VMware Horizon Licensing Explained: How Does It Work?
VMware Horizon is a virtual desktop and application delivery platform. Released in late 2021, the latest VMware Horizon 8 version touts new features, including an improved image-cloning technique, closer integration with security tools, a virtual environment optimization tool for Windows, on-demand application delivery, support for user profiles on Microsoft OneDrive, and recording support for RDSH (Remote Desktop Session Hosts) applications. VMware also announced a change in the VMware Horizon 8 licensing types in mid-2021. This article takes a detailed look at the different VMware Horizon 8 models and their license types.
Transition to Subscription Licenses
VMware Horizon has always been available in any of two license models: named user (NU) and concurrent connection user (CCU). An NU license is ideal for environments with staff that require dedicated access to a virtual machine (VM), while a CCU license is ideal for environments where users share access to a VM.
Regardless of the license model, organizations used to have a couple of licensing options available when using Horizon 8, namely, perpetual licensing, and subscription or term licensing. A perpetual license allowed customers to pay a one-time fee for lifetime use. With a subscription license, VMware Horizon 8 customers had to pay for the license every year. If they stopped paying, they lost access to the platform.
However, VMware stopped issuing perpetual licenses for VMware Horizon 8 in early May 2021. Horizon 8 continues to be available as a subscription license, whether deployed fully on-premises or using a hybrid of on-premises and cloud deployment.
Existing customers can continue using their on-premises environments without redeployment if they choose to do so. At the same time, VMware is hoping that customers will take advantage of upgrading to the hybrid and cloud deployment options available with Horizon 8.
Customers that do not want to utilize the hybrid and cloud options in Horizon 8 can still avail themselves of the Enterprise Term Subscription license.
Explanation of Horizon SaaS Subscription License Types
The VMware Horizon 8 Software as a Service (SaaS) subscription licensing types are:
- Horizon Universal Subscription: Allows desktop and application delivery with a suite of cloud management services for hybrid deployments. Includes access to full security and user experience features.
- Horizon Standard Subscription: Allows desktop delivery only for single-location deployments on-premises or the cloud. Includes basic cloud management services.
- Horizon Apps Universal Subscription: Allows application and desktop delivery with a full suite of cloud management services for hybrid deployments. Includes access to full security and user experience features.
- Horizon Apps Standard Subscription: Allows application delivery only for single-location deployments on-premises or the cloud. Includes basic cloud management services.
- VMware Horizon Enterprise Term Subscription: Horizon Enterprise Edition license that includes production support and is available for terms of three months or one year.
Comparison of VMware Horizon Licenses
The table below shows the available features in each of the Horizon 8 subscription license types.
| Feature | Horizon Universal | Horizon Standard | Horizon Apps Universal | Horizon Apps Standard | Horizon Enterprise Edition |
| License Type | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| Named User | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Concurrent User | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-Premises Deployment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Public Cloud Deployment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Federal Only |
| Hybrid Cloud Deployment | Yes | No | Yes | No | Federal Only |
| Multi-Location Deployment | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Windows and Linux VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) | Yes | Windows Only | No | No | Yes |
| RDSH Desktops and Apps with Instant and Full Clones | Yes | No | Yes | Full Clone Only | Yes |
| Linux-Hosted Applications | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power Management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| REST APIs (application programming interfaces) | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| App Catalog with Single Sign-On (SSO) Access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Screen Capture | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Recording | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Optimized Audio and Video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Parallels RAS: An Alternative to Manage Hybrid Cloud Setups
It can be hard to navigate the complex structure of VMware Horizon licensing. For organizations looking to set up their own hybrid cloud environments for virtual desktop and application delivery on both Windows and Linux, Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) provides a suitable alternative.
Parallels RAS streamlines application and desktop delivery by managing your VDI, RDSH, and Azure virtual desktop environments from a single pane of glass. Moreover, it provides smart-wizards and automation tools that make it easy to perform administrative tasks. Your IT administrators can even avail themselves of free certification training to further ease their transition to the tool.
Parallels RAS offers a single license model that gives you full access to its capabilities. It not only requires less hardware and resources to set up compared to its competitors, but it also lets you use low-cost thin client devices within your environment. It even allows you to refactor your old physical devices into thin clients to further save on costs.
See how you can use Parallels RAS for virtual application and desktop delivery!
