Blog on three possible strategies for deploying remote desktops. How much does it really cost to stick with Microsoft?
Let’s look at the 3 possible client strategies companies deploying remote desktops can adopt:
- buy a new low cost low power (green) PC with a Windows OEM license. these PCs are fast enough to use as a thin client but are less reliable, will need to be patched and managed, and use more electricity. The upside is there is no VDA cost, but there is a need for SA and additional software stacks for patching (in my comparison i use SCCM whic is $41/device/year list)
- buy a new linux based thin client (TC5D) which will perform just as well as the PC above but cost less, use less electricity, be more reliable, come with management software and won’t need to be patched or to run 3rd party software like antivirus.
- reuse their existing PC, blast Windows off with VDI Blaster: upside is no hardware acquisition or installation costs, low TCO (management software is included). Downside is electricity use remains high.
Reliability is not good but it is not a downside as the PC can be swapped with a thin client when it dies. Interestingly if the PC was amortized over 3 years and re-purposing it allows amortizing over 5 years, the customer frees up anywhere between $150 and $300 in their budget! If we take this into account VDI Blaster has a 0 day ROI!
Blog on Devon has the actually numbers for ROI. For three years it puts Microsoft at $1,005, TC5D at $860 and $770 for VDI Blaster.
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