Horizon 8 Reviews

Our organization is a national cybersecurity agency in Qatar, and we need virtual machines that automatically erase once the user logs out. The solution also enables access to our organization's secured environment through the Internet. For instance, you can be anywhere in the world and still access the on-premises infrastructure securely. 

Once our organization upgraded to the latest version of VMware Horizon, we eliminated the delayed login times we had faced in the prior version. The USB redirection is one of the valuable features of VMware Horizon.

Using the aforementioned feature, I have allowed access to certain types of USB models, and only these authorized models by the employer are accessible in the VDI environment, therefore any USB outside the whitelisted manufacturers won't function in our organization's environment. 

I also find the solution's Unified Access Gateway (UAG) feature useful as it makes administration tasks easier. For instance, if I want to enable a particular network device to access VMware Horizon, UAG makes such processes quick and easy.

At our organization, we are also using VMware Workspace ONE for endpoint management, which facilitates the employees' ability to bring their own devices, which can be used to access the on-premise infrastructure and the applications present on it. 

There are some licensing issues in VMware Horizon, but I believe that the vendor will be able to resolve them soon. Our agency is used to traditional licenses, and when Broadcom acquired the product, they made some changes in the licensing. In the long term, the latest product licensing model might be more beneficial. 

I have been using VMware Horizon since 2018. 

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. The solution can be effortlessly scaled unless and until there are issues with the on-premise infrastructure. Presently, our organization has 2,500 VMware Horizon users. 

Our agency has production support from VMware, but there have been very few instances where we needed to reach out to customer support, which were some rare issues that our team couldn't troubleshoot on their own. Only in instances similar to zero-day vulnerabilities did our agency contact customer support. I would rate the customer support a ten out of ten. 

Positive

Previously in our agency we were using SCCM from Microsoft but VMware Horizon is easier to manage. But both aforementioned vendors have some interdependence when deploying either of their products. For instance, when you want to deploy VMware Horizon you need to use some Microsoft products such as Active Directory and DNS. For end users in our agency, we use Microsoft products and for applications, Linux servers are used. 

The initial setup process is extremely simple, you just need to run the domain controller and active directory and the rest of the setup is related to network communication. The clear and concise documentation from VMware Horizon further assists in the seamless setup process. Any professional with a couple of years of experience in system administration can effortlessly deploy the product. 

VMware Horizon and other products from the vendor are not aimed at small businesses; it's rather ideal for mid-scale and enterprise businesses. VMware Horizon can be considered to be slightly expensive. 

The solution's instant clone technology is used in our organization, which facilitates the auto-deletion of machines once the user logs out. Upon logging in again, a new machine with a new hostname is assigned. 

VMware Horizon can be easily integrated with other tools due to the presence of effective documentation that is easy to access and comprehend. The employees and the end-users of our agency are highly satisfied with the product. 

VMware Horizon supports both on-prem and VDI cloud-based deployment models. I would rate the product a ten out of ten. I would definitely recommend the solution to others, especially for every VDI use case. 

The solution has enabled us to offer a secure desktop experience to our remote users. This ensures that our personally identifiable information and HIPAA data remain protected, eliminating the risk of being copied to a local, potentially mobile, device. Everything is contained within a centralized structure.

The tool provides a single pane of glass into all virtual infrastructure.

I would highlight the challenges related to integrating with Microsoft Azure services. Specifically, there are issues with MDM-managed devices and the necessity for MDM-managed compliant devices. In the non-persistent horizon model, there's a delay before each new desktop becomes compliant. Users can access these desktops before fully onboard into the MDM solution.

I have been using the product for 20 years. 

I rate VMware Horizon a ten out of ten. 

I rate the tool's scalability a seven out of ten. 

The tool's deployment is complex. 

We had a team of two in-house resources and a couple of consultants. 

We have seen ROI with the tool's use. 

VMware Horizon's costs are high. 

I rate the product a nine out of ten. 

I often use the solution for remote day-to-day work to bring in consultants. We use the Gateway feature, which is a form of security server. We have one port to connect things. It simplifies things.

We do not have to order new laptops or workstations when we bring in new consultants and new hires. The solution simplifies our work. The new hires can start working from day one. The IT team doesn’t have to do all the installations. It’s easier and simpler.

The App Volumes feature is valuable for application automation. We can use what we want inside the solution. VMware has its own troubleshooting tool. We can also use VMware Aria. We can use a lot of applications.

The solution must be faster and smoother.

I have been using the solution since 2003.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight or nine out of ten. It is stable, but it has Microsoft desktops on top of it.

The scalability of the tool provides the ease of adding another connection server or gateway server to ramp up the usage for more users. There can be tens of thousands of users on one server. The tool is very scalable. I rate the product’s scalability a ten out of ten. Our clients are small, medium, and large businesses. Some clients have 10 to 15 desktops. Others have hundreds and thousands. The biggest deployment I have done is of 150,000 desktops. The product is suitable for all sizes of businesses.

The setup is easy for me because I have been working with the product for 20 years. I rate the ease of setup a ten out of ten. For others, the ease of setup might be a five or six out of ten because we must know what we are doing. The time taken for deployment depends on the complexity of the installation. If we just want plain desktops, I can have the infrastructure up in one week. The deployment usually takes a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

The pricing could be improved. The tool is not cheap, but it is not too expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten. We get what we pay for.

We are implementers. I will recommend the solution to others. It's a pretty good solution. If our device crashes, it might take up to a week or even more before it is up. With VMware Horizon View, connecting online simplifies the work. It is more cost-effective for companies. Overall, I rate the product a ten out of ten.

The most valuable features of VMware Horizon in our education organization are its Graphics Virtualization Unit (GVU) integration. It helps us with social software for behavioral assignments and research purposes. Its availability is also one of the crucial features.

They could incorporate an application library for application learning and licensing. This feature could centralize all software applications within a licensed manager, allowing for efficient categorization and accessibility based on categories. They should improve similar functionality in VDI. It would enable users to access applications directly from their local machines without navigating to the VDI machine.

We have been using VMware Horizon for the last four or three years. At present, we use the version 7.

The product is stable. I rate the stability an eight out of ten.

We have deployed VMware Horizon on 700 machines. However, the costs are expensive. I rate the scalability a seven out of ten.

The technical support services are good. However, we encounter some delays in their responses.

The initial setup is straightforward. We receive good support services for implementation. It takes approximately six months, starting with hardware delivery, including racks, computing units, storage, and switches. The installation involved configuring software, licensing, and addressing aspects like JBOD configurations. It requires one system administrator for maintenance. I rate the process an eight out of ten.

VMware Horizon generates a good return on investment. I rate it a six out of ten.

VMware Horizon has significantly improved our IT management by ensuring the constant availability of our virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) 24/7. The availability has been most valuable in supporting our students and faculty, allowing them to access the virtual environment anytime and from anywhere. With nearly 11 to 1000 VMs deployed, the system's reliability enables us to efficiently meet the diverse computing needs of students, faculty, and even other departments, including the admission department, which can utilize the system during weekends and holidays.

The centralization of VDI allows us to manage all the machines through one portal. We can also add a new portal, secure it, and check logs.

The app publishing feature has impacted our productivity with diverse services in use, including research with the GVU. The accessibility can be extended to weekends and holidays, allowing users to continue their work independently and reducing dependence on the service desk or IT support team.

In comparing the user experience between VMware Horizon and physical desktops, our end users generally find it satisfactory. However, there is a high cost associated with custom GVU. Users emphasize the need for transparent consideration of the applications they plan to use within the VDI, particularly those reliant on GVU capabilities. Some users suggest exploring cloud-based solutions for cost savings, such as hardware expenses. The scalability in the cloud has been easier than on-premises setups.

I rate the product a seven out of ten.

With a user base of around four thousand individuals, maintaining a vigilant stance on security is essential. Regular scrutiny of each endpoint is necessary to prevent any potential threats to our data center, such as infections, compromises, or hacks. The overarching goal is to maintain a tight grip on our data and keep it secure within our data center.

It's a solid product with favorable pricing, versatile use cases, and seamless implementation. It stands as a robust setup with considerable capabilities.

Addressing the technical aspect, one potential area for improvement lies in the lock-on times. With the introduction of instant clone technology, which is a cost-effective and resource-efficient solution, there has been a slight increase in log-on times, now reaching up to fifteen seconds. While this shift prioritizes security, it's worth considering if there are any adjustments that could further optimize performance without compromising security. A significant concern in Belgium, particularly with its stringent privacy regulations, is the adherence to the global standards for data protection. It would be beneficial if VMware invested in developing a robust reporting engine, providing insights into user activities, locations, and more. This becomes crucial, especially in the context of remote work, where customers often seek detailed reporting to understand how and where their teams are working.

I have been working with it for ten years.

It offers excellent stability capabilities.

Its scalability is designed to handle rapid adjustments, allowing for setups from zero to full capacity in less than three seconds. There are approximately four and a half thousand end users.

Before the introduction of VMware Horizon, Citrix was the primary solution. However, the transition to VMware Horizon was driven by its more advanced technology, straightforward licensing model, easy setup process, and comprehensive integration.

The key lies in effective preparation, particularly in deploying a Golden Image.

The successful deployment of Horizon relies on careful preparation, client collaboration, and aligning requirements. Despite the common oversight of reading the manual, it is crucial for a smooth process. Horizon's setup is generally user-friendly and backed by effective courses and online resources. A strong grasp of VMware is necessary, and addressing any weaknesses in the VMware data center is recommended before proceeding. Notably, while Horizon is not demanding on CPU and memory, the critical concern often lies in the storage layer. Therefore, meticulous planning, a robust VMware foundation, and focused attention on the storage layer are key for optimal performance. If you're starting from scratch to build a cluster for providing virtual desktops to around two hundred users, the project timeline is estimated to be approximately three to four weeks. In terms of resource requirements, this can be effectively managed by a team of two people over the specified duration.

The pricing is quite reasonable.

When contemplating a shift to the cloud, thorough cost calculations are essential due to the dynamic nature of cloud models. Horizon, focused on the modern workspace, provides cost control in on-premises environments. It's important to assess whether the claimed functionalities of the cloud align with your needs and if you can manage associated costs. Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.

We implement VMware Horizon View for clients who want to replace physical site clients with a virtual desktop infrastructure solution, either to enhance geographical performance and reduce site clients or to add a security layer to their desktop environment.

The most valuable feature of this solution is the clone variant. We have been using the linked clone for the past five years, but I am willing to support and take on the function of the instant cloud. 

The clone variant enhances the solution's functionality, making it more beneficial.

In the latest versions, the deployment of certificates on the console has been implemented. Although it is functional, it is not working as well as I would like. I hope this feature can be improved in the future.

To enhance the user experience, it would be beneficial to have the Unified Access Gateway (UAG) integrated within the console. This would eliminate the need to switch to a different VLAN or access the DMZ separately. With a direct link from the connection server to DMZ, users could easily access the UAG website without leaving the console.

I am working with the latest version of VMware Horizon View.

It can be challenging to assess the stability of Horizon because it relies heavily on the underlying infrastructure, including vCenter, network, and storage performance. 

It is important to pay attention to these factors when evaluating the stability of the system.

We rely on vCenter, network, and storage performance, and any weakness in these areas will affect the performance of Horizon. When discussing this with customers, I always emphasize the importance of these factors.

If the foundation is solid, Horizon should not experience any performance issues.

If the fundamentals are weak, we will encounter issues with Horizon on a regular basis. However, the product itself, VMware Horizon, is highly stable.

While the Horizon product itself is very stable, it is important to be well-informed about any potential side effects from using other related products.

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten.

There are adjustments that can be made, potentially resulting in a score of ten.

I have good experience with it, and I find it suitable for all sizes of companies. The POC is starting with 10 or 20.

In all three environments, we haven't had many large-scale deployments. Typically, they range from around a thousand to two thousand desktops. I haven't had any projects in my years of experience where the initial deployment started with a thousand or two thousand desktops. The deployments usually start small and then grow over time. The customer typically wants to test if it fits their needs, so we conduct several POCs before moving to production.

As someone who has been using this solution for a while, I find it to be quite complex. Initially, it was very good and remained so until around 2015-2016. However, in 2018, I noticed that the response time had increased, and I had to escalate the issue to the supervisor. 

There seemed to be a gap in communication that had not existed before, and it was difficult to understand the next steps.

Previously, I had direct communication with a technician until 2018. However, now I am talking to someone who is a classifier and perhaps several tiers away from the actual technicians. 

Therefore, sometimes I don't feel the same level of dependency on a consultant or technician as I used to.

We have a lot of VMware products in our company also converting other companies.

We use Workspace ONE.

Based on my background with Citrix, I have found that Horizon is often a more straightforward solution in many cases.  It's less complex than Citrix.

It's beneficial when the customer has the mindset that the implementation process might take a month or two or three. However, that is not the case with VMware Horizon View POC. We can finish it in just a matter of days.

We implement VMware Horizon View for customers who require application access within their virtual desktop image. When external services are involved, we typically use tools such as ASH for management and integration.

The ASH tool is a standard in the Citrix world, and when we talk about Horizon, we tell customers they don't need LDSH or terminal services. We don't have a license for those and it could cost a lot of traffic. Instead, we can implement the application on the image, which is something the customer should be aware of.

The initial setup is straightforward, and it follows a logical structure both in the cloud and on-premises. I wouldn't want to change anything about it.

Currently, we only have on-premises solutions in-house. However, we have many clients who use hybrid and cloud-only solutions.

It depends. For me, the choice between on-premises and cloud deployment depends on the specific use case. However, I personally grew up using on-premises solutions.

I am primarily focused on on-premises deployments. I am also excited about cloud deployments and their capabilities, I tend to prefer on-premises solutions. When given the choice between cloud or on-premises deployment, I typically choose on-premises.

I would rate the pricing of VMware Horizon View a five out of ten. The price is average.

I would rate VMware Horizon View a nine out of ten.

Nothing is 100%.

I am selling and consulting the product every day. I am behind the product. 

Our current use of the solution involves the two specific projects in Arreaspace Kiasat, which involves catering to both the needs of the client and the server's functionalities with a Linux based approach.

The most valuable feature in this solution which really helped for my use case was the stand out three dimensional acceleration. It was really important for enhancing the performance for certain clients based on their scenarios.

We have used VMware Horizon since 2021.

The stability is also reliable and the solution gives a very constant performance with a rating of 8 out of 10.

In our case, the scalability is average as it serves its purpose effectively but only caters to the needs of 100 clients only, so I will rate it 5 out of 10. Horizon is best suited for enterprise level companies especially considering the benefits in terms of pricing as VMware is now under Broadcom's ownership.

I am incapable of providing direct feedback on the tech support of VMware as we have channelized our support to the first line through Fujitsu, our OEM.

Compared to competitors, Horizon outperforms Citrix in recent years due to Citrix facing security issues. As an alternative, when cost is a concern, we occasionally turn to the open-source solution Waccamola, although it lacks the extensive functionalities of Horizon.

Pricing for Horizon is relatively high, earning a rating of one out of ten.

Overall, the solution itself deserves a solid seven to eight rating out of 10.

I use VMware Horizon as a VDI software since I use a workstation where access is needed for the virtual desktop.

The benefits of the product stem from the fact that it is cheaper for a company when a user accesses the workstation with the help of Linux. It is possible to set up a workstation with the help of a Linux system, after which its users can only access Linux within their Windows system.

The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is easy to set it up, and the user experience it provides is just like a normal desktop.

I don't know what needs improvement in the product since it is a standard system, and that is okay.

The product fails to support Mac or Apple workstations. The product should be able to support Mac or Apple workstations, like how it supports Windows and Linux.

The UI of the solution needs improvement, and there is a need to upgrade some of the systems in our environment to ensure better IOPS on our systems. Presently, the IOPS rate is lower than usual for our systems, which might be because of the hardware we use in our company.

I have been using VMware Horizon for more than three years. I work with the old version of the product.

Most of the tool's users are not really satisfied with the product, and I guess that the solution was mostly used for development purposes.

It is a scalable solution. If users want more memory, they can add memory automatically or add more disk space if required.

Our company only has 10 or 20 users of the solution. Earlier, we had hundreds of users of the product in our company.

Proxmox is an open-source solution that I use. Compared to VMware Horizon, Proxmox is a free and open-source solution for which there is no need to pay anything toward the licensing charges. Compared to Proxmox, VMware Horizon is a more stable tool.

The product's onboarding process consisted of a simple installation process.

The solution provider took care of the product setup phase.

There is no maintenance required for VMware Horizon, and all a user has to do is upgrade the solution whenever required. The product notifies its users of the upgrades that it provides.

Google Workspace is a good alternative to VMware Horizon Horizon. Google Workspace functions as a cloud-based product. Users who want a solution deployed on an on-premises model can opt for VMware Horizon.

I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.