User guide
© 2011 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Cisco Validated Design Page 3
3.5 FlexPod Technical Overview ............................................................................................................ 38
3.5.1 Audience .................................................................................................................................... 39
3.5.2 FlexPod Architecture ................................................................................................................. 39
3.5.3 FlexPod Market Overview ......................................................................................................... 40
3.5.3.1 The Challenge .................................................................................................................... 40
3.5.3.2 The Solution ....................................................................................................................... 40
3.5.3.3 NetApp: Unified Architecture for Extreme Efficiencies....................................................... 41
3.6 Cisco Networking Infrastructure ....................................................................................................... 41
3.6.1 Cisco Nexus 5548 28-Port Switch ............................................................................................. 41
3.6.2 Cisco Nexus 5500 Series Feature Highlights ............................................................................ 42
3.6.2.1 Features and Benefits ........................................................................................................ 42
3.6.2.2 10 Gigabit Ethernet and Unified Fabric Features .............................................................. 42
3.6.2.3 Low Latency ....................................................................................................................... 42
3.7 Microsoft Windows 7 ......................................................................................................................... 42
3.7.1 Microsoft Windows 7 Image Creation and Provisioning ............................................................ 43
3.7.1.1 Create Windows 7 Virtual Machine and Install Standard Software ................................... 44
3.7.1.2 Tuning Microsoft Windows 7 Image for VDI ...................................................................... 44
3.7.1.3 Provisioning Services (PVS) vDisk Creation ..................................................................... 45
3.7.1.4 Install and Configure Additional Software Components .................................................... 47
3.7.1.5 Add 3-GB Write Cache .VHD to vDisk Image .................................................................... 47
4.0 Architecture and Design of Citrix XenDesktops on Cisco Unified Computing System and NetApp
Storage ....................................................................................................................................................... 50
4.1 Design Fundamentals ....................................................................................................................... 50
4.1.1 Hosted Shared Design Fundamentals ...................................................................................... 51
4.1.1.1 Citrix XenApp Policies ........................................................................................................ 51
4.1.1.2 Worker Groups ................................................................................................................... 51
4.1.1.3 Load Managed Groups ...................................................................................................... 51
4.1.2 Hosted VDI Design Fundamentals ............................................................................................ 51
4.1.2.1 Hypervisor Selection .......................................................................................................... 52
4.1.2.2 Provisioning Services ......................................................................................................... 52
4.1.3 Designing a Citrix XenDesktop Deployment ............................................................................. 53
5.0 Solution Validation .............................................................................................................................. 54
5.1 Configuration Topology for Scalability of Citrix XenDesktops on Cisco Unified System and NetApp Storage
................................................................................................................................................................ 54
5.2 Cisco Unified Computing System Configuration............................................................................... 56
5.2.1 QOS and COS in Cisco Unified Computing System ................................................................. 63
5.2.2 System Class Configuration ...................................................................................................... 63
5.2.3 Cisco UCS System Class Configuration ................................................................................... 63
5.3 Citrix XenDesktop Configuration ...................................................................................................... 66
5.3.1 Citrix XenDesktop Desktop Delivery Controller (DDC) ............................................................. 68
5.3.2 Farm Configuration .................................................................................................................... 68
5.3.3 Provisioning Services Configuration ......................................................................................... 68
5.3.4 Storage Configuration for the Citrix XenServer Hosting the Virtual Desktop Virtual Machine .. 69
5.3.5 Citrix Provisioning Services ....................................................................................................... 70
5.3.6 Citrix Provisioning Server (PVS) for use with Standard Desktops ............................................ 70
5.3.7 Hosted Shared Desktops Environment Configuration .............................................................. 73
5.4 LAN Configuration ............................................................................................................................ 74
5.5 SAN Configuration ............................................................................................................................ 77
5.5.1 Boot From SAN ......................................................................................................................... 79
5.5.2 Configuring Boot From SAN on the Cisco Unified Computing System ..................................... 80
5.5.3 SAN Configuration ..................................................................................................................... 85
5.5.4 Cisco UCS Manager Configuration ........................................................................................... 86
5.6 NetApp Storage Configuration .......................................................................................................... 88
5.6.1 Example of a NetApp NFS Volume Configuration .................................................................... 90
5.6.2 NetApp Deduplication in Practice .............................................................................................. 95
5.7 Citrix XenServer Configuration ..................................................................................................... 96