Common paths to VDI?
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One of the major tasks to that I would like to tackle where I work is VDI. This is more of an exploratory question. I have a mix bag of virtual environments, such as Hyper-V for my ERP system (can't really touch that) and VMware for house servers. Not really set on either environment.
What avenues does one go from normal laptops and desktops to full VDI with zero-client terminals?
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@nerdydad A non-windows environment to start. Also, yes, I'm biased and admit as much.
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@travisdh1 said in Common paths to VDI?:
@nerdydad A non-windows environment to start. Also, yes, I'm biased and admit as much.
I would expect as such from you.
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Is there any software whatsoever in this place that requires Windows? Is there any service being provided to users that requires Windows on either end? Does the product that's being made at your place require Windows or is it being built with Windows tools (ex. MS Visual Studio)? If anything is yes, is there an equivalent and supported Linux alternative?
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@tim_g said in Common paths to VDI?:
Is there any software whatsoever in this place that requires Windows? Is there any service being provided to users that requires Windows on either end? Does the product that's being made at your place require Windows or is it being built with Windows tools (ex. MS Visual Studio)? If anything is yes, is there an equivalent and supported Linux alternative?
Heavily Windows. It would be too much shock to the users to get them switched to a Linux desktop distro.
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@nerdydad said in Common paths to VDI?:
@tim_g said in Common paths to VDI?:
Is there any software whatsoever in this place that requires Windows? Is there any service being provided to users that requires Windows on either end? Does the product that's being made at your place require Windows or is it being built with Windows tools (ex. MS Visual Studio)? If anything is yes, is there an equivalent and supported Linux alternative?
Heavily Windows. It would be too much shock to the users to get them switched to a Linux desktop distro.
I doubt that if using Cinnamon GUI... and they are coming from Win7/Win10. There's really no difference, except if they are used to clicking the "Blue E" for internet... now they click Firefox or Chrome (if they don't already). Use Ansible or Salt to stick Desktop icons named "Email", "Internet", etc...
If the only reason is because "...well the users are used to Windows desktop...", I don't think that's really a reason to keep spending so many thousands of dollars on Windows licensing and associated costs.
But if you have a big product and it's drivers, programs, UI, everything related to the product already done and locked in with Windows decades ago (like Scott's MS Visual Studio video mentions) where a complete switch would be impossible, then I fully understand.
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@tim_g said in Common paths to VDI?:
@nerdydad said in Common paths to VDI?:
@tim_g said in Common paths to VDI?:
Is there any software whatsoever in this place that requires Windows? Is there any service being provided to users that requires Windows on either end? Does the product that's being made at your place require Windows or is it being built with Windows tools (ex. MS Visual Studio)? If anything is yes, is there an equivalent and supported Linux alternative?
Heavily Windows. It would be too much shock to the users to get them switched to a Linux desktop distro.
I doubt that if using Cinnamon GUI... and they are coming from Win7/Win10. There's really no difference, except if they are used to clicking the "Blue E" for internet... now they click Firefox or Chrome (if they don't already). Use Ansible or Salt to stick Desktop icons named "Email", "Internet", etc...
If the only reason is because "...well the users are used to Windows desktop...", I don't think that's really a reason to keep spending so many thousands of dollars on Windows licensing and associated costs.
But if you have a big product and it's drivers, programs, UI, everything related to the product already done and locked in with Windows decades ago (like Scott's MS Visual Studio video mentions) where a complete switch would be impossible, then I fully understand.
That's good to note and I appreciate the information, but kind of off topic. Question is more of how to deploy VDI.
Need a virtualization environment of course. Possibly thin client terminals with a golden base image to apply updates to then have thins copy from. I get the concepts, but what are the avenues to deploying it?
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@travisdh1 said in Common paths to VDI?:
@nerdydad A non-windows environment to start. Also, yes, I'm biased and admit as much.
If you don't have Windows, what good does VDI do you?
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For Windows VDI you have a crazy array of choices. Hyper-V, XenServer, and VMware all offer big VDI packages, plus there are loads of third parties. Plus you can roll your own.
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I run two VMware Horizon environments for two companies. My advice is… avoid VDI. At any cost.
The only scenario in which it makes sense is a security-tight environment (banks, military, government, strong NDA etc.).
For ANY other case, just use proper management tools, desktop imaging etc.The VDI is a land full of pain, believe me.
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well. I've started considering VDI even for my current company: aroud 42 seats, expanding.
But then I've started condisering: why VDI rather than RDP services?! still don't know the answer, because I've not digged in enough, but, mind that you can also do RDP services before VDI.
And I'm talking windows, not linux.
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@matteo-nunziati said in Common paths to VDI?:
well. I've started considering VDI even for my current company: aroud 42 seats, expanding.
But then I've started condisering: why VDI rather than RDP services?! still don't know the answer, because I've not digged in enough, but, mind that you can also do RDP services before VDI.
And I'm talking windows, not linux.
This has always been the rule. RDS before VDI. VDI should only be discussed when RDS can't be done. VDI is the "virtualization of last resort".
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@scottalanmiller about RDS. I'm still trying to understand the licence costs. you need RPC cals AND standard cals?! or is it just one? also how do you pay for apps, like office?! just enter the account per user and get your office 365 licence or is it way more complex/expensive?!
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@matteo-nunziati said in Common paths to VDI?:
@scottalanmiller about RDS. I'm still trying to understand the licence costs. you need RPC cals AND standard cals?! or is it just one? also how do you pay for apps, like office?! just enter the account per user and get your office 365 licence or is it way more complex/expensive?!
Nothing replaces the need for a Server CAL. RDS CALs are needed for users taht use RDS functionality. So you need both for users that use RDS.
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Software licensing is up to each individual package. RDS doesn't define any of that.
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@nerdydad said in Common paths to VDI?:
What avenues does one go from normal laptops and desktops to full VDI with zero-client terminals?
In my limited knowledge which I also freely admit, I understand that economically it doesn't make sense unless you have at least 400-600 workstations. That's my understanding anyway and if I'm wrong I wont be offended if anyone corrects me.
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@jmoore said in Common paths to VDI?:
@nerdydad said in Common paths to VDI?:
What avenues does one go from normal laptops and desktops to full VDI with zero-client terminals?
In my limited knowledge which I also freely admit, I understand that economically it doesn't make sense unless you have at least 400-600 workstations. That's my understanding anyway and if I'm wrong I wont be offended if anyone corrects me.
It's not really a number thing. I mean it is to some degree, but not really. VDI is all about things being broken, not about "it's good at scale." It's always crappy, just at scale it is not AS crappy. But no matter what you never want VDI, it's always a fallback because something else is fundamentally wrong.
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Unless you have a real clear cut reason as to WHY VDI and the places it can save you time and/or money, it won't be worth it.
As an educational insitution, it makes sense for us, since we can cut down having to buy 250 to 500 worker class workstations every year to only having to buy and replace thin/zero clients when they fail. (We do have to pay Licensing for MS and/or VMware, but we get steep discounts).
As a good stop-gap or test scenario, I'd suggest that using RemoteApps or even Remote Desktop sessions could show you the potential for how well VDI could work for your business.
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@dafyre said in Common paths to VDI?:
Unless you have a real clear cut reason as to WHY VDI and the places it can save you time and/or money, it won't be worth it.
As an educational insitution, it makes sense for us, since we can cut down having to buy 250 to 500 worker class workstations every year to only having to buy and replace thin/zero clients when they fail. (We do have to pay Licensing for MS and/or VMware, but we get steep discounts).
As a good stop-gap or test scenario, I'd suggest that using RemoteApps or even Remote Desktop sessions could show you the potential for how well VDI could work for your business.
In your case, what makes VDI superior to RDS?
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@scottalanmiller said in Common paths to VDI?:
@dafyre said in Common paths to VDI?:
Unless you have a real clear cut reason as to WHY VDI and the places it can save you time and/or money, it won't be worth it.
As an educational insitution, it makes sense for us, since we can cut down having to buy 250 to 500 worker class workstations every year to only having to buy and replace thin/zero clients when they fail. (We do have to pay Licensing for MS and/or VMware, but we get steep discounts).
As a good stop-gap or test scenario, I'd suggest that using RemoteApps or even Remote Desktop sessions could show you the potential for how well VDI could work for your business.
In your case, what makes VDI superior to RDS?
That is a decision that came down from higher up before I started here, unfortunately.
I prefer the Microsoft RemoteApp and RDS over a full VDI desktop.
