Microsoft Windows “Terminal-Server“(RDS) or “Citrix XenApp“ vs
“Managed Application Virtualization“

vs Windows Terminal-Server or XenApp

Microsoft Windows Terminal-Server

Microsoft Windows Terminal-Server (RDS, aka Terminal Services) is a component of Windows Server (2008R2, 2012R2 and 2016) Operating Systems. Users are able to access a Windows Desktop or “unmanaged“ remote Applications in whats called ‘Kioskmode‘.

Today and with RDS: 80% of Admin time is spent maintaining Microsoft Windows RDP/Terminal-Server and Application deployments for Windows Desktop Users!

RDS: Client independent Software / Devices

With Remote Desktop Services, Microsoft focuses primarily on Windows clients. There are certified and secure RDP software products for iOS or Android, but with these products only the whole desktop can be published. Therefore, Remote Applications or access via a gateway is not possible.

RDS: Microsoft WebRDP solution

Microsoft also has a WebRDP solution, but this solution needs a browser plugin and only works correctly on Microsoft browsers. These solutions are not easy to maintain and can’t be upgraded centrally for all client devices and installations.

Citrix XenApp:

Citrix XenApp is also based on RDS services from Microsoft. However, Citrix offers a wide range of native Client Software (Windows, Mac, Java, Linux, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, ChromeOS, HTML5 etc.) and runs everything through their HDX protocol stack. The main drawback for this type of solution is that Citrix customers and in particular the administrator, often needs to update all the client devices on the IT infrastructure individually with the latest. This is a very slow and very costly in terms of time and effort. Citrix supplies world class management tools, but these tools are often over complicated not required. Without professional training and additional effort these solutions can’t be managed. Citrix is also expensive and administrators have to rely on Citrix support.

Unify and UnifyPlus Edition

(Unify and UnifyPlus Editions) is a much better alternative to Citrix XenApp and Microsoft Windows Terminal-Server because utilizes Windows Application Interfaces and System components to extend or facilitate scalability and easier administration.

Spend just only 20% of your Admin time for the same effort, get a much more enhanced product, avoid mistakes and downtimes all at an affordable price. Don´t waste time and money unnecessarily!

Professional also delivers a Windows Application Launcher and an HTML5 Application Launcher, both of which run through a fast and secure Web/Cloud Gateway Server. With this solution is both flexible and suitable for all devices and operating systems.

With it is also possible to use printers that are connected to a Microsoft print server and only the Universal Printer Driver (release 3.4) is required on RDS Servers and no additional Printer Server is required to be installed.

One Platform
Illustration: Application Server scenario with multiple single virtual Application sessions per User.
Deployment Center (Administration)

The Deployment Center is a high-end and highly integrated administration solution, which allows you to manage all your Application Servers, virtual Applications, Users, Groups, Backups and Licenses. However, unlike other products it‘s very simple to use and manage and you don’t need any training.

The entire solution has a logical approach that empowers you to deploy any application to multiple users on your IT infrastructure within a matter of. Therefore the Deployment Center enables Administrators to save time money and effort which can be better used elsewhere.

Virtualaze Deployment Center
Illustration: Deployment Center solution enables you to manage all of your resource and have a complete overview
Why is RAP Protocol stack better?

The Remote Application Protocol stack is a proprietary technology for a reason:

1. is totally independent from any Microsoft protocol and tools

2. has the ability to enhance and add more new features. This is similar to how Citrix worked initially, but Virtualaze has taken it one step further in terms of updated software clients.

Single RDP session Desktop* vs. Multi Application-Session/User

In comparison to a Microsoft RDP connection and Desktop, with , for every new Application Window there is a separated Window and reserved session.

Increased Reliability and Stability – RAP and Application Launcher encapsulate and run multiple Windows Applications in multiple “separate“ virtual Application sessions and connections.

Microsoft runs all Applications and the entire Windows Desktop inside a single user session. This means if one of the Applications inside the Microsoft RDP session hangs or is occupied, the entire session and productivity goes down.

How does “Remote Application Protocol“ (RAP) work?

The screen content of every virtual Application runs inside the high end virtual Graphic Adapter on the Application Server(s). Flash content is also compatible and runs inside the virtual video adapter. This is digitally transferred directly to the client side over IP. Adobe Flash Player plug-ins or services not needed to be installed on the client side.

What is better about ?

With the Unify and UnifyPlus Editions, the Provisioning can be used. The Provisioning allow you to supply standardized servers to virtual or physical servers.

What are the 10 Key Features ?

contains several key features which Microsoft Terminal-Server can’t and won’t ever offer:

1. supports a mix of multiple Application Servers within one solution (Administration tool and Users Workspace Desktop). A complete cluster could run behind a single and ‘smart‘ user login via the Application Launcher.

2. can support powerful 64-Bit Desktop OS/s which can be used as Application Servers. This means multiple Windows Server and Desktop OS Application Servers can be combined which supply a scalable and full range system compatibility. This means supports a single Workspace Desktop environment for multiple various/different Application releases e.g. Excel, Word etc.

3. Single point Management: The Deployment Center Tool for Administrators means: 1. one time installation, 2. Ability to deploy to various users multiple times no matter where or what device 3. Easy, fast and logical. All of these help to save your administrators time and your CIO´s money.

4. Single point Licensing, Deployment and Brokerage: The remotely accessible central License, Deployment and Brokerage Server includes automated backup services for high redundancy.

5. guarantees the highest compatibility level because its a tested and reliable solution,not just an add-on, a third party client software or plug-in to the Microsoft Terminal-Server.

6. offers an affordable solution with regular updates, fixes and improvements.

7. offers partners and customers competitive license prices in comparison to other expensive solutions.

8. offers support and service that is second to none. There is no need to to search for hours for technical solutions, unlike the market leaders who are at arms length with their customers.

9. respects its partners and customers as well as their needs and therefore supplys the best and most intuitive technical solution available.

10. Green & Sustainable: With you can reuse and prolong the lifespan of your existing computers which saves additional money and headache.

is a proprietary designed solution with the following advantages:

- Lower bandwidth than RDP-clients. RAP protocol for LAN and WAN (cloud/internet).

- has a much lower memory footprint for the Application Launcher Workspace Desktop (3,7MB) in comparison to the Microsoft RDP-Client (mstsc.exe: 163 MB). This allows you to allocate more users sessions and more virtual Applications per Server, which also means that lower spec client hardware can be utilized.

- Multimedia ready & security built in - RAP offers different security levels (up to 128 Bit SSL)

- Backward compatible - Remote Access and Application Launcher for Windows XP and higher Windows OS/s, including embedded Windows OS/s.

- Broadband compatible - Remote Access and Application Launcher for any Browser via HTML5 – any computing device and OS.

- Comprehensive Administration - unlimited Application Servers virtual Windows Applications, Users, Groups etc.

- High-Speed Protocol - RAP works with compression algorithms that have lower bandwidth requirements. This means more users per network segment and less expensive networking equipment is required

- Higher flexibility - to be able to develop more new features in the future - RAP works with virtual protocol channels

- RAP and AppLauncher support unlimited virtual sessions with just one single login

- Higher-Session Resolution - RAP also supports upto 4K resolutions per Application window (release 3.3x)

- Increased Hardware and OS/s compatible - supports various hardware and operating system platforms – HTML5 Gateway Server supports and supplies just HTML5 ready data that can be interpreted by Linux, Android, Macbook, iPad browser access and login

- Multi-Login Ready – multiple users (with the same or different accounts) are allowed to start the Application Launcher several times on one device

- Multi-Screen Ready – this feature is inside the Application Launcher to support “undocked“ Application session window(s)

- Multi-Subnet Mask Support – The Application Launcher is able run virtual Applications in/over the same or different subnet masks, which means it can work in different networks or locations

- Multi-Application Server support – The Application Launcher supports and is able to run and supply multiple virtual Applications from multiple Application Servers

- Multi-Host Platform Support is compatible with VM and physical hosts

- Windows Desktop Support – virtual Applications can be started from your local Windows Desktop client device as an icon

- Full Control - over all of your Application Servers, virtual Applications, Users, Groups as well as User Licensing.

- Exclusive Mode automatic disabling of the local Windows clients Desktop and Task Manager. After a restart only the Application Launcher starts. This means you can’t modify or manipulate the client device(s). Windows PCs, Laptops, Tablets or Thin-clients as they will be switched to ‘Kioskmode‘ and will display the Workspace Desktop.