Virtual Xp Desktop + simultaneous login

[BDigital2000]

Hello,

I was recently assigned the task to learn as much as possible about VI3, VC 2.5 and VDI. So far so good, but I am stuck at a point in VDI. I set up a random XP desktop just for whipping purposes and to test a WYSE V10L. The problem is that my server has very limited storage available until the SAN arrives so I have very little room to create desktops.

I set the desktop up as an 'Individual Desktop' and I can log into it fine from the WYSE or from a website, but two seperate people can't log into it at the same time. All the entitlements are set correctly. Now do I need to set it up as a pool of some sort so that two or more people can log into the desktop at once (and each would have their own version)? Or If for example, I have 10 people that need to use that instance of desktop, I have to have 10 copies of that desktop sitting available? If the second one is the option, it just seems like a waste to have 10 copies of a desktop sitting with 10gb each.

If anything is unclear about what I am looking for, please let me know and I will try to re-word it better in the future. Thanks

Brent

[mittim12]

Only one person can be logged in at a time. The machine is marked in use after someone is logged in and VDM will not allow you to connect the second person.

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[BDigital2000]

So for example:

I have a desktop designed for customer service. I get it all set up. Now I have 5 customer service reps who would use the same desktop. My only option is to clone that desktop 5 times so everyone gets one if they log in at the same time? If each desktop is 10 Gb, then that takes 50Gb up. That does not seem to be a logical solution. What are my other options to minimize space? Is there any kind of link clone like workstation has?

Thanks!

[mittim12]

VDM does not currently offer any type of linked clone or golden image type feature but you could utilize something on your storage backend. Netapp has flex clones and dedup that will help with space and EMC has a snapped clone feature that would help with space.

edited to add roaming profiles as a method to reduce storage requirements for VM's.

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Message was edited by: mittim12

[markvr80 · Accepted solution]

I'm told by a VM rep that there are plans afoot to have a "master" image/template and then effectively snapshots/delta files of this for each deployed VM but at the momement you will have to have 10 copies of each VM. I know, it's annoying! It's not so much the original storage (100 x 10Gb = 1Tb which isn't that much) but trying to back this up. You can't do an incremental/differential backup like you would with data because the entire 10Gb file is changing each time so you need to backup the full 1Tb each night.

[markvr80]

PS - Your other option is obviously Terminal Services (could be a virtual TS)