Parallels Remote Application Server and Horizon 8 compete in desktop virtualization and application delivery. Parallels RAS is notably user-friendly and cost-effective, while Horizon 8 excels with an extensive feature set, suitable for complex business needs despite a higher cost.
Features: Parallels RAS offers simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and easy management, ensuring seamless integration across multiple platforms. In contrast, Horizon 8 provides enhanced graphics capabilities, scalability, and extensive configuration options, tailored for complex environments.
Room for Improvement: Parallels RAS could enhance its scalability and offer more advanced configurations for larger systems. Improved integration with third-party applications would also be beneficial. Horizon 8 may need to streamline its setup process to reduce complexity, lower its cost for greater accessibility, and enhance basic support options for smaller organizations.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Parallels RAS features a straightforward deployment process and accessible customer support, making it ideal for smaller organizations. Conversely, Horizon 8's setup is more complex but comes with comprehensive support tailored for large enterprises.
Pricing and ROI: Parallels RAS provides a lower initial setup cost and quick ROI, appealing to budget-conscious businesses. Horizon 8, while more costly upfront, promises long-term value with its advanced features and scalability, leading to potentially higher ROI in the future.
Based on my experience and feedback from customers, I would rate Omniser's technical support an eight.
The main areas needing improvement are response speed and quality of answers.
The support team is helpful and offers assistance.
For Parallels RAS, the support is rated eight out of ten.
A key challenge for these customers is finding an easier solution with single management that alleviates these complexities.
I can start from fifteen users and scale it to nearly any size.
Especially with the integration of NVIDIA, we experience multiple problems including crashing applications, crashing desktops, spontaneous logoffs, black screens, and systems that no longer respond or cannot reconnect.
When they switched to Omniser, these issues disappeared, leading them to choose it over cheaper and seemingly easier options.
We can scale by adding additional servers and connection servers.
I would like to see improvements in Horizon 8, specifically integration with NVIDIA for graphical performance upgrades because it creates many issues such as crashing and black screen systems, causing users to lose access to their current desktop and work.
Many customers are actively seeking alternatives to VMware due to recent licensing changes after Broadcom's acquisition.
The integration with Workspace ONE to make it more simple and easy for customers to adopt is another aspect.
A potential improvement could be reducing the dependency on Microsoft solutions for Parallels RAS.
I rate the cost-effectiveness of GenApp of Citrix equal to our CMS; it is quite cost-effective.
After VMware was bought by Broadcom, the pricing was ridiculous, but now that Onmises has VMware Horizon 8, the pricing is back to an acceptable level.
No additional fees for maintenance or support are required.
Implementing more AI features, such as automation and optimization via platforms like Ansible or Terraform, would enhance operational efficiency significantly.
The solution has data leak prevention features that ensure data is not copied from the base machine to VDI.
Centralized management of desktops is one of the main reasons customers choose this solution.
In terms of Parallels Desktop, the coherence mode that allows Mac and Windows applications to run seamlessly side by side is highly regarded.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Horizon 8 | 6.8% |
| Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) | 3.7% |
| Other | 89.5% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 62 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 23 |
| Large Enterprise | 45 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 15 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 10 |
Horizon 8 offers centralized management and robust security with ease of deployment and scalability. It provides virtualization and remote access to devices across platforms, ensuring improved performance and reliable remote desktop experiences.
Horizon 8 integrates instant clone technology, a security gateway, and supports USB redirection while minimizing bandwidth consumption for efficient resource utilization. Featuring a powerful administrative console, it simplifies backend control with a user-friendly interface. While effective, it can improve in areas like audio redirection, app volume configuration, and Azure integration. Enhanced connectivity, performance, and monitoring capabilities could elevate user experience alongside clearer licensing terms.
What are Horizon 8's key features?Horizon 8 is widely implemented in industries like education, healthcare, and finance where it enhances remote work by securing virtual desktops and applications. It supports virtual desktop infrastructure enabling secure connection to internal resources, data center consolidation, and application delivery meeting specific industry needs.
Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) offers efficient remote application and desktop delivery across diverse devices, providing businesses with easy management and robust performance, ensuring stable and secure access.
RAS simplifies remote access through its user-friendly design, encompassing app publishing, device compatibility, and management capabilities. Users benefit from its HTML 5 Client convenience and impressive speed. With features like security groups and client compatibility, RAS excels in providing a stable and flexible environment. Its scalability across platforms and affordability makes it attractive for many organizations. However, areas such as printing stability, customization, and performance monitoring could benefit from further enhancements.
What are the key features of Parallels RAS?Industry implementations of Parallels RAS include its use as a client gateway and an alternative to Windows RDS. With support for Macs, Windows, Linux, and Android devices, it facilitates application publishing and migration from platforms like VMware. Organizations employ RAS for remote control, VDI, and ERP solutions, improving remote workforce operations and geographic application distribution.
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