desktop virtualization primer one size does not fit all

Desktop and Application Virtualization

Barb Goldworm

President and Chief Analyst

Primer: Virtual Desktop Delivery-One Size Does Not Fit All

Barb Goldworm• President & chief analyst, FOCUS (www.focusonsystems.com), an analyst

firm focused on systems, storage & next generation data centers

• Barb has 30 years experience in systems and storage with IBM, StorageTek, Novell, Enterprise Management Associates, multiple successful startups

• Expert Columnist since 1990s – NetworkWorld, ComputerWorld SNWOnline, TechTarget SearchServerVirtualization, SearchVMware, Virtual DataCenter Virtual-Strategy Magazine, Business Trends Quarterly

• Author: 100s of research reports, white papers, columns, bookBlade Servers & Virtualization

• Conference Keynote Speaker/Chair/Advisory Board:Chair/Advisor: Interop Virtualization, DataCenter Insights, CloudConnect…Judge: Best of VMworld, Product of the YearKeynote speaker: Tech Target Storage Decisions, Avnet Road To Virtualization Tour, VirtualPath University, StoragePath University…

2

© 2010 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com

http://www.focusonsystems.com/

Virtualization Adoption

3


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Server Virtualization

Desktop Virtualization

Application Virtualization

Storage Virtualization

In production > 24 months

In production 12-24 months

In production 6-12 months

In production < 6 months

Planning to impl < 6 months

Planning to impl 6-12 mo

Planning to implement > 12 mo

No plans

Source: FOCUS Research Series – Managing the Virtual Environment

Top 3 Priorities for Next Virtualization Efforts

4

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Implement networked storage

Expand applications being virtualized

Impl fault mgmt & root cause analysis

Impl application virtualization

Expand desktop virt. to > groups/desktops

Impl data protection capabilities

Impl storage virtualization

Impl VM lifecycle management

Impl security management

Impl capacity management

Impl storage management

Impl server virtualization

Impl performance management

Implement desktop virtualization

Expand server virt. to > servers and apps

Source: FOCUS Research Series – Managing the Virtual Environment

© 2009 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com© 2010 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com

Defining Desktop and Application Virtualization

• Desktops– Server Hosted

• Server-Based Computing – shared published desktops/apps • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) – server hosted virtual

desktops (VMs)

– Client Hosted• Locally managed virtual desktops (VMs)• Centrally managed virtual desktops (VMs)

• Applications – Application virtualization - isolation/sandboxing– Application streaming for local execution

5© 2010 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Server

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Hypervisor

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Vir

tual

Des

kto

ps

(VM

s)User Access Devices

PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Server

Multi-User Architecture

App 1 App 2

App 1 App 2

PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Windows (TS)

XenA

pp

/Termin

al Services Session

s

Server Hosted

Client Hosted

Multi-OS or DeveloperDesktop

Contractor/Work from Home

Desktop

PC or WorkstationBlades

Vista

Mac OS

XP

Microsoft Virtual PC, Windows Virtual PCParallels Desktop, Oracle VirtualBox

VMware WorkStation, Player, Fusion, VMware CVP, Xen client

MED-V (Kidaro),VMware ACE,

RingCube vDesk

Unmanaged Personal/Contractor

Desktop

Secured/ManagedVirtual Desktop

Linux

ClearCube, HP, IBM, Verari


Win 7

Business Drivers -- IT issues• Desktop and application support/management has plagued IT since

corporate adoption of PCs

• Desktop operating costs are high

– Refresh cycles raise cost/benefit questions -- frequency of desktop HW upgrades versus thin client

– Upgrading Win 7 vs. shift to thin client/virtual desktops

• Security issues on the rise -- risk of information theft

• Environmental issues of distributed desktops vs. centralized

• Mergers and acquisitions/New employees

• Initial VDI success where security and compliance were key and not just cost


• Increase in remote user scenarios– Remote workers– Contract workers – Work from home scenarios

• Changing “desktop”– Laptops, smartphones, netbooks, BYOC– Move to Windows 7

• Broad range of user types and requirements– Power Users– Knowledge Workers– Task Users– Mobile Users

• Survey users to assess requirements

Business Drivers:Changing User Needs


Technical Drivers


• Server virtualization adoption (products, people, process)

• Server, network improvements - reliability/bandwidth

• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) improvements

• Application streaming and virtualization

• Personalization improvements

• Client hypervisors & Mobile platforms

• Graphics protocols improvements (PCoIP, HDX, RDP 7)

• Offline check in/check out

• Windows 7 Installation

Windows 7 Migration

• Most companies skipped Vista

• XP support ending

• Win 7 requires more memory and faster processors

• Installation not upgrade

• Sever the connection between hardware refresh and OS upgrade through virtualization abstraction


• Centralized desktops can reduce desktop management/support operating costs and improve user satisfaction

– Provision/update from shared OS and app images

– Eliminate application interaction support problems

– Minimize/eliminate SW on physical desktops

– Backup user data

Why (Re-)Evaluate Desktop Strategies?


• Extend lifespan of current desktop hardware• Provide desktop and application access from

anywhere• Increase security of desktop data and

applications• Improve compliance management• Increase desktop reliability, availability,

serviceability• Windows 7 will require touching every desktop

Why (Re-)Evaluate Desktop Strategies?


Desktop Virtualization

• Bottom line benefits

– Improve mgmt and support – reduce OpEx

– Improve security

– Get user data backed up

– Extend desktop hardware lifespan

– Increase reliability, availability, serviceability


Desktop Virtualization Barriers

• Previous barriers to broad implementation have been/are being eliminated

– Storage issues (image management)

– User experience/interface (e.g. graphics)

– Personalization – layering user info on top of virtual desktops and virtual applications

– Mobile/offline user issues

– Licensing/cost issues


Hardware

Applications

Operating System

Hardware

Operating System

Applications

HW Virtualization


Before After

Virtualization Layers


User Profile

Personalization

Virtualization Architectures


Hardware

VM 1 VM 2

Host OS

Virtualization layer

Hardware

OS Virtualization Layer

Virtual Environment

Virtual Environment

Virtual Environment

Virtual Environment

Host OS

Hardware

Virtualization layer

VM 1 VM 2 VM 3 VM 4

OS Virtualization

• Solaris Containers

• Parallels Virtuozzo

Hosted Virtualization

• VMware Server,

Player, Workstation

• MS Virtual Server,

Virtual PC

Bare-Metal HypervisorVirtualization

• VMware ESX, ESXi• Citrix XenServer• MS Hyper-V• Client Hypervisor (VMware & Citrix) 16

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Server

Virtual Desktop Architecture

Hypervisor

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Vir

tual

Des

kto

ps

(VM


PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Server


App 1 App 2

App 1 App 2

PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Windows (TS)

XenA

pp

/Termin

al Services Session

s

Server Hosted

Client Hosted



Desktop


Vista

Mac OS

XP

Microsoft Virtual PC, Parallels Desktop,

VMware WorkStation, Player, FusionVMware CVP, Xen client

MS EDV (Kidaro),VMware ACE,

RingCube vDesk


Desktop


Linux


Win 7


Server

Operating System

XenApp/ Terminal Services

Server

Operating System


Server

Operating System


App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

Connection Manager

Server Infrastructure

Provision Apps

User AccessDevice(s)

ConnectionManagement/Security

Delivery Protocol

Manage!


18

Server Based Computing/ Presentation Virtualization

• Virtualizes the Presentation Layer

• Delivery Protocol – RDP, ICA, HDX, EnhancedRDP

• Connection Manager – Session Manager, Dynamic/Static

• Highly controlled environment

• Corporate applications

• Task workers (e.g. call centers)

• No user customization

• Highest ratio of users/server


19

User Access Device Choices

• Existing Desktops/Workstations/Laptops

– Use current desktops as dumb terminal

– No upfront CapEx investment

• Thin Clients

• Zero Clients

• PDAs and Smart Phones

• Future Mobile Devices?


Thin/Zero Client Computing• Thin client computing Model

– “dumb terminal” legacy

– Application on server

– UI on client device

– Thin/Zero client device

– Thick/Fat client

• Benefits– Minimal-to-no SW updates

– Longevity

– Reduced support

– Less vulnerable

– Green - Reduced power/cooling

– CapEx, OpEx© 2010 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com

21

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Server

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

Hypervisor

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Vir

tual

Des

kto

ps

(VM


PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Server


App 1 App 2

App 1 App 2

PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Windows (TS)

XenA

pp

/Termin

al Services Session

s

Server Hosted

Client Hosted



Desktop


Vista

Mac OS

XP




RingCube vDesk


Desktop


Linux


Win 7


VirtualInfrastructure

Hardware

Virtual Machine Infrastructure

Virtual Infrastructure

Hardware

OS OS OS

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

OS OS OS

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

OS OS OS

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

App

AppOS OS OS

Connection Manager

Virtual Infrastructure

Provision OS and Apps

User AccessDevice(s)

ConnectionManagement/Security

Delivery Protocol

Manage!Server-hosted/Centralized Desktop


Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

• Server-hosted, desktop virtualization

• Each user connects to VM from Thin or Rich Client

• VMs can be customized, user has more control than published apps

• Dedicated or pooled, persistent/non-persistent

• Connection broker/manager handles connecting user to VM (Published Apps, Workstation/PC Blade)

• Integrates with AD, LDAP

• Licensing options -- MS VECD


24

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

• Leverages server virtualization software and management/automation tools

• However, managing desktops are different than managing servers!


25

Personalization:User Virtualization

• Separate user space from the OS

• Traditional profile settings

• Personalized settings

• Applications

• Printing settings

• Context information

• Central management

• Dynamic composition


Personalization and User Environment Management

• Enables users to access their files and customized settings from any approved device

– VMware (RTO Virtual Profiles)

– Citrix (Sepago)

– AppSense Environment Manager

– Liquidware ProfileUnity

– Microsoft Windows and Win 7


27

Virtual Desktop Considerations

• User experience

• Provisioning

– Templates, pools, persistence

– Separate OS, apps, profiles, data

• Storage and image management

– PC Storage to central SAN storage

– Central image management

• Golden images, linked clones, OS Streaming

– Duplication and deduplication

• Offline usage

– Offline VDI, App Streaming


Hidden Costs

• Cheap PC storage to expensive SAN storage

• Lots of duplicate storage (OS images, apps, data)

• Server and storage hardware on back-end

• Space in data center

• Possible network upgrade

• Move to thin client – now vs later


29

Adoption in 2010 is aboutOvercoming historical barriers

• Barriers being eliminated

– Storage issues (image management)

– User experience – interface (e.g. graphics)

– Personalization – layered on top of virtual desktops and virtual applications

– Mobile users

– Licensing & pricing (Desktop OS and Apps)


MS VDI Licensing changes

• No separate license to access a VDI Windows desktop for Software Assurance customers (Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) rights included)

• Non-SA customers – VDA now $100 per device per year (VECD was $110)

• VDA users can access their VDI Windows desktop and MS Office apps on secondary, non-corporate network devices, such as home PCs and kiosks

• Replaces VECD• Effective July 1, 2010


• VMware: View 4 on ESX VI3, vSphere, View Composer, View Manager, RDP, PCoIP, ThinApp

• Citrix: XenDesktop 4 on XenServer, (or ESX or Hyper-V), Desktop Provisioning, ICA, HDX, FlexCast – XenDesktop includes XenApp

• Microsoft: VDI Suites on Hyper-V, Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services, RDP 7, Windows 7, App-V, M-EDV, RemoteFX(future)

Server Hosted DVThe Big Three


Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Server


Hypervisor

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Vir

tual

Des

kto

ps

(VM


PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Server


App 1 App 2

App 1 App 2

PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Windows (TS)

XenA

pp

/Termin

al Services Session

s

Server Hosted

Client Hosted



Desktop


Vista

Mac OS

XP




RingCube vDesk


Desktop


Linux


Win 7


Multi-OS or Developer/Tester Desktop

– User has full admin capabilities

– Can leverage golden image for easy provisioning

– Vendors

• VMware Workstation, Player, MS Virtual PC

• Future VMware CVP & Citrix XenClient

• VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop

• Virtual Computer


April 10 34

34

Managed PC hosted

– Virtualization of the PC desktop, setup/managed centrally

– Work-at-home, contractor, training lab

– Highly controlled one-to-many

• Data encryption

• Desktop lockout – timed/instantaneous

• Local device access

• Connections

• Applications

– VMware ACE, Moka5, RingCube, MS Kidaro, Virtual Computer


April 10 35

35

Client-Hosted Desktop Virtualization

Bare-Metal (Type 1) Hypervisor• Neocleus• Virtual Computer• XenClient• VMware CVP

Hosted Virtualization (Type 2)• VMware Workstation• Virtual PC• Windows Virtual PC

(Win 7 XP Mode)

Native Desktop Operating System

VirtualizationLayer

Guest OperatingSystem

Hardware

Virtualization Layer


Hardware



Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Server


Hypervisor

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Guest OS

App 1 App 2

Vir

tual

Des

kto

ps

(VM


PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Server


App 1 App 2

App 1 App 2

PC

Thin Client

Laptop

App 1 App 2

Windows (TS)

XenA

pp

/Termin

al Services Session

s

Server Hosted

Client Hosted



Desktop


Vista

Mac OS

XP




RingCube vDesk


Desktop


Linux


Win 7


PC Blade

App

App

App

AppOS OS OS

PC/workstation BladeInfrastructure

Provision OS and Apps

User AccessDevice(s)Connection

Management/Security

Delivery Protocol

Manage!

PC/Workstation Blade -Centralized Desktop

PC BladePC Blade

OS

App

App

App

OS

App

App

App

OS

App

App

App

Connection Manager

© 2009 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com 38© 2010 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com

PC and Workstation Blades

• Full PC/workstation in centrally located

chassis

• Usually one-to-one – not virtualized

• Use cases

– Graphics/heavy compute power-user

• CAD/CAE

• Trading floor


39

39

PC/Workstation Blades• HP

– Early, first big player -- PC and Workstation blades, HP and Neoware clients

– RGS graphics compression (SW)

• Clearcube

– Early leader in PC blades

– Trading floor, Hospital operating rooms, ERs

– Graphics compression (Teradici), quad monitors and user ports

• IBM

– Workstation blade, DevonIT client

– Graphics compression (Teradici)


April 10 40

40

Desktop Operating System


Native Installed Applications

VirtualizationSandbox




41

Tilt the panes and the applications appear to the user as expected

Applications are placed in layers withinMicrosoft Windows,like panes of glass, eachwith their own “Registry”

Native OS + Applications

VirtualApplicationSandboxes


42

Executes on User DevicesData Center



Desktop OS

IE

MS Office 2007

MS Office 2003

VisioAdobe Reader

Local Desktop Virtualization

Desktop Virtualization SW

VM

XP

VM

Vista

VM

Red Hat

VM

Solaris

Desktop OS

AP

P

AP

P

AP

P

AP

P

AP

P

AP

P

AP

P

AP

P

1 to Many

MS Office 2007

MS Office 2003

Visio

Adobe Reader

Web or Streaming Server

Application Packaging/ Sequencing Server

Application Virtualization and Streaming


43

App Virt Players

• VMware ThinApp (Thinstall)

• Microsoft App-V (SoftGrid)

• Citrix XenApp

• Symantec (SVS and AppStream)

• InstallFree

• Xenocode Virtual Application Studio


Task Users Mobile UsersKnowledge Workers Power Users

Server-hostedDelivery

Client-hostedVirtual Desktop

Client-hostedDelivery

Virtual DesktopInfrastructure

PC and Workstation

Blades

ManagedClient-hosted)

ManagedClient-hosted

Application Virtualization and Streaming

Multi-userServer-basedComputing

Use Cases And Technologies

45


Smart Phone

Task Users Mobile UsersKnowledgeWorkers

Power Users

Server-basedDelivery

VMware Workstation, Player & Fusion,

Parallels Desktop, MS Virtual PC, VMware CVP,

Citrix XenClient

Client-basedDelivery

VMware View,Citrix XenDesktop,

MS VDI Suite,RedHat Enterprise

Desktop (KVM),Sun VDI/SGD

IBM, HP, ClearCube,Teradici,

Verari

MS EDV,VMware ACE,

RingCube

MS EDV,VMware ACE,

RingCube

MS App-V,Citrix XenApp , Symantec SVS,

InstallFree

MS Terminal Services,

Citrix XenApp

Use Cases, Technologies, and Vendor Solutions

Citrix Receiver, VMware

MVP


46

Conclusions: Future Directions

• Market

– Inflection point for Desktop Virtualization – 2010

– Most barriers now eliminated

– Increased focus on security and compliance

– Increased focus on management issues

– Licensing issues slow to change

– Pricing changes continuing


Conclusions:


• Technology Summary

– Overall management tools improving

– Provisioning improvements

– Storage improvements

– Offline improvements in progress

– Client Hypervisors in progress

– Mobile Platforms 2010/2011

– Increasing separation of desktop, OS, app, user data

– App Stores modeled after iTunes

– Shift from device management to user/services mgmt

Conclusions: Evaluate the Landscape • Citrix has been leader in understanding

apps/desktops. XenDesktop XenApp crosses the most use cases.

Strengths: flexibility, bandwidth, application & networking

• VMware has been leader in server virtualization and managing the VMware infrastructure

Strengths: density, simplicity, server virt mgmt tools

• Microsoft has been leader in desktop and server operating systems and applications

Strengths: cost, desktop & integration and mgmt49© 2010 FOCUS - www.focusonsystems.com

• Examine all your use case requirements• Consider but don’t limit to your existing virtualization

vendors/solutions• Don’t just treat desktops like servers• Evaluate both user experience and IT impacts• Consider storage and networking issues as key parts of

decision• Build cross-functional teams (server, desktop, storage,

networking)• Consider major vendors and startups• Don’t be afraid of mix and match solutions• One size does NOT fit all

Recommendations


Resources• FOCUS Website:

http://www.focusonsystems.com/research/• FOCUS Research Reports, Vendor Briefs, Profiles & events

– FOCUS Research Series: Managing the Virtual Infrastructure– FOCUS Research Series: Desktop & Application Delivery– White Papers, Solution Profiles, Briefs– Road2Virtualization events, Road2Information Optimization– Interop Virtualization Workshops and Track Sessions

• FOCUS Columns, Webcasts, Podcasts: – Information Week, TechTarget, Business Trends Quarterly,

Virtual Strategy Magazine

• Book: Blade Servers and Virtualization• Email: [email protected]


New

http://www.focusonsystems.com/research/

http://www.focusonsystems.com/research/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471783951

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471783951

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desktop virtualization primer one size does not fit all

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