XenDesktop 4. 0 will be the latest version of Citrix's desktop and application delivery suite such as some major variations in delivery and licensing.
The previous version, Citrix XenDesktop 3. 0 provided a primary success for Citrix in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) space, simply because this version considered by many to become Citrix's first serious contender inside the VDI market.
The licensing restrictions positioned while using the previous versions (excluding the typical edition) have been lifted in version 4. 0 with XenDesktop being allowed to deliver desktops and applications in the great numbers of ways.
The previous versions licensing restricted the delivery of desktops using presentation virtualization when made use of in addition to Citrix XenApp product. If organizations needed to deliver a XenApp inspired desktop they would frequently really have to deploy other XenApp solution, which required costlier XenApp licenses. These licensing restrictions only allowed applications hosted on XenApp to become delivered within the XenDesktop VDI desktop.
This pushed the price deploying XenDesktop higher since a VDI solution was possible, which inturn required more hardware, as the user density per server was a lot less than simply using a XenApp based solution. It simply didn't comprehend why Citrix would come with the restrictions on XenApp licenses inside XenDesktop suite and prevent it's use like a cheap alternative delivery mechanism for desktops rather than just dependent upon VDI?
Citrix FlexCast
This inflexibility changed together with the XenDesktop 4. 0 suite, aided by the introduction of what Citrix calls 'FlexCast', that could be being touted as 'any desktop, any app, any way'. Flexcast are now able to deliver desktops and applications using a selection of methods including Presentation Virtualization together with the terminal server type remote admission to applications and desktops as well as desktops and applications from VDI hosted machines. There are other methods too, which in the end, give Flexcast a collection of totally flexible delivery options.
With Citrix XenApp now being built into XenDesktop, the pliability of catering for just a wider different users may be possible. Those users who do not require complete desktops including those delivered by VDI, may now access desktops hosted on XenApp, as the XenDesktop license (Enterprise and Platinum Edition only) is free of charge in the previous restrictions.
Citrix Per User/Device licensing
XenDesktop 4. 0 also introduces 'per user' and 'per device' licensing options. This brings this Citrix product based on other major vendors which include Microsoft, who utilize the per user/device licensing approach.
Originally, the 'Per Named User' (PNU) licensing model was advocated to exchange the actual ConCurrent User (CCU) licensing model, however after feedback from customers that your makes this Citrix product too expensive as a consequence unattractive, Citrix bowed to your pressure and utilised an adaptable licensing approach having 'per user', 'per device' and CCU licensing (only in the most editions) being released, with PNU licensing being scrapped.
With 'per user' licensing if there has been for example 10, 000 users inside an organization who all use Citrix delivered applications and desktops and of these 10, 000, only 2, 000 access the Citrix delivered applications and/or desktops in addition, within the existing CCU licensing, only 2, 000 licenses it is fair to can be bought. However, with 'per user' licensing there is also a shift per user who accesses it being licensed, so in this particular example, all 10, 000 users might need to be licensed. If there have been only 2, 500 devices utilised to find XenDesktop but 10, 000 users, it makes sense to consider a 'per device' licensing option.
Citrix remains to be providing the CCU licensing model but only within the VDI edition, so organisations can pilot selecting going VDI with lower licensing costs.
Education establishments have the opportunity to get campus wide licenses which help XenDesktop a good looking option.
