Later this year VMware will be releasing a software only version of PCoIP. What is PCoIP? Teradici developed the protocol to compete with RDP and ICA, but offer a richer multi-media experience. Their original product requires specialized hardware on both the server and client end. However, the LAN experience is really amazing. They were showing full high-def movies at their demo booth at VMworld.
Now back to the software version. One of the major limitations of current VDI implementations is the lack of support for isosynchronous USB devices such as head-sets and webcams. In addition, advanced graphics like Windows Aero Glass are challenging. According to Teradici their first software only version for VMware View will NOT support these special USB devices or Aero Glass. Their best estimation on when these would be supported was 12 to 18 months. Without a GPU on the server end, rendering Aero Glass on the client is difficult.
That's not to say the next version of View won't have some great features, or be useful for a wide range of customers. But if you have specialized needs, like my customer, for USB webcam and headset, then you will need to wait. Aero Glass support will be nice too, as we start to deploy Windows 7 in 2010. Right now XenDesktop's provisioning server with OS streaming is probably the best solution for a full client experience over the LAN.
Hi Derek,
ReplyDeleteThere must have been some confusion, VMware View supports isochronous USB. In VMware View with PCoIP, the USB support comes from VMware so you need to go to them for their peripheral support list - which does include isochronous USB.
Also, PCoIP technology (hardware or software) looks great on the WAN too. Here is a video of the WAN performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuEhGzoo0lQ.
For users that actually need Aero, our hardware PCoIP with blade/rack PC's can support them as well as any performance 3D graphics (full DVI frame rates on multiple displays). This is brokered via View Manager (part of the demo at our VMworld booth 2532). This allows a single environment that support highly virtualized desktops as well as performance 3D workstations over LAN and WAN networks.
It also solves issues with OS streaming - the requirement for an expensive and hot fat client at the desk, startup delays and network/latency issues as well as the major security issues of letting corporate data out of the datacenter and residing on the user's desk - the key benefits of desktop consolidation.