Teradici PCoIP Supports Windows Remote Desktop Session Host

Teradici intends on shipping its PCoIP technology for Windows Remote Desktop Session Host this December. When I first read the news I was pleasantly surprised but immediately had a hundred questions that went like this: "Well, how would that work?" I'll summarize here somewhat in this blog, but stay tuned because at VMworld I intend on having a deeper conversation with Teradici and will most certainly be reporting back.

PCoIP for RDSH is very simply just another protocol that connects to RDSH, nothing more. Citrix XenApp has the ICA/HDX protocol, and it also has an entire software stack that extends the feature capabilities of native RDSH. If we were to compare them from a feature set, capabilities, and maturity perspective, Citrix still is the best choice. But here is the best part: Teradici just dragged Citrix to come play on its turf. Here's what I mean:

Teradici's marketing can now refute the Citrix advantage of XenApp. Whether it's true or not, Teradici just threw a wrench in there and made it very "cloudy." While XenApp customers will be able to see through the marketing, new and potential customers will, well… it's now an even fight with the "good enough" factor in full force.

Teradici also did something I think is flat-out awesome: Lowered the price of adopting RDSH technology with and without View. What that did was force Citrix to go to market with yet another offering. I'm certain Citrix will do the inevitable and that is to offer an ICA/HDX plug-in for RDSH outside of XenApp at a reduced price. While the latter option is relatively easy for Citrix to do, it now forces Citrix to add yet another model to its FlexCast delivery model. It also forces the company to deliver ICA/HDX at a reduced cost. What Teradici did was truly a brilliant move; it should have been a no-brainer for Citrix to be the first to market.

Now the question is, could Teradici's PCoIP make a difference for VMware View deployments? The answer is, it definitely expands the scope and so it's the right step to take. I had been advocating VMware's acquisition of Ericom to plug the RDSH gap in the portfolio; I guess the Teradici plug-in is more cost-effective.

Now, while the PCoIP plug-in is a great step in the right direction, customers will be limited to the features of RDSH. With that in mind, could it be a viable replacement for XenApp? Possibly, and only for certain environments, but XenApp is a very robust software layer and it will take a lot more than just a plug-in to displace it, but the marketing gains out of this move are simply brilliant as it's disruptive.

And one other common question: How will PCoIP for RDSH deal with remote SSL users? If it is bundled as part of View, I guess they can use the View Secure Gateways. But if someone just wants to purchase the PCoIP for RDSH outside of VMware View, then how will that be accomplished? Is that even an option?

The VMware-Teradici relationship is getting very confusing, especially from a support perspective, and Teradici is such an integral part of VMware's end user computing that I consider it irresponsible to its customers that VMware has not yet acquired Teradici. At this point it is nearly impossible for VMware to switch protocols, it uses PCoIP exclusively and it is high time that VMware do the right thing to maintain integrity along all of its product lines.

I will have much more on this subject in the next few weeks but I am eager to hear your comments here.

Posted by Elias Khnaser on 08/13/2012 at 12:49 PM