Blog Posts

I am pleased to announce the availability of the VMware VDM 2.1 Reviewer's Guide. I had the honor of working with Doug Brown, founder of DABCC, well known expert and long time contributor to the Server Based Computing, Application Delivery and Virtualization communities. Many of you might be familiar with Doug Brown's Methodology in Box (MIAB) deployment and install guides. Doug's MIAB takes a step-by-step approach to deploying and installing server based computing and virtualization products.

By taking a simple step-by-step real world approach MIAB can ensure audiences from all levels of technical aptitude and background are ensured a successful deployment.

Partnering with Doug for the creation of the VMware VDM 2.1 Reviewer's Guide just made sense. Who better to help create this guide. The VMware VDM 2.1 Reviewers Guide is a subset of a typical DABCC (MIAB), with the goal to provide a step-by-step guide for people interested in evaluating VMware VDI for their VMware based VDI deployments. By using the the VMware VDM 2.1 Reviewer's Guide new comer to VMware VDI and VDM 2.0 can quickly and easily get a full VMware VDI environment up and running for evaluation.

At a later date Doug will follow-up this work with a more extensive MIAB available from DABCC.

For more information about DABCC please visit - www.dabcc.com

The VMware VDM 2.1 Reviewer's Guide can be found here - VMware VDM 2.1 Reviewer's Guide

I wanted to wait till the smoke cleared before sharing some thoughts regarding Microsoft opening the specifications on several of its APIs and communication protocols. Part of the released technology was the specification of RDP.

For VMware VDI, this is probably the most interesting of the released protocol specifications. The initial impact to customers may not be that obvious. However, over time, the benefits could be huge. RDP is the preferred protocol for accessing VMware VDI based desktops. Currently, this makes the most sense to leverage as there is no added cost in doing so which is typically the case with third party add on protocols.

Although getting the optimal performance in broad set of network conditions can be tricky, but it's quite adequate in the highest majority of desktop replacement use cases. RDP has always had virtual channels which allow a third party to add feature functionality to RDP. For example, with VDM 2 we developed a generic USB device redirector that allows you to connect most USB devices, not supported by RDP to a client access device and make them available for use with your VMware VDI virtual desktop.

In order for third parties to leverage virtual channels, you either needed a team of lawyers and a chunk of change or some really good engineers that could reverse engineer. For some time now there have been licensees of the RDP spec and others who reverse engineered it in effort to add value. This included people building feature add-ons as well as full RDP client implementations. Open Source efforts such as RDesktop and commercial efforts from companies such as WYSE, VMware, ThinAnywhere, Provision Networks, Sun Microsystems, Calista and others have all contributed to enhancing RDP.

Over three years ago I started researching the use of VMware virtualization as a way to better manage and deliver desktop computing and overcome traditional server based computing short falls. As we started meeting with customers and sharing the vision of VDI it was becoming clear Citrix had lost their seat at the table. Customers were concerned with the issues surrounding Citrix as a solution, such as complexity, application compatibility and loss of a personal computing experience.

VMware VDI was resonating with IT organizations and desktop management teams as an answer for more broad desktop deployments. I was a little surprised, as no one can take away Citrix's past contributions to server based computing. It's always been my opinion Citrix and Microsoft had become comfortable with their position and the direction they were leading customers and the market.

As VMware VDI emerged it was becoming clear this was what customers wanted. I had not seen such vast interest and adoption of a desktop solution in a long time. Despite Microsoft attempting to down play interest, VECD emerged. As Citrix lost ground trying to protect the Presentation Server stronghold, they finally broke down, did a 360 degree about face, and sank 500M on XenSource.

Since they have renamed their legacy products and are attempting to broaden their vision beyond just "Application Delivery". Here at VMware we are building things from the ground up with virtualization in mind, not trying to retro fit legacy solutions to fit in a virtual world. Since the emergence of VMware VDI, millions of dollars are going into the R&D of network delivered desktops and applications. The result is innovation that improves user experience, desktop management and choice for IT organizations.

What does this mean for Citrix? For years there have been the conspiracy theories that Microsoft will buy Citrix. Over the years I have seen less and less evidence or reason to believe this, but I guess it could happen. For some time now, I have said Citrix is getting squeezed from the top by VMware and squeezed from the bottom by Microsoft. The crown jewel for Citrix is ICA. Without that, there is not a lot there you can't get from other cheaper more simple alternatives.

With the acquisition of Calista by Microsoft, it's clear they intended to continue the enhancement of RDP. With the RDP spec now open, more and more engineers can come to the party and rapidly further enhance RDP improving its performance and features in a broad array of use cases. With the XenSource acquisition, Citrix has dipped a toe in the open source world. Now that Micosoft has openly published the RDP specification, will Citrix set ICA free? Do they have any other choice? What long term value does ICA have with so many big companies now able to enhance RDP and in fact, already doing so?

Currently I am traveling across Germany meeting with customers and partners. This morning, just after I finalized preparation for a presentation. I decided to hop over to dabcc.com for a quick peak at what is going on in the SBC and virtualization community.

The first article that caught my eye was an article from a system provider in South Africa, OAS. The OAS was offering a test drive of a VMware VDI virtual desktop, connecting through VDM 2 and a XenDesktop based desktop.

To set the stage here. When I am traveling I use a MAC. If I need to access my VMware VDI desktop I can remotely connect with it using Safari. I also have a local Windows based virtual machine I can use with Fusion if needed. Using my MAC from the meeting room, here in Germany I fired up Safari and browsed over to the the OAS site for XenDesktop access.

At first it appears XenDesktop could not detect what client I needed.

When the client detection failed I decided to try the manual client detection.

The client detection failed so I decided to go ahead and download it. It took about five minutes to download the MACICA_OSX.DMG.zip file. Once it competed, I decided to install it. At this point I got a little confused as the installer said it was installing the ICA client for Presentation Server. Am I connecting to Presentation Server or XenDesktop? I figured I would find out once the client was installed an I get the chance to connect with a desktop. Unfortunately, that did not happen though. For some reason the ICA client could not be installed?

After this, I decided to compare the out of box experience for VDM 2 delivering a desktop. First I put the VDM 2 URL in Safari. I was asked to accept a certificate from OAS as I have never been to their site before. After accepting the certificate I was presented with a login.

After entering the login info and launching the tunnel I was presented with a list of desktops I was entitled to use.

After selecting my desktop and connecting my desktop session was successfully connected.


In all fairness, MAC support for VDM 2 is only experimental. I am unsure and have not checked if XenDestkop is planning to support MAC clients once its released. It may have been unfair of me to expect XenDesktop to work from my MAC?

Recently I read a blog explaining some of the early details of VECD. It described VECD as a hidden cost of VDI. There were also some snippets from a FAQ that was released by VMware, shortly after VECD was announced back in April. The blog makes some valid points, but there was one small detail that was not accurate. Not all VECD options require Software Assurance. Licensing Windows Desktop operating systems for use with VMware VDI falls in the top 10 questions I field on a day to day basis.

The initial white paper released explaining VECD. Created more confusion than clarity. I know I read it many times and each time, I came away with a new interpretation. Fortunately I have some close contacts at Microsoft I was able to sync up with, back in September, at VMworld. VECD was top of the list to get clarified. Who better to hear it from the horses mouth. At VMworld Microsoft was handing out a recently completed license brief that had yet to be published on the Microsoft web site.

This license brief as well as my conversation with the owner at Microsoft, went a long way in clarify things for me. Unfortunately, I failed to share it had posted when it did. I recommend, Anyone interested in better understanding VECD should read this license brief. It covers VECD for SA and VECD. The document is titled Licensing Vista for Use with Virtual Machine Technologies and can be found on the Volume Licensing Briefs site.

It seems since late 2007 and early 2008 some virtualization players are still trying to hop on the VDI bandwagon started by VMware back in 2005. Since 2007, Citrix has been feeling the squeeze from the top by Microsoft with 2008 Server and Remote App around the corner, and squeezed at the bottom by VMware and the momentum of VMware VDI. Citrix had to do an about face on the Application Delivery strategy and messaging by getting in the VDI game with the purchase of Xen Source; an attempt catch up by trying to deliver desktops.

It also appears based on the recent release of a White Paper titled Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, SWsoft would like to ride the VMware VDI tailwinds. After reading this short overview on VDI, I wanted to offer some additional things to consider for readers that come across this paper.

“There are five components that comprise the VDI solution.”

A properly designed VDI solution is going to include more than five components. At a minimum, a proper VDI solution will encompass the following:

1. Client Access – Fat Clients, Thin Clients, Repurposed PCs and or Mobile / Remote
   users.
2. Virtual Desktop Management Services – Connection Brokering, Session Management and desktop provisioning such as what’s provided with VDM 2
3. Virtualization Services – Such as what’s provided by VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3 including tools such a HA, DRS and VMotion that simplify the operations of a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.
4. Virtual Desktop Instances – Such as Windows XP and Vista
5. Infrastructure Services – Such as Active Directory, File and Print, Email, employee portals etc.
6. Application Virtualization Services – The legacy tools such as Citrix and Terminal Server used for delivering applications as well as next generation Application Virtualization tools such as Softgrid, SVS and ThinStall.
7. Management Services – Such a VirtualCenter and other existing desktop management tools for patch management and software distribution such as Altiris, and SMS.
8. Storage Services – The storage infrastructure for storing and managing the desktop images and data being centralized.
9. Integration Services – The services and support provided to successfuly design, implement and integrate all
   these components, such as those provided by VMware.

• Virtual Desktop Management
• Session Management
• Desktop Life-Cycle Management
• Desktop Provisioning
• Desktop Pooling
• User management and entitlement to virtual desktop resources
• Providing secure encrypted connections across un-trusted networks

VDI is not new technology. VMware customers have been deploying VMware VDI based solutions since 2005. I would say most the IT organizations I meet with do a really good job managing desktop systems. Although, they are looking for a better way to deliver desktop services, gain more control over their desktop architectures and inprove deployment and management efficency. Distributed desktop architectures are difficult and costly to manage, but I do not expect any explosions.

One area glossed over in this paper were Virtual Desktop Instances. One of many key driving factors increasing the adoption in VMware VDI, is the ability to virtualize and deliver Windows XP and Vista desktops. Doing so allows IT organizations to overcome the shortcomings of typical server based computing solutions such as Citrix Presentation Server and Microsoft Terminal Services, where application conflicts and the loss of the personal computing experience often inhibit mass adoption as the desktop environment.

According to the following requirements http://kb.swsoft.com/en/1446, SWsoft does not support or deliver Windows XP or Vista desktops. Providing each user a Windows 2003 Server is a costly proposition. If the proposition is to virtualize each server instance and then use Terminal Services, most people have come to agree that is not VDI, but rather consolidating Terminal Servers which are typically underutilized. Although Terminal Servers can be of value and Remote App is showing a lot of promise in extending the value of a VDI architectue; alone they do not offer all the benefits of a true VDI solution, to organizations with complex applicaition environments.

Recently I was privileged to have the chance in sharing another VMware VDI success story. Sumit Sehgal joined me to share his experiance's and success deploying a VMware VDI based solution at Riverside Medical Center. This continues the trend of VMware VDI success in the Health Care space as the increased flexibility and mobility provided by VDI benifits Doctors and Nurses across the globe.

Here are some of my favorite highlights:

VDI Client Devices - Once again, repuroposed PC's leads the charge. Riverside started down their VDI path converting existing PC's into VDI clients using a PXE booted image from the network. As the PC's are decommissioned they are replaced with thin clients .

Time Savings - Avg. time to deploy a new VDI desktop 20 minutes compared to 120 minutes in the Past.

Faster Recovery From Failures - Recently a blade power supply failure resulted in the disruption of 32 virtual desktops. With the implementation of VMware HA these virtual desktops were back up and running in 4 min 33 sec. That was faster than Sumit was able to remotely connect once he received the notification or the failure.

Cost Savings - Expected a 6-9 VM per core consolidation. Acheived 11-12. Reprovisioned old PC's as thin clients eliminating traditional desktop lifecycle. Labor costs reduced by improved process.

In addition to these highlights Sumit shares with us some of his real world experiance regarding their storage design. In addition he highlights how they were able to leverage memory over-commit to increase the overall consolidation ratio. The entire webinar can be found here.

Riverside Medical Center Saves Time and Money on PC management with VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

From there search for Riverside Medical

I was so slammed at VMworld over the last week that I have not had the
time to let everyone know the Beta 1 for VDM 2.0 is now available.

VDM 2.0 is a session broker for VDI deployments offered by VMware and is a new product built from the Propero technology we acquired back in April of this year. Over the last few months the team has been hard at work so we can deliver on the design goals we set for this release of the broker. At this stage we are really focused on simplicity and saleability. One of the biggest changes for the initial release from the original Propero technolog wasporting to Windows. This release is only supported on Windows 2003.

Technically, there are a lot of things that occur when VDM 2.0 is installed, but we have simplified that process in the installation procedure. The installation is a single MSI installer. It takes about five minutes to get the initial VDM server in a group installed and ready to configure using the web based administration. In the coming weeks I will be sharing more on the architecture and available features. Anyone thats interested in
participating in the beta can find the registration page this URL - VDM 2.0 Press Release