This section within my VDI series is not just relevant for VDI environments. In the following I will cover many things that are relevant for regular vSphere (cloud-a-like) environments.
The Management & Virtualization Layer plays quite an important role within a VDI environment. Within EUC solutions we typically should focus on the User and the User experience. But before we can deliver a performant, reliable and available working environment we need to make sure the layer on the bottom is rock solid as well.
What is the purpose of this layer?
- Hosting Instances of Virtual Desktops
- Hosting Instances of Remote Desktop Session Hosts (RDSH)
- Hosting Management components
- Components for brokering between Endpoints (Desktop User) and the Virtual Desktops Horizon View)
- Components for Integrating with Virtualization Management (Horizon View & vCenter Server)
- Delivering Applications into the Virtual Desktops (App Volumes)
- Monitoring of the Environment (e.g. Icinga)
- Operations Management (vRealize Operations Manager and Log Insight)
- Management of the Virtual Machines (aka Desktops / RDSH Hosts) and the Hypervisor (vCenter Server)
- Component for managing Security relevant components (NSX-Manager)
In my design guide I will write about general design decisions regarding the management & virtualization layer. In my implementation guide I will give you hints about the setup of the environment.
The goal of this post is to describe / discuss design implications, design decisions and characteristics for the following relevant Products within the core Layer in their most current release:
- vSphere Layer
- vCenter Server
- NSX Manager
- Horizon View Connection Server
Implementation Details can be found in the corresponding Implementation post I have created.