VMware View - Virtual Desktop Infrastructure - VDI

Virtualization is providing a resource to model instead of the most physical resource. Respectively, when we speak about virtualization of a workplace, we speak about virtualization of a desktop, or about a usual configuration of the personal machine of the user.

VDI – Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is the term entered into use by VMware company for positioning of the technology of virtualization of personal computers. Starting with version 3.0.0 marketing specialists of VMware renamed technology of the company into VMware View. In other words, VDI is one of the existing technologies of virtualization of personal desktops, developed by VMware company.

The modern concept of virtualization of desktops looks very simply and unambiguously. Virtualization of the personal computer is no other than virtualization of Windows. So it turned out that the modern world of personal desktops is the world of Windows. Therefore if we started talking about virtualization of personal jobs, then we mean virtualization of Windows. Yes, it is possible to apply technologies of virtualization to personal Unix systems, to MAC OS for example that is not more difficult at all, than to virtualize Windows, but the need for it is particularly acute not so. Matter is not that Windows something is worse or better, than Mac OS, just reality such is that for 90% of personal computers if it is no more, Windows is installed.

Speaking about virtualization of a workplace, we say that we need to provide to the user not the physical computer, but and to receive its certain model with which it will be able to work anywhere configured personally under it by Windows, Office, Outlook and other favourite applications, up to Angry Birds with the saved last level. And if still this model is delivered to any device convenient to the user, then we can tell that this and is virtualization of a workplace. She allows to receive the same Windows, with love configured under itself, with all set of necessary files, in any place and on any device which appeared near at hand - though on the personal computer though on the terminal though on the tablet or the smartphone. Technologies for the solution of such task exists much.

It makes sense to apply VDI technologies when it is necessary to deliver to the user not some one special application or two and when it is required to provide full personal Windows, just the same, as on a normal desktop, with all personal settings and an opportunity to change them at discretion.

By and large, in that business model on most of which the companies is constructed use of normal personal computers does not cause problems. In 20 years of use of different personal computers, including computers with Windows, technologies of administration are fulfilled almost ideally and if to observe the recommendations of producers, all personal computers and programs installed on them will work like clock-work.

There is nothing awful in using a physical desktop, and was. We so work hard years, and and now it is convenient to us to work on personal computers and notebooks. Another thing is that the world changed, and the situation in which to have an opportunity to work in a convenient and usual environment, it is necessary to reach that personal computer which costs at office on a table in the beginning ceased to suit us. We want to have now an opportunity to work with conveniences where we appeared now and when a wish arose.

When the person works in corporate environment and he has a need of gaining access to resources for this environment, he with ease and without any problems obtains information through a local corporate network. Corporate mail? Please. The general disks, the general files, access to whom permitted it is necessary, prohibited whom it is not necessary - as much as necessary. What there is planned for today by me and what plans at colleagues – here the general calendar. Well, and so on.

But as soon as you left office, at you difficulties begin to arise. Suddenly it turns out that so the file necessary right now on which all your department worked two months is not downloaded because it too big, and the roller which so wants to be shown to the client is not started on the smartphone. Of course, it is not absolutely correct to consider that Microsoft such bad and did not think over tools for remote work, but the available tools are obviously imperfect. Besides the situation is complicated by the fact that for transfer of those ultraboundary information volumes which contain in the internal environment now powerful communication channels are necessary.

Houses a workplace still can be organized: stretch the fiber optic channel and, working on the home computer, feel as at office. For completeness of feelings it is necessary to attend to synchronization of information and support of identical versions of all applications installed on house and on the worker computers. It is possible to simplify a task and to pass to the good notebook, but there are different situations. Let's say the person is at negotiations with the client and he urgently needs information, the client just about will make the correct decision, it is necessary to remove the last doubts. Here to show the video presentation which was hardly managed to be finished yesterday and you here forgot to copy it from the general disk on the notebook on pleasures. And now it is necessary to download heavy graphics through 3G-networks. It is a simple example - the first that came to mind.

Everywhere it is easy to drag with himself the notebook today, and to here get access to the customized working environment containing all information required - here that becomes now critical requirement which is not always possible for satisfying. Important not existence near at hand some abstract Windows - important always to take the workplace, usual, full, absolutely same, as at office. And that corporate information was relevant that all changes made by colleagues were visible at once, but not when you reach the place where it is possible to update files on your notebook.

Question of the choice of technology of virtualization of a workplace rather difficult. It is in certain cases better to apply VDI, in some - the normal thin client. There are companies having a set of remote offices which staff needs a full-fledged workplace with a large number of different applications - there, probably, after all simpler to organize delivery of remote jobs on technology of VMware, than to hold real desktops on balance. At least, it will not be necessary to send the administrator there. And here the wide communication channel for delivery of a virtual work place in this office should be constructed - in such situation delivery of applications on thin clients you will not manage. In other cases it is not required to organize a full-fledged workplace: for example, in external call center standard identical set of several applications is necessary for work of a great number of operators. In such situation it makes sense to use technology of thin clients and to deliver only separate necessary for operation of application, having deprived of operators of an opportunity to independently deliver itself a toy or ICQ.^[1]

VMware View 4.5

The VMware company released in September, 2010 the version of the product View 4.5 (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) intended for deployment, service and management of corporate infrastructure of desktops. Proposed solution provides delivery of thousands of virtualized jobs and applications at the same time and also allows to manage them using the single console. The user can get access to a usual environment from any device capable to be connected to network, including the PC, "thin clients", mobile devices, etc.

The Tiered Storage mechanism implemented in VMware View 4.5 will allow to manage storage of virtual machines effectively. The new version supports the FIPS 140-2 protocol providing confidential data protection according to statutory requirements. The organizations are also offered to estimate enhanced capabilities of work with virtual machines in a standalone mode. Experimental support of this function was implemented in the version of View 3.0 which appeared in December, 2008 and finished in the product View 4.0. One more feature of View 4.5 is the compatibility with the Windows 7 operating system.

View 4.5 will be delivered in two editions. The version of View of 4.5 Enterprise Editions includes the products vSphere 4 for Desktops, vCenter 4 and View Manager 4.5. Edition View 4.5 Premier Edition allows to estimate support of autonomous access and offers the ThinApp and View Composer applications.

• VMware of VDI makes sense to use at the number of required virtual desktop PCs from several tens and more. If in your their organization of everything 10 – there is no sense in VDI.
• VMware of VDI consists of 4 principal components:
  • Virtual infrastructure of VMware Virtual Infrastructure.
  • VMware Virtual Desktop Manager – the broker of connections (connection broker) standing on a dedicated server with static IP and "settling" customer appeals to the desktops.
  • VDI Client – the client for connection with the virtual machine.
  • VDI Agent – the agent set in guest OS of the virtual machine for ensuring safe connection on RDP through SSL

• VMware of VDI works only with infrastructure of Microsoft Active Directory – without it it does not work. Therefore there is no sense to think of VDI, so far you did not implement AD.
• VMware of VDM works in a tandem with VirtualCenter, at this VirtualCenter is used for management of virtual infrastructure in terms of servers, and VDM is responsible for creation of pools of desktops, management of privileges and deployment of new user virtual machines.
• VDM Agent implements the USB Redirect function redirecting input-output of USB devices from the real computer of the user on the virtual machine.
• VMware of VDI not on physical processors as VMware of VI, and on number of virtual workstations of users is licensed (at the same time the number of ESX servers is not limited and is not controlled). At this ESX enters as the Enterprise edition. "Packs" are on sale, beginning from 10 desktops (it is convenient to purchase to try because leaves very cheap). Support needs to be bought surely.
• Machines in VDI are unrolled from templates as necessary (i.e. the capacity of a pool does not mean that in it there has to be so much the created machines). In VDI there are two types of pools of desktops: persistent when after the first connection of the user with a virtual desktop it is assigned to it, and it always has access to the machine, and Non-persistent when the accidental virtual machine is always issued to the user (at the same time, after the end of a session of change do not remain). The first type of pools is suitable for creation of virtual work places of users, the second – for mass use of applications in the guest systems when data are unimportant, and service which the machine provides is important (it is possible to connect the moved profiles).
• VDI can be tried free of charge within 60 days completely and without restrictions.

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