Hello all,
Finally after years I now have a green light to build up a pilot to replace my Metaframe XPe FR3 farm running on W2K(oh how nice it will be to be able to call for support again). Anyway, I am wondering what the advantages are of going to a W2K8 platform over a W2K3 platform. I did some quick google searches and did not find many useful results.
Thanks in advance.
Mike
Have you looked at the XenApp Feature Matrix, available here?
http://www.citrix.com/xenappcomparativematrix
XenApp 5 under Windows Server 2003 is equivalent to XenApp 4.5 under Windows Server 2003. By using Windows Server 2003 and XenApp 5, you will only take advantage of the features of the Windows Operating System, as opposed to the Windows OS/Citrix XenApp feature combination you get with Windows Server 2008.
I suggest you look at the Feature Matrix and study the features and think of those you would be interested in that you only would get with XenApp 5 on 2008, which would make it worthwhile to use the Windows 2008/XenApp 5 combination.
Let me give you an example. In one environment I help support, we have a Windows 2008/XenApp 5 farm in a semi-production environment. It works great. However, the admins there cannot justify to upper management, costwise, the immediate need to go to XenApp 5/Windows 2008 since most of the features they bring are already availble in the environment via third-party software or applications that have been created in-house. While they might eventually move to XenApp 5 on 2008, the budget right now is being allocated to other areas that have a better need for improvement.
Considering the example above, you have to weigh the features of each and make a decision based on the needs of your environment.
''By using Windows Server 2003 and XenApp 5, you will only take advantage of the features of the Windows Operating System, as opposed to the Windows OS/Citrix XenApp feature combination you get with Windows Server 2008.''
Here I meant by using Windows 2003 and XenApp 5, you basically get the same as 2003/XenApp 4.5. In order to get new goodies, you need the 2008/XenApp 5 combination.
The feature matrix guide has more details on this.
You could probably count the number of admins here with XenApp 5 and 2008 server on one hand I'm guessing.
Hey Mike,
Just to clear it up, XenApp 5.0 for Windows 2003 is merely XenApp 4.5 with a feature pack on top which enables enhanced streaming and a few other features.
XenApp 5.0 on Windows 2008 is a whole new platform, new print engine, better load balancing features and many other things.
Have a look here: http://www.citrix.com/xenappcomparativematrix
My personal view on the whole 2003 or 2008 is that it is easy to deploy a 2003 platform, it has been tested but i think we all have to agree Server 2008 is out and it seems to be a very robust platform.
When you look at Windows Server 2008 and maybe even start testing, i would suggest you try out the x64 version of 2008 as this does seem to be the new platform, seeing as Windows Server 2008 R2 has been announced in only a x64 version.
Rene Vester
-------------------------------------------If Life hands you a lemon, slice it,and place it in your icecold Hoegarden./Lamersmurf, Brussels 2006-------------------------------------------Blog: http://www.nightshade.dk