A customer does not wish to enter into Microsofts subscription model that is required for VECD. At $110/user/year I can somewhat understand.
The customer asked why he could not use his Windows 2008 Datacenter licenses and create a virtual desktop based on Windows 2003/2008 per user.
I'm unable to think of an absolute excuse why he could do this.
I dont think VMware View will show Windows Servers as a possible desktop but the VM could be defined as an client OS instead.
I don't believe any of the VDI products out there will work with a server OS, by design.
I do not understand why you are travelling down this path. You could use XenApp, TS or Quest for your solution and have a traditional desktop solution and reduce your cost substantially.
Why would you want a server desktop per user?
The customer has several reasons for prefering VDI over RDS. And a customer is always right.
"Why would you want a server desktop per user?"
I don't want this configuration, but costwise it is interesting.
For the 70 users VECD will cost $7700/year for 70 users on datacenter Windows 200x the cost will be around $5000 one shot for a 2way server.
It is even cheaper to use 1 Windows Server License and 50 TS User licenes per server :)
However, what you want to do is achieveable with XenApp or Terminal Services today using a connection broker. People do this already. Or maybe take a step further and just get people to RDP straight into the server therefore you only have a single cost.
If you have Software Assurance (SA) the license is $23/year for end devices with XP Pro or higher.
Still not cheap.
The only company winning with VDI is MS, not VMware or Citrix.
--Emil
EmilBeck: The only company winning with VDI is MS, not VMware or Citrix. --Emil
Not really, MS only has a VDI solution if you add XenDesktop into the mix so you can use their connection broker and dynamic desktop provisioning, otherwise you'll have 700 static desktop vm's floating around. It is Microsoft's recommended configuration for a full VDI infrastructure.
http://blogs.technet.com/virtualization/archive/2009/07/13/Microsoft_1920_s-new-VDI-licensing_3A00_-VDI-Suites.aspx
"...And for those customers who are still missing a feature or need an enterprise-ready solution, you can add a 3rd party connection broker for Hyper-V such as Citrix XenDesktop - and most likely still pay less than if you chose to deploy VMware..."
I meant winning financially, but I like your point.
On the other hand I have started to play with Server 2008 R2 and Remote Desktops, looks promising
I don't think everyone understands how import this topic is to people trying to deploy VDI company wide. There is a huge difference between VDI and terminal services. VDI is the best of both worlds when it comes to centralization and user acceptance. However, the cost of VECD licenses is ridiculous. Sure I don't think anyone "wants" to use a server operating system in a VDI environment but if it saves 1 million over 3 years why wouldn't you.
Your not alone in your position. You will be hounded for extolling VDI over SBC based desktops.
While more costly than SBC without factoring in the extortion price of VECD, VDI does solve alot of problems for 100% of the users you would set out to virtualize. Webcam, audio/video, applications with terminal server compatibility issues, etc (responders mentioning HA on XA should not bother as this does not address the desired 100% single solution approach)
Why not look into Xenapp6.0 that also has the HDX capabilities. Most customers think they need VDI while they are most of the time better and cheaper of with a terminal server environment. However if you want to use skype etc then your prolly better of with VDI. I don't know if you would like a win2k8r2 as a VDI :) just to safe some money you get into all other kind of problems cause it's a server OS not a consumer OS
Hans Straat , The NetherlandsCEO www.datacrash.net
I agree with Jason. XenApp/TS seem to be the right solution for this. I actually ran into this company called Startforce.com providing a web desktop integration with XenApp/TS. See their videos at: http://www.startforce.com/business.php
Their desktop is quite interesting, for one it is not Windows so does not require VECD. But it runs Windows apps by integrating with XenApp/TS. I thought it's a pretty neat idea.
I tried their live demo https://startforce.com/os/?mode=entguest and clicked on MS Office it seems like it is invoking XenApp to serve up their MS Office to Java applet embedded in their desktop..
hope that helps with your question
Joseph
During this conversation the VECD licensing has changed a little (or should I say VDA):
http://www.virtualization.info/2010/03/microsoft-announces-changes-in.html