VDI for Secure Offshore Development

David Crosbie

CTO Leostream

Agenda

Offshore Development ChallengesTraditional SolutionBasic Concepts of VDIConnection BrokerUser AuthenticationVM PoolingRemote Desktop Session ControlRoad AheadConclusion

Offshore Development Challenges

SecurityKeeping control of software and systems

CostManaging licensing costsReducing idle development time

ManagementUser trackingProvision of additional testing and QA resources on demand

Traditional SolutionTraditional solution is Application Publishing (Citrix) Mature Technology

Feature Rich100% of Fortune 1000 companies but 15% max market penetration by application and employees (source: the451group)

So why the strong interest in VDI?Constant End User Experience Application IsolationUser Controlled Reboot

VDI is not displacing Application Publishing –it is extending remote desktops to new user groups, and expanding the market.

(Citrix Desktop Connection Broker uses Presentation Server as a proxy for the hosted desktop and does not manage the VM state).

Network

User

Citrix Environment

ICA Sessions

Application #1

Application #2

Application #3

VDI without a Connection Broker

User connects to Windows OS running within a VM using RDP

BenefitsIsolation between VMsVMs can stay under local management

ProblemsNo access control beyond Windows LogonNo dynamic user to VM mapping• Pooling, Self-Service, “Stickiness”No user control of VM• Stop, Start, RebootNo RDP session status monitoringNo user logging

Connection Broker

A Connection Broker (CB) is a management layer device that setups and monitors RDP sessions.

Uses VirtualCenter to manage VMs

Uses AD to authenticate users

Feature Needed for Offshore Development1 to many mapping of users to VMsSingle sign-onXP, W2K, NT4, Linux desktop supportPhysical machine support for load testing

LeostreamVirtual

DesktopConnection

Broker

LAN

VM

VM

Host Server

VM

Farm of VMs

User

Access Control Rules

Email Directory SNMP

VirtualCenter

Firewall

User Authentication

Leostream Connect runs on the user’s desktop

User enters username and password, then presses Connect.

Remote desktop launches and user is auto-logged in.

If the user has multiple desktops assigned the they get to choose which one(s) are launched and logged-in

VM Pooling

VMs don’t need to be hard assigned to a user.

VMs can be auto-assigned to a Pool.

Users are assigned a VM from a particular Pool.

VM can be returned to the Pool on logout, or can be permanently assigned.

LeostreamVirtual

DesktopConnection

BrokerWANUser

Access Control Rules

VM Pooling Pool One

Pool Two

Remote Desktop Session Control

Remote desktop protocol settings based onPolicy, Device, Location, Protocol

Device• Thin (Neoware & Wyse), Fat (W2K, XP,

and Vista), and Web• Single and dual screen

Location• Set printer mapping etc based on device

location

Multi remote viewer protocol• RDP, ICA, VNC, RAdmin (for NT4, W2K)

Road Ahead

The clear goal is unified end user experience which in practice means:

Backend IndependenceLocation of VM is unimportant.State of VM is fluid (running, suspended, stopped, create from template,..)Virtual or Physical (not all machines can be virtualized).Desktop or Application (Citrix Server in a VM) orientated.

Client IndependenceThick or Thin clientsClient is an extension of CB and VM (requires integration via an API)• Client displays VM status (starting, creating, etc.)

Location IndependenceExperience is the same irrespective of the location of the user or the backend.

Conclusion

Test and Dev is an easy early application for VDI.

Surprisingly the key factor that is driving VDI is great end user experience – single sign-on, familiar desktop.

when the technology works the user has no idea what is going on,they just turn the key.

Isolation and reboot are key features for Development but are less essential for other VDI situations.

Leostream has a production proven solution today – available as a VM, download and go.

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