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3 Client Virtualization FOR DUMmIES HP AND INTEL SPECIAL EDITION by Lawrence C. Miller

4 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ Copyright 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) , fax (201) , or online at Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. HP and the HP logo are trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Intel, the Intel logo, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETE- NESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITU- ATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PRO- FESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRIT- TEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. For general information on our other products and services, or how to create a custom For Dummies book for your business or organization, please contact our Business Development Department in the U.S. at , contact info@dummies.biz, or visit custompub. For information about licensing the For Dummies brand for products or services, contact BrandedRights&Licenses@Wiley.com. ISBN (pbk); ISBN (ebk) Manufactured in the United States of America

5 Publisher s Acknowledgments We re proud of this book and of the people who worked on it. For details on how to create a custom For Dummies book for your business or organization, contact info@ dummies.biz or visit For details on licensing the For Dummies brand for products or services, contact BrandedRights&Licenses@ Wiley.com. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Vertical Websites Project Editor: Jennifer Bingham Editorial Manager: Rev Mengle Business Development Representative: Karen Hattan Custom Publishing Project Specialist: Michael Sullivan Composition Services Project Coordinator: Kristie Rees Layout and Graphics: Andrea Hornberger Proofreaders: John Greenough, Jessica Kramer Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher Mary Bednarek, Executive Director, Acquisitions Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Kathleen Nebenhaus, Vice President and Executive Publisher Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services Business Development Lisa Coleman, Director, New Market and Brand Development

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7 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 About This Book... 1 How This Book Is Organized... 2 Chapter 1: Client Virtualization Basics... 2 Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization... 2 Chapter 3: Building a Client Virtualization Environment... 2 Chapter 4: Exploring HP Client Virtualization Solutions... 2 Chapter 5: Nine Client Virtualization Mistakes and How to Avoid Them... 3 Appendix: Additional Resources for Client Virtualization... 3 Icons Used in This Book... 3 Where to Go from Here... 4 Chapter 1: Client Virtualization Basics... 5 What Is Client Virtualization?... 5 Why Virtualize Clients Now?... 6 Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)... 7 Flexwork: The new work paradigm... 9 Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization Recognizing Key Characteristics of Client Virtualization Differentiating Client Virtualization Types Session (and application) virtualization Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Graphics-accelerated VDI Dedicated workstation Determining Your End-User Requirements Getting Started with HP CVAM Service Selecting the Right Desktop Strategy... 20

8 vi Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Chapter 3: Building a Client Virtualization Environment Why Infrastructure Matters Compute and memory Persistent and nonpersistent desktops Storage and disk I/O Networking Graphics accelerators Client devices Benefiting from HP Services Chapter 4: Exploring HP Client Virtualization Solutions Addressing SMB Challenges HP CV SMB RA for Citrix VDI-in-a-Box HP CV SMB RA for Windows Server HP CV SMB RA for VMware View Designing an Enterprise Solution Chapter 5: Nine Client Virtualization Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Do It Yourself CV/VDI Lack of Executive Sponsorship Misalignment between ROI Objectives and Business Goals Ignoring User Requirements Shared Virtualization Infrastructure Underestimating Hardware and Storage Requirements Scaling Up Too Fast The Wrong Tools for the Job Too Fast Will Make Your Users too Furious Appendix: Additional Resources for Client Virtualization Citrix Microsoft VMware... 42

9 Introduction Today s workforce is global and mobile. These folks demand support for next-generation applications that can transform the way they work they expect to be able to work from any location, at any time, using any device. They need an IT environment that supports the most ubiquitous productivity tools available today including their own laptops, tablets, netbooks, and smartphones. At the same time, enterprises and organizations of all sizes and in all industries are looking for new ways to boost worker productivity and flexibility, while also streamlining management and reducing costs. Many of these organizations have already virtualized their server environment, but they have not yet transitioned to virtual desktops. These companies are looking for a complete solution that contains everything they need servers, storage, software, and management to deliver virtual desktops to their workers on any device, anywhere, at any time. About This Book This book explores client virtualization as a solution for organizations seeking innovative ways to address the opportunities and challenges of today s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and mobile (or flexwork) trends. The HP Client Virtualization (CV) Enterprise Reference Architecture (RA) securely and cost-effectively supports BYOD initiatives and the mobile workforce all delivered as a complete, secure, and proven reference architecture for deploying desktop virtualization. This book is written primarily to help business decision makers understand the consideration points of client virtualization solutions for their organizations. This book was created with and for HP and Intel.

10 2 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition How This Book Is Organized This book contains some great info about client virtualization, conveniently distilled into five short chapters and an appendix chock full of additional information. Here s a brief look at what awaits you! Chapter 1: Client Virtualization Basics I begin with an overview of what client virtualization technology is and explain why BYOD and flexwork trends are rapidly driving adoption of client virtualization. Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization Next, I discuss the different client virtualization types, and help you define your end-user requirements and select the right desktop strategy for your organization. Chapter 3: Building a Client Virtualization Environment Chapter 3 delves into the building blocks of a client virtualization environment compute and memory, storage, I/O, graphics accelerators, and software. Chapter 4: Exploring HP Client Virtualization Solutions Here, I discuss HP s innovative client virtualization solutions for both small and medium businesses, and large enterprises.

11 Chapter 5: Nine Client Virtualization Mistakes and How to Avoid Them I give you some hints on how to avoid mistakes. Introduction 3 Appendix: Additional Resources for Client Virtualization The appendix provides additional Internet resources to help answer all your client virtualization questions! Icons Used in This Book Throughout this book, you occasionally see special icons that call attention to important information. You won t find smiley faces winking at you or any other cute little emoticons, but you ll definitely want to take note! Here s what you can expect. This icon points out information that may well be worth committing to your nonvolatile memory, your gray matter, or your noggin along with anniversaries and birthdays! You won t discover a map of the human genome or the blueprints for the International Space Station here (or maybe you will, hmm), but if you seek to attain the seventh level of NERD-vana, perk up! This icon explains the jargon beneath the jargon and is the stuff legends well, nerds are made of! Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy the book, please take care of your writers! Seriously, this icon points out helpful suggestions and useful nuggets of information. Proceed at your own risk... well, okay it s actually nothing that hazardous. These helpful alerts offer practical advice to help you avoid making potentially costly mistakes.

12 4 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Where to Go from Here If you don t know where you re going, any chapter will get you there but Chapter 1 might be a good place to start! However, if you see a particular topic that piques your interest, feel free to jump ahead to that chapter. Each chapter is individually wrapped (but not packaged for individual sale) and written to stand on its own, so feel free to start reading anywhere and skip around! Read this book in any order that suits you (though I don t recommend upside down or backwards).

13 Chapter 1 Client Virtualization Basics In This Chapter Understanding client virtualization Recognizing BYOD and flexwork trends Virtualization is one of the hottest and most disruptive technologies of the past decade and continues to be so. Many organizations have already adopted server virtualization in their data centers in fact, Gartner estimates that close to 50 percent of all x86 server workloads are virtualized today, and that more than two-thirds of all x86 servers will be virtualized in the next three years! For organizations that are already realizing the many business and operational benefits of server virtualization, client virtualization is often the next logical step on their virtualization journey. Be aware, though, that client virtualization has its own rules and don t assume it will be just like server virtualization. This chapter explains client virtualization, its potential benefits for organizations of all sizes and types, and several trends that are driving the need for client virtualization. What Is Client Virtualization? Virtualization technology partitions a single physical server into multiple host environments (consisting of operating systems and applications), thereby emulating multiple servers or client devices. Some of the most popular client virtualization software products today include Citrix XenDesktop, Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and VMware View.

14 6 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition A key component of virtualization technology is the hypervisor. The hypervisor is a layer of software between the hardware kernel and the computer OS that allocates memory and processing resources to virtual clients, allowing multiple virtual clients to run concurrently on a single physical server. Users can then access virtual clients from practically any number of client devices, including desktop computers and mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops. Why Virtualize Clients Now? Due to the past decade s challenging economic climate, many organizations have found it necessary to modify or abandon their typical three-year PC hardware refresh cycles. These organizations now face new challenges because they re unable to deploy the latest operating systems and applications (are you still running Windows XP and Office 2003?), and worker productivity can suffer. However, a complete PC hardware refresh can be cost prohibitive, and the task of deploying new hardware and installing new applications daunting. Although many organizations are continuing with a traditional thick client (a complete desktop PC with CPU, memory, hard drive, and peripheral devices) in their desktop environment, client virtualization is emerging as an ideal solution to the refresh challenge. However, client virtualization is much more than just a desktop replacement strategy. It is a means to address key pain points that the current PC environment isn t well suited to solve, including the following: User needs Work from anywhere, anytime, using readily available devices Windows and mobile applications Maintain the feeling of a PC experience anywhere IT challenges Client device administrative challenges Security and compliance

15 Chapter 1: Client Virtualization Basics 7 Unmanaged endpoints Operating System (OS) migration (for example, Windows 7/8) The most common reasons for adopting client virtualization today include the following: Enhance worker productivity: Anywhere, anytime, and any device with secure mobility Control costs: Delay costly end-device refresh cycles and reduce support costs Streamline desktop support: Maintain the desktop environment without business interruption Mitigate risk: Centralize desktop, data, and applications in the data center Improve business agility and flexibility: Scale and adapt to changes quickly through dynamic provisioning of enduser clients and rapid delivery of new applications Several important trends are driving a fundamental shift from the PC era in which users are tied to one device to the cloud era where business users can take advantage of a greater variety and larger number of devices to get their work done from anywhere and at any time. These trends are discussed in the following sections and include Bring Your Own Device (or BYOD) and flexworking. A recent Citrix survey found that 42 percent of business users have three or more compute devices that they use daily. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) The BYOD trend has taken hold in corporate networks as businesses and organizations increasingly allow their employees to use personal mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) for both personal and work-related use. Consumerization is a related trend that is further driving BYOD in the workplace. Consumerization occurs when end users find personal technology and applications that are more

16 8 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition convenient, powerful, and easier to use than their corporate IT solutions. Many organizations are still unsure of how to leverage the BYOD and consumerization trends in their business processes. Such organizations typically either implicitly allow BYOD and consumerization by ignoring the ubiquitous use of personal devices and applications in the workplace, or they explicitly prohibit their use. In addition to lost productivity and missed opportunities, both of these approaches introduce a number of risks for the organization including the following: Security threats from unknown, untested, and unpatched applications. Potential violations of regulatory compliance mandates such as HIPAA (U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards). Risky behavior by employees seeking to circumvent restrictions and controls by using external proxies, encrypted tunnels, and remote-access programs. Lack of control over sensitive data that is potentially stored and accessed from personal devices and may be compromised if these devices are lost or stolen, or if an employee leaves the company. Creation of back-channel or undocumented business processes that are critical to the organization, but only known to a few individual users and fully dependent on personal technologies and applications. Many forward-thinking organizations are increasingly considering BYOD as a strategy to gain competitive advantage, increase productivity, improve morale, and control costs. These organizations define explicit policies that clearly explain what is permitted and what isn t. Using client virtualization technology, such companies are able to control the costs and administrative challenges associated with supporting an ever-changing array of devices. Client virtualization further enables centralized control of the applications installed on personal devices including installation,

17 Chapter 1: Client Virtualization Basics 9 security permissions, patching and updates, and removal thereby reducing or eliminating many of the inherent risks associated with BYOD and consumerization. Flexwork: The new work paradigm Until recently, going to work meant commuting to an office, and going to a meeting required packing up and traveling to a different location. But with the advent of mobile computing devices, working and meeting have taken on new meanings. No longer bound to an office, today s workers can do their jobs from just about anywhere, using a wide variety of mobile devices. The flexibility appeals to many employees, enabling them to be online and productive during more hours of the day or night. Enticed by these increased productivity levels, many employers have embraced their new mobile workforce. Adding to changes in the current business climate are demands for real-time response. Today s workers are expected to do more in less time, so they expect information to be delivered instantly. Meeting that demand is now attainable. But organizations that embrace flexworking must address numerous challenges, including IT and workforce support Complexity, compatibility, and performance Operating costs Information security User experience Rather than try to meet the needs of this new business paradigm with an old computing model, many companies have found a simpler, cost-effective solution that is also more flexible: virtualize the client. As with BYOD (discussed in the previous section), client virtualization takes much of what is traditionally managed at the client or endpoint device, and centralizes those functions. With this approach, your data

18 10 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition is better protected, system management is easier, you gain greater flexibility, and your workers receive a better overall experience irrespective of their device type or location. Forrester Research recently reported that inquiries on virtual desktops outpace questions about cloud technologies by two to one indicating client virtualization is one of today s hottest technology trends.

19 Chapter 2 Digging into Client Virtualization In This Chapter Comparing client virtualization types Getting to know your users Understanding the tradeoffs between different desktop strategies Client virtualization provides several flexible models to meet an organization s unique user requirements. In this chapter, I talk about the different client virtualization architectures and how to match your user requirements to the most appropriate architecture. Recognizing Key Characteristics of Client Virtualization In addition to business and financial benefits such as enhanced productivity, cost control, risk mitigation, and business agility (discussed in Chapter 1), there are several key IT benefits associated with client virtualization, including the following: Centralized computing: Whether delivering a single application or a fully customized desktop environment to multiple end-user devices, client virtualization gives IT better control over the end-user environment than in a distributed client-server model. This level of control provides additional security and stability for the organization, because user and application data are stored and processed in the host environment located in a data center rather than locally on multiple devices

20 12 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition that may not be used safely and securely. In many ways, client virtualization represents a shift toward the more controlled and stable days of centralized computing, which was a characteristic of the mainframe era. Device independence: In the mainframe era, users connected to the mainframe via a dumb terminal in a data processing room. But today s end-user devices are anything but dumb. With client virtualization, users can securely connect to a corporate infrastructure from just about anywhere using any number of devices, including desktop and laptop PCs, thin clients, netbooks, tablets, and smartphones. Thus, client virtualization is a key technology that enables organizations to leverage today s BYOD and flexwork trends (see Chapter 1). Quick recovery: Client virtualization enables end users to quickly access their desktop environment from practically any device. Thus, a lost or stolen laptop or a PC hardware failure doesn t cost the organization an entire day (or more) of lost user productivity. Instead, users can simply log onto a replacement device and continue working within their normal desktop environment. Similarly, client virtualization can support an organization s business continuity and disaster recovery plans by enabling employees to work remotely when the office is otherwise inaccessible, for example, due to a fire or inclement weather. Differentiating Client Virtualization Types Several architecture options are available for different client virtualization strategies. Major differences between these architecture choices surround the ratio of clients to hosts, and the compute and graphics requirements of the applications. Client virtualization types are explained in the following sections. Session (and application) virtualization The session virtualization model (see Figure 2-1), also known as hosted desktop, allows multiple users to log onto a single

21 Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization 13 instance of a server operating system and run client desktops built on the server OS. Although this model can be relatively low cost and can scale to support a large number of concurrent users, many client applications aren t written for a server operating system and it typically doesn t support intensive compute operations or advanced graphics requirements well. Plus, the session virtualization model provides limited customization and configuration options for different users. Popular session virtualization solutions include Citrix XenApp and Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS). Application virtualization is very similar to session virtualization, but rather than logging into an entire desktop session, users simply launch the desired application from their desktop. Application virtualization isolates the applications from the underlying operating system, which improves compatibility in mixed environments. For example, a user on a Window 7 workstation could run Internet Explorer 6 (which isn t natively supported in Windows 7). Additionally, application virtualization technology enables applications that might otherwise conflict for example, due to shared dynamic link libraries (DLLs) or different versions of Java to run concurrently on the same client. Application virtualization: Streaming versus hosting Using Citrix XenApp, you can deliver an application to users either by streaming it to the user s virtual desktop or by hosting it on the XenApp server. Application streaming simplifies delivery by allowing you to install and configure an application on one file server for delivery to desktops. To upgrade or patch the application, you make the updates only in the location where you installed the application. Application hosting makes applications available to users from the XenApp server, instead of from their desktop. When a user runs an application that is published on XenApp, the application is virtualized on the desktop and so appears to run locally to the user. However, the application is running on the XenApp server, which keeps application processing on the endpoint device to a minimum.

22 14 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Figure 2-1: The session virtualization model supports many clients but has limited compute and graphics capabilities. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) delivers a complete desktop experience to users across the network by providing a separate client operating system instance, like Microsoft Windows 7 and applications (the desktop ) to each individual user (see Figure 2-2). Instead of running an operating system and

23 Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization 15 applications locally on the user s PC, VDI allows the operating system and applications to run in your data center. A hypervisor (explained in Chapter 1) runs on the server and creates virtual desktops for each individual user or group of users. Unlike the session virtualization model, in which multiple users are connected to the same operating system instance, VDI gives your users control of their Windows desktop in a one-to-one manner. So any client device can be used to access a user s desktop a desktop or laptop PC, thin client, tablet, or smartphone, for example. Figure 2-2: The VDI model runs a single OS instance for each individual user.

24 16 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition With a properly architected client virtualization infrastructure, user expectations are more consistently met this means you get less resistance from your users during your client virtualization project. Graphics-accelerated VDI Graphics-accelerated VDI (see Figure 2-3) is similar to VDI, but runs on a blade workstation with a graphics accelerator card. This configuration brings the benefits of VDI to users that have more intensive compute and high-resolution graphics requirements, such as users of computer-aided design (CAD) applications. Figure 2-3: Graphics-accelerated VDI supports more compute- and graphics-intensive applications.

25 Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization 17 Dedicated workstation The dedicated workstation approach provides a single virtual client to a single end user (see Figure 2-4). A dedicated workstation is similar to the graphics-accelerated VDI, except that it doesn t have a hypervisor and therefore can only support a single user. The dedicated workstation approach is most appropriate for users whose requirements are extremely complex and compute/graphics intensive. The dedicated workstation provides these no-compromise users with the experience they demand. In this case, the desktop operating system is installed directly onto the workstation providing optimal performance. In addition, the dedicated workstation approach can be implemented without full VDI infrastructure. Figure 2-4: The dedicated workstation approach provides one virtual client to an individual user.

26 18 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Determining Your End-User Requirements You should begin your client virtualization project by getting to know your users. Specifically, you need to know the following: What applications are being used and how? What devices are being used and from where? What unique performance and security requirements exist? How frequently are applications changed or updated? How much end-user control and customization is needed? Next, you should define broad classifications of your users based on their application usage. For example, user categories might include the following: Knowledge/power workers: For example, these users may run multiple applications or applications that are compute-intensive and require access to large volumes of data within the data center. Mobile users: These users may include sales teams and users that travel frequently, requiring secure access from a number of mobile devices across various Internet connections. Remote users: Users in remote locations may have limited IT support available to them, but otherwise access the network from a known device (for example, a thin client or desktop PC) across a stable Internet connection. Standard or task users: These users require access to a core set of applications, but otherwise have limited needs. For example, these may include call center representatives, administrative support staff, and data entry personnel. Many organizations may find that one client virtualization type doesn t meet all of their unique enduser requirements.

27 Chapter 2: Digging into Client Virtualization 19 Getting Started with HP CVAM Service One of the keys to a successful client virtualization implementation is correct analysis of the existing physical desktops current load and use characteristics regarding both applications and resources (for example: CPU, memory, disk I/O). Don t apply testing guidelines from software vendors when designing your environment. This is a common mistake that often results in investing misguided capital into supporting infrastructure that is later determined usually too late in the implementation cycle to be insufficient to meet your organization s performance requirements. To help you avoid relying on sizing and performance models developed in a virtualization vendor s lab, for example, HP offers the Client Virtualization Analysis and Modeling (CVAM) Service. Using an agent-based data collection tool, CVAM gathers data regarding users and their applications. Then a series of reports and recommendations for a properly planned and sized virtualization project are produced. The HP CVAM Service provides analysis, modeling, and planning support to get your client virtualization project, specifically a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) project, started on the right foot. HP CVAM Service can assist you with the following: Understanding your current environment and properly planning your move to client virtualization Analysis of real desktops in your environment Capacity planning and resource modeling based on your real-world numbers, rather than best case scenarios The right information to plan for virtual machine golden images, including Understanding application usage Identifying applications that could prove problematic when included as part of a virtual machine image

28 20 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Selecting the Right Desktop Strategy With a clear understanding of your user requirements and a thorough knowledge of the relevant user profiles in your organization, you can now select the most appropriate desktop strategies for your individual user groups. Session virtualization provides organizations with the highest density of virtual clients to physical hosts, but with limited application and customization options, and relatively low compute and graphics capabilities. The session virtualization may be most appropriate for standard users, for example. Take a look at Figure 2-5 for a visual. As the users compute and graphics requirements increase, the number of virtual clients per physical host will decrease as you can see by the spectrum presented in Figure 2-5. Most organizations will find that the VDI architecture fits many of their user profiles, including knowledge, mobile, and remote users, for example. Graphics-accelerated VDI or dedicated workstations may be more appropriate for power users, such as engineers and architects using computer-aided design (CAD) applications, or creative staff that require high-resolution graphics. Figure 2-5: As compute and graphics intensity increases, user density in host usually decreases among the different client virtualization types. Client virtualization isn t an all-or-nothing proposition. It s possible (and even likely) that many organizations will find it more optimal to deploy several of the client virtualization types discussed in this chapter, as well as a mix of virtual clients and traditional physical client workstations.

29 Chapter 3 Building a Client Virtualization Environment In This Chapter Putting together the right infrastructure components Persistent and nonpersistent desktops Introducing thin clients and zero clients Benefiting from HP services Successful client virtualization requires a purpose-built infrastructure. This chapter describes the various infrastructure components necessary for client virtualization and highlights some of the consulting services available from HP to help your client virtualization project succeed. Why Infrastructure Matters Several critical infrastructure components must be in place for your client virtualization initiative to be a success. To make sure you know exactly what you need, I discuss these components in the following sections. Compute and memory Properly sizing the system CPU and memory requirements for your virtual host servers is a critical first step in building your client virtualization environment. Similar to server virtualization, you can usually oversubscribe the CPU and memory on your server to support a larger number of virtual clients than a typical 1:1 ratio would suggest. For example, if you have 64 gigabytes of memory in your host server and allocate

30 22 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition 2 gigabytes per virtual client, a 1:1 ratio would support approximately 32 clients. However, because it s unlikely that all the clients will peak at the same times, you can typically support many more virtual clients, perhaps as many as 50 or 60. Balancing requirements for I/O and capacity at a reasonable cost is critical. Numerous sizing guidelines and reference architectures (see Chapter 4) are available to help you ensure your client virtualization infrastructure is sufficient to support your environment. Persistent and nonpersistent desktops In many cases, instituting a client virtualization solution isn t a single solution but a hybrid model. Many organizations that have tried to use hosted desktops for all users have found that not all users fit into the entry-level user role, nor do they all use the same applications. A persistent user maintains changes to his desktop between logins. A nonpersistent user gets a fresh new desktop from a base image every time he logs in. Persistent desktops allow for isolation of users and allow different users to have different applications. However, organizations that have simply converted their existing desktop images into persistent desktops have found it creates bloated images, requires more storage and effort to maintain, and is a more costly model to support than dedicated desktops. For VDI, the nonpersistent user is the most desired model for the following reasons: There is only a single user or a handful of users to maintain No single user can affect other users The amount of required storage can be reduced. Storage and disk I/O Desktop virtualization can present a number of unique storage challenges, such as poor performance due to sharing of centralized computing and storage resources, slow and complex provisioning due to physical dedication of resources,

31 Chapter 3: Building a Client Virtualization Environment 23 large up-front storage capacity requirements, and escalating costs due to inefficient capacity utilization over time. Persistent virtual desktops especially, and other custom images and applications likewise, require additional storage. Both storage-area networks (SAN) and direct-attached storage (DAS) can be implemented in this environment. In addition to sufficient space, disk I/O speeds are extremely important to ensure virtual clients perform as expected. Networking A high-speed network backbone is yet another essential infrastructure component for client virtualization. Increasingly, organizations are deploying 10-gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) in the data center to support critical network traffic between the various virtualization components. High-speed connectivity is also important between the data center and your end-user devices. However, given the multitude of varying devices that must be supported (see Chapter 1), and the various methods in which users connect to the corporate network infrastructure, it may not always be possible to guarantee high-speed end-to-end connectivity to all of your users. In these cases, add other infrastructure components to support client virtualization, such as load balancers and traffic optimization solutions. Graphics accelerators When the user experience demands graphics performance, a graphics accelerator can be the answer. It works by offloading the processor overhead created from the server CPU when rendering high-resolution graphics. Powerful new graphics processing unit (GPU) cards installed in a physical server host can provide virtual desktop users with high definition graphics experience similar to that achieved with a physical card installed in a local workstation. Refer to Chapter 2 to learn more about graphics-accelerated VDI and dedicated workstations.

32 24 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Client devices With all the current buzz about the BYOD trend (see Chapter 1), you may overlook client devices when designing your virtual client infrastructure. However, not everything can or should be run on an employee-owned smartphone or tablet! You still need to support devices your company actually owns. Although it s possible to run virtual clients on most existing desktop and laptop PC hardware, many organizations will need to upgrade at least some of their legacy end-user devices. As organizations increasingly adopt client virtualization, several more client device options become available to them. For example, thin clients and zero clients are purposebuilt to run in virtualized environments. These devices provide a VDI optimized platform that delivers performance similar to or better than many desktop clients available today. The benefits of these devices extend well beyond performance and optimization, to include simple, centralized management, rapid provisioning, and green benefits (including significantly lower power consumption requirements and longer lifecycle than traditional desktops). Benefiting from HP Services Client virtualization is a significant undertaking for an organization of any size and proper planning is essential to a successful outcome. In addition to CVAM (See Chapter 2), HP has several professional service offerings to help you, including the following: Client Strategy Services. Helps you devise strategy, understand the business value, and identify the right architecture for your organization. Transformation Workshop. This is a packaged one-day workshop to help you better align your strategy and map the way forward.

33 Chapter 4 Exploring HP Client Virtualization Solutions In This Chapter Discovering SMB options for a VDI architecture Looking at enterprise VDI building blocks Getting fast results with out-of-the-box solutions Client virtualization used to be considered a large enterprise solution, but with improvements in virtualization software, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) plans, and lower overall costs per user, client virtualization is quickly emerging in the mainstream small and medium-sized business (SMB) market. The question for today s SMBs and large enterprises is, How do we enable anywhere, anytime applications and information delivery, while also ensuring the protection of corporate information and minimizing IT management? Transforming the desktop is complex. Consider these questions: How do you size server capacity for your user community? How many servers and virtual machines (VMs) do you need? How much storage do you need to make available? What kind of I/O (input/output) loads do you need to support your worker types? Does the system work with VMware View? Citrix XenDesktop?

34 26 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition How do you scale the environment as you add users? How many switches and cables do you need to integrate the component parts? How do you optimize your network bandwidth? How many management consoles will you need? How do you make sense of all the vendor data on solution sizing? If a virtualized client environment makes sense for your organization, HP and their virtualization partners (Citrix, Microsoft, and VMware) can make the transition safer and easier. In this chapter, you learn about HP s reference architectures for SMBs and enterprises. Addressing SMB Challenges The HP Client Virtualization Reference Architecture for small and mid-sized business (HP CV SMB RA) dramatically simplifies the VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) environment (see Figure 4-1) while providing key features, including the following: Connection brokering Dynamic provisioning High-availability Load balancing On-demand scaling Organizations with remote or branch offices face the ongoing challenge of managing the physical servers and desktops that reside in those offices. Keeping systems up to date and information protected is difficult due to the following: Lack of onsite IT expertise Lack of standardization Limited space and IT budget

35 Chapter 4: Exploring HP Client Virtualization Solutions 27 Figure 4-1: Simpler architecture for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The HP CV SMB RA can help alleviate remote office IT challenges by providing a tested solution that is simple, scalable, secure, and sized for a specific number of users. With the HP CV SMB RA, remote installations benefit from: Standardized deployment Centralized management Rapid provisioning Server consolidation Simplified IT operations By providing a complete solution that has been fully tested, presized, and optimized, the HP CV SMB RA can help you remove the guesswork from deploying your new client solution and also helps you achieve faster time to production. Rather than spend time validating sizing and performance metrics, you can rapidly deploy one HP ProLiant DL380p Gen8 Server powered by Intel Xeon processors with the integrated storage, management, and Citrix VDI-in-a-Box, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, or VMware View software to support a prescribed number of productivity workers. The HP CV SMB RA is simplified for smaller enterprises and branches with limited IT support available, and supports from 50 to 600 virtual clients in cost-effective increments.

36 28 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Intel Xeon Processors: The intelligent choice for client virtualization IT organizations everywhere are delivering greater business value by virtualizing their data centers and clients to reduce costs and improve service levels, efficiency, and agility. Intel Xeon processor-based servers provide the foundation for such innovation, accounting for the majority of all servers in today s virtualized data centers and cloud infrastructures as well as many of the world s highest-performing workstations. Benefits of the latest generation Intel Xeon E5-4600/2600/2400/1600 product families, optimized for VDI, include: Delivering higher performance. With more cores, cache, and memory capacity, along with bigger, faster communication pathways to move data more quickly, the latest Intel processors are up to 80 percent faster than predecessors. Eliminating network bottlenecks. With PCI Express 3.0 technology that reduces I/O latency by up to 30 percent, the floodgates are wide open for faster communications in dense virtual environments both within the server and with external network and storage devices. Strengthening security. Faster, stronger enterprise-wide data protection using Intel Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (AES-NI) technology accelerates and strengthens encryption to enable faster and more secure online transactions and improved data protection. Driving down energy costs. Power and cooling costs have risen sharply and now account for up to half of the operating expenses in many data centers. Intel processors support green initiatives with innovations such as industry-leading per-server energy efficiency, automated control of server power, and power optimization across your data center. HP CV SMB RA for Citrix VDI-in-a-Box Citrix VDI-in-a-Box is an all-in-one software solution that enables IT administrators to rapidly deliver centrally managed virtual desktops to any user, anytime, on any device for less than the cost of traditional PCs. When you compare

37 Chapter 4: Exploring HP Client Virtualization Solutions 29 a traditional VDI solution with a setup of VDI-in-a-Box (see Figure 4-2), you can see that the traditional VDI deployment includes a pair of load balancers and connection brokers to manage the connections to desktop sessions and ensure highavailability, as well as compute servers to run the desktops and management servers to provision and control the environment. SANs, high-speed interconnects, and clustered SQL databases are also required in a traditional VDI installation. VDI-in-a-Box consolidates all this functionality into its software virtual appliance and eliminates much of the infrastructure. With VDI-in-a-Box, the connection brokering, load balancing, high availability, desktop provisioning, and management are all built-in and managed through an intuitive web-based console. This simplifies setup and management, and lowers costs. Citrix VDI-in-a-Box 5.1 enables single instance management to support personalized as well as pooled virtual desktops. Rather than juggling the demands of managing persistent desktops, IT can maintain a single master copy of desktop images while preserving the personalization of user applications and data. This dramatically reduces recurring management overhead and lowers data center storage costs. Figure 4-2: How VDI-in-a-Box eliminates cost and complexity. HP CV SMB RA for Windows Server 2012 The HP CV SMB RA for Windows Server 2012, which is powered by Intel Xeon processors, helps you deploy a highperformance virtual desktop solution. The HP and Microsoft VDI solution is powered by Windows Server 2012 and uses

38 30 Client Virtualization For Dummies, HP and Intel Special Edition Microsoft s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to provide the remote desktop or remote application to the user. Microsoft RemoteFX enables the delivery of a robust Windows user experience across a range of scenarios. In Windows Server 2012, enhancements provide a richer and more seamless experience on all types of networks and devices. Windows Server 2012 is a great choice for desktop virtualization. It includes everything needed to set up a VDI solution; the connection broker, web access, gateway, and other necessary components are all roles within Windows Server 2012, so there is no additional third-party software needed. HP CV SMB RA for VMware View The HP CV SMB RA for VMware View provides a complete solution that has been fully tested, presized, and optimized. Rather than spend time validating sizing and performance metrics, you can rapidly deploy one HP ProLiantDL380p Gen8 Server, which is powered by Intel Xeon processors, with the integrated storage, management, and VMware View software to support a prescribed number of productivity workers. VMware View SMB deployments consist of several components. HP StoreVirtual VSA software enables the grouping of all the internal drives across multiple servers to expand shared storage and increase user support. Multiple servers with shared storage provide high availability and fault tolerance; and allow vmotion capabilities. You can avoid up-front storage costs by using HP StoreVirtual VSA with vsphere on existing disk storage today, and then move to a physical HP StoreVirtual 4000 Storage as your business grows Designing an Enterprise Solution Enterprise customers require a more complex environment than SMBs to efficiently support a large number of users. The enterprise environment must be designed with high availability in mind, and typically includes connection brokers, load balancers, provisioning servers, and shared SAN (storage-area network) storage, for example (see Figure 4-3).