

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and Horizon 8 compete in the virtual desktop infrastructure market. Based on features, deployment, and cost, Horizon 8 appears to have the upper hand in virtualization capabilities and comprehensive desktop management.
Features: Microsoft Remote Desktop Services provides secure, centralized management of applications and server-based computing, focusing on accessibility across multiple devices. It integrates well within existing Microsoft environments and offers centralized software installation on servers. Horizon 8 emphasizes robust desktop virtualization and management, offering features such as virtual machine provisioning, centralized management of desktops, and secure remote access to resources.
Room for Improvement: Microsoft Remote Desktop Services can improve by enhancing bandwidth efficiency, integrating better across platforms, and strengthening security measures. Horizon 8 needs better integration with various operating systems, cost efficiency improvements, and enhancements in remote connection stability and broader integration capabilities.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and Horizon 8 support hybrid, private, and public cloud deployments. Horizon 8 users report higher initial complexity, posing a challenge for smaller enterprises. Microsoft Remote Desktop Services receives varied feedback on customer support with mixed response times, while Horizon 8's support quality depends on licensing level and support model.
Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is often bundled with Windows, making it more cost-effective for Microsoft ecosystem users, though it can be considered expensive in a wider market context. Horizon 8 is generally priced higher due to its extensive virtualization features, offering value mainly for larger deployments with its comprehensive management capabilities.
By unlocking a locked situation, I mean we couldn't connect to a server in any other way, so we had to use RDP.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has helped us to be efficient; we are a team of five serving the entire region of Africa and the Middle East, and it has truly improved our overall efficiency as a team.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has saved us considerable time because we don't have to be on-site for support and have more accessibility to the machines.
Resolving issues is often complicated due to it being a complex product.
The main areas needing improvement are response speed and quality of answers.
Our support from VMware expired last December.
I would rate the customer support of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services a 10.
Interacting with Amazon's customer support seems to route the request to the correct team almost immediately, resulting in quicker responses.
If I have any issues related to the installation or initial setup, they have been great and a helping hand.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services scales very well; I could scale it to however many users I would want.
The scalability of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is high, as it is already providing me with the flexibility to access my system from anywhere.
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.
We can scale by adding additional servers and connection servers.
I have never faced any issues related to its working or its availability.
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.
We have limited capabilities since we are not using a multi-instance solution, just single instances.
I also understand that this tool is in an end-of-life state now, with Microsoft actively pushing people towards Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365.
On macOS, we sometimes experience keyboard connectivity issues.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services can be improved by better integrating it within Teams or providing a Teams integration to connect to customer support teams or other systems' accesses using Remote Desktop internally, rather than as a separate individual tool.
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.
These licenses are not cheap, as they add up in cost.
I understand it can get quite expensive and also complex to manage these different licenses.
I don't think there was any cost, as this was built into our experience with Windows and Azure.
The solution has data leak prevention features that ensure data is not copied from the base machine to VDI.
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.
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.
Using Microsoft Remote Desktop Services has helped my team save time and improve productivity because we had Microsoft servers that were impossible to connect from our MacBook Pro laptops, and once we started using RDP, we could connect and move forward to deliver the project.
The best features Microsoft Remote Desktop Services offers include providing me administrator access, certain inbuilt client tools, and the ability to remotely access enterprise applications, as well as helping me validate whether certificates exist or are missing, or near to expiry.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Horizon 8 | 6.7% |
| Microsoft Remote Desktop Services | 5.7% |
| Other | 87.6% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 61 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 23 |
| Large Enterprise | 44 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 43 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 16 |
| Large Enterprise | 35 |
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.
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services provides secure, seamless access to remote applications with cross-platform compatibility and centralized management, enhancing productivity and resource sharing in Windows environments.
The robust security features of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services enable efficient data handling and user support across devices. With a focus on remote application access, scalability, and ease of use, this solution integrates effortlessly with Windows environments. It offers centralized management, facilitating smooth IT operations. However, there is potential for improving interface intuitiveness and setup simplicity. Addressing keyboard compatibility with macOS, network connectivity challenges, and security vulnerabilities could enhance the user experience. Optimization for performance on slower networks and clearer license management would further benefit users.
What are the key features of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services?In numerous industries, Microsoft Remote Desktop Services supports remote server management, virtual desktops, and application virtualization. Organizations use it for collaboration, secure data handling, and accessing critical resources across different locations. It aids in troubleshooting, ensuring secure connections to client applications and facilitating testing and support for multiple users in diverse environments.
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