Server 2008 Terminal Services Epilogue: So, is Citrix Still Worth It?
So in the end, after reviewing all these features and upgrades to Terminal Services, is Citrix still worth it? That’s an excellent question and one that will get borne out in time. Though the management interface for Terminal Services is much improved, it is arguable that Citrix’s management console still shines (though Citrix still yet hasn’t incorporated all its functionality into the MMC).
Citrix’s Access Gateway also provides quite a bit more functionality than does TS Gateway. But, that tool, once licensed with the Advanced Access Controls, is intended to be more a fully-featured SSL VPN than just a proxy for ICA sessions.
Citrix’s load balancing capabilities also...
...remain more robust, allowing the administrator to load balance based on real-time performance statistics rather than a static weighting determined by the administrator.
Citrix’s ICA protocol - even though it on average consumes about the same amount of bandwidth as RDP - includes baked in SpeedScreen "progressive scanning" functionality that accelerates video and CAD/CAM rendering. If you use any of these applications, you’ll need to stick with ICA. But, if the applications you publish mostly involve static screen redraws and little video and vector graphics, you’ll probably do just fine with RDP. In any side-by-side comparison, the ICA protocol currently beats the RDP protocol in raw performance, but your users may never know the difference.
So, the discussion is still up in the air. At TechMentor this year, I’ll be holding a session titled “Citrix vs. Terminal Services: Which One Wins?” where we’ll go over all the comparisons in detail. My advice: Come to TechMentor! And there I think you’ll leave with a better idea which one will work for you.
Your thoughts? What do you think about all these new Terminal Services features? Are they the category killer? Will they send Citrix down in flames? Or, will Citrix leapfrog the technology just that much farther? Drop your comments into the comments field below or send me an email at gshields@realtimepublishers.net.
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Comments
We should also consider the application streaming which both companies currently provide (Softgrid)
This in addition to the printing behaviour.
Posted by: Hans Hinnekint | July 25, 2007 8:01 AM
Good point. You know, I didn't include any discussion on Citrix's App Streaming component in this series. This was mainly because I wanted to narrowly focus the comparison between TS and CPS. Apples to apples, if you will. App Streaming is a feature that you only get with the Platinum and Enterprise editions of Citrix, which are (arguably) expensive up-sells.
Posted by: Greg Shields | July 25, 2007 10:12 AM
Will Server 2008 be able to provide bilateral audio so a user can use Adobe connect to paticipate in meetings that requires voice response?
Posted by: Michael Wilkins | February 5, 2008 4:36 PM