VMware Cloud Community
AlbertWT
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Simple VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) deployment environment scenario (without VMware View 4)

Hi All,

My company where I'm working on is

quite small (less than 60 users) Software house, ranging from Dell

laptop and HP desktop some of them installed with Windows XP and Windows

Vista OEM licenses, To simplify the hardware I'm thinking to get 60x

Windows 7 Professional VM using Open License for just once off payment

(not yearly subscription) on the VMWare ESXi and they can just remote

desktop into those VM while the existing workstation is clean reinstall

back to the factory settings.

The VM Server host specs:

two of

Dell R710 Intel E5500 @ 2.66 GHz with 32 GB RAM (each holding 30 VMs)

Dell

MD3000i iSCSI SAN with 15k rpm 14x300 GB RAID-5

Benefits:

1.

Centralized environment

2. Rather than worrying about broken

workstation hardware and maintaining it, every person can just bring

their own hardware into the office :-o)

3. Simplify backup

Would that be a

good idea for a developer to remote desktop into the VM, while their

laptop can be use for something else (eg. playing music or browsing the

web)

any thought and comments would be greatly appreciated here.

Thanks

AWT

/* Please feel free to provide any comments or input you may have. */
Reply
0 Kudos
7 Replies
rManic
Expert
Expert

good idea

it would be better if you can add more memory

but workout with cost comparison as well

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
Reply
0 Kudos
AlbertWT
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

:-o) that's what I want to know too mate, I don't know if this is the proper way of deploying VDI in small office.

Kind Regards,

AWT

/* Please feel free to provide any comments or input you may have. */
Reply
0 Kudos
rManic
Expert
Expert

it will good idea to do as you metioned in the follwing case

1. if the infrastructure is entirely new.

2.if you have to replace all the desktop and laptop otherwise, since warrentry expired

3. and already have storage in place

it will not give good ROI in the following case

1. existing hardware are already have good enough resource to run windows 7 and also have warrenty

2. New storage has to be purchased for your proposal

regards

manic

Regards Manic
AlbertWT
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Actually most of the workstations is not covered under the warranty anymore, the specs is ranging from:

Intel Core 2 Duo 1.86 GHz up to 2.6 GHz with minimum of 4 GB RAM and some have 8 GB RAM for 64 bit OS installation.

to be honest when the existing Windows Vista and XP OS upgraded into Windows 7 for some users, they love it :-o) it performs better.

The DNS, DHCP and Domain Controller is in the existing physical machine.

yes, new SAN server will have to be purchased 😐 because local SATA hard drive in the server is not that big enough (max. 6x 1 TB SATA per ESXi server).

Kind Regards,

AWT

/* Please feel free to provide any comments or input you may have. */
Reply
0 Kudos
rManic
Expert
Expert

then

cost wise you will not have much saving when you go for VDI. it will give some ROI when you expand your no of VM in future

If you are more intrested on futures then cost go with VDI as you mentitioned above.

It will be better if you test run it before get in to full flegged setup

start with single ESX/ESXi if you have existing unused server, create few VM,s, Allow users to access and work with them.

get the feedback. If your mgmt and users are comfortable with the vm's then go ahead to purchase hardware

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
AlbertWT
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Thanks Mr. Manic

Sounds like a plan. I wonder if anyone has different way of implementing VDI without using VMware view by utilizing the current vSphere 4 licenses ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

/* Please feel free to provide any comments or input you may have. */
Reply
0 Kudos
AndreTheGiant
Immortal
Immortal

If you already have vSphere, you can simple use add-on license for View (just to save 100$ for each license).

Windows 7 Professional VM using Open License

I'm not sure that they exist (please check that are not upgrade license).

Usually are used or Retail or VECD.

Andre

Andrew | http://about.me/amauro | http://vinfrastructure.it/ | @Andrea_Mauro
Reply
0 Kudos