Horizon Cloud Service Reviews

Name: Horizon Cloud Service
Brand: Omnissa
Rating: 4.2 (9 reviews)

4.2 out of 5

9 reviews
90% willing to recommend

236 followers

What is Horizon Cloud Service?

The VMware Horizon Cloud Service delivers feature-rich virtual desktops and applications using a purpose-built cloud platform that is scalable across multiple deployment options, including fully managed infrastructure from VMware, public cloud infrastructure from Microsoft Azure, or on-premises hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). The service supports a cloud-scale architecture that makes it easy to deliver virtualized Windows desktops and applications to any device, anytime. And, with a flexible subscription model and turnkey solutions, organizations can easily get up and running and scale quickly.

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Horizon Cloud Service is the #4 ranked solution in top Desktop as a Service vendors and #11 ranked solution in top Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions. PeerSpot users give Horizon Cloud Service an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Horizon Cloud Service is most commonly compared to VMware Workstation: Horizon Cloud Service vs VMware Workstation. Horizon Cloud Service is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 64% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 12% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Horizon Cloud Service

January 2025

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Featured reviews

Vaisakh Natesh M

Technical Lead at Senior Specialist

VMware Horizon Cloud is easy to use and the full development cloud is very good. The main features of VMware are included. It's a cloud-based virtual desktop infrastructure software that allows you to permit the virtual desktops and applications to any device from the single unified management control. These are managed from the dedicated remote session desktop. It is a multiple cloud deployment that provides flexibility. You can choose cloud capacity management by VMware or infrastructure management with Microsoft Azure. Advanced user configuration management through dynamic environment management is available. There are many self-serve options.

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Vaisakh Natesh M

Technical Lead at Senior Specialist

We use the product to automatically create an on-cloud machine for the end-users to work on daily activities The product’s on-premise version has the ability to create an image of any updates or changes in the system. We can upload that particular image in the virtual desktop infrastructure’s…

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ManuelIglesias

Solutions Architect at Open group

In the design phase, sometimes the tools for designing Horizon solutions have issues when they're calculating the number of nodes and platforms needed to support the VDI systems. In the past, Horizon had limited compatibility with Windows 7 or 8. It wasn't totally supported and there were problems with that operating system. I was trying to do something with the desktop in that version of Windows, and there were lots of issues. I finally got it working, but the client decided to upgrade to Windows 10, and that was an issue. In the end, the client loved the tool and bought Horizon. Horizon is a perfect tool that's easy to manage, so I haven't had too many struggles. I can resolve any problems easily without spending too much time. I only need to review the limitations and explain them to the clients.

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Horizon Cloud Service mindshare

Product category:

As of January 2025, the mindshare of Horizon Cloud Service in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) category stands at 1.5%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)	Jan 21, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jan 21, 2025	Download
Comparison	Horizon Cloud Service vs VMware Workstation	Jan 21, 2025	Download
Comparison	Horizon Cloud Service vs Horizon 8	Jan 21, 2025	Download
Comparison	Horizon Cloud Service vs Citrix DaaS (formerly Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service)	Jan 21, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
VMware Workstation	4.4	17.7%	93%	55 interviews Add to research
Workspace ONE UEM	4.1	N/A	83%	100 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

VMware Horizon Cloud Service offers valuable features like seamless desktop and application access from multiple devices, advanced management including power and user configuration, ease of use compared to other VDI options, flexible cloud deployment with options like Microsoft Azure, and cost-effective cloud infrastructure utilization. Users appreciate its comprehensive capabilities, VPN connection, stable performance, and ability to handle numerous desktops remotely. Automatically updating virtual desktops is a standout feature for on-premise deployment.

"The tool remains pretty stable."
"The product’s on-premise version has the ability to create an image of any updates or changes in the system."
"The product allows a VPN connection, adding extra value to its features."

Room for Improvement

Horizon Cloud Service is costly and needs to enhance its handling of external resources like USBs or hard drives, which often encounter connectivity issues. Workspace One access integration requires improvement for better identity management. Application remoting features and design tools need refinement. Previously, it faced compatibility challenges with older Windows versions. Users report difficulties logging in, bug presence, and VM performance issues. The complexity of VDI stacks suggests improvements could align with Citrix capabilities.

"It can be very expensive to scale up because each part of scaling up requires you to have new components of the infrastructure."
"The product has a lot of bugs."
"Logging into VMware Horizon Cloud could be made easier. Additionally, the VMs could be better in their performance."

Pricing

Enterprise users express mixed experiences with Horizon Cloud Service pricing. Some find it expensive compared to alternatives like Hyper-V and Azure, with licensing being a cost concern. Others highlight the cost-effectiveness of the consumption-based model and reduced on-premises management needs. Although initially affordable, costs may increase upon scaling. Some features are pricey, yet the comprehensive service can justify the investment. Overall, VMware Horizon Cloud offers various tiered licensing levels accommodating diverse needs.

"Initially, the product is cheap, but it starts to get expensive when users try to scale out."
"I rate VMware Horizon Cloud pricing a ten out of ten."
"VMware Horizon Cloud is an expensive solution. This solution is approximately 30 percent more than Microsoft Azure Cloud. There can be extra costs."

Popular Use Cases

Horizon Cloud Service is primarily used for deploying virtual desktops on public cloud platforms, supporting remote work capabilities with secure virtual machines. Users appreciate its flexibility in pulling from a shared resource pool to manage costs effectively and deploy across various platforms like Azure, VMware, and AWS. It allows technical teams to manage less and facilitates burst capacity for environments requiring more resources during specific periods, like tax season for accountants.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for Horizon Cloud Service receive mixed feedback. Many users rely on third-party providers for assistance, effectively bypassing direct interaction. VMware's technical team is generally praised for their expertise but noted for occasional delays. Some users report a drop in support quality, while others appreciate their promptness, especially in specific regions like Latin America. Despite some dissatisfaction with time-consuming processes, comprehensive knowledge sharing post-issue resolution is appreciated.

Deployment

Users found Horizon Cloud Service's initial setup mostly straightforward and simple. Some appreciated the ability to perform snapshots for quick recovery. The process usually involves VMware setting up the environment, and users report quick logins. While infrastructure setup is easy, use cases for desktop pools can be challenging. Deployment may take 24-48 hours. However, some described the setup as complex, especially connecting VMware Cloud to existing infrastructure, requiring diverse skill sets.

Scalability

Horizon Cloud Service demonstrates remarkable scalability, effortlessly accommodating a wide range of user demands. Users commend its ability to scale up efficiently across thousands of desktops without needing reboots. From small teams to large organizations, it handles diverse workloads with ease. While scalability is praised, some note potential cost and complexity when integrating with other cloud infrastructures or on-premises setups. Users consistently highlight its adaptability for various user profiles, emphasizing its strength in a growing environment.

Stability

Horizon Cloud Service demonstrates strong stability. Users indicate it remains solid and operational without downtime. Initial issues occurred with an outdated version, but upgrading resolved these problems. While a group experienced stability performance issues with VMs, this seems to be an isolated case. Most find the system stable and reliable. The scalability of VMware Horizon Cloud receives high marks, with frequent satisfaction expressed in its reliability and functionality after updates.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Horizon Cloud Service Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.