Archive for VDI
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Posted by: | CommentsPano Logic Thin Client Integration With The VMware Virtual Desktop Manager
Posted by: | CommentsINTRODUCTION
This post details results via our comprehensive testing (October-November 2008), which was executed for a Healthcare client’s VDI implementation project. The IT engineers and managers selected the VMware Virtual Desktop Manager as its Desktop Broker. And at project completion, the client should have at least 2,000 Desktops running as virtual machines using 48 ESX Servers (HP Blades). Completing the architecture is Cisco Networking Gear and EMC Celerra Storage, using iSCSI as the transport protocol to provide the underlying infrastructure framework. Per our client’s request we have evaluated the Pano Logic solution and we are sharing the results here.
PANO LOGIC POSITIVE ASPECTS
Pano boasts an ultramodern, innovative design that is appealing to the eye.
A May 2008 engagement for a major pharmaceutical facility has ventured past the targeted project close date for reasons beyond our control. And while virtualization undertakings are complex and necessitate quite a bit of planning among the client and service provider, many issues can be avoided from the onset: pre-sales technical support sessions and/or the post-contract proof of concept processes.
This article is primarily based upon VMWare’s cutting-edge Virtual Desktop Infrastructure end-to-end solution, which to a large extent, has been pioneered by New Age Technologies and its Senior Consulting Engineers. However, technical prowess and all the branches of the proverbial tree that come into play do not always equate to a smooth sailing endeavor. Due to the nature of VDI’s reliance on redundancy (both virtual and physical) and other components that encompass a wide-array of technical architectures, these undertakings demand cohesive planning by the Service Provider and client. Read More→
Citrix XenApp 5
Posted by: | CommentsI was reading about the new features of XenApp 5. It looks like Citrix is really raising the Application Virtualization bar high. Citrix does have the historic advantage on the competition and it appears that they just aren’t depending on their strong history of application delivery, but are advancing the end user experience.
It also looks like Citrix is also successfully navigating the Microsoft partnership pretty well. Microsoft is a sponsor of the XenApp 5 launch event.
VDI Can Alleviate Commuting Costs
Posted by: | CommentsRecently a New Age Technologies coworker, Eric Henderson, was interviewed for a SearchServerVirtualization.com article about reducing worker’s travel costs via VDI.
Most of our clients are starting to see some savings in general office usage including power and electricity savings from using a thin-client,” Henderson said. Hard numbers on these savings, however, won’t be available for another six months. He also mentioned that clients have reported positive changes in the general business environment due to the flexibility provided by the option to telecommute more frequently, and because some employees are more productive at home.
Citrix Announces 3D Capabilities in XenDesktop: 10x Less Bandwidth
Posted by: ssnowden | Comments CommentsI recently spoke with Calvin Hsu from Citrix regarding the new capabilites they are including in the Enterprise and Platinum versions of XenDesktop. Citrix HDX is the blanket name for a suite of protocol enhancements that are focused to improve the end user experience of graphically intense applications on XenDesktop.
If you haven’t tested virtual desktops yet, they are a great solution and work really well to a targeted subset of the normal enterprise end user population. Task-based workers and users with little or no graphically intense applications are prime candidates for desktop virtualization, but users that do require more graphics, to this point, haven’t been good desktop virtualization candidates.
I tested the beta of HDX when it first came out, and it does improve the graphical experience appreciably. I could actually watch YouTube videos on XenDesktop.
10 Times Less Bandwidth
Citrix says they conducted tests pitting HDX versus Teradici PCoIP with host hardware accelerators. According to Citrix, they set up two machines exactly alike, one using HDX and the other using Teradici PCoIP with the hardware host card. Citrix says the results showed the machine with HDX consumed 10 times less bandwidth versus the PCoIP machine.
My analysis:
I fully expect VMware to make an announcement that shows the exact reverse results that Citrix is showing. But I think the take away from this is bigger than the tit-for-tat numbers games that vendors particpate in for marketing. If HDX can help deliver graphical content to end users better and is 10x more efficient than the competition; that will force the competition to step up their quality, and a better experience to more of the end user population is the result. That’s good for us because we take yet another step in the progression of having a legitimate option to provision fully functional desktops from the data center to much more of the end user population.
I’d like to thank Calvin for his time talking with me about desktop virtualization in general, and HDX specifically.
More on Teradici is located here and more on HDX can be found on this web site.