Connecting thin clients to free ESXI version

I am looking at deploying the free ESXI in a working environment but I am not sure how the clients will connect to the ESXI host, will they use view agent or RDP?
Currently the users are using a MyRiad server which means if someone installs their own softwares like skype, itunes when every user logs on the machines running off the server they have the programes running on their session too. In other times users have sessions of IE running over 250 000Kb per every tab they have open and it uses all the ram for everyone and trying to explain to the users to close IE and start again or close any unused tabs is a waste of time.
I need to deploy a solution were by you assign a user his/her fixed resources so if they install any applications it will only affect their sessions that is why I have gone for the VMware option. The main challenge is a solution that does not cost more than actually deploying standalone desktop computers. We are currently looking at about 20 users who will need this situation resolved. The current budget or quote is about £6 000 which is for upgrading the existing Myriad server.
Currently the users are using a MyRiad server which means if someone installs their own softwares like skype, itunes when every user logs on the machines running off the server they have the programes running on their session too. In other times users have sessions of IE running over 250 000Kb per every tab they have open and it uses all the ram for everyone and trying to explain to the users to close IE and start again or close any unused tabs is a waste of time.
I need to deploy a solution were by you assign a user his/her fixed resources so if they install any applications it will only affect their sessions that is why I have gone for the VMware option. The main challenge is a solution that does not cost more than actually deploying standalone desktop computers. We are currently looking at about 20 users who will need this situation resolved. The current budget or quote is about £6 000 which is for upgrading the existing Myriad server.
Comments
ESXi would not eliminate the need of your solution as it would merely give you a way to consolidate physical resources.
I think ESXi would definitely eliminate the problems I am having because each VM will run independently from one another with the limitations of ram assigned to the VM and the total amount of ram on HyperVisor. In an Esxi solution is if my server had 20GB ram with 15VM's each running 1GB of Ram, if any user installs his dodgy softwares only his VM will be slow or affected. With current our setup if IE crashes for one user or uses a lot of resources then it affects everyone or if someone installs itunes/skype then it runs for every user with sometimes the only solution being to restart the whole machine and log out 20 users. Our goal is to have every VM independent from the others.
We will maybe install Windows 7 OS for the VM's, currently they are on XP but we eventually have to upgrade hence I think VMware is the way to go but the cost of the paid for versions is always going to be prohibiting us.
Just make sure you got enough Windows Licences for this setup ... Also check the limitation of ESXi Free, one being a maximum of 32GB of RAM per host.
At home my lab runs ESXi free version and I connect to my VMs through remote desktop and WMare Vsphere Client but in the working environment I am not sure which protocol the thin clients will use.
As for the Windows Licensse which ever option we choose will need the licences so I am not that concerned about it at the moment.
Depends on the Thin Client. Via Google I see MyRiad uses HTML over HTTP by default so you'd have to check if they can be configured to use RDP.
What protocols does the free ESXi allow you to connect to it using? I know RDP works but that uses up a lot of network bandwidth but I am not sure you will be able to use PCoIP.
If you want to use ESXi Free then you are pretty much limited to anything you can do with a standalone PC - RDP / VNC and maybe other client based protocls those thin clients support .. but PCOIP - nope, no chance ..PCOIP is not just a display protocl, it virtalizes display / USB and other peripherals
MCSA 2003, LFCS, LFCE (expired), VCP6-DCV