1. VDI
Are we there
yet?
Compiled By:
Ramesh
Sivaraman
VIRTUAL DESKTOP INFRASTRUCTURE - ARE WE THERE YET?
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure,
or VDI, refers to the process of
running a user desktop inside a
virtual machine that lives on a
server in the datacenter. It’s a
powerful form of desktop
virtualization because it enables
fully personalized desktops for
each user with all the security and
simplicity of centralized
management.
VDI enables customers to
streamline management and
costs by consolidating and
centralizing the desktops while
delivering end-users mobility and
the freedom to access virtual
desktops anytime, from
anywhere, on any device.
Types of Virtualization
- OS Provisioning
- Remote Desktop Services
- Client Hypervisors
- Hosted Virtual Desktops
- Application Virtualization
Of these, the hosted services are
providing most popular. But
what is right for City of Hallandale
beach? What virtualization
environment that is most viable
for our organization?
Let us review what is most viable
for our city.
App Virtualization: App
Virtualization or Application
Virtualization is the separation of
an installation of an application
from the client computer that is
accessing it. There are two types
of App virtualization, remote and
streaming. Even though both
forms of application virtualization
have benefits from centralized
management, we will look into
Remote App virtualization which
is most viable for our
organization.
Remote applications run on a
server. End users view and
interact with their applications
over a network via a remote
display protocol. The remote
applications can be completely
integrated with the user’s
desktop so that they appear and
behave the same as local
applications, through technology
known as seamless windows. The
server-based operating system
instances that run remote
applications can be shared with
other users (a terminal
services desktop), or the
application can be running on its
own OS instance on the server
(aVDI) desktop.
Desktop Virtualization: A
desktop-oriented service that
hosts user-desktop environments
on remote servers. Users
accessed the desktops over a
network using a remote display
protocol. A connection-brokering
service connects users to their
assigned desktop sessions. For
users, this means they can access

2. Newsletter
their desktop from any location,
without having to use a single
client device. Since the resources
are centralized, users moving
between work locations can still
access the same desktop
environment with their
applications and data. For IT
administrators, this means a
more centralized, efficient client
environment that is easier to
maintain and able to respond
more quickly to the changing
needs of the user and business.
Pros and Cons of VDI
1. Every Desktop user can utilize
the same image.
Pro: Having each user utilize the
same image--the operating
system as well as the installed
applications--reduces
administrative and support costs.
Con: You’ll need a unique image
for each user who requires a
different set of applications,
needs to save personal settings,
or requires the freedom to install
their own applications. This will
rapidly multiply storage
consumption on the VDI server.
2. Processing moves from
individual workstations to a VDI
server.
Pro: There’s no need to upgrade
numerous PCs to meet the new
OS’s minimum hardware
requirements.
Con: VDI will require a major
investment in server hardware,
and possibly in storage and
network infrastructure. The total
cost of the server hardware,
storage, and network equipment
might exceed that of procuring a
basic PC for each user.
3. Hardware costs can be more
easily managed, since almost
everything will reside in the
data center.
Pro: Instead of buying / leasing a
raft of PCs that will be scattered
around the office--or even
outside the office if you’re
supporting a mobile workforce or
employees who work remotely--
you'll acquire one premium
system with redundant power
supplies, a UPS, high-
performance storage, and high-
bandwidth networking that will
deliver capable hardware to all
users equally.
Con: Procuring one big server
means a large initial outlay,
versus inexpensive PCs that can
be acquired in stages or upgraded
a few at a time. If that one server
goes down, every user relying on
that machine will be unable to
work. If a single PC goes down,
only one user is impacted.
4. Maintaining a single OS
image can reduce management
and support costs.
Pro: Install applications, patches,
and drivers once, and every user
relying on that image benefits
from the update.
Con: Administrators will need to
learn the VDI software’s
capabilities and limitations.
Accommodating users who
require unique applications or
their own personalization settings
can result in image proliferation,
which can end up being more
difficult to manage than
operating separate workstations
5. When you encounter
problems, you will generally
have just one system to
troubleshoot.
Pro: Problems can generally be
resolved from within the data
center; there’s no need to run out
to the actual PCs. Since images
can usually be accessed from any
connected workstation, a user
experiencing hardware trouble on
their usual PC can simply go to
another workstation and access
their data and applications.
Con: Server-side problems can
affect multiple users--everyone
using that server or that image.
For that reason, it’s a good idea
to set up redundant servers as a
failsafe.
Dollars and Sense
Given the many moving parts
that a VDI implementation can
involve, there is strong potential
for unexpectedly high
infrastructure costs and
complexity.

3. Newsletter
1. Virtual Desktop Host Servers
Currently we have 4 host servers
which is capable of handling
initial implementation of 40
Virtual Desktops. No additional
dollars are needed from Host
Server perspective.
We will require additional Host
Servers and appropriate licensing
for additional Virtual Desktops in
future.
2. Storage (SAN)
A storage area network (SAN) is a
dedicated high-speed network
that interconnects and presents
shared pools of storage devices to
multiple servers.
Our current storage array (EMC
5Xi) does not have the capacity or
designed to run VDs. We have to
invest into a better SAN array.
This could cost somewhere
between $50K to 80K based on
configuration and build.
3. Management Servers
VDI architectures require
organizations to install separate
connection brokers, provisioning
servers, load balancers and
sometimes clustered SQL servers
as well. We need to consider the
cost of any Microsoft and other
software licenses needed to run
on company servers. This could
cost somewhere between $250 to
$300 per seat first year and
subsequently lesser following
years.
4. High Availability
Though often omitted from
proofs-of-concept, high
availability is a critical element of
any VDI implementation
designed to increase availability
and make sure users don't lose
access to their virtual
desktops. We don’t need a HA
initially but we should consider
implementing a HA in future.
5. Scaling Costs
Scaling the typical VDI
infrastructure means more than
simply adding virtual desktop
hosts. It also means
proportionately scaling the
various other moving parts that
make up the deployment to
ensure optimal performance. In
our scenario our scaling cost will
be additional host servers and
associated licensing costs.
6. Microsoft Licenses
Providing virtual Windows
desktops to users requires the
Microsoft VDA license. This is free
for Microsoft customers with
Software Assurance. Software
Assurance cost is around $50, or
straight up VDA licensing cost is
$80 per seat per year.
7. End Points
The cost of access devices can
start from nothing if you re-use
existing PCs or institute a "Bring
Your Own" program. The costs go
up from there when providing
individual thin clients, tablets or
other devices to each user. One
popular strategy is re-using
existing desktops, then refreshing
them one-by-one as they break or
become obsolete. We will need
to invest in a software that will
turn an existing PC into a locked-
down thin-client; this is an only
cost-effective way to get started
with virtual desktops. This could
cost somewhere between $30 to
$350 based on software thin
client or hardware thin client.
8. Management
Beyond the components above,
we will have to account for time
and resources it will take to
rollout virtual desktops in
production environments. As
components in the solution
increases, so will the complexity
of the architecture. To install and
manage especially complex
architectures, it is necessary to
get IT staff trained with new
skills.
Summary
A VDI implementation can deliver
tremendous benefits, but it can
also incur large upfront costs and
an ongoing maintenance costs.

4. Newsletter
What is the Cost?
The initial implementation of
50VDI could cost the city as much
as $90K, which includes the
replacement of our SAN. Our
current SAN is not capable of
handling this technology. New
SAN is designed to run 300 VDI
sessions. Below is the breakdown
of the cost.
Description Cost
Storage $50,000.00
VDI Software $ 8,750.00
MS VDA Licensing $ 3,900.00
Implementation $ 9,000.00
Thin Client (SW) $ 1,500.00
Thin Client (HW) $ 17,500.00
Additional implementation cost
of 100 VDI ($63,000)
Description Cost
VDI Software $ 17,500.00
MS VDA Licensing $ 7,800.00
Thin Client (SW) $ 3,000.00
Thin Client (HW) $ 35,000.00

5. Conclusion: In conclusion, city needs to spend considerable amount of money to implement a VDI
solution. It would cost our city about $295k to deploy 350 VDIs. This amount will go down when the
initial software licenses goes into maintenance mode. We can also bring down the cost considerably by
implementing software based thin clients instead HW based. This will reduce about $300 per VDI.
This entire implementation cost can go into opex by leasing the solution. I don’t have the current
expenses to compare, but… I expect the ROI benefits to kick in the 5th year onwards.
VDI solution benefits in many ways such as quick and easy “workstation” provisioning, centralized patch
management, standardized security configurations, secured data and provides anywhere access of
virtualized workstations. VDI may not reduce desktop costs immediately because any savings are
typically redirected into server, network and storage.