Citrix Licensing Models for VMWARE ESXi
Citrix Licensing Models: Apart below licenses, do we need any other software licenses for Citrix XenApp XenDesktop 7.x deployments?
Especially, VMWare licensing details required for XenDesktop SBC/VDI deployments.
Model 1: Rich Model
Citrix XenAppXenDesktop Platinum Edition
NetScaler MPX
Microsoft CIS Datacenter (Included RDS and Hyper-V VMs OS) OR VMWare ESXi with VCenter
MS SQL Server (Enterprise) AllwaysON
Model 2: Economic Model
Citrix XenAppXenDesktop Enterprise – Limited Director reports (31 days of historical analytic data), No Comtrade SCOM pack.
NetScaler VPX Model
MS SQL Server (Standard) without AllwayON
Microsoft CIS Datacenter (Included RDS and Hyper-V VMs OS) OR Citrix XenServer
Microsoft License :
Hyper-V, Server OS, Desktop OS : Data Center Edition will cover Hyper-V, Server OS and Desktop OS on the Host server.
Extra Windows Desktop OS license for XenDesktop
http://www.purchasing.ufl.edu/contracts/microsoft-select-plus/Microsoft-VDI-Suites-and-Windows-VDA-FAQ-v31.pdf
I’m buying VDI software from VMware/Citrix/another vendor. Do I still need Windows VDA?
Yes. If you are accessing a Windows client OS as your guest operating system in the datacenter from a thin client, Windows VDA is the appropriate licensing vehicle regardless of the VDI software vendor you choose. The only scenario where you would not need Windows VDA is if you were using PCs covered under Software Assurance as the access devices, since virtual desktop access rights are included as a benefit of SA.
Office 365 License for XenApp HSD: (for TS Servers): Separate License required. Normal Office 365 licenses are limited 5 devices.
RDS CALs :
Based on requirement we have to purchase RDS CALs.
The Microsoft RD License Server manages the RDS Client Access Licenses (CALs). The RDS CALs are required for any users or device connecting to the Microsoft Windows Servers 2008 R2 Citrix XenApp servers.
As part of the license server discovery process, RD Session Host servers (previously called Terminal Servers) will attempt to contact a Microsoft RD License Server in the following order.
• License Server that are specified in Group Policy
• License Servers that are installed on the same server as the RD Session Host servers
• License Servers that are published in Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)
• License Servers that are installed on Domain Controllers (DCs) in the same domain as the RD Session Host servers
App-V comes as a part of the RDS CAL licenses.
RDS CALs are based on Windows Server OS.
Windows 2016 RDS CALs are compatible with Windows 2012/2008, but not vice versa.
Especially, VMWare licensing details required for XenDesktop SBC/VDI deployments.
Model 1: Rich Model
Citrix XenAppXenDesktop Platinum Edition
NetScaler MPX
Microsoft CIS Datacenter (Included RDS and Hyper-V VMs OS) OR VMWare ESXi with VCenter
MS SQL Server (Enterprise) AllwaysON
Model 2: Economic Model
Citrix XenAppXenDesktop Enterprise – Limited Director reports (31 days of historical analytic data), No Comtrade SCOM pack.
NetScaler VPX Model
MS SQL Server (Standard) without AllwayON
Microsoft CIS Datacenter (Included RDS and Hyper-V VMs OS) OR Citrix XenServer
Microsoft License :
Hyper-V, Server OS, Desktop OS : Data Center Edition will cover Hyper-V, Server OS and Desktop OS on the Host server.
Extra Windows Desktop OS license for XenDesktop
http://www.purchasing.ufl.edu/contracts/microsoft-select-plus/Microsoft-VDI-Suites-and-Windows-VDA-FAQ-v31.pdf
I’m buying VDI software from VMware/Citrix/another vendor. Do I still need Windows VDA?
Yes. If you are accessing a Windows client OS as your guest operating system in the datacenter from a thin client, Windows VDA is the appropriate licensing vehicle regardless of the VDI software vendor you choose. The only scenario where you would not need Windows VDA is if you were using PCs covered under Software Assurance as the access devices, since virtual desktop access rights are included as a benefit of SA.
Office 365 License for XenApp HSD: (for TS Servers): Separate License required. Normal Office 365 licenses are limited 5 devices.
RDS CALs :
Based on requirement we have to purchase RDS CALs.
The Microsoft RD License Server manages the RDS Client Access Licenses (CALs). The RDS CALs are required for any users or device connecting to the Microsoft Windows Servers 2008 R2 Citrix XenApp servers.
As part of the license server discovery process, RD Session Host servers (previously called Terminal Servers) will attempt to contact a Microsoft RD License Server in the following order.
• License Server that are specified in Group Policy
• License Servers that are installed on the same server as the RD Session Host servers
• License Servers that are published in Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)
• License Servers that are installed on Domain Controllers (DCs) in the same domain as the RD Session Host servers
App-V comes as a part of the RDS CAL licenses.
RDS CALs are based on Windows Server OS.
Windows 2016 RDS CALs are compatible with Windows 2012/2008, but not vice versa.
ASKER
Customers should note that they will need Windows client SA and VDA licenses in addition to View or XenDesktop licenses. There is no additional VDA license required if you are using Windows-based endpoints covered under SA.
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2132201
In a Horizon Virtual Desktop environment, vSphere Desktop can be used to power virtual desktops, as well as the underlying infrastructure for the VDI environment. For example, connection server, security server, active directory, monitoring tools, and other infrastructure directly related to an exclusive to the VDI environment. Storage servers would not be included.
Every 100-pack of vSphere Desktop is limited to 100 users.
https://arunpc.com/2016/07/03/simplifyinghopefully-vsphere-for-desktop-licensing/
vSphere for Desktop for non-VMware VDI (for egs: Citrix)
• vSphere for Desktop can be bought separately to host VDI and related workloads from another vendor such as Citrix.
• The licensing is NOT based on CPU or sockets or named users or concurrent users.
• The licensing is based on the number of “Powered On” VMs. This means that the total number of “powered on” vms are counted. For egs, if you have 10 vms for VDI management, 100 desktops for user workloads, you will need to license 110 VMs as a part of vSphere for Desktop.
• Please note XenApp or RDS VM is also considered as a VM even though you can host multiple sessions or users on a single RDS or XenApp VM. So a single XenApp or RDS workload will only consume a single vSphere for Desktop license.
• vSphere for Desktop does not include vCenter for Desktop.
• You will need to purchase vCenter separately to manage your VDI infrastructure.
• As of writing this, you CANNOT buy vCenter for Desktop separately. vCenter for Desktop is ONLY bundled as a part of VMware Horizon and not available for the non-Horizon customer. So you will buy the “normal” vCenter Server to manage your VDI workload.
References:
https://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/vsphere-desktop
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2132201
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2132201
In a Horizon Virtual Desktop environment, vSphere Desktop can be used to power virtual desktops, as well as the underlying infrastructure for the VDI environment. For example, connection server, security server, active directory, monitoring tools, and other infrastructure directly related to an exclusive to the VDI environment. Storage servers would not be included.
Every 100-pack of vSphere Desktop is limited to 100 users.
https://arunpc.com/2016/07/03/simplifyinghopefully-vsphere-for-desktop-licensing/
vSphere for Desktop for non-VMware VDI (for egs: Citrix)
• vSphere for Desktop can be bought separately to host VDI and related workloads from another vendor such as Citrix.
• The licensing is NOT based on CPU or sockets or named users or concurrent users.
• The licensing is based on the number of “Powered On” VMs. This means that the total number of “powered on” vms are counted. For egs, if you have 10 vms for VDI management, 100 desktops for user workloads, you will need to license 110 VMs as a part of vSphere for Desktop.
• Please note XenApp or RDS VM is also considered as a VM even though you can host multiple sessions or users on a single RDS or XenApp VM. So a single XenApp or RDS workload will only consume a single vSphere for Desktop license.
• vSphere for Desktop does not include vCenter for Desktop.
• You will need to purchase vCenter separately to manage your VDI infrastructure.
• As of writing this, you CANNOT buy vCenter for Desktop separately. vCenter for Desktop is ONLY bundled as a part of VMware Horizon and not available for the non-Horizon customer. So you will buy the “normal” vCenter Server to manage your VDI workload.
References:
https://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/vsphere-desktop
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2132201
ASKER
Please find above details about VMWare Licenses requirement for VDI deployments.
My Requirement:
Total User Count: 600
Citrix XenApp XenDesktop 7.15 CU2 LTSR
Platinum Edition -- 300 Concurrent licenses
NetScaler MPX
MS SQL Server (Enterprise) AllwaysON
Windows 2016 Server VDA (SBC) -- 50%
Windows 10 VDI -- 50%
Windows 2016 RDS licenses
VMWARE ESXi 6.5 (Hypervisor)
VMWare Vcenter 6.5
Citrix and Microsoft License are clear.
Could someone let me know about VMWARE Licenses requirement for this VDI deployment?
My Requirement:
Total User Count: 600
Citrix XenApp XenDesktop 7.15 CU2 LTSR
Platinum Edition -- 300 Concurrent licenses
NetScaler MPX
MS SQL Server (Enterprise) AllwaysON
Windows 2016 Server VDA (SBC) -- 50%
Windows 10 VDI -- 50%
Windows 2016 RDS licenses
VMWARE ESXi 6.5 (Hypervisor)
VMWare Vcenter 6.5
Citrix and Microsoft License are clear.
Could someone let me know about VMWARE Licenses requirement for this VDI deployment?
All this on a single server or multiple servers, and how many ?
I've already posted suggested licenses for vSphere.
but what VMware HA features do you require ?
do you also have a shared storage - SAN for this or local storage ?
I also need to know how many hosts, how many processors in each host ?
Do you have a SAN, or Shared Storage?
Do you want vMotion?
Do you want HA ?
Do you want Storage vMotion ?
Do you want VMware Replication ?
Is this just for VDI ?
Do you get it now ....?
Will you be using strandard or distributed switches ?
I'm not sure why the previous post, is discussing VMware Horizon View because that is a competitor of the Citrix product you have already selected, so therefore is MOOT!
I've already posted suggested licenses for vSphere.
but what VMware HA features do you require ?
do you also have a shared storage - SAN for this or local storage ?
I also need to know how many hosts, how many processors in each host ?
Do you have a SAN, or Shared Storage?
Do you want vMotion?
Do you want HA ?
Do you want Storage vMotion ?
Do you want VMware Replication ?
Is this just for VDI ?
Do you get it now ....?
Will you be using strandard or distributed switches ?
I'm not sure why the previous post, is discussing VMware Horizon View because that is a competitor of the Citrix product you have already selected, so therefore is MOOT!
ASKER
vSphere for Desktop for non-VMware VDI (for egs: Citrix) Explained in the previous post.
We are planning to use DAS ( i.e Local Storage) like Nutanix or Cisco UCS C series Servers. Which one has local Storage. Two Processors.
So we are planning 6 to 10 Host servers.
Do you have a SAN, or Shared Storage?
Do you want vMotion? NO
Do you want HA ? Yes.
Do you want Storage vMotion ? Yes
Do you want VMware Replication? No
Is this just for VDI ? VDI and SBC ( Win10 and 2016)
We are planning to use DAS ( i.e Local Storage) like Nutanix or Cisco UCS C series Servers. Which one has local Storage. Two Processors.
So we are planning 6 to 10 Host servers.
Do you have a SAN, or Shared Storage?
Do you want vMotion? NO
Do you want HA ? Yes.
Do you want Storage vMotion ? Yes
Do you want VMware Replication? No
Is this just for VDI ? VDI and SBC ( Win10 and 2016)
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Thank you.
You could just start off with VMware vSphere Essentials, which is a licensed for 3 x 2 CPU ESXi hosts and vCenter Server, but you cannot grow beyond 3 hosts.
it does not include VMware HA, vMotion, Storage vMotion etc
https://www.vmware.com/uk/products/vsphere.html