Ed. Note: This blog post was authored by Cathi Allen, Solutions Marketing Manager, Cloud Client-Computing
Recent headlines discussing the difficulties of securing online data have prompted enterprise IT and government advisors to recommend the deployment of private clouds. In the modern security landscape, it’s recognized that software-based firewalls and encryption may not be enough, especially if data is traveling across borders. Achieving the highest level of confidence today requires the adoption of an Internet architecture that enables individual companies and even entire countries to control their end-to-end connectivity, storage, and infrastructure.
To serve this need, we are pleased to announce the Dell Wyse Datacenter for VMware Horizon DaaS, an end-to-end infrastructure solution based on VMware Horizon DaaS. This solution is designed to provide service providers with a cost-effective and competitive starting point to deliver scalable desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) offerings.
The solution offers three distinct new advantages: Simplified Hardware Architecture Design, Simplified OS Licensing and Streamlined End-to-End Monitoring and Management. These benefits help service providers deliver a unique and simplified offering, as compared to other DaaS solutions.
Historically, service providers had limited DaaS infrastructure options that were complicated, difficult to implement, and expensive. Dell’s approach provides a complete end-to-end monitoring and management solution, includes storage option recommendations, addresses end-point recommendations and includes the Microsoft OS licensing guidance for the service provider. Smaller service providers wishing to implement a competitive end-to-end DaaS solution need a clear, proven and reliable roadmap, and this solution provides it.
The Dell Wyse Datacenter for VMware Horizon DaaS solution Reference Architecture provides solid guidance that has been tested, is reliable, and competitive in the service provider hosted DaaS marketplace.
The solution is based on proven and industry leading Dell infrastructure, including PowerEdge R720 servers and Dell Networking S-Series switches. It incorporates VMware Horizon DaaS (formerly Desktone) which is the leading DaaS software offering that includes billing and monitoring capabilities. With the addition of vSphere plug-ins and the inclusion of Dell Foglight for Virtualization, the solution provides complete end-to-end monitoring and management capabilities that are lacking in other solutions.
To further drive the competitive nature of this offering, Dell has partnered with SolidFire to provide flash array storage for this solution. The SolidFire SF-3010 all-flash array based exclusively on OEM Dell hardware is considered to be the industry leading solution for a number of important features. The array enables inline deduplication (the removal of redundancies from data as it is being written), high performance, and dedicated multi-tenancy Quality of Service capabilities by both Dell and VMware. Because of these collaborations, all of these features have been integrated into this solution. To provide additional WAN optimization, we have also included guidance on the use of SilverPeak appliances in a DaaS environment based on test data collected in the Dell Wyse Solution Engineering labs.
Finally, we provide helpful guidance regarding Microsoft licensing to enhance the value of the solution. The Dell Wyse Datacenter for Horizon DaaS Reference Architecture provides guidance on Microsoft’s Service Provider Licensing Agreements (SPLA). This license agreement is specifically structured for service providers to minimize upfront expenses and charge providers on per use or per user basis (rather than billing based on a projection or estimate of peak license consumption).
To assist service providers in controlling licensing related costs and complexity, our Reference Architecture also provides guidance with OS selection and licensing models, recommending the utilization of Windows Server OS for virtual machines, licensed through the Microsoft Service Provider Licensing Agreement. The architecture will support Windows 7 and Windows 8 desktop OS options and other licensing models as well. This allows the SP to further streamline expenses and automate billing to reduce overhead and administrative requirements.
With these three differentiating factors included in the Dell Wyse Datacenter for Horizon DaaS, service providers now have a competitive and prescriptive solution that simplifies ownership, installation and implementation of the necessary infrastructure while increasing competitiveness to the hosted DaaS providers. Dell is pleased and excited to offer the Dell Wyse Datacenter for Horizon DaaS solution Reference Architecture to service providers as a way to help safeguard data in a private cloud environment no matter where you are in the world / no matter where your data center is located. Currently, this solution is available globally, but some components may be constrained in specific locations. Dell Wyse Datacenter for Horizon DaaS available directly from Dell, from your local value added reseller or other sales channel resources.