Rhino and Desktop Virtualization

Product: Zoo
Summary: Discusses running Rhino for Windows on Desktop Virtualization servers.

Question

Our school is using Microsoft Windows MultiPoint Server. Is Rhino compatible with this system?

Answer

Technically, Rhino should run in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments if installed as a standalone-node using an Educational Lab license. Single-user licenses should also work, but only for a single-user at a time.

Rhino should also run in VDI environments if installed as a network-node, using a LAN Zoo license server to distribute licenses.

That said, we cannot make a recommendation on whether or not you should run Rhino in this manner, as we (McNeel) neither test nor use Rhino in a VDI environment.

Rhino is a CPU, memory, and graphics-intensive application. Imagine logging onto your own computer 5, 10, 20 or even 30 times and trying to run Rhino in each logon session.

Our customers have reported mixed results running Rhino in VDI environments. Some say that Rhino's performance is quite acceptable for an educational setting. Others have reported that Rhino's performance is inadequate for anything but the most basic operations.

Clearly, your results will vary depending on the products and technologies your organization has chosen to implement.

If you are considering running Rhino in a VDI environment, then you are going to want to perform some considerable testing to ensure that both performance and reliability are acceptable for your needs.

When you finish your testing, please share your results with our technical support staff. We are interested in hearing about your experience.