Citrix XenDesktop Architecture Deep Dive

Agenda VDI Business Drivers – the customer problem XenDesktop v2 – how it works XenDesktop v2 – components XenDesktop v2 – implementation

Traditional Desktop Deployment Well-known processes – but labor intensive, with significant challenges Slow to deploy Days or weeks Complex to secure Across campuses, companies & countries Costly to maintain $4-9K per desktop per year (Gartner) Image Secure Deploy Monitor Maintain Back-up Retire Procure 1 2 3 4 8 7 6 5 Distributed Desktop Lifecycle

Slow to deploy

Days or weeks

Complex to secure

Across campuses, companies & countries

Costly to maintain

$4-9K per desktop per year (Gartner)

What Is Desktop Virtualization? Desktop Appliance VM Infrastructure VM VM VM VM

Desktop Virtualization A good technology but an incomplete solution Some benefits Easier to secure and backup Many of the same challenges PC sprawl becomes image sprawl Introduces new challenges Degraded user experience Immature lifecycle management tools High SAN Storage costs Centralized Desktop Lifecycle Data Center Image Secure Deploy Monitor Maintain Back-up Retire Procure 1 2 3 4 8 7 6 5

Some benefits

Easier to secure and backup

Many of the same challenges

PC sprawl becomes image sprawl

Introduces new challenges

Degraded user experience

Immature lifecycle management tools

High SAN Storage costs

XenDesktop with Integrated App Delivery Dynamically Assembles Virtual Desktops Users Data Center Single master image of each component Apps User Settings OS

Agenda XenDesktop v2 – how it works XenDesktop v2 – components XenDesktop v2 – implementation VDI Business Drivers – the customer problem

Agenda XenDesktop v2 – how it works XenDesktop v2 – components XenDesktop v2 – implementation VDI Business Drivers – the customer problem

XenDesktop Setup Tool Initial Configuration Specify the provisioning server. Specify the desktop server. Specify the AD XenDesktop Farm OU Select the virtual infrastructure service and specify the master server. Optionally enable event logging.

Initial Configuration

Specify the provisioning server.

Specify the desktop server.

Specify the AD XenDesktop Farm OU

Select the virtual infrastructure service and specify the master server.

Optionally enable event logging.

XenDesktop Setup Tool Create virtual desktops Wizard driven virtual desktop creation

Create virtual desktops

Wizard driven virtual desktop creation

XenDesktop Setup Tool Select the base VM Select the VM used to build the base virtual disk image. IMPORTANT: The base VM virtual network interface must match the network interface used when creating the vDisk.

Select the base VM

Select the VM used to build the base virtual disk image.

IMPORTANT: The base VM virtual network interface must match the network interface used when creating the vDisk.

XenDesktop Setup Tool Name Virtual Desktops Desktop names will be assigned by combining base hostname plus a number starting for the start index. Example for Sales Group (Sales1, Sales2, Sales3, …, Sales100) Base Hostname = Sales No. of Clones = 100 Start Index = 1 Desktop Group = Sales

Name Virtual Desktops

Desktop names will be assigned by combining base hostname plus a number starting for the start index.

Example for Sales Group (Sales1, Sales2, Sales3, …, Sales100)

Base Hostname = Sales

No. of Clones = 100

Start Index = 1

Desktop Group = Sales

XenDesktop Setup Tool Select the virtual disk “ Use Provisioning Server for pooled desktops” is checked. New desktops are created using a single provisioning server vDisk image. Use this option for creating pooled (shared) desktop groups. “ Use Provisioning Server for pooled desktops” is unchecked. Can clone an entire VM with hard disk The base VM should be SysPrepped. Use this option for creating assigned (dedicated) desktop groups.

Select the virtual disk

“ Use Provisioning Server for pooled desktops” is checked.

New desktops are created using a single provisioning server vDisk image.

Use this option for creating pooled (shared) desktop groups.

“ Use Provisioning Server for pooled desktops” is unchecked.

Can clone an entire VM with hard disk

The base VM should be SysPrepped.

Use this option for creating assigned (dedicated) desktop groups.

XenDesktop Setup Tool Summary Screen Shows the configuration options that were selected in the wizard. In this scenario we are creating 20 virtual desktops VMs using a single provisioning server vDisk image. The hostnames will be xendesktop1, xendesktop2, …. xendesktop20. These new virtual desktops will be added to the existing desktop group called “desktops”.

Summary Screen

Shows the configuration options that were selected in the wizard.

In this scenario we are creating 20 virtual desktops VMs using a single provisioning server vDisk image.

The hostnames will be xendesktop1, xendesktop2, …. xendesktop20.

These new virtual desktops will be added to the existing desktop group called “desktops”.

Agenda XenDesktop v2 – how it works XenDesktop v2 – components XenDesktop v2 – implementation VDI Business Drivers – the customer problem