Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

David G. Young Jr.Desktop Systems Engineer

Desktop Infrastructure ChallengesDistributed workforce• Mobile & remote workers• Outsourcing & off-shoring• Contract Workers

Limited control of PCs• Patch compliance• Security• Regulatory compliance

Management complexity • Deployment• Support• Security

Focus on PC hardware• Many makes & models• Refresh cycles Reducing Cost

•CAPX/OPX

Typical Corporate Desktops

The corporate desktop PC model has changed little in nearly 2 decades.

Typical Corporate Desktops

In most environments, the components are linked together in ways that are difficult to support and maintain.

Problems Can Start At Any Layer

A problem at one layer often causes a chain reaction that can destroy the whole stack.

Local Failures Can Mean Data Loss

This makes recovery difficult and threatens any locally stored user data and settings.

Most organizations just replace or re-image the whole PC.

There has to be a better way…

Could a Virtual Desktop be the answer?

VDI Enables Hardware Independence

Desktop OS Virtualization breaks the linkbetween the Operating System and any specifichardware.

Virtual Desktops Leverage File Servers Effectively

VDI proximity to the data center also enables data isolation through file shares and profile management.

File Shares and User Profiles

This allows users to access any VM and always get their data and their profile.

Virtual Machines with Everything

We could install all of the applications that everyone needs in all of the machines.

And the more applications you install, the less stable things tend to get.

Overall System Instability

What’s new with VMware View 3

VMware View 3VMware View 3

View Composer Offline Desktop(experimental)

Unified Access Virtual Printing

ThinApp

Reduce storage costs

Reduce storage costs

Reduce app conflicts

Reduce app conflicts

Increase density

Increase density

Reduce support costs

Reduce support costs

Increase laptop

security and recovery

Increase laptop

security and recovery

vClone Direct Storage Cost Savings

Dramatically (90%+) reduce the amount of storage consumed

Increase overall performance due to better storage controller / cache utilization.

10 GB OS

25 MB Clone

25 MB Clone

25 MB Clone

Ratio % Savings

1:50 85%+

1:100 90%+

1:1000 95%+

Create Conflict Free Applications

Symptoms:• Application Conflicts

• Complex Compatibility Test Matrices

• Diminished Time to Deployment

• Loss of User Productivity

Solution: VMware ThinAppAgentless application virtualization decouples applications and data from the OS

Problem: Tightly coupled relationships between OS, Applications and Data

How ThinApp Works:

VMware ThinApp links the application, Virtual Operating System (VOS), file system and registry into a single EXE/MSI file

• Application Encapsulation & Isolation

• Intercepts file and system calls

• Process Loading- start exe from VOS, Launch from host OS (Virtual/Physical).  

• DLL Loading. loads DLL dependencies the EXE/DLL/OCX files from archive

• Thread & Process Management. VOS tracks all processes and threads inside virtual registry (COM & Utility)

Simplify Desktop Delivery & Costs with VDI & ThinApp

Reduce Storage• Reuse templates

• Install VM without apps

Simplify Software Delivery (no agents/infrastructure)

• Multiple versions of same app installed on VDI image

• Many ways to deliver shortcut

• Plugs into existing App Mgmt tools w/o infrastructure

Streamline Patch Updates • Modify 1 app for whole environment• In place upgrades

Unified Access

Support other platforms accessible by RDP

Terminal Server

Blade PCs

Physical PCs

Increase in device support

Broader USB

Smart Card and CAC

Universal Printer

Blade PCs

Terminal Servers

Physical PCs

Virtual Printing

Driver Free Printing: No Installation and Maintenance of printer drivers on Virtual Desktops

All necessary printers automatically available

Minimize network utilization up to 98% with advanced print stream compression

High quality printing even over WAN connections

Use of client printer driver rather than complicated server installations View Client

RDP

View Client

RDP

Offline Desktop

Offline VDI

End-users can check-in and check-out their virtual desktops

Administrators can extend security policies to the local computer

Near approximate of the full local experience

Offline VDIOffline VDI

Linux / Partner Clients

SVI

VDM

Clients

ADVCOffline

Unified Access

Let’s bring it all together…

Don’t Make Big Virtual Machines

So instead of installing everything into huge cumbersome VM’s.

Create the Smallest VM Possible

We install nothing but the OS from a single template.

Deliver Apps and Data on Demand

And deliver applications on demand from a file server.

Deliver Apps and Data on Demand

Based on what the user actually needs or has permission to use.

A Single Location for Applications

Creating a software repository.

No Distribution Needed

Eliminating the need for software distribution.

User SpaceSystem

And we store the sandbox in the profile where it can follow the user.

Thinapp Blocks System Changes

Deploying Updates…

User data disks are “connected” to the new master at next login or user prompt.

IE7 IE6

Creating vClones

Create a baseline Windows virtual machine on your Virtual Infrastructure.

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

This replica will then create a set of small linked clones and join them to the domain.

V1

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

Profiles are stored as user personality disks, created on first logon if necessary.

VMV1

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

User data is stored on virtualized file servers.

V1

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

Thinapps are launched from network shares

V1

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

The user’s PC is the resulting combination.

V1

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

V2

Update the baseline Windows VM with a patch.

V1

Building Desktops with vClones

V2

V1

Publish the new SVI source VM.

V2

Building Desktops with vClones

V2

As users log out, the clones are deleted…

V2

X

XXXXX

Building Desktops with vClones

V2

…and attached to the new master replica.

V2

Q&A

David G. Young Jr. Desktop Systems Engineer

Next GenerationConcepts

David G. Young Jr. Desktop Systems Engineer

Total Cost ReductionTotal Cost Reduction

VMware Desktop Strategy

APP

CONFLICTS

AGILITY

RELIABILITY

DENSITY

SECURTY

STORAGE