Desktop and application virtualization have long been a practical solution for supporting a mobile, distributed workforce that desires to work anywhere, anytime, using any device. While providing a lot of benefits such as keeping data safely in the data center instead of on end devices and simplifying the job of IT for administrating OS upgrades, patches and on-boarding new employees, deploying desktop and application virtualization is not for the faint of heart.

Three Steps to an Easier Desktop and Application Virtualization Deployment

There is an easier way to architect a desktop and application virtualization solution that removes the complexity and up-front cost usually associated with such deployments:

1 – Simplify the infrastructure

Business needs can fluctuate greatly based on a wide variety of factors from the holiday season for retail, to an acquisition adding hundreds or thousands of users, or external factors such as the overall economy. This means that a successful desktop virtualization deployment should be able to scale easily and quickly to serve the business.

By integrating compute, storage and networking in one, easy to stand up system, hyperconverged infrastructure provides the flexibility and simplification needed to quickly deploy your virtual desktops and apps.

The Cisco HyperFlex scale-out architecture allows you to deploy and add the appropriate amount of server, storage, and networking resources you need to meet your requirements. With this solution, you only buy what you need. HyperFlex is built on an API-driven architecture that supports the interoperability required by DevOps-style IT.

2 – Simplify the delivery platform

Traditional desktop virtualization implementation can seem daunting for smaller companies with limited IT resources. It can be a complex and cost prohibitive endeavor if you lack the technical resources to deploy and maintain the technology.

Citrix Cloud services addresses this challenge by running the Citrix control plane as a service in the cloud. This means IT no longer needs to install – or even properly size/scale – virtual desktops and apps. Citrix ensures that the cloud services are always up-to-date. No upgrades or patching is ever needed. And, as your implementation grows or shrinks, the Citrix Cloud services scale themselves.

3 – Add a little bit of automation between the hardware and software pieces and voilà.

Just adding cloud services on top of a hyperconverged infrastructure is not going to help much unless the two are integrated and some co-engineering efforts are put into it.

Cisco has developed and tested the connector piece required to automate the deployment of Citrix Cloud services on HyperFlex. This means you can deploy hybrid cloud VDI in minutes instead of days or weeks, and in just a few clicks.

Bulletproofed Solution with Citrix HCI Workspace Appliance Verification

Now, with the Citrix Ready verification of Cisco HyperFlex for Citrix Cloud services, IT can take advantage of the performance and ease of deployment of Cisco hyperconverged infrastructure as well as centralized control of virtual desktops through the Citrix Cloud services.

Cisco HyperFlex for Citrix Cloud services is pre-integrated, tested, fully validated, and supported by Citrix and Cisco. You plug it in and everything works reliably when loaded. You don’t have to worry about complex integrations, downtime, and finger pointing caused by multi-vendor infrastructure issues.

This solution to desktop and app virtualization’s deployment challenges comes with no compromises. Cisco HyperFlex delivers higher VM density and consistent IOPS as well as low latency compared to other HCI solution.

So, if you’ve been putting off your virtual desktop and app project due to complexity and lack of resources, now is the time to revisit and look at Citrix Ready validated Cisco HyperFlex for Citrix Cloud services.

For a deeper dive into Cisco HyperFlex for Citrix Cloud services:

• Read the solution brief
• Join us for a Citrix Ready Webinar on January 16, 2019
• Visit our website to explore further

@FrancoiseBRees