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VMware Named Leader in Virtual Client Computing by IDC

The analyst firm also listed Citrix and Microsoft in its 'Leaders' category.

• By Keith Ward
• 11/07/2016

VMware was named the leading vendor for virtual client computing software in a November report by analyst firm IDC.

In its "IDC MarketScape Worldwide Virtual Client Computing Software Vendor Assessment," which could be seen as comparable to Gartner's famous "Magic Quadrant" chart, VMware was one of three companies in the "Leader" segment, followed by Citrix and Microsoft. Microsoft, however, just squeaked into part of the "Leader" segment; it lay mostly outside the "Leader" section, with the bulk in the "Major Player" area, indicating that IDC believes that VMware and Citrix are the top dogs.

The other companies, listed as "Major Players," included Parallels, IndependenceIT , Ericom, Huawei and Ncomputing. No other companies made the list at all, and the chart was blank in the "Contenders" and "Participants" segments.

VMware was ranked highest in both the "Strategies" and "Capabilities" categories.

IDC defined "virtual client computing" companies as "vendors that create and sell software in the client virtualization space, with a focus on centralized virtual desktops, distributed virtual desktops, and virtual user session (VUS) software."

The reported noted VMware's many acquisitions in this area, including AirWatch, Desktone and CloudVolumes. There was some uncertainty in how well the company would integrate the disparate products into a cohesive whole, but IDC believes VMware pulled it off: "Many of these questions were answered in February 2016 when VMware announced its Workspace ONE offering."

IDC also believes VMware's moves into hyper-convergence, along with the Dell acquisition of parent company EMC, have bolstered the company's portfolio: "Based in large part on the increased demand in hyperconverged infrastructure for delivering virtual client computing workloads, VMware's choice to run the Horizon workloads on hyperconverged infrastructure and vSAN-ready nodes as a key differentiator from competing offerings in the market stands to become increasingly interesting in the wake of the recently completed EMC-Dell merger."

IDC noted that Citrix has been focusing on its VDI products -- XenApp and XenDesktop -- and wisely tightened up its partnership with Microsoft, singling out XenApp Express for praise. "…IDC believes that Microsoft and Citrix stand to mutually benefit from the Citrix XenApp Express because the service will be sold in the Azure Marketplace. In essence, Microsoft becomes a channel for Citrix to market and sell its XenApp offerings (or portions thereof) on Microsoft Azure Marketplace."