BUILDING AN EFFICIENT ENTERPRISE WITH CLIENT AND SERVER VIRTUALIZATION VIRTUAL CLIENTS FOR THE EFFICIENT ENTERPRISE By Roberto Ayala and Juan Vega By shifting the focus from physical systems to end-user digital identities, the Dell™ Flexible Computing framework helps simplify image management, hardware transitions, and security through central IT control of virtualized client devices. Now, alternative desktop models enable enterprises to achieve measurable efficiency gains thanks to technology advances such as PC-over-IP technology, composite images, and client hypervisors. 8 DELL POWER SOLUTIONS | 2010 Issue 1 Reprinted from Dell Power Solutions, 2010 Issue 1. Copyright © 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. ears of mergers, acquisitions, and ad hoc growth can saddle organizations with a hodgepodge of systems, soft- Yware, and data that drain IT resources, undercut worker productivity, and compromise business agility. To succeed in today’s tricky economy, business and technology leaders are working together closely to wring out inefficiencies, reduce fixed operating expenses, and free up assets to invest in innovation. Traditional enterprise desktop environments are undergoing scrutiny because of growing costs for support and maintenance, compounded by the necessity for frequent security patches and software upgrades. At the same time, end-user desktops have become increasingly difficult to manage as the explosion of remote and mobile workers continues to transform the client computing landscape. These users require immediate access to sophisticated enterprise systems from a diverse range of client devices, while IT groups must contend with time-consuming client management tasks such as deploying and patching images, managing hardware transitions, and ensuring client security. Faced with these demands and today’s budget constraints, many organizations are exploring virtual client models. This approach helps simplify operations and get client assets under control through a fundamental change in perspective: instead of managing physical desktops and hardware devices in various locations, administrators enable access to data, settings, applica- tions, operating systems, and IT policies that are uniquely associ- ated with each user. This information, referred to as the user’s digital identity, resides in a central location on the network and allows individuals to access and work with their data from any supported device. Reprinted from Dell Power Solutions, 2010 Issue 1. Copyright © 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. DELL.COM/PowerSolutions 9 BUILDING AN EFFICIENT ENTERPRISE WITH CLIENT AND SERVER VIRTUALIZATION VMware® or Citrix® software, it gives users access to server-based virtualized desk- Centralized virtual desktops tops from a wide range of devices, includ- ing desktops, laptops, thin clients, and PDAs (see Figure 1). Storage and proces- sor functionality are offloaded to the Virtualization infrastructure server and virtualized, while the client device performs lightweight graphics pro- cessing and user interface functions. The Dell VRD approach utilizes an array of optimized hardware and software plat- forms designed to reduce the complexity of managing traditional physical desktops— including the Dell FX100 remote access device, Dell OptiPlex™ desktops or thin clients, Dell Latitude™ laptops with Physical clients at multiple locations Latitude ON™ technology, Dell Precision™ workstations, 11th-generation Dell PowerEdge™ servers, and Dell EqualLogic™ PS Series Figure 1. Dell Virtual Remote Desktop model for centralized distribution of desktops to remote locations and Internet SCSI (iSCSI) storage area net- mobile users work (SAN) arrays. The 11th-generation PowerEdge server family has been opti- Unlike previous server-based comput- Designed for stationary environments mized for virtualized environments, includ- ing models, this framework takes advan- where manageability and security are critical, ing increased memory capacity, highly tage of client virtualization and desktop the Dell On-Demand Desktop Streaming™ integrated I/O, the advanced Intel® Xeon® streaming technologies to expand the (ODDS) solution optimizes the user com- processor 5500 series architecture, and scope of client functionality, flexibility, puting experience through local process- an integrated architecture. The EqualLogic and devices. Technology advances such ing. With ODDS, the user’s data resides PS Series provides a high-performance as Teradici PC-over-IP technology, com- on centralized servers that stream the iSCSI SAN built on fully redundant, hot- posite images, and client hypervisors are data to local, typically diskless comput- swappable hardware, and incorporates making virtual client computing an ers. Client storage resides on the server. automatic load balancing, snapshots, and increasingly attractive option. These Each diskless desktop boots from net- replication. strides enable organizations to boost pro- worked storage but retains processor By combining centralized control with ductivity and innovation by providing end and user interface functions. enhanced mobility, the Dell VRD model users with comprehensive functionality Delivering the capabilities of a high- enables organizations to simplify manage- and seamless mobile access, while simul- performance workstation in a one-to-one ment, strengthen security, and capitalize taneously helping IT groups to centralize, relationship between a local user and a on a growing number of complementary streamline, and simplify client manage- remote workstation, the Dell Dedicated supporting technologies. It can offer ment and security. Remote Workstation (DRW) solution numerous advantages for IT groups sup- allows physical workstations to be moved porting an increasingly distributed work- EVALUATING DELL FLEXIBLE away from sensitive locations such as hos- force and looking to simplify client COMPUTING OPTIONS pital operating rooms or securities trading management tasks. Storing and managing The Dell Flexible Computing framework floors. The entire physical workstation is virtualized desktops on the server helps offers a suite of products and services that located centrally, and the user accesses the avoid the need to provision and manage are designed to simplify management by display through a portal device. individual client devices. Basic manage- enabling a customized user experience Of the three, the Dell Virtual Remote ment tasks such as patches, upgrades, and with server-based control of digital identi- Desktop (VRD) solution is applicable to support can be handled quickly and effi- ties. Dell offers three service-backed client the widest range of usage scenarios—and ciently by centrally storing applications architectures that can be integrated into is particularly well suited to highly mobile and data. In addition, because virtual desk- existing infrastructure to centralize end- workers who may use a variety of devices tops are centrally located, they can be user resources. from different locations. By leveraging quickly backed up and recovered—helping 10 DELL POWER SOLUTIONS | 2010 Issue 1 Reprinted from Dell Power Solutions, 2010 Issue 1. Copyright © 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. to accelerate recovery time and enhance clients change. In a large organization with are located in the field, where mobile business continuity. multiple ongoing refresh cycles, adminis- devices are more likely to be lost or stolen trators may need to constantly validate and and getting mobile users back up and run- ADDRESSING CLIENT revalidate images to help avoid unintended ning can be more time-consuming than for MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES interactions or impact on applications. users closer to IT resources. The Dell VRD architecture is designed to The Dell VRD approach helps save By centralizing data on servers rather effectively and efficiently address many of time and effort because the image does than spreading it across individual desk- the key client management challenges that not change when the underlying hardware tops, the Dell Flexible Computing frame- organizations face, including hardware changes, and the drivers for each client work helps guard against data loss from transition complexity, image management, are separate from the OS. Also, most unauthorized access, malicious attack, security, and regulatory compliance. applications can be virtualized, helping failed PC hard drives, negligent employee reduce dependencies on the base OS and behavior, and noncompliance with orga- Easing the impact of hardware allowing added flexibility. Using virtualiza- nizational or regulatory policies. Using a refresh cycles tion to decouple images from hardware Dell Flexible Computing Solution with vir- Client hardware changes can be difficult helps to simplify the way an organization tual desktops, IT staff can manage the on both end users and IT groups: user pro- manages images, streamline the process remote client data and context internally, ductivity typically suffers until the replace- of refreshing the computing environment, helping enhance security and ensure regu- ment system can be personalized, and and reduce the IT workload associated latory compliance. User productivity ben- help-desk support can be a drain on IT with change management. efits because when a device is lost, IT staff resources. An immediate advantage of can quickly provision replacement hard- moving to the Dell VRD approach is that Helping ensure data security ware with the same information. the infrastructure can be upgraded