Dell Desktop Virtualization Solutions Simplified

Dell DesktopVirtualizationSolutionsSimplifiedAll-in-one VDI appliance creates anew level of simplicity for desktopvirtualization

Executive summaryIntroductionDesktop virtualization is aproven method for deliveringa rich computing experiencefrom centralized data centers.In desktop virtualization, thedesktop operating system, userapplications, user preferences,and data are decoupled fromclient devices to simplify desktopmanagement and make ITmore efficient and flexible. Thismethod of end-user computingstreamlines the delivery ofdesktops to multiple devices,improves operational efficiencyand security, and ultimatelyenhances end-user productivity.Organizations do not have to belarge enterprises to benefit fromdesktop virtualization. For manyorganizations, a simple, practicalvirtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)solution could help enable anumber of compelling usecases. For example:However, for midsizeorganizations or those seekingto deploy simple virtualdesktop infrastructure (VDI)to departmental or businessunit workgroups, the costs andcomplex IT requirements forenterprise-level VDI solutionshave been barriers to adoption.The Dell Desktop VirtualizationSolutions (DVS) Simplified VDIappliance is designed to removethese adoption barriers. DVSSimplified makes VDI costeffective and easy to deploy forsmaller, simpler implementations.DVS Simplified opens up thebenefits of desktop virtualizationto deployments with as few as25 users.This paper provides an overviewof the DVS Simplified appliancesolution, and outlines the simplesteps involved to implement thesolution and for creating andmanaging virtual desktops.2understood, some organizationshave been prevented from movingforward with desktop virtualizationdue to the expense and complexityof designing, deploying, andmanaging a VDI solution.Understanding thechallenges of enterpriseVDI deploymentEnterprise-class VDI is transformingdesktop computing in positiveways for organizations thatrequire a robust, powerful solution.However, a VDI deploymentarchitected for productionlevel enterprise usage and highavailability requires a varietyof infrastructure components(see Figure 1). These componentstypically include: A small manufacturingcompany might want toprovide anytime, anywhereaccess to desktops for itsmobile and remote salesforce. The registration desk at ahospital might need to bettersafeguard the privacy ofpatient care information. A high school might want tosimplify management of itsstudent computer lab andsupport remote anytimeaccess to the lab resources. Provisioning servers—Two ormore provisioning servers areusually required to control thedynamic provisioning and deallocation of virtual desktops. The administrative office of amilitary air wing might need toenhance user efficiency whiletightening security of its clientcomputing system. A regional insurancebrokerage might want tostreamline support for PCoperations and reduce costsfor agents in branch officeswhile supporting access fromhome offices.Delivery controllers/connection brokers—Theseservers manage and brokerthe end-user connections tothe virtual desktops, and aminimum of two are requiredfor high availability. Virtual desktop hosts—Thehost servers run the virtualdesktop workloads, with thenumber of hosts dependingon the capacity of the serversand the number of users. Load balancers—Two or moreload balancers are usuallyplaced in front of the deliverycontrollers to evenly distributethe desktop workload.Each of these organizations couldbenefit from the centralizedmanagement, data protection, andflexible access enabled by desktopvirtualization. But while thepotential benefits of VDI are well

Storage area network (SAN)—Shared storage is required tokeep a central state of therunning virtual desktops, sothat if there is a server failure,a different host can pick upthe desktop state from theSAN and run the desktops. High-speed interconnects—For performance reasons,high-speed interconnectsare typically used amongthese components.While this enterprise VDIarchitecture is cost-effective andhighly appropriate for large-scale,robust, and highly redundantdeployments, it requires a sizableinvestment that might not beefficient for small deployments.Few midsize organizations,departments, or branch officeshave the time, budget, orspecialized IT staff to design anddeploy an enterprise-level VDIinfrastructure. To implementsuch an infrastructure, theseorganizations would require anin-depth consulting engagementwith a dedicated, multifacetedteam. These projects can takeweeks or months to complete.high-availability, and managementfunctions—into a single packagerunning on a powerful, energyefficient Dell PowerEdge R710 server with local storage.This unique VDI appliance isdesigned to address the costand complexity issues facedby organizations seeking toimplement desktop virtualizationfor simple use cases in simpleIT environments.Overcoming complexitywith Dell DVS SimplifiedThis DVS Simplified applianceprovides an all-in-one solutionenabling smaller entities withlimited budgets and IT staffto leverage the benefits ofdesktop virtualization (Figure 2).Architected to reflect the behaviorof small, simple deployments,The Dell DVS Simplified applianceconsolidates the various VDIsoftware and kering, loadbalancing, desktop-provisioning,ApplianceEnterpriseMicrosoft ActiveDirectoryN 1 server gridVirtual centers ServersMicrosoft ActiveDirectoryor LDAPUser data Loadbalancers ConnectionbrokersFigure 1. Appliance VDI versus Enterprise VDI topologies3SANstorage

DVS Simplified offers: A standards-based solutionthat provides preinstalledsoftware, a preconfiguredvirtualization environment,and robust hardware An integrated appliance that iseasy to deploy and manage—no specialized experience isrequired Citrix VDI-in-a-Box all-inone software that combinesconnection brokering, loadbalancing, provisioning, anduser and image managementfunctionality with a simple,intuitive management consoleVirtualdesktop Built-in Citrix HDX technology to deliver a richuser experience that looks andfeels like a local desktop Rapid return on investment(ROI) for deployments of25 or more desktops, makingDVS Simplified a readilyjustifiable capital expensefor midsize organizationsor departmental-leveldeployments within largerorganizations A solution designed for simpleuse cases that implements asimple to manage, practicalserver grid architectureVirtualdesktopGetting up and runningquickly and easilyVirtualdesktopVirtualdesktopVirtual nagementConnectionbrokerLogical sharedstorageLoad balancerGrid engineManagement consoleVDI-in-a-Box softwareCitrix XenServer hypervisorIntegratedVDI applianceFigure 2: Desktop Virtualization Solutions Simplified—Integrated VDI appliance4Organizations can get startedeasily with DVS Simplifiedand incrementally scale theirdeployment as their needs grow.A simple grid infrastructureprovides linear and predictableexpansion, with performanceand storage scaling togetheras appliances are added to thegroup. The management systemseamlessly integrates new serversinto the grid architecture andload balances hosted desktopsacross the grid automatically.The solution uses costeffective, server-based storage.SAN storage can be a costlycomponent in an enterprise VDIdeployment. The appliance arrivesat the customer site with factoryinstalled software, hypervisor,and preconfigured hardware tostreamline implementation.Implemented as an integratedappliance, DVS Simplified needsvery little setup, reducing ITcosts for deployment andspeeding time to value. Threestep deployment and four-stepconfiguration enable the solutionto be implemented very quicklyand put to use in a matter ofhours—not days or weeks.Three-step deploymentDeploying the DVS Simplifiedappliance is as simple as 1-2-3:racking it, connecting it to thenetwork, and making a few easyto-understand selections in thesingle management console.To ensure ample processingpower and memory for each

user, Dell recommends deployingone appliance for approximatelyevery 80 users.1 This guidelineis based on a workloadcharacterization as documentedby Dell in reference architecturesthat present and review detailedsizing recommendations fordifferent types of user workloads(see the For more informationsection). The actual sizingcharacterization achieved mayvary from Dell characterizationsbased on user characteristicsand other system variables foundin the organization where theappliance is deployed.Four-step configurationOnce the appliance is physicallydeployed, organizations canconfigure the platform for theirspecific IT environment and userneeds with an intuitive, fourstep, wizard-driven configurationprocess with the following steps.1. Hypervisor configuration—To configure the appliance,the administrator answers afew simple questions: Whatis your hypervisor IP address?Where do you plan to storeyour virtual machines? Whatnetwork do you want to usefor your virtual desktops?2. Grid configuration—If theorganization has multiple DVSSimplified appliances, theservers must communicate toshare images and balance theload. With just a few clicks, theadministrator can link themtogether by placing them onthe same DVS Simplified grid.15Figure 3: Intuitive, wizard-supported, four-step configuration3. Import and generate a basedesktop image—The wizardsupported configurationguides the administratorthrough the process forimporting and establishinga base desktop image. Thewizard also guides the userto add the desktop agentto the base image and to testthe base image to validate thatit is properly prepared for use.4. Assign users and groups totemplates—As a final step,the organization will needaccounts for its users. If acorporate user directoryalready exists, such as aMicrosoft Active Directory server, the administratorcan direct DVS Simplifiedto those accounts. Thisapproach leverages the usercredentials that an existing userdirectory has already set up.Alternatively, the administratorcan set up a DVS Simplifieddirectory using MicrosoftWindows Workgroups.Simplifying virtual desktopcreation and managementUsing the DVS Simplifiedmanagement software,administrators can importone or more “golden” imagesand edit these images asneeded to support various userrequirements—for example,the organization might wantto have one image for staff inthe finance department andanother for workers in salesmanagement positions (Figure 3).The administrator can clone oneor more golden images to provideas many copies as needed for theusers to be supported.DVS Simplified uses a templatemodel to assign attributes tobase images to tailor them tothe needs of users. For example,administrators can definehow much memory shouldbe allocated to the desktop,how many virtual desktops areprestarted, and when virtualdesktops are reinitialized.Workload characterizations presented are provided as guidelines only. Please consult Dell Reference Architectures for complete details. Workload scalingwill vary based on variables and factors specific to a customer’s actual deployment. See www.dell.com/virtualdesktops.