With XenDesktop 7.0 release, the new unified Citrix FlexCast management architecture combines VDI and hosted shared desktops and apps from a single platform. XenApp farms can now be deployed and managed within XenDesktop Studio. This also means XenApp servers can be provisioned using the Machine Creation Services linked-clone delivery model or with the better performance and better scalability PVS solution.
NetApp, Cisco and Citrix believe that mobile work styles, powered by the cloud, have transformed business and are spurring an architectural revolution in IT. We are working on reference architecture on FlexPod with XenDesktop and different hypervisors vSphere, Hyper-V and XenServer.
- Citrix XenDesktop (XenDesktop + XenApp) is the leading desktop solution in the market with more than 50% market share in the mid size and enterprise markets.
- Citrix XenApp is a market dominant solution for hosted shared desktop model, and application delivery use cases.
- Citrix XenDesktop is a leading VDI model.
- FlexPod has been a popular infrastructure choice for Desktop Virtualization, specially Citrix XenDesktop.
The solution architecture is, at its core, detailed in the FlexPod Deployment Guide. Connectivity remains the same, as are other component configurations. Diagram below shows our end to end infrastructure diagram.
- Two nodes FAS 3240 NetApp Cluster ONTAP storage systems with 4 DS2246 shevels
- Two Cisco Nexus 5596 storage cluster interconnects
- Two Cisco Nexus 5548 switch connects Cisco UCS and NetApp storage
- 16 Cisco B200 M3 B-series blades UCS Manager 2.1 within the FlexPod
- Cisco Nexus 1000V for Hosted Virtual Desktop hosts to extend QoS to the virtual desktop and provide network administrators with the ability to manage the VM network with the familiar NXOS
We have management inbound and outbound network. The storage network, VM network and vMotion network are vPC virtual port channel.
Below our storage architecture diagram:
2000 VDI clients in parallel using Login VSI medium workload
- 1000 Hosted Shared Desktop (Streamed XenApp by PVS)
- 500 Pooled HVD (Hosted Virtual Desktops)
- 500 Hosted HVD w/ pVDISK
In the reference architecture, we will show case following NetApp values:
- NetApp Data ONTAP 8.1.2 will be utilized on the FAS system,demonstrate Data ONTAP’s Cluster-mode ability to seamlessly move 250 running users from one controller to the other while running the test workload.
- NetApp deduplication savings for: Personal vDisk and CIFS share with profile management and redirected folders
- FlashCache for accelerating CIFS traffic
- Personal vDisk backup/recovery using NetApp Virtual Storage Console plugin
- NetApp OnCommand Balance for monitoring and troubleshooting virtual infrastructure and storage
- Demonstrate NetApp VAAI integration for provisioning infrastructure VMs on NFS datastores
Currently we are doing lab setup. I will share more detail as we move along.
