The IT Melting Pot!

This is a good blog post by Niraj Patel.

Questions: How do you successfully design a virtual desktop solution for 1,000 users?  How about 10,000 users?  What about 50,000 users?  What are the questions you should be asking?  Most importantly, where do you start?

Answer: Hire Citrix Consulting for your next virtual desktop project!  OK, that is one right answer, but not the only way to do it.  The successful way to design a virtual desktop environment is to follow a modular approach using the 5 layers defined within the Citrix Virtual Desktop Handbook.  Breaking apart a virtual desktop project into different layers provides a modular approach that reduces risks and increase chances for your project’s success no matter how larger you’re planned deployment is.  What are the 5 layers and some examples of the decisions are defined within them?

1. User Layer:  Recommended end-points and the required user functionality.
2. Access Layer:  How the user will connect to their desktop hosted in the desktop layer.  Decisions for local vs. remote access, firewalls and SSL-VPN communications are addressed within this layer.
3. Desktop Layer:  The desktop layer contains the user’s virtual desktop and is subdivided into three components; image, applications, and personalization.  Decisions related to FlexCast model, application requirements, policy, and profile design are addressed in this layer.
4. Control Layer:  Within the control layer decisions surrounding the management and maintenance of the overall solution are addressed.  The control layer is comprised of access controllers, desktop controllers and infrastructure controllers.  Access controllers support the access layer, desktop controllers support the desktop layer, and infrastructure controllers provide the underlying support for each component within the architecture.
5. Hardware Layer:  The hardware layer contains the physical devices required to support the entire solution, and includes servers, processors, memory and storage devices.

Want to know how to get started?  Try the Citrix Project Accelerator.  Input criteria around your business requirements, technical expertise, end user requirements, applications, etc. to get started on your architecture based on the 5 layer model.

Lastly, don’t forget to come see SYN318…

Continue reading here!

//Richard