desktop virtualization @ u-m september 28, 2011 ryan henyard its – desktop infrastructure
TRANSCRIPT
Desktop Virtualization @ U-M
September 28, 2011
Ryan Henyard
ITS – Desktop Infrastructure
Overview
• Introduction to Desktop Virtualization
• MyDesktop Service
• How We Got There
• Use Cases
• Takeaways
• Future Plans
Our MissionProvide a campus service to:
- Access applications and/or customized desktops remotely
- Increased security- Manage desktops more
efficiently- Potentially save on energy,
equipment, and physical space
- Develop distributed administration model which allows admins to manage their own desktop images and settings.
A number of intersecting efforts…
…and other incentives
• Reducing redundancy– Momentum on campus towards VDI; various
units already considering/piloting VDI technologies
– Centrally provided service would save University money; units could benefit from more buying power for new infrastructure
– Saving effort by providing shared infrastructure
We provision aNetwork for each new customer; some customers have more than one network to meet different security needs
Customers have options for their base images:-Create new blank VM (for existing provisioning systems)-Copy of U-M Shared Desktop image-Import existing image file-Customer chooses specs for machines (# of processors, RAM, HDD)
Customers can create multiple pools from one base image
Customers are billed based on pool size; per machine cost determined via formula partially based on specs
VDI Pools
Non-Persistent Pools – “floating” pools of machines– Users are connected to a random clone, which
can be reverted back to your last snapshot after logout
Persistent Pools– Dedicated 1-to-1 user assignment– Machines are permanently assigned to a user
after the first connection; can be paired with separate disk for user data
How Did We Get There?
Project Summary
• Service officially in production after 10 months of project/pilot : 9/09-6/10
• Short exploratory phase to select a vendor
• Relied on existing expertise with various components
Choosing VMWare
• Previous expertise on campus with their products
• Existing VMWare ESX infrastructure
• Relatively compact server architecture required
• Wide compatibility with thin client devices
• Active Directory integrated access management
Choosing VMWare
• Significant disk savings using Linked Clone technology
• Connection software available for Windows, OSX and Linux
• Important new features available in View 4.5 (delegated administration, viable persistence
Initial Use Cases
Virtual Sites• ITS-managed environment• A virtualized desktop nearly
identical to our campus computing labs
• Provides common and specialized software to windows users on an as needed basis
• Give Mac users a way to use Windows-only course software
• Available to students, faculty & full-time staff
Virtual Desktop Hosting
• Unit-managed environment– Allows units to maintain management &
control of the OS– Units can use existing resources (images,
deployment systems, group policy, network shares, etc.)
– Units control availability
Virtual Classrooms
• Specialized Virtual Sites image
• Gives units the ability to reserve large blocks of Virtual Sites machines through the MyDesktop service
Rates
1 Base Virtual MachineIncludes 1 CPU, 2GB RAM, 40GB Disk
$21.35/month ($256.20 annually)
Additional 1GB storage space $0.28/month ($3.36 annually)
Additional 1GB RAM $3.11/month ($37.32 annually)
Additional 1 CPU $3.11/month ($37.32 annually)
VDI machines are ‘fully costed’ – includes staff time, hardware, power, etc.
The biggest impetus for moving to VDI is not that virtual machines are cheaper than physical hardware; the savings come from easier management, provisioning, user continuity & remote access.
Streamlining the Process
• Campus Admin Pool– A pool of desktops that Unit admins use to work on
and manage their base images. – Users new to virtualization can learn by doing:
building their VDI images using the system itself
• Trial Network– Trial network allows units to start working on their
base images almost immediately, and then transfer them once their unit’s network is available.
Campus Examples
ICPSR
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
• Deploys pools of non-persistent desktops to allow secure access to sensitive datasets
• Limits access to desktops based on IP• Provides strictly licensed applications on VMs to
reduce potential costs• Uses roaming profiles & network shares to store
user data
ITS Desktop Support
• Provides remote access to common loadset for Business & Finance along with ITS
• Uses roaming profiles & CIFS Storage to store user data
• Aids in transition to Windows 7
School of Social Work
• 70 Dell Latitude E5520 laptops with SSD hard drives and extended batteries
• Homegrown software thin-client, configured with automatic logins and pool connections
• Connects to a Virtual Classroom pool of customized Virtual Sites machines
What we learned
• VDI can be an invaluable tool for testing– Test environments can be grown and
decommissioned quickly – snapshots enable easy rollback of unintended
changes
• Many of the “quick win” use cases involved non-persistent desktops– Admins liked being able to ensure the integrity of a
machine, knowing it is deleted after first use
What we learned
• Users want a solution that works on a wide variety of devices– Our pilots have connected via traditional desktops,
laptops, Macs, netbooks, thin clients, iPads and iPhones
– USB Redirection grants the possibility of using location-specific peripherals in conjunction with remote desktops
Future Plans
• Expansion of Virtual Sites
• Upgrade to View 5.0– Enables more delegated administration of
desktop pools, improved bandwidth usageprofile management
• Application Virtualization
Questions?
Contact
• MyDesktop Servicehttp://mydesktop.umich.edu
• Desktop Virtualization Websitehttp://www.itcs.umich.edu/virtualization/desktop
• Desktop Virtualization [email protected]