Citrix XenServer vs Nutanix AHV Virtualization comparison

Citrix and Nutanix are both solutions in the Server Virtualization Software category. Citrix is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.4, while Nutanix is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.8. Citrix holds a 4.9% mindshare in SVS, compared to Nutanix’s 8.3% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Nutanix users who would recommend it.

Citrix XenServer

Read 47 Citrix XenServer reviews

9,387 Views
6,634 Comparison Views

81% willing to recommend

Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Read 52 Nutanix AHV Virtualization reviews

14,865 Views
9,669 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Citrix XenServer

Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 6, 2024

Citrix XenServer and Nutanix AHV compete in the virtualization category, with each product offering distinct advantages. Citrix XenServer seems to hold an edge with its comprehensive free edition and broad Windows support, while Nutanix AHV excels in storage integration and cost efficiency.

Features: Citrix XenServer offers a full-featured free edition, real-time performance monitoring, and strong support for Windows management via XenCenter. It also provides advanced capabilities like hot-swappable components and compatibility with various clouds. Nutanix AHV is known for its integration of storage and compute services, user-centric design, and automation features. It provides a simplified management experience through the Prism console and does not require licensing costs.

Room for Improvement: Citrix XenServer needs enhanced high-availability and clustering options, a more flexible update process, and expanded support for Linux guests. There is also room for better integration with third-party backup solutions and a more detailed self-service user portal. Nutanix AHV could improve in orchestration, automation, and response times for technical support. Enhanced integration with legacy systems and third-party software, alongside management console enhancements, are desired.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Citrix XenServer offers ease of deployment and community-driven support with optional paid assistance. However, users sometimes find it difficult to obtain help due to a limited number of Citrix partners. Nutanix AHV, being open-source, avoids licensing issues, with users praising quick support resolution capabilities, although improvements in accessibility and support efficiency are needed.

Pricing and ROI: Citrix XenServer's advantage is its free version, suitable for small-scale use, though transitioning to paid versions can be costly. The benefits of virtualization are valued despite high licensing costs for advanced features. Nutanix AHV offers a free hypervisor bundled with Nutanix's platform, leading to cost savings through integrated features like de-duplication without added licensing fees. Although it has higher initial costs, its ROI potential makes it competitive for businesses seeking comprehensive solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Citrix XenServer vs. Nutanix AHV Virtualization Report (Updated: October 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Citrix XenServer vs. Nutanix AHV Virtualization

October 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Citrix XenServer

Ranking in Server Virtualization Software

9th

Average Rating

8.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Ranking in Server Virtualization Software

5th

Average Rating

8.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Server Virtualization Software category, the mindshare of Citrix XenServer is 4.9%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nutanix AHV Virtualization is 8.3%, up from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Server Virtualization Software

Featured Reviews

Siva Kuppala

Enterprise Architect at Wipro Limited

Apr 29, 2024

Allows us to allocate CPU, memory, storage, and network resources across VMs and minimizes downtime in case of hardware failure or maintenance

It is a scalable product and provides great benefits for virtualization needs. However, there are a few considerations: * Cost: Citrix Hypervisor can be fairly expensive. * Complexity: There's a learning curve, especially for those coming from a Microsoft background. Setting it up and managing it can introduce some complexity. * Hardware Support: Not all major hardware vendors fully support Citrix Hypervisor. * Third-party Integration: Integrating Hypervisor with other technologies within a large ecosystem can sometimes be challenging. * Community Support: Compared to solutions like Microsoft Hyper-V, the community support for Citrix Hypervisor is somewhat less extensive. It is not vast. If there are any issues or errors, the community support is not that good. Those are definitely important disadvantages.

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Atif Najam

Chief Information Officer and Program Lead at Gatron Industries Ltd

Aug 2, 2022

Lightweight, integrates well, and the technical support is responsive

Many backup solutions that we use today are available for purchase, be it IBM, VMware, Veritas, or anything else. They usually have very good vSphere and Hyper-V support. Because there isn't much AHV deployment in place, we typically have issues with the integrations that AHV has with backup solutions. We would like to see AHV's backup solution integration improved so that we can take VM-level backups directly from Nutanix. The issue is that it provides a higher VM level for VMware and other areas. When it comes to AHV, however, you must purchase a separate set of third-party software, which can then supplement that backup via your IBM Spectrum Protect Plus. One issue we frequently encounter when using AHV is that if you want to install specific software, you must first gain compatibility. If you want to install an operating system, or OS, on top of your AHV, only a few operating systems are supported. That is one area where I would like to see some progress. VMware typically supports almost all of our systems, as does Hyper-V, but when it comes to AHV, we must apply specific patches in order to run it on top of AHV. Operating system support must be improved out of the box. If you want to install software, you must first ensure that it is compatible with Nutanix AHV; not all software is compatible. It is not possible to integrate it with everything. There is limited compatibility with the software that can be installed on top of Nutanix AHV, for example. If you want to install a specific operating system, you must first check to see if it is listed in the compatibility list; only then will you be able to install it, and that is one issue for now.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Installing Hypervisor is really simple. It's the simplest setup I've ever done before. We used a team to deploy it, and it doesn't take much time, like two or three hours tops."

"The feature I find most valuable, is its performance"

"The core function enables multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical server. This maximizes hardware utilization and efficiency."

"Citrix Hypervisor is quick to deploy and easy to manage."

"What I find most valuable in Citrix Hypervisor is its licensing policy, because you'll get it for free if you buy a Citrix XenDesktop license. You don't need to spend additional money on the Citrix Hypervisor because you can manage both the Citrix XenDesktop and the Citrix Hypervisor with just one license, so you can save on cost. I also like that the solution is good support-wise. Hardware support is also faster compared to other solutions."

"We find there are good central maintenance and central management panels."

"The price is the solution's most valuable feature."

"The solution integrates well with other solutions, which makes it really strong as a primary solution to deploy."

More Citrix XenServer pros

"Simplicity is the most valuable feature."

"With AHV, you can run micro-segmentation, which is, on the network security level, to have network virtualization across clouds."

"This product stands out for its user-friendly interface, intuitive design, and responsive UI. It offers AVH features comparable to Nutanix but at a more cost-effective price point."

"The most valuable feature is manageability."

"Nutanix AHV's most valuable feature is NetFlow."

"The most valuable part of Nutanix is its centralized management of everything."

"Nutanix AHV virtualization requires little disk size for a huge number of servers. We can do everything from a single dashboard, monitoring performance, and single-task boxes."

"It's user-friendly."

More Nutanix AHV Virtualization pros

Cons

"The interface has to be updated."

"The built-in networking features are a little limited."

"The solution needs better backup facilities that are available for virtual machines to create servers on."

"It needs to have a more robust backup solution."

"Integration with other vendors and other applications could be improved."

"Overall, I can't think of a feature that is lacking. We've been pretty satisfied overall."

"The solution should be more flexible and allow for greater customization."

"The solution is too expensive and people are kind of moving away from Citrix. It's starting to become a problem. It is a primary reason that while we are rebuilding we're going to seek out open-source solutions."

More Citrix XenServer cons

"I haven't come across any limitations. Nutanix doesn't support externally attached storage through Fibre Channel. However, Nutanix doesn't support Fibre Channel connectivity. This, in my opinion, is a weakness of Nutanix. For instance, it does not support Cyber Talent. To clarify, you cannot connect external Fibre Channel storage or NAS storage resources with Nutanix. However, VMware vSAN supports such solutions."

"Lacks integration with the cloud or other solutions."

"It's not a very scalable product."

"They need to work on the deployment of virtual machines. They need to streamline the process of templates and deploying virtual machines."

"My storage use is doubled; if I am creating a one TB virtual machine then my storage policy will take two TB from my cluster."

"Nutanix AHV Virtualization's price is very high."

"I must change the memory cards in at least two to three weeks."

"The product must provide geo clusters."

More Nutanix AHV Virtualization cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Citrix Hypervisor is expensive."

"I am fine with their license support. What we have right now is permanent, so I don't have a problem with their license."

"This solution is open source, it's free."

"We migrated from VMware to XenCenter to cut costs."

"Citrix is a good low-cost alternative to VMware, so if budgeting is an issue then I would recommend it."

"The licensing is straight forward based on usage and features."

"There are free and paid versions. The free version is limited in features but not by time limit. The paid version has more features."

"The cost of this product is not high."

More Citrix XenServer pricing and cost advice

"I would rate the pricing a three out of five. It is expensive, but it also provides the value for money and performance that you require as a hyperconverged and virtualization software."

"Nutanix AHV costs less than VMware vSphere."

"Nutanix AHV is low cost."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is that there is no licensing fee."

"They should make the product more competitive by working on their licensing model. Lowering the price would help make it more affordable."

"We don't have to pay extra for Acropolis because it is built into Nutanix."

"The solution's pricing is cheap for a new customer but becomes expensive during renewal."

"When comparing this solution to others on the market, such as VMware and Citrix, the price could be reduced."

More Nutanix AHV Virtualization pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

Thang Le Toan (Victory Lee)

CIO at Robusta Technology & Training

Jan 13, 2015

vSphere vs. RHEV vs. Hyper-V vs. XenServer

We have used the following functions: 1. Hypervisor: to ensure that the virtual server provide web and email services to the company, thus providing a stable operation a with single sign-on integration of an AD server and vCenter. 2. Network and Storage: centralized data server…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

52%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

29%

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Citrix Hypervisor?

The core function enables multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical server. This maximizes hardware utilization and efficiency.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Hypervisor?

I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with one being very inexpensive and ten being very expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Citrix Hypervisor?

It would be very helpful if I could browse the data store directly in the GUI, similar to VMware and Hyper-V. This feature would be particularly useful when something goes wrong with a virtual mach...

See all answers

How does Nutanix AHV compare with VMware vSphere?

To understand which is better - Nutanix AHV or VMware vSphere - you need to do a product comparison. Both products support hypervisors. However, Nutanix supports some of the most popular ones and m...

See all answers

What do you like most about Nutanix AHV Virtualization?

Integration is the most valuable feature of the product.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Nutanix AHV Virtualization?

I am not involved in the licensing terms, and I'm not aware of the exact costs associated with Nutanix AHV licensing. Overall, I understand it to be cost-effective compared to VMware.

See all answers

Comparisons

Proxmox VE vs Citrix XenServer

Compared 36% of the time

VMware vSphere vs Citrix XenServer

Compared 25% of the time

Hyper-V vs Citrix XenServer

Compared 21% of the time

KVM vs Citrix XenServer

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle VM VirtualBox vs Citrix XenServer

Compared 5% of the time

More Citrix XenServer Competitors

Proxmox VE vs Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Compared 30% of the time

Hyper-V vs Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Compared 27% of the time

KVM vs Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Compared 19% of the time

VMware vSphere vs Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Compared 12% of the time

RHEV vs Nutanix AHV Virtualization

Compared 3% of the time

More Nutanix AHV Virtualization Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Citrix XenServer

November 2024

Download Citrix XenServer product report

Buyer's Guide

Nutanix AHV Virtualization

November 2024

Download Nutanix AHV Virtualization product report

Also Known As

Hypervisor

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Citrix

Nutanix

Overview

Citrix XenServer is a virtualization platform used in industries such as banking, automotive, and data applications for cloud automation, server virtualization, and VDI scenarios. It supports infrastructure management, virtual machine hosting, and enterprise software deployment, reducing costs by migrating from other platforms.

As a virtualization tool, Citrix XenServer stands out for its ease of maintenance, support, scalability, and centralized management. Commonly deployed on-premises and in data centers, it provides real-time monitoring, live migration, and strong security features. With compatibility across many operating systems, users benefit from a Windows-based management interface that is easy to install and navigate. Integration capabilities with active directory, storage, and load balancing contribute to resource optimization and reliability.

What are the key features of Citrix XenServer?

Cost-effectiveness: Reduces operational expenses across IT environments.
High Performance: Real-time monitoring and live migration support high efficiency.
Security: Strong safeguards protect data and processes.
Management Interface: Windows-based, offering user-friendly controls.
OS Compatibility: Works with a range of operating systems for flexibility.
Advanced Integrations: Active directory, storage, and load balancing maximize resources.

What benefits should users consider in Citrix XenServer reviews?

Scalability: Easily adapts to growing demands.
Ease of Deployment: Streamlines the installation process for quick setup.
Comprehensive Virtualization: Offers extensive capabilities for seamless operations.
Centralized Management: Facilitates control through XenCenter.

Implementation in banking, automotive, and data applications leverages Citrix XenServer's strengths in cloud automation and virtualization. Organizations manage resources, deploy services, and ensure stable operations within their infrastructure. The platform is used both on-premises and in data centers, aiding in areas such as cost reduction and maintenance efficiency.

Nutanix AHV is a secure, enterprise-grade solution for intuitive virtualization and container management. It streamlines operations and simplifies management for all your workloads and environments.

Sample Customers

U.S. Army Shared Services Center, SoftLayer, Educational Services of America, Independent Bank, and SK Telecom.

JetBlue, International Speedway Corporation, SAIC Volkswagen

Buyer's Guide

Citrix XenServer vs. Nutanix AHV Virtualization

October 2024

Free Report: Citrix XenServer vs. Nutanix AHV Virtualization

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