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Blade Runner: Thin clients and Blades at CCGS

Blade Runner: Thin clients and Blades at CCGS. Michael Lowbridge, ICT Manager. Agenda. Background: The School and its Desktop Challenges Solution Options Server Based Computing (SBC) Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Client Consolidated Infrastructure (CCI) – Blade PC Our Destination.

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Blade Runner: Thin clients and Blades at CCGS

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  1. Blade Runner:Thin clients and Blades at CCGS Michael Lowbridge, ICT Manager

  2. Agenda • Background: The School and its Desktop Challenges • Solution Options • Server Based Computing (SBC) • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) • Client Consolidated Infrastructure (CCI) – Blade PC • Our Destination

  3. Background: The School and its Desktop Challenges

  4. School History • Established 1985 • 1200 students K – 12 • 150 staff • Offers both NSW Higher School Certificate and International Baccalaureate • Extensive ICT infrastructure • Focus on integration of technology into classroom pedagogy

  5. Network Infrastructure • Windows 2003 Active Directory infrastructure • 20 servers, including physical and virtual devices (Vmware ESX) • EVA 4000 SAN and blade servers • Site wide wireless network • 950 client computers, including notebooks, desktops and blade PCs

  6. Technical Support Staff • Head of ICT (educational and technical background) • Excellent technical support team – including System Administrator and 3 technical support staff • Database Administrator • ICT Integrator teaching staff to support use of technology across school

  7. Drivers for change • Cost of desktop maintenance, support • Regulatory compliance, physical and data security • User flexibility, business continuity

  8. Drivers for change • Existing computers were 3 yrs old and the lease was due to expire, looking for replacement (Jul 07) • Focus on ‘green computing’ and reducing energy consumption • Concern with ever increasing maintenance costs • Security and potential for damage of classroom based desktops • User uptime and business continuity in event of hardware failure

  9. Business Requirements

  10. Business Requirements • Increase Quality and Reduce Costs • Simple deployment • Manufacturer support for life of product • Reduced TCO, increased efficiency • Support Existing Infrastructure • Integration into Active Directory • Integration into existing Altiris infrastructure • Standardisation

  11. Desktop Support: How is time spent? • Reactionary • tasks • SW, patches, • and Q&A • Network opssupport • Strategicproject work

  12. A better way to do Desktop Delivery

  13. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Server Based Computing Blade Computing Remote Client Options? • Remote Client Solutions provide technology that form an alternative access method for applications and computing desktops. • We considered solutions based around three core technology groups.

  14. Applications • Apps • Apps • OS • OS • Containers • OS • Virtual Machine • Virtual Machine • HW • HW • OS • HW • Applications Virtual Client Spectrum • Blade Computing • Server-BasedComputing • Virtual Machines • “Powerful” • Physical PC / Workstation with standard desktop image • “Simple” • Applications are easily moved and deployed • “Flexible” • Encapsulated images, one or more per device

  15. By 2010, thin clients will make up more than 10 percent of all U.S. desktop computer devices sold, according to IDC research.

  16. Server Desktop Citrix and Microsoft

  17. Server Based Computing • Compute • Access • Network Multi-User Operating System Application Compatibility Desktops & Applications Flexible Cost Effective Secure ICA/RDP Low Bandwidth

  18. Virtual Desktop (VDI)Citrix/VMware/Microsoft

  19. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure • Compute • Access • Network • Connection Broker Individual Environment Flexible Adaptable Flexible Cost Effective Secure RDP / RGS

  20. HP CCIBlade PC/Workstation

  21. Blade PC Computing • Compute • Access • Network • Connection Broker Individual Environment Predictable Consistent User Experience RDP/RGS Video/Graphics Support Low Bandwidth Flexible Cost Effective Secure

  22. Brief Question Time?Next: CCGS Implementation

  23. Technical Support Staff

  24. Technical Support Staff

  25. Our Destination!

  26. Where We ended up • Initial Purchase (July 07) • 110 HPt5720 XPE Thin Client • 90 HP b2000 Blades • Second Purchase (Jan 08) • 35 HPt5720 XPE Thin Client • 20 HP b2000 Blades

  27. Why we decided on thin clients/ PC Blades • Power and flexibility of a desktop while user is logged on • Power savings – 35W thin client, 20W blade • Multimedia and graphics support • Flexibility of solution to grow • Seamless USB support • Any hardware issues result in 1 minute fix • Cost reduction – moving to 5 year lease

  28. Every Junior School classroom has 4 thin clients installed

  29. The library uses 35 thin clients for students and staff, including library assistants

  30. Deployment • Stage 1 • Analysis and investigation • Thin client testing in multiple areas • Stage 2 • Purchase and delivery • Stage 3 • Install thin clients and screens • Install blade chassis

  31. Deployment • Stage 4 • Build thin client image • Build blade image • Stage 5 • Use 

  32. The Components – Our choices

  33. Flexible • Powerful, flexible, easy – innovative! • Mainstream • Value for Money • Enhanced features for mainstream business use • t5735 • The simple solution at our best price • Debian Linux • AMD Sempron +2100 (8W-1GHz) • ATi RS690M Graphics/NB & SB600 • Vista Premium capable graphics • 1 GB Flash standard • Expandable DDR-2 Memory • Serial, VGA, DVI-D, 6 USB 2.0, 2 PS/2 • Optional PCI or PCI Express x1 with Parallel port • Flexible mounting options with HP Quick Release • Integrated WLAN Support on XPe (same as business notebooks) • Dual monitor support (VGA and DVI-D) • Enhanced widescreen modes • 800MHz VIA • VIA S3 Graphics • 64MB Flash/128MB RAM • Serial, Parallel, VGA, 6 USB 2.0, 2 PS/2 • More peripherals • Flexible mounting options with HP Quick Release • 400MHz VIA • VIA S3 Graphics • 64MB Flash/128 MB RAM • Serial, Parallel, VGA, 6 USB 2.0, 2 PS/2 • Flexible mounting options with HP Quick Release • t5730 • t5530 • t5135 • HP ThinConnect • Windows XPe • Windows CE 5.0 Thin Client Options

  34. HP Remote Client Solutions software suite »  Session Allocation Manager (SAM) »  Remote Graphics Software for PCs (RGS-PC) »  Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP) »  Systems Insight Manager (SIM)

  35. Broker – Session Allocation Manager (SAM)

  36. Broker – Session Allocation Manager (SAM)

  37. Broker – Session Allocation Manager (SAM)

  38. Broker – Session Allocation Manager (SAM)

  39. Close up view of blade E class Enclosure Individual blades Blade PCs • We selected the HP BladeSystem bc2000 Blade PC(Athlon 64, 2GB Ram, 80GB HDD

  40. Challenges • Printers • could no longer use Active Directory to map printers based upon computer location • Wrote script to identify name of thin client, wrote to registry and used 2nd script to map printer based upon registry value • Multiple PC Blade Images • Use Altiris SVS to activate certain applications on logon

  41. Challenges • RGS protocol • Symptom of red screen repeatedly appeared on thin clients indicating network bandwidth issue • Analysis revealed it was not switch traffic but CPU load and RGS sender process • Ran Altiris job to change priority of RGS Sender service to high, eliminated majority of problem • New version of RGS has resolved this permanently

  42. Any Questions?

  43. Contact Details Michael Lowbridge ICT Manager Central Coast Grammar School Arundel Rd, Erina HeightsPhone (02) 4366 6766 Fax (02) 4367 0577 Web http://www.ccgs.nsw.edu.au Email mlowbridge@ccgs.nsw.edu.au

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