Why Microsoft is not getting serious with desktop virtualization in Windows 8

Ignoring the direct VDI impact of windows 8 and just looking at the enterprise desktop for a moment.

Look at the windows 8 build demo, it was all focused around the end user consumer, flashy icons, flippy windows, silly games and a bad twitter app. All "user teasing" fluff with little content.

Which enterprise in their right mind would roll that MetroUI out to their enterprise desktops / non touch laptops on release? Nobody, that's who. There needs to be a big red "turn off the crap" button in group policy for enterprises.

Windows 7 had its enterprise shortfalls, Windows libraries, shared local folders, server hosted indexing services etc and windows 8 sadly looks to follow suit.

The root issue here is they're trying to satisfy both user groups with one generic UI / look and feel, and neither is completely satisfied with the result.

Windows 8 for tablets will change the game:

I truely believe it will - because it will be much more convenient to integrate these devices into enterprises. Managers will not need to have a tablet and a notebook device but will use the metro look and feel for the quick stuff and for "real" working they will use blue tooth keyboard and mouse with old fassion GUI. YES - the standard office apps are not build for touch - but I could not imagine how end users will love Citrix Receiver on the IPad because the standard microsoft apps are just not build for touch. So I belive that very quick some core function applications will be available for metro to do most standard stuff like PIM stuff. If you want to work more granular you just switch to the good old keyboard and mouse

About Win7 Migration:

I just had a customer that was already on Vista - yes Vista - but their design was so modular that with in a very short time we integrated Windows 7. Because not the OS is the problem in a migration but the application. But applications that run on Vista normally run also on Win7 - so the change for them will be more or less a piece of cake. Right now I assume that the same will happen with Windows8. I assume it will be fast implemented for a small number of VIP users - giving less headache than managing tablets in the enterprise from other vendors.

I think the merging of a traditional PC operating system with a tablet style interface and native "mobile" type acts is a pretty big deal actually.

The point above about not having to own and maintain tablet devices in addition to laptop PC's is very important. My prediction is that WIn8 won't win the consumer device market per se, but it might just be the perfect platform for Enterprises to be able to own and manage laptops and tablets in a single form factor using their existing desktop managment tools

There's a chance that MS is actually going to do something radical here.  Looking at the high-level architecture diagram published last week, it sure seems like we're moving to a true 3-tier MVC implementation for the OS.   The top layer is HTML5 and XAML, and although it's not "pure" yet (C/C++/C# etc. still bleed through to the presentation layer), it's close enough to a layered approach that it can't be an accident.

If that is the case, this may be the beginning of the end for all current forms of VDI.  If the presentation layer can truly be remote from the rest of the OS, it's a whole new ball game.

Anyone who was there have any insight into this?  It's so radical I can't believe MS could embrace it.  But the slide is right there for anyone to see...

i.zdnet.com/.../davidburela.png

(Lots of good talk about whether that slide is accurate at the parent post to that slide:  www.zdnet.com/.../10736)

Even if MS do go "radical" (there's a first time for everything) it doesn't change the fact that for many organisations some of the key apps in use aren't going to be re-written in HTML5 or whatever anytime soon.

We have loads of applications that are written by relatively specialist and hence small sofware suppliers who are still struggling with VB.  Change tends to bypass rather than evolve, leaving the old developers in a quiet backwater, but carrying on as before.  Eventually their apps will be replaced or abandoned, but not for quite some time.  The sheer scale of work required to re-engineer a whole portfolio of systems means we are talking 5 to 10 years.

Possibly longer, as I can remember thinking that web based apps would replace all the client/server stuff about ten years ago, and what do you know, it still hasn't happened.

The big point is that MS are in it for themselves, so whatever makes them the biggest profit is what they do.  If they think VDI is a danger, they will scupper it.  If they go for HTML5 etc, then they are opening themselves to serious competition, so...

Personally I think the Win8 tablet/PC thing is too much like a cross between a racehorse and a Ox.  In the end, nobody will be happy, except the butcher.

I think Microsoft's answer to the tablet may just be what they need.  The biggest issue with all of the buzz on alternative platform - iPad, Android, etc.  -is the fact that unless the applications are rewitten to the form factor, it's all pretty useless.  Using a Windows desktop or Office application on an Ipad over Receiver is cool at first, and then painful.

Microsoft owns the current application market, and if they can provide a way for the industry to easily port the application to  MetroUI, they may find themselves holding onto the dominance.

As for desktop virtualization in Windows 8 and Microsoft's strategy, there's a big difference between money and market.  Microsoft wins regardless of whether they built the solution or Citrix/Quest/etc. builds on their solution.  Furthermore, the number one reason (my opinion, of course) that Microsoft HASN'T just purchased Citrix is that there is an entire partner ecosystem out there that would suffer from such a move.  Microsoft can't be an ISV's partner and then turn around and directly compete.

Finally, even in the mobile market, Microsoft is making $$ today, without having to directly be the interface to the consumer.  Look at all the patent deals Microsoft is making with hardware and software manufacturers.  They just signed a patent deal with Samsung this AM that earns them $15 per handset sold, regardless of platform.  It's smart business.  

So does Microsoft really care about VDI?  Aboslutely.  Do they care if they are the sole point solution?  Not at all.  They never have, at least not in this particular vertical.  They always win.  Keeping the applications market is key to their longevity, and MetroUI in Windows 8 may be just the ticket.

Only time will tell.

Brian, this article is really good news for Microsoft. According to Brian's law, VDI with Windows 8 will be a block buster. Remember when you predicted that Windows 7 will be the VDI champion? Remember our VDI versus TS debate in Las Vegas? And now finally you say "Nah, Windows is not gonna make it in the VDI world".

If there is one lessen that we've learned over the last years it's the one that enterprise users and consumers decide what's successful and what's not. We geeks are only a minority and not relevant in terms of commercial market success. We can only help to fulfill user demands with our expertise. Guess what it would mean if people liked the MetroUI? And always keep in mind that as long as only one relevant Windows app exists, Windows will stay relevant. Legacy rocks!

Just teasing...

Benny

I wouldn't be startled to see a EULA + licencing change with Windows8 that makes it play nice (or at least, nicer) with existing first and third party VDI platforms.

While the incrimental improvements to profile and application abstraction over W7 are all welcome (User Profile disks etc), Microsoft could very easily drive upgrades to W8 just by making the licenceing more transparant and cost effective versus W7... Doing away with some pointless SKU's and removing the artificial reins on serviced VDI deployments for a start would be nice!

With Hyper-V "coming of age" a bit in terms of key features, elegence of deployment and management tools there is small but mounting pressure for Microsoft to start embracing the reality that VDI in some form will become more prevelent over the lifespan of W8 + W8 Server - now that its own OS is a more competetve hypervisor, they might be much more keen to position W8 as a true VDI friendly OS.

Regards low price RemoteFX zero client type endpoints, I've said it before but these could be key to driving corporate uptake... corporates want affordable, reliable, flexible endpoints with a long refresh cycle - added security and lower power bills are a sweetener. I've spoken at length to all the Microsoft partners who have such devices in the wings, and they have ALL now delayed until Q1-Q2 to release - I can only assume that this is to con-encide with the announcement of friendlier licencing options for Microsoft Powered, W8 based VDI and integrated Hyper-V 3 Performence improvements to RemoteFX.