While deploying Kaviza, we first loaded VMWare EXSi Hyperviser on a high end
machine ( Intel's Dunnington with 24 cores and 16 GB of RAM). Then we loaded
Kaviza Manager (kMGR) on a virtual machine and created other virtual machine as
template. Now using Kaviza Manger you can create 'N' number of machines from
created template. Here are the steps to do the same.
Creating Working Desktop & template from virtual XP machine
The journey of desktop users start with creation of virtual Windows XP machine.
This can be created from an ISO. In this implementation, we created a virtual
machine in EXSi server itself and then installed Windows XP in it from
locally stored ISO. Once this machine is ready, we need to create 'Working
Desktop' that will then be used for creating templates. To create 'Working
Desktop', log on to kMGR with admin's credentials. Once you have logged in, go
to 'Template' tab, and click on the link that says 'Import an existing
virtual machine as a working desktop'. This would give you an option to select
virtual machine. Select created virtual machine (XP in our case).
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Once statues under 'Working Desktops' changes to 'RUNNING' click on 'Connect'
and login as administrator. Once you have logged in, install Kaviza Desktop
Agent from 'https://192.168.5.50/dt/dtagent.zip' where '192.168.5.50' is the IP
address of kMGR. Now click on 'Prepare' from Kaviza Manager, enter product
key and wait till 'Save' is highlighted. Click on it, this will lead you
to fill in details of virtual desktops to be created, like CPU value, amount of
RAM, maximum desktops that can be created, and pre-started desktops for fast
access. Now your template is ready.
This is how we implemented Kaviza VDI-in-Box solution. Host used in this implementation is an Intel Dunnington-based machine with 24 cores and 16 GB RAM. |
Assigning created Template to different users
As mentioned in part 1 of this story, there are two distinct ways of
getting user database. First, to create users inside kMGR and then assign
appropriate templates to them. Second, to hook your existing Active Directory to
kMGR. This can be done either initially while setting up kMGR or later by going
to 'Admin>Configure User Database>Use an external database'.
Here you have to fill in IP address, DNS Domain, user id, and password of
your Active Directory. To create users and groups inside kMGR, just go to
'Admin>Administer Users' and 'Admin>Administer Groups'. Now that you have
users, you need to assign users appropriate template. This can be done from
'Admin>Assign Users and Groups to Desktop Templates'.
The configuration window of template that acts as base on which users' virtual desktop is created. |
How users access virtual desktop
Users need to visit kMGR URL( 192.168.5.50/dt in our case) and log in using his
user id. Once you have logged in, a virtual desktop would be created on the fly
and remote connection to the created desktop would be established. Once you are
done with your work, created virtual desktop settings would be saved. Now from
this point onwards, you can log in from anywhere and will get your own
personalized desktop. This can be real cost saver as you can use thin clients
instead of full fledged desktops.
When a user logs in, a virtual desktop is created on the fly. Here is the virtual desktop as seen from EXSi server. |
Few features of Kaviza VDI-in-BOX
We have successfully implemented Kviza VDI-in-Box solution. Let's have a look at
some of its features. One that stands out is the ease of implementation. You can
build VDI solution within hours in a few simple steps. Other feature is the ease
of usage, this solution supports heterogeneous clients and you just need browser
and display client to access virtual desktops. Ease of manageability is another
great feature.
Here you have to select the hypervisor you are going to use with kaviza for virtualization of the desktop and provide required settings for the same. |
Through simple browser based interface, you can create templates for
different departments plus assign the same to appropriate users. Finally you can
scale this solution with ease. Just keep attaching new servers to created 'GRID'
and you are done. Kaviza VDI-in-Box also has fail over capabilities -if one of
the server in grid fails, virtual desktops would be moved to other servers.