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Deploying VDI with Kaviza

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PCQ Bureau
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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.

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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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Price: On request


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Primary Link:
http://kaviza.com




Keywords: VDI, appliance, kaviza

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.

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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'.

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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.
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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.

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