As we begin to look more at the user virtualization players, what are the main differences among the players - Unidesk, AppSense, RES, RTO, TriCerat to name a few I have heard of?

There are three main differences between Unidesk and user virtualization/profile management tools like AppSense, RES Software, RTO, and TriCerat:

1. Unidesk is a comprehensive virtual desktop management platform that enables you to provision, update, report on, and version the entire desktop “stack” – operating system, applications, and user. By eliminating the need for point tools at each point in the desktop stack, Unidesk greatly reduces cost and complexity in VDI environments.
2. Unidesk goes beyond the capabilities of profile managers in the user layer. We provide 100% persistent personalization, without the complexity and I/O penalty of roaming profiles. Our layering technology enables you to capture and sustain ALL user customizations, even those that user virtualization tools cannot, including user-installed applications, plug-ins to IT-delivered applications (e.g. Google Toolbar, Word plug-ins), local directories (even those created under C:/Windows), local files (e.g. Outlook PST files), and SIDs and GUIDs stored in the Registry by various applications.
3. Unidesk provides the storage reduction benefits of storage de-duplication and cloning technology, and gives you the option of implementing VDI using local storage for radical cost reduction. Profile managers offer no storage reduction or local storage benefit, and actually introduce I/O overhead by having to copy profiles down at “8am login.”

That said, Unidesk is perfectly compatible with profile management tools if you want profiles to roam across Unidesk virtual desktops, physical PCs, and Terminal Services.