and garbage. From what i can gather its JUST for streaming desktops? Forgive me for being ignorant but if thats the case why not just use RDP or VNC?

 

[Thuleman]

Because RDP and VNC may work for Joe Shmoe, but they are very clunky compared to any Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

XenDesktop, or VMware View, make it infinitely easier for admins to roll out specific desktops to endusers without to invest much time. You have tight control over what individual users receive, you have built-in monitoring, etc.

It's a classic case of "right tool for the job", where virtual desktops are not for everyone but those who can use them in their business or classroom setting definitely get more out of it than through RDP/VNC.

 

[Dallows]

One thing I can tell you after trying to load it as a VM on a machine (just to test) is that it's only 64-bit and apparently my ESX install isn't 64bit, so it's not working.

 

[Arceon]

So essentially, its only really viable in businesses that have many remote users (not admins) that needs locked down desktops available, with the software they need ready installed?

Makes sense i guess, just a shame these companies can't word it as clearly as you have

 

[geiger]

In some ways it's very similar to RDP/Citrix and others it's not.

Think of View/XenDesktop as having a bank of desktops that a user RDPs into. The user is in essence chrooted at the OS level from other users on the same server and is given XP/Vista as opposed to W2K3 or W2K8.

From a management view it definitely makes rollout of updates/software deployment much easier. You can create a master VM that the user logs into in conjunction with their pseudo roaming profile/setting stub.

The price point comparison is kinda gray. You can get a decent vista ready business box for 6-700. A Wyse client needed for a traditional desktop user is in the 6-700+ range for a V class, the S class boxes don't really have the power for power users.

In the Xen/View set ups the user authenticates against a broker server that loads up a VM depending on their group membership. Someone in accounting may have different apps then someone in payroll. It really pays off if you have users that log onto different machines day to day.