VCE and VMware: Extending the VCE Experience to Strategically Scalable VDI Initiatives

VMware last week announced VMware Horizon™ 6 as a portfolio update to its application and desktop virtualization platform, which will enable tightly integrated joint virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions with VCE converged infrastructure. Through a single, unified platform, Horizon 6 delivers centralized management of any type of enterprise application and desktop, including physical desktops and laptops, virtual desktops and applications, and employee-owned PCs. VCE works closely with VMware to integrate its technologies into Vblock™ Systems, and Horizon 6 demonstrates another opportunity for how VCE and VMware can continue working together to enable business transformation for customers.

VDI holds the promise of not only consolidating desktop computing into the data center for improved manageability, efficiency and security, but also supporting new services such as bring your own device (BYOD) and desktop mobility.  There are significant cost savings for enterprises that migrate to desktop virtualization, offering increased flexibility and productivity.

VMware - VSS XAPP

The workspace can now be delivered to any endpoint device with the same look and feel of a traditional, corporate-owned desktop.  It also enables IT personnel to ensure data security, protect application data within the data center, and comply with regulatory policies while keeping operational costs down. VCE and VMware work closely to provide these end-user computing benefits while solving broader challenges in the data center such as management, data protection and the increased overhead of supporting virtual desktop users.

Late last year, VCE introduced a new specialized system to solve many of these issues. The Vblock Specialized System for Extreme Applications is designed for running just that – “extreme applications” such as VDI that have unique data center requirements.  Integrated with VMware Horizon View, which is part of the Horizon 6 platform, this specialized system can deliver performance and responsiveness exceeding that of physical desktops, enabling a simplified VDI experience to end users while providing massive scalability for IT to easily manage thousands of user environments (up to 7,000 desktops per system).  In addition, this specialized system from VCE helps drive down the cost per desktop through integrated flash-based storage from EMC XtremIO – helping solve the storage complexity that can slow down VDI adoption.

VCE and VMware together have partnered to offer a VDI solution that enables IT to transform their user environments in a world where providing anytime, anywhere access at a low cost is becoming the de facto standard for organizations.  With VMware Horizon 6, we’re taking our partnership to a new level in helping IT and their end users adapt to this changing and ever more mobile paradigm.

About the Author: Jay Chaudhury