How to Choose the Best VDI Solution Based on the Gartner Magic Quadrant
If you are looking for a virtual desktop solution for your organization, you might have come across the term VDI, which stands for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. VDI is a full, thick-client user environment run as a virtual machine (VM) on a server and accessed remotely. VDI can offer many benefits for your business, such as improved security, scalability, manageability, and user experience.
gartner magic quadrant vdi
However, choosing the best VDI solution for your needs can be challenging, as there are many vendors and products in the market. How can you compare and evaluate them objectively and effectively? One way to do that is to use the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI, which is a research report that provides a graphical representation of the relative positions of the leading VDI vendors in the market based on their ability to execute and their completeness of vision. In this article, we will explain what the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI is, how it works, and how you can use it to choose the best VDI solution for your organization.
What is the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI?
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI is a research report that evaluates and ranks the top VDI vendors in the market based on two criteria: ability to execute and completeness of vision. Ability to execute measures how well a vendor performs in delivering and supporting its VDI solution, while completeness of vision measures how well a vendor anticipates and responds to the changing needs and expectations of the market. The report also provides an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each vendor, as well as their future plans and strategies.
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI divides the vendors into four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, and Niche Players. The position of each vendor in the quadrant reflects their relative strengths and weaknesses in relation to each other. The quadrants are defined as follows:
Leaders: These are vendors that have a strong ability to execute and a clear vision for the future of VDI. They have a large and loyal customer base, a robust product portfolio, a strong presence in multiple regions, and a proven track record of innovation and customer satisfaction. They are well-positioned to address the current and future needs of the market.
Challengers: These are vendors that have a strong ability to execute but a less clear vision for the future of VDI. They have a solid product offering, a large customer base, and a good financial performance, but they may lack innovation or differentiation in their products or strategies. They may also have limited geographic coverage or market awareness.
Visionaries: These are vendors that have a clear vision for the future of VDI but a weaker ability to execute. They have innovative products or services that address emerging trends or needs in the market, but they may lack scale, resources, or experience to deliver and support them effectively. They may also have limited customer references or market share.
Niche Players: These are vendors that have a limited ability to execute and a narrow vision for the future of VDI. They focus on a specific segment of the market or a specific type of customer, but they may not offer a comprehensive or competitive solution for the broader market. They may also have low visibility or recognition in the market.
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI is updated periodically to reflect the changes and developments in the market. The latest report was published in August 2020 and included 12 vendors: Citrix, VMware, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Nutanix Xi Frame (formerly Frame), Workspot, Evolve IP (formerly Parallels RAS), dinCloud (formerly Nerdio), Cloudalize (formerly Dizzion), Paperspace (formerly Teradici), Cameyo (formerly Ericom), and Apporto .
How to Use the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI?
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI can be a useful tool for you to compare and evaluate the different VDI vendors and products in the market and to choose the best one for your organization. However, you should not rely on it as the only source of information or as a definitive guide. You should also consider your own specific needs, goals, budget, and preferences when making your decision. Here are some tips on how to use the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI effectively:
Understand the criteria and methodology: Before you look at the quadrant, you should read the report carefully and understand how Gartner defines and measures the ability to execute and the completeness of vision of each vendor. You should also be aware of the assumptions, limitations, and scope of the research, as well as the data sources and validation methods used by Gartner.
Look beyond the quadrant: The quadrant is a visual summary of the relative positions of the vendors, but it does not tell the whole story. You should also read the detailed analysis of each vendor's strengths and weaknesses, as well as their future plans and strategies. You should also look at other sources of information, such as customer reviews, case studies, demos, trials, or references.
Focus on your needs: The quadrant is based on a general evaluation of the VDI market, but it may not reflect your specific situation or requirements. You should identify your own needs, goals, challenges, and expectations for your VDI solution, and then map them to the capabilities and offerings of each vendor. You should also consider factors such as cost, support, integration, security, scalability, and compatibility.
Use it as a starting point: The quadrant is a snapshot of the current state of the VDI market, but it may change over time as new technologies, trends, or competitors emerge. You should use it as a starting point for your research and evaluation process, but not as a final destination. You should also update your knowledge and analysis regularly to keep up with the changes in the market.
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI can be a valuable resource for you to learn about the VDI market and to compare and evaluate the different VDI vendors and products available. However, you should also use your own judgment and criteria when choosing the best VDI solution for your organization.
Who are the Leaders in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI 2020?
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI 2020 report identified two vendors as Leaders in the VDI market: Citrix and VMware. These vendors have a strong ability to execute and a clear vision for the future of VDI, and they offer comprehensive and competitive solutions that address the current and future needs of the market. Here is a brief overview of each vendor's strengths and weaknesses, according to the report:
Citrix
Citrix is a well-established and recognized leader in the VDI market, with a large and loyal customer base, a robust product portfolio, a strong presence in multiple regions, and a proven track record of innovation and customer satisfaction. Citrix offers Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) as its flagship VDI solution, which can be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid model. Citrix also offers Citrix DaaS as its cloud-based VDI solution, which is powered by Microsoft Azure and provides a fully managed service for customers who want to outsource their VDI infrastructure.
Some of the strengths of Citrix include:
Its ability to deliver a high-quality user experience across various devices, networks, and locations, using its proprietary HDX protocol and adaptive transport technology.
Its integration with Microsoft technologies, such as Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Azure Active Directory, and Azure Monitor.
Its support for hybrid and multicloud deployments, allowing customers to leverage different cloud providers and platforms for their VDI workloads.
Its comprehensive management and security capabilities, such as Citrix Workspace Environment Management (WEM), Citrix Analytics, Citrix App Layering, Citrix Endpoint Management (CEM), and Citrix Secure Workspace Access.
Its innovation and vision for the future of VDI, such as its focus on intelligent workspace solutions that provide contextual and personalized access to applications and data.
Some of the weaknesses of Citrix include:
Its complex licensing and pricing models, which can be confusing and expensive for some customers.
Its dependency on Microsoft Azure for its DaaS solution, which can limit its flexibility and scalability for some customers.
Its lack of native support for Linux-based virtual desktops, which can be a disadvantage for some customers who require Linux-based applications or environments.
VMware
VMware is another well-established and recognized leader in the VDI market, with a large and loyal customer base, a robust product portfolio, a strong presence in multiple regions, and a proven track record of innovation and customer satisfaction. VMware offers VMware Horizon as its flagship VDI solution, which can be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid model. VMware also offers VMware Horizon Cloud as its cloud-based VDI solution, which can run on VMware Cloud on AWS, Microsoft Azure, IBM Cloud, or Google Cloud Platform.
Some of the strengths of VMware include:
Its ability to deliver a high-quality user experience across various devices, networks, and locations, using its proprietary Blast Extreme protocol and adaptive transport technology.
Its integration with Microsoft technologies, such as Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Azure Active Directory, and Azure Monitor.
Its support for hybrid and multicloud deployments, allowing customers to leverage different cloud providers and platforms for their VDI workloads.
Its comprehensive management and security capabilities, such as VMware Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM), VMware App Volumes (AV), VMware Unified Access Gateway (UAG), VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard (CBCES), and VMware Workspace ONE Access.
Its innovation and vision for the future of VDI, such as its focus on digital workspace solutions that provide secure and seamless access to applications and data.
Some of the weaknesses of VMware include:
Its complex licensing and pricing models, which can be confusing and expensive for some customers.
Its dependency on third-party partners for some features or functions of its VDI solution, such as GPU acceleration or printing services.
Its lack of native support for Linux-based virtual desktops, which can be a disadvantage for some customers who require Linux-based applications or environments.
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI 2020 report identified Citrix and VMware as the leaders in the VDI market. These vendors offer comprehensive and competitive solutions that address the current and future needs of the market. However, you should also consider your own specific needs and preferences when choosing the best VDI solution for your organization.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed what VDI is, how to use the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI to compare and evaluate the different VDI vendors and products in the market, and who are the leaders in the VDI market according to the latest report. We have also provided you with some links and references for further information and guidance.
However, we have also reminded you that the Gartner Magic Quadrant for VDI is not the only source of information or a definitive guide for choosing the best VDI solution for your organization. You should also consider your own specific needs, goals, budget, and preferences when making your decision. You should also update your knowledge and analysis regularly to keep up with the changes and developments in the market.
We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you, and we thank you for reading it. d282676c82