By Ray Heffer, Senior Architect, End-User Computing, VMware
In 2012 the VMware Professional Services Organization (PSO) team was invited by a global car manufacturer to work with their project team and a number of other vendors. We were asked to scope, assess, design, and assist with implementation of a desktop solution for 2,100 concurrent users. Coined as a proof of technology, the project team at the UK-based company wanted to demonstrate the agility and responsiveness of VDI to the rest of the global organization. Continuing with the concepts of speed and responsiveness, both characteristics one would expect from any high-performance motor car, the expectation was also set that the Chief Information Technology Office could deliver high-performance desktops anywhere in the world. This would fulfil the company promise of “Anytime, anywhere, and any place.”
By enlisting the services of VMware PSO, the company was able to deliver a production-based proof of technology to locations within the UK, China, and India, in addition to providing access to third-party suppliers connecting over MPLS and a dedicated supplier extranet. The approach and methodology ensured that a full desktop assessment of current physical workstations was executed and analyzed. A full end-user computing design was then created, detailing the multi-data-center solution to deliver applications, desktops, and physical 3D power-workstations to end users. A strict set of business requirements meant that business continuity and solution availability was integral to the end-user-computing design.
Three broad business areas were the immediate focal points for the project:
- Offshore workers
- Executive users
- Purchased services (external users)
The design phase for this project took six months. Five hundred users successfully piloted the full production environment before the company migrated all users to the VDI solution within 12 months. In this environment, spreading the desktops across two data centers provides backup for disaster recovery.
The VMware Horizon Reference Implementation Case Study for Global Car Manufacturer demonstrates how VMware Horizon delivers on these demands and illustrates how deploying VMware Horizon provides tangible business benefits and cost savings. The reference implementation is built on a foundation of best practices and experience from senior architects within VMware. The case study includes an architectural overview and key configurations to deploy the solution. Download your copy today!
VMware Horizon Reference Implementation Case Study for Global Car Manufacturer (long form with appendix)
VMware Horizon Reference Implementation Case Study for Global Car Manufacturer (short form without appendix)
