RemoteFX: is this a big deal?

ehnde

I'm reading over the changes we'll be seeing in Server 2008 and Win 7 with Service Pack 1.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Notable Changes

I read over the part about RemoteFX and I'm wondering what the point of it is and how it could be important. Just looking over this it seems like a waste of server resources. They'll probably be testing over this when it's released, won't they? So basically I'm asking what environments we'd be likely to see RemoteFX in and how it would be used.

Microsoft RemoteFX
Businesses are increasingly looking to leverage the efficiency and cost savings that can come from a virtualized desktop infrastructure. With the addition of Microsoft RemoteFX in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, a new set of remote user experience capabilities that enable a media-rich user environment for virtual desktops, session-based desktops and remote applications is introduced. Harnessing the power of virtualized graphics resources, RemoteFX can be deployed to a range of thick and thin client devices, enabling cost-effective, local-like access to graphics-intensive applications and a broad array of end user peripherals, improving productivity of remote users.

RemoteFX can function independently from specific graphics stacks and supports any screen content, including today’s most advanced applications and rich content (including Silverlight and Adobe Flash), ensuring that end users maintain a rich, local-like desktop experience even in a virtualized thin-client environment.

RemoteFX also adds mainstream USB device support to virtual desktop computing, including support for USB drives, cameras and PDAs connected to the client device. RemoteFX also provides a platform for hardware and software partners to enhance RemoteFX capabilities in a variety of possible host, client and network configurations.

To use RemoteFX, the virtualization server must be running Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1, the virtual machine must be running Windows 7 Enterprise with SP1 or Windows 7 Ultimate with SP1, and the remote client computer must be running either Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 or Windows 7 with SP1. To connect to the virtual machine, the remote client computer requires an updated version of Remote Desktop Services (included in the service pack for all editions of Windows 7).

earweed

RemoteFx is a part of VDI but isn't a major player. You can probably get by just knowing as much about it as you have quoted there. As far as it being used much in the real world by the restrictions stated it probably isn't used much YET. As more enterprises move to Windows 7 it may gain usage but I don't know what they may use it for. It'll probably be primarily used for thin clients but a disadvantage to using RemoteFx will be that it'll use more network bandwidth.

MentholMoose

As mentioned it is used for VDI. Microsoft VDI will use, and Citrix announced that XenDesktop will have support at some point. Support in VMware View is doubtful since it only supports vSphere.