VDI-in-a-Box EOL Opportunities with Parallels RAS

VDI-in-a-Box EOL: Citrix VDI-in-a-Box (5.x), the desktop virtualization software from Citrix for small and medium-sized businesses came to an end back on 31st October 2017. During the earnings call of 2014, Citrix CEO Mark Templeton announced the End of Life (EOL) for VDI-in-a-Box. The end of extended support for Windows Server 2003 was on 3rd Sep 2016.

VDI-in-a-Box EOL Matrix

Product/Component Name	Version/Model	Language	NSC*	EOS*	EOM*	EOL*
VDI-in-a-Box	4.0 / 4.1	EN	30-Nov-11	31-May-12	30-Jun-12	31-Dec-12
VDI-in-a-Box	5.x	EN	3-Dec-13	15-Apr-16	3-Sep-16	31-Oct-17
Kaviza	3.0 / 3.1	EN	30-Mar-11	30-Jun-11	30-Oct-11	31-Dec-11

Citrix acquired VDI-in-a-Box from Kaviza in May 2011. It was offered as an all-in-one VDI solution for businesses that required basic virtualization solutions at an affordable price.

With the VDI-in-a-Box EOL, businesses now need to plan a migration strategy. They need to migrate to an alternative that can manage a VDI network effectively while being affordable.

Parallels RAS fits the bill perfectly. The product is a comprehensive virtualization solution that not only provides several useful features to ensure the effective management of a VDI network but is easy to install and manage. Its flexible pricing options cannot be found elsewhere. Several companies have already gone through a smooth transition from Citrix VDI-in-a-Box to Parallels RAS.

Why is migrating to Parallels RAS the best solution?

Citrix VDI-in-a-Box is specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It does not manage the entire infrastructure and is therefore not a comprehensive solution. VDI-in-a-Box is relatively easy to install as a virtual machine or an appliance on a hypervisor. After installation, virtual images can be created using a simple wizard. VDI-in-a-Box supports Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware vSphere and Citrix XenServer, but a single installation of VDI-in-a-Box only supports one hypervisor. Additional components have to be configured to perform tasks such as load balancing and reporting. While Citrix VDI-in-a-Box supports multiple servers for high availability, it is a complex task to add each server. Only virtual desktops can be published. Access filtering is based on a group, username or IP address. To take a manual backup, the server needs to be switched off. Users cannot print and scan from all types of devices.
Parallels RAS is a simple, flexible, fully scalable VDI solution for businesses of all sizes. It is easy to install and configure and takes less than five minutes to get going. With just a few clicks, you can publish an application on a remote desktop. The product integrates well with multiple hypervisors simultaneously and comes with a preconfigured load balancer. It supports multiple servers and gateways for high availability, automatic wizards helping you to add new servers quickly and easily. The publication of applications and virtual desktops is simple. Parallels RAS allows you to filter connections based on IP address, MAC address, username, and gateway used. Backup can be done easily from the console. Parallels RAS supports universal printing and scanning.

VDI-in-a-Box EOL

Citrix VDI-in-a-Box was a good virtualization solution for small and medium-sized businesses needing basic software for a modest price. However, it came with limited features and has already reached its EOL.

Parallels RAS is a comprehensive virtualization platform that delivers robust networking solutions at a low price. It is the only solution that offers all features within the standard edition. Parallels RAS can easily scale up from a small to medium-sized business to a large enterprise. Its powerful reporting services enable you to manage and monitor the entire infrastructure effectively from a single dashboard.

Parallels RAS is a one-stop-shop for all your virtualization needs, Download your free 30-day trial today.

Parallels RAS allows for quick, simple, and affordable VDI deployments. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) offers some benefits to organizations such as improved security, centralized desktop management, and reduced IT workload.

References

Citrix buried VDI-in-a-Box and the Sanbolic acquisition…My thoughts | basvankaam.com
Citrix VDI in a Box or Server 2012 VDI? | community.spiceworks.com/
Citrix Kills Off VDI-in-a-Box | virtualizationreview.com
Citrix VDI-in-a-Box | citrixmea.com
Citrix VDI-in-a-Box | searchvirtualdesktop.techtarget.com