Overview
Dell APEX Private Cloud delivers an on-premises cloud experience for VMware workloads in data center and edge locations with scalable compute, storage, and networking resources. With a small footprint, APEX Private Cloud is ideal for getting started with a cloud model or expanding out to edge environments with limited space and resources. APEX Hybrid Cloud enables the simplicity and agility of the public cloud and the security and control of on-premises infrastructure delivered as a service to the data center and edge locations.
Dell APEX Hybrid Cloud enables consistent, secure operations with automation and orchestration across private and public clouds for your VMware workloads with scalable compute, storage, and networking resources. With the integrated VMware Cloud Foundation, you decide where your workloads will work best, allowing you to seamlessly move workloads across multi-cloud environments.
APEX Private Cloud and APEX Hybrid Cloud allow end-users to purchase standardized compute instance types to suit their consumption needs. Instances deliver combinations of compute, memory, storage, and networking resources, on which workloads can run.
Validation work for this solution focused on the APEX Private Cloud configuration. However, the guidance provided here is also relevant to APEX Hybrid Cloud.
APEX Private Cloud and APEX Hybrid Cloud are built on Dell VxRail appliances. VxRail is co-developed by Dell Technologies and VMware. The VMware hyperconverged software is vSphere-ready and based on vSAN software-defined storage (SDS). Dell deployment and support tools integrate the software management within VxRail Manager. Data protection and replication are included and can support either hybrid or all-flash storage configurations.
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops enables organizations to quickly deliver Microsoft Windows virtual desktops or server-based hosted shared sessions in a cloud-style consumption model on a wide variety of endpoint devices.
The Dell VDI Solutions team completed a rigorous verification process to ensure compatibility with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, providing confidence in joint solution compatibility. The Citrix Ready program makes it easy for customers to identify complementary products and solutions that can enhance Citrix environments. Customers can be confident that Dell VDI Solutions have successfully passed a series of validations established by Citrix and can be trusted to work effectively with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops in order to deliver secure, fast, and flexible apps and desktops.
Document purpose
This document describes the architecture, components, design options, best practices, configuration details and VDI density per instance for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops VDI deployments on APEX Private Cloud and by extension APEX Hybrid Cloud instances.
Audience
This document is intended for decision makers, managers, architects, developers, and technical administrators of IT environments who want an in-depth understanding of the value of the Dell tested and validated designs for VDI that deliver Microsoft Windows virtual desktops using Citrix Apps and Desktops on APEX Private Cloud and APEX Hybrid Cloud.
Dell Technologies and the authors of this document welcome your feedback on the solution and the solution documentation. Contact the Dell Solutions team by email.
Authors: Dell Validated Designs for VDI team