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XenDesktop 4 Licensing – Additional Thoughts

I have had a couple of conversations, with someone who happens to read my blog, about the XenDesktop 4 licensing changes and my opinions on it.  I stated my gut reaction in my previous entry and I posted a comment on Claudio Rodriguez blog.  In addition I have made my opinion known via Twitter... I do not like the move away from CCU.

'FlexLicensing'

I joked that Citrix should add a new term to their fantastic marketing names, FlexLicensing, to join FlexCast (seriously, who comes up with these names).  In my discussions with someone who was interested in my opinion the 'FlexLicensing' idea turned from jest into a half way serious thought.

I admit that a  tiny part of the problem I have with moving away from the CCU model is likely because I am an Admin who associates Citrix products with a concurrent user licensing scheme.  I guess part of me may be afraid all of their products will turn to this method.  That being said the biggest part of why I don't like the change of XD going to Per Named User (PNU) is because it simply does not fit into every environment.  For that matter, NO licensing scheme does.  Per User, Per Device, Concurrent User, it doesn't really matter as each company and even multiple environments within that company have different user bases with completely different needs and use cases.

In my conversation, with the person I eluded to in the beginning, I began to think, "Why not have a licensing model that is as flexible as what you are trying to do with your technology?"  Currently a retail XenApp CCU Platinum License runs around $600 bucks.  I think we all know that no one really pays that but it gives Citrix, a public company, a starting point to negotiate what they think their product is worth.  XenDesktop 4 licenses are much cheaper than that for a per user mode.

I then proceeded to make the suggestion to offer multiple different licensing schemes to customers.  If a customer feels that their environment is better suited for a CCU model then so be it, you pay a bit more for the flexibility.  Whether this is in annual SA costs per CCU license or the up front cost you still pay a bit more.  You then have the customer who needs to buy a set of licenses for users in which everyone is in the system at the same time and a CCU model does not fit.  This customer pays for each license as they need it but spends a bit less money because of less flexibility in what they can do with their environment.  And hell, while we are at it throw in a Per Device license model too (though I don't see the benefit of a device license over a ccu license) so it can fit the customer who needs it.  The pricing/annual costs for each of these models would need to have careful thought put into it to ensure that you aren't simply penalized for going to a CCU model but I think it could be done.

I know there are going to be a lot of people out there who think I am nuts (or an idiot) for suggesting adding MORE complexity to software licensing but let's face the fact, you are not going to please everyone by one licensing scheme.  I think if done correctly it would add a lot of value to Citrix's products as they can say, "Customer we can support your environment with our technology and we have a licensing model that fits your use case perfectly.  Here is what it would cost you for CCU, PNU and/or Per Device.  You decide what is best for you".  In the end Citrix is always going to get its money.

VDI Maturity

Another topic that came up in the conversation is my feelings on VDI as a solution in general and why I think its infancy is causing such an uproar on the licensing change.  VDI is just not a technology that is ready for wide scale production use.  I know there are some that are doing this today but I just don't see where VDI, at this point, is going to replace the majority of the desktops in a company.  Unless of course most of your company is lab/training devices that don't need a lot of rich experiences from the desktop.  Until VDI can essentially replicate all of the functionality of an existing physical desktop I just don't see it being as useful as companies claim it is now.

In a way I am talking out of my back side as I have not actually deployed a VDI environment.  What I have tested though (XD4 not included) did not impress me enough to think this stuff is ready for 'primetime'.  And to add to that if these companies think that VDI will eventually replace all machines in a company or that I will eventually run my entire OS in a cloud they are absolutely nuts.

As I finish this post I don't think I conveyed my thoughts very well but I am tired...that's my excuse.