Help, Anyone?

What hypervisor are you planning to use?

There are several free options:

- Microsoft Hyper-V Server (2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2) -> This is best/easiest managed from a Windows server or Windows desktop of the same version unless you want to do a lot of things in a powershell or DOS window.

- VMware's ESXi Hypervisor (you can register for a license key for the free version) -> Pretty easy to learn and use and scales easily into a fully paid version if ever needed

- XenServer (I am pretty sure there is a free option (just like Microsoft and VMware you just don't have the support that comes with the paid-for version)

I'd suggest a pretty decent quad core or dual quad core server with at least 16GB RAM if it's VMware and 24GB or more for Microsoft or XenServer (though 32+GB is probably a much better choice).

As you posted in the Equallogic section, I assume you have an Equallogic SAN to use for storage. You connect the server to the Equallogic SAN following the proper documentation and then you can build the 10 VMs and install your desktop OS on them.

We are using vmware vSphere 5.5  with PS4000 equal logic SAN, so you're saying the EQL thin clone would work for 10 VDI workload?

It would depend on your raid type, drive speed (i.e. 7200rpm, 10k, 15k or SSD) and current IO load (best viewable via SANHQ).

If you're at the max of your current raid and drive speed's capability, then those 10 virtual desktops may cause a slowdown in everything running, but if you have at least 150-200 IOPS to spare, it will probably not cause any impact on the rest of your production on that SAN.