Virtual Desktop Infrastructure: It's Here#13NTCvdi

Sam Chenkin

To inspire and empower nonprofits to use technology to better serve their communities.

AGENDA

• Components of Non-Profit Information Systems

• Use Cases for Remote Desktop Solutions

• Comparison of Remote Desktop Solutions

• Overview of Virtual Desktop Environments

• Understanding the Costs

• Questions

T E C H I M P A C T | P R O P R I E T A R Y A N D C O N F I D E N T I A L | N O T F O R D I S T R I B U T I O N

SCOPE

We are focusing on cloud solutions rather than on premise solutions since

they are more accessible for small organizations

Less IT knowledge is needed Lower implementation costs Lower maintenance costs Predictable costs

TERMS

Remote Desktop Microsoft Remote Desktop Services Desktop as a Service (DaaS) Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

COMPONENTS

OF

YOUR

NETWORK

BREAKING IT DOWN

App Servers

Communication

File Sharing Phones

Desktops

One size fits all• Commodity Services• Limited end-user

changes• Significant and

Immediate Cost Savings

Custom solution• Built just for you• Long term cost

Savings

SaaS

IaaS

TYPES OF CLOUD

Native Cloud Service(SaaS)

Hosted Infrastructure

(IaaS)VS

WAIT, WE STILL NEED DESKTOPS?

• Still need some kind of endpoint to access cloud services

• Need to provide a standardized access experience for all users, even if their data is in the cloud

• Need to protect your data by managing a user’s endpoint (you don’t know what they do with their personal computers)

Desktops

WAIT, WE STILL NEED APPLICATION SERVERS?

• It’s expensive and risky to manage on-premise servers

• On-premise servers don’t work well for geographically distributed organizations

• Many database solutions don’t have a native cloud alternative (Quickbooks Non-Profit ≠ Quickbooks Online)

• Those that do are often difficult to move to and require extensive customization

App Servers

SOLUTION A: CLOUD SERVERS

App Servers

Physical ServerStandard Desktop

Standard DesktopCloud Server

Problem?Databases and other

solutions designed to run on servers usually don’t

work well over an internet connection

WHAT WORKS WELL OVER AN INTERNETCONNECTION?

App Servers

Application Performance

Quickbooks Poor

Peachtree Unusable

BB Raiser’s/Funder’s Edge

Unusable

Dynamics CRM Very Good

MIP Very Good

ETO Very Good

MS Access Poor (unless with SharePoint)

Office Documents Good

Illustrator / PS / etc Poor

Active Directory Very Good

SOLUTION B: REMOTE DESKTOP

App Servers

Cloud Server Cloud Desktop

Access Device

User �͛s home computer

User �͛s iPad User �͛s Smartphone Desktops live on the same network as the cloud server, only the

screen and keyboard/mouse

information is transmitted

WHY ELSE?

• Difficulty managing physical desktops

• Cost of maintaining / purchasing new desktops

• Risk of utilizing donated / refurbished desktops

• Need for more control over the end user experience

Desktops

WHY NOT?

• Not necessarily less expensive than on-premise desktops, particularly for high-performance applications

• Not well suited for video chat / video watching

• Peripheral compatibility issues

• Complicates licensing

Desktops

USES CASES F

OR REMOTE

DESKTOP

WE DON’T NEED OUR OWN DESKTOPS

All our data and all of our applications are web-based and do not require any desktop software

(Google Drive / SharePoint)

AND/OR

Our users are savvy enough to maintain their own personal access device

(1 and 2) or 2

WE JUST NEED ON-PREMISE DESKTOPS

We use applications that aren’t web-based (Outlook, MS Office w/ Google Drive or SharePoint)

BUT

All our data is hosted in native-cloud applications that function well over an internet connection

AND

We have no problem maintaining physical desktops

1 and 2 and 3

WE NEED ON-PREMISE DESKTOPS & CLOUD SERVERS

We use legacy applications that require a dedicated server

BUT

These legacy applications work well over an internet connection (either web-based or with a VPN)

AND

We have no problem maintaining physical desktops

1 and 2 and 3

WE NEED REMOTE DESKTOPS & CLOUD SERVERS

We use legacy applications that require a dedicated server

AND

These legacy applications do not work well over an internet connection

AND/OR

We don’t want to manage physical desktops

(1 and 2 and 3) or 3

QUESTIONS

COMPARIS

ON OF

REMOTE

DESKTOP

SOLUTI

ONS

TERMINAL SERVICES

• Multiple users share the same underlying OS.

TerminalServices/ Citrix

Physical ServerDesktop Services

Pros Cons

Inexpensive way to provide centralized services for any

users

Many applications don’t work or don’t work reliably on shared

systems

Very efficient when each user does exactly the same thing and

uses very few resources.

One user can slow down everyone else since they share

an underlying OS

Users need to change how they work and can only make limited

customizations

3rd party providers typically lock down the interface significantly

to provide adequate security and reliability

HOSTED VIRTUAL DESKTOP (VDI)

• Each user has a dedicated (usually) Win 7 virtual desktop

Pros Cons

Any software that works on a physical desktop works on a

virtual desktop

More expensive than Terminal Services

Users don’t need to learn anything new, everything works

exactly as they expect it too

Wasted computing resources (and therefore money) for very

low activity users

Management is typically dramatically easier – install

software / updates on a golden image and push that image out

to all the desktops while preserving user customizations.

Sally͛�s VD

Physical ServerCluster

Sam͛�s VD

Lori͛�s VD Ed͛�s VD

CLIENT-SIDEVIRTUAL DESKTOP (VDI)

• Each user’s machine runsa virtual desktop synced periodically to the cloud

Pros Cons

Any software that works on a physical desktop works on a

virtual desktop

Doesn’t help client/server internet connectivity issues

Lower server/service costs than hosted virtual desktop

Desktops need to sync regularly or users will lose data if the

desktop fails

Don’t need an internet connection to access desktop (this is of limited uselessness)

Significant bandwidth needed when syncing / pushing software

updates.

Physical Server

Sam͛�s VD

Sally͛�s VD

Lori͛�s VD

Ed͛�s VD

Sally͛�sSam͛�s

Lori͛�s Ed͛�s

Sync

Sync

Sync

Sync

QUESTIONS

OVERVIEW

OF

VIRTU

AL

DESKTOP

ENVIRONMENTS

Standard Desktop

Thin Client

Network Printer / Scanner Cloud Server Cloud Desktop

User͛�s home computer

User͛�s iPadUser͛�s Smartphone

Domain Controller (optional)

THE VDI NETWORK

ACCESS DEVICES

Standard Desktop Thin Client

User͛�s home computer

User͛�s iPadUser͛�s Smartphone

PERIPHERALS

Local Attached

Network Enabled

HOW VIRTUAL DESKTOPS WORK

Virtual Desktop

Desktop,My Documents,App Data

Registry,Other Customizations

Operating System,Software

File Server

Golden Desktop

SETTINGS IN DETAIL• Applications• Windows

Updates• HKLM• Licensing

Folder Redirection

• Public Profile• App Data

Golden Desktop VDI Software

• HKLU• AppData Local• AppData

LocalLow

Group Policy

• Computer Settings

• User Settings• Security

Settings

DESKTOP REFRESH

Virtual Desktop

Desktop,My Documents,App Data

Registry,Other Customizations

Operating System,Software

File Server

VDI Software

Golden Desktop

Virtual Desktop

Desktop,My Documents,App Data

Registry,Other Customizations

Operating System,Software

File Server

Trash

VDI Software

DESKTOP RECOMPOSE

Golden Desktop

QUESTIONS

UNDERSTANDIN

G THE

COSTS

BUILDING IT LOCALLY

Storage Array

Security Server

Management Server

Session Host Server

Virtual Host Cluster

Traditional Build-out

Appliance

• Microsoft• Amazon• Rack Space

CLOUD BASED

Can’t use “SPLA” licensing Not enough time yet for

many organizations to build from scratch

Need to support end usersWHO IS• Desktone

• Local / Regional Providers

WHO ISN’T AN OPTION

COMPONENTS OF PRICING

Storage

Desktops

Bandwidth

VPNServers

Data Transfer

110

00

00

11 1

01

1 00

Data I/O

• Access Devices• Network Printers?• Security Appliances?• Servers?

WHAT YOU’LL NEED ON-SITE

Less support but

potentially more

advanced support

$ CALCULATING ROI

$ Monthly DaaS Cost$ Upfront hardware$ Ongoing access

device

$ Effective monthly desktop/server

costs$ Support costs$ Support costs$ Support costs

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