Remoting Protocols

• Genesis • Terminal Services and Citrix

– “Low-end and High-end”: RDP and ICA

• Desktop Virtualization – The protocol explosion

• What every protocol wants to be • Things to consider • Protocol Comparison • VDIworks VideoOverIP • Future • Additional Resources • Questions

Overview

• User experience remoting has been around as long as multi-user systems (1960s)

• Protocols initially focused on text-only experiences across serial lines

• With the advent of MIT’s X in 1984, graphical remoting protocols like XDMCP became mainstream

• Products like Norton pcAnywhere and Carbon Copy where early PC remoting solutions. DesqView/X brought X to the PC.

Genesis

Remoting Protocols (and a Data General terminal) almost caused Armageddon!!

Wargames

• Citrix was founded in 1989 to add multi-user remote computing to OS/2

• Microsoft then developed Windows NT as a multi-user, multi-threaded system – Chief architect of VMS was behind the effort

– A key enhancement involved a multi-user capable kernel that could isolate sessions

• Microsoft funded Citrix in 1993 to help develop the remoting protocol and multi-user enablement – MS Terminal Services was born!

– Citrix launched WinFrame for NT 4 and later MetaFrame

Terminal Services and Citrix

• Citrix and Microsoft partnered, so market differentiation become important – RDP evolved into lower end protocol for Admins

– ICA was capable of delivering a relatively better experience, but still not suited for true multimedia

• Today, Citrix and Microsoft maintain a partnership but they are increasingly competing – RDP has improved, and with RDP7 may equal or improve upon ICA

– With the XenSource acquisition, Citrix now has system level components (Hypervisors) that compete with Microsoft’s offerings

Low-end and “high” end: RDP and ICA

• Despite being around since the early 90s, Terminal Services and Citrix were able to capture ~ 2% overall market share – Call centers, Task workers & Niche applications

– User experience, isolation and app compatibility were challenges

• With the advent of VDI, a clear need for a “full” desktop experience developed – Virtualization solved isolation and app compatibility

– A new generation of protocols was needed for high-quality experiences

Desktop Virtualization

• Microsoft – RDP6 launched with enhancements in

performance – RDP7 shipping with Win7, “Calista”

• HP: Remote Graphics Solution (RGS) • Wyse: TCX Extension to RDP • Citrix: Enhancements of ICA, HDX (Hi Def

Experience) • Quest/Provision: EOP (Experience

Optimization Pack) • Qumranet: ICE (now Redhat) • Teradici: PCoIP • VDIworks: VideoOverIP

The Protocol Explosion

• Fast – High frame rates

• Flexible and Open – Able to run on multiple platforms – Configurable for HW, Network and Hypervisor

• High Fidelity – Lossless images, full colour capabilities, expansive resolutions

• Light – Bandwidth efficient, processor efficient

• WAN-capable – Latency, jitter and bandwidth tolerant with features like local

cursor

• Simple and Reliable • Codec independent

What every protocol wants to be (Or should, anyway!)

• Keep your usage scenarios front and center – WAN? Dual monitor? Full screen multimedia? Codec independence? Need

DirectX or OpenGL support? – Cost? Can you afford dedicated host and client hardware to support the

protocol? – Peripherals? Do you need Analog Audio in/out? Is USB support important?

• Keep HW and Hypervisor needs in mind

– Can you afford to be tied to a particular HW platform? – Is committing to a single Hypervisor ok? – Do you need a compact form-factor Thin client? Or is a full-fledged PC

acceptable as a client? – Does the customer already have server or client hardware in place that will

have to be used?

• How well supported is the protocol?

– Is there a good connection broker available? – Is there a long-term roadmap? Are updates being delivered quickly? – Does it work on XPe and Linux?

Things to consider

Protocol Comparison

• Simple & Inexpensive: Protocol host and client available without expensive bulky software infrastructure

• FAST: 720p full motion, high res and dual monitor capabilities, delta-updates

• Open: Runs on any hardware, any Hypervisor

• Flexible: Highly configurable; sound buffer, encoders, levels

• Unique: Desktop Compositing & Transparency, Aero support, GDI/Mirror modes

• Good support for Peripherals: Analog Audio In/Out, USB

• Rapid Improvements: OpenGL, DirectX support came out in alpha recently. Hyper-V optimizations expected soon. Linux client in Alpha. Significant roadmap.

VDIworks VideoOverIP

• VMware View Enhancements expected – “Soft” version of PCoIP only for Vmware

• Microsoft RDP 7 and “Calista” – MSFT aggressively pursuing partners

– Hyper-V/Calista positioning vs. Vmware

• Questions about RGS futures

• Questions about ICE/KVM tie-ins and Redhat strategy

• Rapid VideoOverIP development

Future

• VideoOverIP Info – Full demonstration: http://vdiworks.com/wp/?p=86

– Running DirectX apps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUW1LarDM_M

– Product page: http://vdiworks.com/new_vdi/?q=node/4

• More on protocols – How much bandwidth do I need for VDI?

http://vdiworks.com/wp/?p=56

– Demonstrations of VMware View on YouTube http://vdiworks.com/wp/?p=53

Additional Resources

Questions