View 4.6 connection server replication

[tacticsbaby]

I am currently planning a view 4.6 implementation. We will have 2 sites and 2 connection servers at each site. I have heard that it is a bad idea to allow connection servers to replicate across WAN links and that in such a case it is best to have 2 View infrastructures (One for each site). Is this truly the case? Is it practical to create a multi-site View environment that can be centrally managed? How best to deal with replication between the connection servers. Thoughts?

[markbenson · Accepted solution]

You're right. With two sites, you should have two View environments. Replica Connection Servers need to be on the same LAN.

You can make this easier by associating desktop pools with AD user groups so that all entitlements and user admin can be done in one place (AD).

This also helps with DR in that if a whole View cluster becomes unavailable, users can use the View environment in the other site.

Mark.

[tacticsbaby]

Thanks for the advice Mark. This is very helpful. I imagine that this could further be improved by limiting as much as possible the number of Persistent pools. That way it would matter less about the user needing to get the same desktop. Thoughts?

[markbenson]

That's exactly right. You can also consider the floating (non persistent) case either using a shared file server or using a synchronised file server so that you have even greater resilience. This is also a good way to support roaming users so that people should generally use their nearest available View cluster.

This is a big topic, so your questions are good.

Mark.

[andrew_axon]

Hello,

We have this same issue with two data centres providing virtual desktops to users in multiple locations. View 4.6 does not currently support  replication across WAN links although I believe this may change with View 5.

Depending on any load balancing options you are utilising you may set up two DNS addresses for user connections so they always go to their primary desktop no matter where they are located and use the other address in a DR event where you may use a floating desktop pool for these users.

If you have the budget you may utilise load balancers such as F5 which include View specific services and you could enable a single DNS alias to be used for user connections that the F5 would redirect to the appropriate location to present their primary virtual desktop.

Hope this helps.

Andrew