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Citrix's XenDesktop 4 was the most accommodating VDI platform tested, likely owing to its origins as a hybrid of Linux and Citrix. While it's not a lightweight platform, we found it to be the most flexible. Microsoft recommends XenDesktop for its own Microsoft Standard VDI and Premium VDI suite client-side components (see How Microsoft Does VDI). XenDesktop runs on Microsoft Hyper-V, VMWare's ESX/vSphere platforms, as well as XenServer.
XenDesktop requires two Windows-based server virtual machines on the administrative side. These VMs cover provisioning and administration of desktop deliveries as a connection broker.
On the client side, XenDesktop supports most Windows clients, MacOS, Linux, plus various cell phones and hardware terminals.
The initial 'tax' in terms of hosted hardware is high. Citrix recommends using two physical servers at...