VDI Servers — Citrix XenDesktop & VMware Horizon Compatible Hardware

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is one of the most demanding enterprise server workloads — every user session adds 1.5-4 GB RAM, 1-2 vCPUs, and 50-100 GB of low-latency storage to the host. Pro Disk Network stocks Citrix XenDesktop and VMware Horizon-certified servers that handle 100-400 concurrent VDI sessions per node.

The most common deployment pattern is a 3-node hyper-converged cluster: Dell PowerEdge R740xd or HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10, dual Xeon Gold 6248R (24 cores @ 3.0 GHz each), 768 GB DDR4-2933 ECC RDIMM, 4× 1.92 TB NVMe SSDs in a vSAN ReadyNode configuration. This delivers ~120 power users per node with persistent profiles, or 220+ task workers in non-persistent mode.

For graphics-intensive VDI (CAD, BIM, video editing), NVIDIA T4 (16 GB GDDR6) and A10 (24 GB GDDR6) GPUs slot into PCIe Gen3 x16 risers. We stock the certified-fit risers and PSU upgrades that the Dell R740xd VDI bundle requires. All servers ship with vSphere 7.0 U3 or 8.0 U2 + Horizon 2306 pre-validation reports.

VDI procurement note: licence-bound to per-named-user or per-concurrent-connection, the hardware can be sized once and refreshed every 5-7 years without losing user licences. For school districts and government agencies, our TAA-compliant configurations are GSA-priced and eligible for E-Rate (Category 2) funding.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many VDI users can a Dell PowerEdge R740xd handle?

A typical Dell R740xd with dual Xeon Gold 6248R (24c each), 768 GB DDR4, and 4× 1.92 TB NVMe SSDs supports 100-130 persistent VDI users running Office, Teams, browsing, and light apps. With non-persistent profiles (e.g., Citrix MCS or VMware Instant Clones) you can push to 200-250 task workers per node. For graphics workloads add an NVIDIA T4 or A10 GPU and expect 32-48 GPU-backed sessions per card.

What is the difference between persistent and non-persistent VDI?

Persistent VDI gives each user a dedicated virtual desktop that persists across logins (typical for power users, developers, finance staff). Non-persistent (a.k.a. floating or pooled) provides a fresh desktop on every login from a golden image (typical for kiosks, call centres, schools). Non-persistent fits 2-3× more users per host because identical disk blocks dedupe in vSAN/Storage Spaces.

Do I need GPUs for Citrix XenDesktop?

Not for standard office workloads. GPUs are needed when users run AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit, Photoshop, video editing, or any 3D-rendering software. NVIDIA T4 is the entry tier ($1.5-2K refurbished), A10 is the mainstream tier ($3-4K), and A40/L40 covers premium CAD/CAM workloads.

Can I run VDI on refurbished HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10?

Yes — refurbished DL380 Gen10 is one of the most popular VDI platforms because it scales to 1.5 TB RAM, supports 24 SFF NVMe bays, and has dual 10/25 GbE NICs. Most refurbished units come with 5-year extended-life support from the manufacturer. Budget ~$8-14K per refurbished node depending on CPU/RAM specs.

Other Use-Case Hardware

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VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, Proxmox, KVM, Nutanix AHV — hardware sizing, licensing math, deployment.

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