Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and Horizon 8 compete in remote desktop and virtualization solutions. Horizon 8 appears to have the upper hand in handling complex environments, particularly those requiring advanced graphics and robust endpoint management.
Features: Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is designed for terminal-based settings with centralized management, secure sessions, and compatibility across various devices. It provides easy integration for Windows environments on diverse platforms. Horizon 8 supports desktop virtualization with advanced graphics capabilities, instant clones, and App Volumes, making it ideal for graphics-intensive and complex environments. Both solutions prioritize remote access with security and performance.
Room for Improvement: Remote Desktop Services needs improvements in network bandwidth optimization and server stability. Additionally, better integration with non-Windows systems, security enhancements, and user experience enhancements are needed. Horizon 8 faces challenges with cost, complex licensing, and compatibility with third-party applications. Both require stability and user experience growth, with Horizon 8 needing more flexible integration and licensing improvements.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Remote Desktop Services provides diverse deployment models, including on-premises and cloud, but its customer support quality varies. Horizon 8 offers flexible deployment across hybrid and cloud environments. Both products receive mixed feedback on technical support, with Horizon 8 offering robust integrations for complex environments but having a steeper learning curve and associated costs.
Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is affordable, offering device CALs for static environments and user CALs for mobile scenarios, with straightforward licensing often bundled with Windows. Horizon 8 is costlier, suitable for mid-scale and enterprise businesses with significant initial costs but potential long-term savings. Its pricing can be a barrier for smaller organizations. Both solutions require investment, with Horizon 8 providing advanced features at a higher price than Microsoft Remote Desktop Services.
The support team is helpful and offers assistance.
Our support from VMware expired last December.
My impression is that most of the solutions, especially today, make sense for large corporations with 2000 seats or more.
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.
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.
We have limited capabilities since we are not using a multi-instance solution, just single instances.
It should be easier to create a template and duplicate users.
The only problem I see is that when I am connected, there is a certain lag because of the network.
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.
I rate the cost-effectiveness of GenApp of Citrix equal to our CMS; it is quite cost-effective.
These licenses are not cheap, as they add up in cost.
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.
The solution has data leak prevention features that ensure data is not copied from the base machine to VDI.
The main benefits that Microsoft Remote Desktop Services provide to me include streamlining my working process, ensuring security, and offering flexibility to connect to virtual desktops and apps from multiple devices.
A valuable feature of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is its native integration with Microsoft platforms.
VMware Horizon is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution designed to allow users to create secure and scalable virtual desktops and applications that work on any device, from any location. These virtualization capabilities help simplify and speed up application delivery and greatly reduce enterprise costs.
VMware Horizon’s centralized management console provides IT admins with comprehensive control over all of their virtual desktops and applications, making them simple to manage and secure. The solution enables using features such as identity and access management, multi-factor authentication, and encryption, to ensure ultimate data protection.
Some of key the benefits of using VMware Horizon include:
Some of the top features of VMware Horizon include:
Reviews from Real Users
VMware Horizon stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Several major ones are its high performance, flexibility, and powerful virtualization capabilities.
Natnael A., a consultant at IWM Network Solutions, writes, “The app virtualizing is a great feature. The system developers use it to deliver apps to targeted staff. It basically reduces the server infrastructure resource. The solution provides good functionality.”
Rob M., a systems administrator at Saint Tammany Parish Hospital, says, “The solution has provided flexibility by allowing an end user to remote in, log in, and get their VM. VDI session and have all the icons and applications they need to use and retain the same booking view regardless of location.”
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is a highly regarded remote access tool in addition to being a top-ranked Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution in the marketplace today.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is a suite of valuable elements of the Windows operating system (OS) that serve specific desired objectives. Microsoft RDS integrates various features that allow approved users to gain access to graphical desktops and Windows applications remotely. Approved users are able to deploy applications or even a complete desktop without having to install anything on their devices. Everything remains in the cloud. This ensures that there are never any compatibility issues and keeps the organization's original network secure at all times. Administrators are also able to ensure that data cannot be stored in any unapproved location, such as the local device, unapproved drives, or any other location.
Microsoft RDS makes it easy for business organizations to access Windows Desktops and other Windows applications remotely to ensure today’s busy enterprise organizations are able to maintain the highest levels of productivity at all times. There are two basic ways organizations can effectively utilize RDS.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Benefits
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has many benefits. Some of its most valuable benefits include:
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services makes it easy for busy enterprise organizations to stay productive and remain competitive in today’s aggressive marketplace. An organization's end-users can be given access to their own specific desktops from any location, anytime, using any approved device. Additionally, users can access Microsoft applications without having an effect on their device's resource capacity or performance.
Reviews from Real Users
“What I found most valuable in Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is accessibility because the solution lets you take control of your computer remotely, and that's a good feature.” Pascal B., IT consultant at Secoptrial
“The most valuable features of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services are unification, central management, and accessibility.” Jan S. Solution Architect at a tech services company
“The most valuable features are that it is fast and cost-effective. I am not aware of a replacement currently on the market.” Ramon H. Director at Empaco
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