Nimble Storage SmartStack for VDI Built on Cisco UCS

Nimble Storage, Inc. announced Nimble Storage SmartStack for VDI leveraging Citrix XenDesktop running on Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS).

This solution combines technologies from Nimble Storage, Cisco and Citrix, allowing a simplified deployment of scalable high-performance VDI. The Nimble Storage reference architecture, which consists of a 3U Nimble Storage CS440G-X4, the Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server platform, Citrix XenDesktop 5.6 and vSphere 5.0 update 1, was tested by Nimble Storage using the Login VSI tool to support 1,500 virtual user desktops. This validated reference architecture helps customers to lower their risk in deploying VDI and improve ROI of desktop virtualization. The validated solution can be scaled from hundreds to thousands of persistent and non-persistent desktops as needed for VDI growth.

Highlights

• The VDI reference architecture is optimized and validated by Nimble Storage using the Login VSI tool to simulate real user workloads, including boot and login storms, updates and patching.
• The CS440G-X4 delivers the storage density to support 1,500 virtual desktop users in 3U of rack space.
• A modular building-block approach allows for independent and non-disruptive scaling to accommodate just-in-time growth as needs grow.
• The UCS Blade Server platform and Nimble Storage CS-Series deliver adaptive performance to complement the rich functionality in XenDesktop that delivers a user experience equivalent to physical desktops.

Architecture

Storage

• One Nimble Storage CS440G-X4 array

Server infrastructure

• Two Cisco UCS 5108 Blade Server Chassis
• Ten Cisco UCS B230 M2 and two Cisco UCS B200 M3 for hosting virtual desktops
• Two Cisco UCS B200 M2 for hosting VDI and Windows infrastructure
• Two Cisco UCS 6200 Series Fabric Interconnects with redundant 10GbE connectivity

Desktop virtualization

• Citrix XenDesktop 5.6

Hypervisor and user environment

• vSphere 5.0 update 1
• Windows 7 (32-bit)

Darrell Parker, director of information systems, Oaks Christian School, said: "Oaks Christian School was looking to deploy VDI to extend school resources off campus, move toward a BYOD model for students on campus, and serve our out-of-state online school students. After evaluating different options, we found the combination of Cisco, Citrix, and Nimble to best meet our needs around cost, efficiency, and scalability. We have already seen the benefits of desktop virtualization around faster logon times, remote access to network resources, simplified administration of software maintenance, and enhanced security using read-only student desktops."

Kevin Fitzpatrick, storage and data protection practice leader, Comm Solutions Company, said: "Pre-validated reference architectures are a great way for us to accelerate our customers’ deployments while minimizing risks. The Nimble Storage SmartStack for VDI with Cisco and Citrix is ideal because it provides our customers and us with a pre-defined template of an end-to-end solution using the best-in-class server, storage and software for VDI – delivering efficiency and scalability that our customers need."

Kevin Strohmeyer, director of product marketing, desktops and apps, Citrix Systems, Inc., said: "Storage is an important factor when deploying virtual desktops to ensure consistent, excellent performance while not over-allocating to the point of disrupting the economic benefits of virtualization. The Nimble reference architecture for XenDesktop and Cisco UCS can help our mutual customers realize the many benefits of desktop virtualization, providing the ability to meet performance expectations at scale while containing infrastructure costs."

Radhika Krishnan, director of product, solution and alliances marketing, Nimble Storage, said: "The potential benefits of VDI are undeniable, but uncertainty remains around initial provisioning times, variable performance and guaranteed ROI. The pre-tested, validated solution with Nimble Storage Cisco UCS and Citrix delivers a proven recipe for success that lowers risk and accelerates VDI deployments for midsized and enterprise deployments to further improve ROI."

To download the 43-page joint reference architecture guide for a 1,500-seat VDI deployment (registration needed)