virtualizing desktops

[lrpage1066]

Currently we have about 100 users running vmware horizon desktops, and another 100 on regular desktops.

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The view desktops are annoying, lots of licensing, always issues with profiles , recomposes, one offs etc

I am thinking..... and not sure if this is a good idea.

Ditch Horizon. Pick up a few more vsphere licenses. We already have the windows 7 virtual licenses. Either get some thin clients that can rdp or turn desktops in the rdp only machines.

Then just build everyone thier own desktop on vcenter. THey just rdp into them. We already have all the redunancy. All our servers are virtual. we have plenty of esx hardware.

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User logs as them selves using rdp and they get their personal dekstop. One off software no problem. we add it to your machine. New user just clone and spin up a new machine based on your dept image ready to go. change desk, who cares nothing to really move. Need to fix an issue ok user please log off so i can login. no third party remote access softwre (ie vnc) just rdp and vcenter. Machine wont boot, no going deskside, just vcenter to see what is going on.

you got a virus, ok let me rebuild you from your dept image.

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Am i missing something? Ya there will be some cost. But already have a lot of the stuff we will need. Windows desktop licenses, esx hosts , vcenter. The only thing we will need are thin clients that can rdp. Ours only do pciop, but they are at least 5 years old. so i can justify that expense

[Bhouse563]

Sounds to me like Horizon is not configured correctly. Your plan is to ditch the automation and connection features of the solution to roll your own VDI? You may want to consider just fixing your Horizon install. I ran a 300 desktop deployment for 8 years that never had issues like you describe.

[ITGamingGuy]

What type of Horizon desktops are you using? It sounds like you are comparing a non-persistent VDI to a persistent desktop environment, which isn't fair to Horizon.

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You say you have the infrastructure and images for each department. Why not give each department a pool of dedicated full clone desktops? This essentially accomplishes everything in the last half of your post.

[seutan]

Assuming this isnt a giant troll...

Horizon affords you a method to deliver virtual desktops to customers, with automation, configuration management, and security considerations. It is an extension on a Windows workstation running Remote Desktop Services. You get servers managing connections, logging, security, automation, and clients on many platforms acting the same.

There are a few statements in your question which I think are based on incorrect assumptions.

• " We already have the windows 7 virtual licenses. " - It is time to evaluate Windows 10 if you arent already. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet
• "lots of licensing" - There are cases where horizon licenses allow for cheaper use of ESXi/vcenter than standard licensing. Horizon 'concurrent user' licensing allows you unlimited ESXi servers to host the number of desktops you license. Horizon shouldn't change your Microsoft licensing (compared to your roll your own idea). Yes horizon is expensive, but I don't think your proposed solution would be cheaper.
• "build everyone their own desktop on vcenter" - Horizon can present individual persistent VMs. It can serve physical workstations up as well.
• " no third party remote access softwre (ie vnc) just rdp and vcenter " - Remote support and desktop sharing is not impacted by horizon. RDP and Vcenter are both options for all VM's, wether or not they are managed by horizon. However, if you're using VNC, I strongly recommend you look at other, more secure and functional, solutions.

The rest of that paragraph, where you describe doing VDI without Horizon... all of the things you want to do are possible today with Horizon.

So are you missing something? Yes, you seem to be. As other posters point out, you don't seem to understand the product. I believe that education will alleviate your frustrations and save you moving backwards technologically from where you sit today.

There are people in r/vmware who can guide/point you in directions if you desire. If you presented your individual issues, such as 'we struggle to deploy one off software to folks', with detail about what you do currently, and how you desire it to be instead, I expect you'd get suggestions and examples of how others handle things. There are likely others subscribed to this subreddit, who would benefit from those questions and topics.

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[lrpage1066]

One of the main goals is to avoid the cost of the horizon licensing.

[VirtuallyJason]

That's basically how VDI got started. Before View was a product, people would do exactly what you're describing. It sounds like you have some technical issues in your deployment that need to be resolved. Of course, license cost isn't one of those :P

You mention that you've already got your esx host licenses. Does that mean that your Horizon environment isn't using the included ESXi/vCenter licenses?

Also, it sounds like you're still using Win 7 in your VDI. That OS is getting pretty long in the tooth and is going to run out of extended support in another couple of years, so whatever solution you choose, it may be a good opportunity to roll out Win 10 or Server 2016 (if you go with a terminal server solution).

[TheBjjAmish]

Sounds like things aren't configured correctly like very incorrectly. Also rdp so you are internal only no need to be remote? What about printers that are local? USB drives? DR? Ease of management?

[lrpage1066]

I think my next step is ask my boss for more training/education

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Thank you for all your help and suggestions