Horizon 8 and Amazon WorkSpaces compete in the virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) category. Horizon 8 takes the lead in enterprise-level integration and scalability, while Amazon WorkSpaces is favored for rapid deployments and lower initial costs.
Features: Horizon 8 excels in scalability, manageability, and VMware ecosystem integration, making it perfect for large enterprises. It offers seamless user experience, comprehensive management, and customization capabilities. Amazon WorkSpaces stands out for its quick global deployment and secure, scalable cloud-based services. It prioritizes ease of access and is especially beneficial for businesses already using AWS.
Room for Improvement: Horizon 8 could improve cross-platform integration and reduce deployment complexity, particularly for SMBs. Its dependency on Windows limits Linux user accessibility. Amazon WorkSpaces needs better conferencing capabilities, enhanced performance on VPNs, and improved third-party app compatibility. Both platforms would benefit from simpler licensing models and enhanced documentation.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Horizon 8 offers robust on-premises deployment tailored for enterprises needing high customization in hybrid environments. While its support is flexible, complex issues may face delays. Amazon WorkSpaces is optimized for public cloud use, ensuring fast setups and good scalability. Its customer support is responsive, particularly for cloud-related issues, though technical areas may require improvement. WorkSpaces is more effective at simplifying cloud use for faster support interactions.
Pricing and ROI: Horizon 8 incurs higher upfront costs due to licensing and infrastructure, yet offers a substantial ROI through reduced hardware and efficiency over time. It is more suited to enterprises that can capitalize on these benefits. Amazon WorkSpaces uses a subscription-based model, allowing for financial flexibility and appealing to businesses with lower initial expense priorities. While WorkSpaces is more cost-effective initially, Horizon 8's long-term ROI can be significant through reduced maintenance and enhanced administrative efficiency.
I would rate the technical support from Amazon as nine out of ten.
Based on my experience and feedback from customers, I would rate Omniser's technical support an eight.
Resolving issues is often complicated due to it being a complex product.
The main areas needing improvement are response speed and quality of answers.
Compute can be increased or decreased as you pay as you go for Amazon WorkSpaces.
The solution is highly scalable.
A key challenge for these customers is finding an easier solution with single management that alleviates these complexities.
Especially with the integration of NVIDIA, we experience multiple problems including crashing applications, crashing desktops, spontaneous logoffs, black screens, and systems that no longer respond or cannot reconnect.
We can scale by adding additional servers and connection servers.
When they switched to Omniser, these issues disappeared, leading them to choose it over cheaper and seemingly easier options.
Amazon WorkSpaces can sometimes function as a black box, making it difficult to diagnose why a workspace is slow on any given day due to limited visibility into network latency from the client, real-time CPU and GPU utilization, and storage bottlenecks.
A single orchestrator tool could assist with discovery, implementation, and image building for Amazon WorkSpaces.
Many customers are actively seeking alternatives to VMware due to recent licensing changes after Broadcom's acquisition.
I would like to see improvements in Horizon 8, specifically integration with NVIDIA for graphical performance upgrades because it creates many issues such as crashing and black screen systems, causing users to lose access to their current desktop and work.
The integration with Workspace ONE to make it more simple and easy for customers to adopt is another aspect.
I rate the cost-effectiveness of GenApp of Citrix equal to our CMS; it is quite cost-effective.
After VMware was bought by Broadcom, the pricing was ridiculous, but now that Onmises has VMware Horizon 8, the pricing is back to an acceptable level.
The positive impact of Amazon WorkSpaces on the organization includes teams becoming productive on day one, reduced cost per employee, the ability for contractors to join instantly and leave without paying for the full term, easier compliance, lower risk of data loss, peace of mind when using contractors and remote staff, easier onboarding, easier offboarding, and security cleanup.
Multi-factor authentication is enabled on AWS WorkSpaces, which provides additional security when connecting.
Implementing more AI features, such as automation and optimization via platforms like Ansible or Terraform, would enhance operational efficiency significantly.
From a security point of view, security in Horizon 8 is one of the main points in keeping the system resources from the company away from bad actors. You can keep the desktops completely isolated, and you don't need to share your file shares or database with the end-user system.
Centralized management of desktops is one of the main reasons customers choose this solution.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Horizon 8 | 6.8% |
| Amazon WorkSpaces | 2.8% |
| Other | 90.4% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 6 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 10 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 62 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 23 |
| Large Enterprise | 45 |
Amazon WorkSpaces offers scalable virtual desktop environments that integrate seamlessly with existing IT structures. Its robust security measures and flexible access options make it ideal for remote work and daily operations, transforming traditional setups into efficient, cloud-based solutions.
Amazon WorkSpaces provides businesses with an efficient way to deploy and manage virtual desktops across multiple regions. Its integration with Active Directory and mobile access features enable users to connect from various devices, ensuring functionality on the go. With strong security measures including multi-factor authentication and encrypted data storage, organizations can confidently manage sensitive information. The platform supports multimedia applications and offers persistent storage for seamless performance. WorkSpaces is designed for cost-effectiveness and scalability, supporting multimedia integrations and adaptable deployment options.
What are the key features of Amazon WorkSpaces?In industries such as finance, healthcare, and education, organizations implement Amazon WorkSpaces to facilitate remote work and ensure secure cloud-based access. By transforming traditional IT setups, companies can offer flexible work-from-home solutions and maintain essential operations without geographical constraints, leading to increased productivity and streamlined management.
Horizon 8 offers centralized management and robust security with ease of deployment and scalability. It provides virtualization and remote access to devices across platforms, ensuring improved performance and reliable remote desktop experiences.
Horizon 8 integrates instant clone technology, a security gateway, and supports USB redirection while minimizing bandwidth consumption for efficient resource utilization. Featuring a powerful administrative console, it simplifies backend control with a user-friendly interface. While effective, it can improve in areas like audio redirection, app volume configuration, and Azure integration. Enhanced connectivity, performance, and monitoring capabilities could elevate user experience alongside clearer licensing terms.
What are Horizon 8's key features?Horizon 8 is widely implemented in industries like education, healthcare, and finance where it enhances remote work by securing virtual desktops and applications. It supports virtual desktop infrastructure enabling secure connection to internal resources, data center consolidation, and application delivery meeting specific industry needs.
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