Different types of workers across the enterprise need different types of desktops. Some require simplicity and standardization, while others require high performance and personalization.
XenDesktop meets these requirements in a single solution with FlexCast™ delivery technology. With FlexCast™, IT can deliver every type of virtual desktop - each specifically tailored to meet the performance, security and flexibility requirements of each individual user.
Citrix really has eight virtualization delivery models; two stand-alone tools in GoToMyPC and VDI-in-a-Box and Citrix’s flagship product XenDesktop incorporating six.
1. Hosted shared desktops
The least expensive option with the highest return on investment (ROI) of any server-based, virtual-desktop scenario, the hosted shared desktop model supports up to 500 users per server while providing a high-definition user experience. This delivery model, just like traditional server-based computing, enables multiple user sessions sharing a single, locked-down Windows Server environment running in the datacenter and accessing a core set of applications on-demand.
Benefits
- Secure, centralized desktop, application and data management
- Wide selection of client hardware (PCs, thin clients, mobile clients, handhelds)
- Low total cost of ownership (TCO)
2. Hosted VM-based desktops, or VDI
Hosted virtual desktops, better known as VDI, offers a personalized Windows® desktop experience, typically needed by office workers, which can be securely delivered over any network to any device. This option combines the benefits of central management with full user personalization, and can generally support up to 50 desktops per server upwards to 150 the more closely your server resembles a small car. Each user’s desktop runs in its own virtual machine, enabling multiple users to share a single physical server while running their environments in isolation from each other. Each user has more personalization options, a familiar Windows desktop environment, and compatibility with applications designed to run on a desktop OS.
Benefits
- Secure, centralized desktop, application and data management
- Individual desktop environments available for each user
- Customizable or locked-down desktops depending on corporate requirements
3. Physical desktop/Blade Desktop
This client-side virtual desktop model offers all of the benefits of desktop virtualization, by allowing IT to provide employees with secure access to their office based PC while leveraging high-performance features of the PC workstations and high-end blades. Remote PC, one of the variations of the physical desktop model, allows users secure mobile access to their office-based PCs from any device running Citrix Receiver™. Instead of using server-based images, Remote PC provides remote access to a physical PC without requiring a build-out of virtual infrastructure and the need to migrate user desktops and apps to the datacenter.
Benefits of Remote PC
- Secure, mobile access and full HDX experience to physical PCs
- Auto-provision for thousands of users
- Maps PC to user automatically
- Instant benefit to end-users and simplified on ramp for desktop virtualization
Another variation of the physical desktop model is 3D workloads. This model enables you to virtualize and centrally deliver 3D graphics-intensive applications and high-performing desktops using a graphics processing unit (GPU) for hardware acceleration to boost rendering performance. With 3D workloads, you can easily virtualize native OpenGL and DirectX-based applications with like-native OS performance on a LAN or WAN.
Benefits of 3D workloads
- Centralize and secure design IP
- Delivery of graphically-intensive data over WANs
- Share resources for improved cost effectiveness
4. Local Streamed desktops
Streamed VHDs leverage the local processing power of rich clients, while providing centralized single-image management of the desktop. This approach offers an easy, low-cost way for customers to get started with desktop virtualization by leveraging existing PC resources and keeping datacenter overhead to a minimum. It can also be ideal for government and university labs that use diskless PCs for maximum data security. This model is also referred to as a “network boot” or diskless PC.
Benefits
- Simplified management for frequently changing workstation configurations
- Centralized desktop, application and data management with local execution
- Dedicated computing resources
5. On-demand Applications
This is what most current XenApp customers are doing today. You are either hosting or streaming apps to rich clients with a locally installed OS. You get the benefits of reducing overall desktop management costs by simplifying application management – the more apps you virtualize, the lower your costs. This model is often the simplest, most “traditional” way to start with desktop virtualization. Virtual apps can be used both online and offline for mobile workers. Only issue is that you still have to deal with the OS at the endpoint, and this is something many IT shops are looking to desktop virtualization to solve.
Benefits
- Dynamic delivery of applications—hosted or streamed—to each user and device
- Secure, centralized data management with granular access control
- Self-service enterprise app store
6. Local VM-based desktops
Local VM desktops extend the benefits of centralized, single-instance management to mobile workers that need to use their laptops offline. When they are able to connect to a suitable network, changes to the OS, apps and user data are automatically synchronized with the datacenter.
Benefits
- Operation of multiple virtual machines on the same endpoint hardware
- Local operation in a secure, centrally managed environment
- Support for disconnected use
The two stand-alone virtualization solutions are:
7. VDI-in-a-Box
VDI-in-a-Box is a self-contained desktop virtualization solution for customers that need to deliver high availability desktops without a SAN or other shared storage. This solution does not offer a variety of flexible delivery options, but it does deliver one option extremely well and lets you start small and scale on inexpensive commodity servers as your needs grow.
8. GoToMyPC
For occasional use, or for the individual with no need for datacenter infrastructure, Citrix has another product called GoToMyPC that might be the perfect choice. From your home PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device, just download the software and connect. Your data is protected with 128-bit AES encryption, dual passwords and end-to-end authentication. You will get multi-monitor support, the ability to print where you are or where your remote computer is, cut, copy and paste between computers and hear sound coming from the computer you are accessing, including music, system alerts and voice mail.
With desktop virtualization, one size does not fit all. Is Citrix optimized for your end user?
Call Whitehat Virtual Technologies and explore the virtualization options that are right for your company. Learn how to deliver a virtualization experience your end users will love by measuring the End User Experience. 888.406.8719 or email us at sales@whitehatvirtual.comSales@whitehatvirtual.com