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Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
2.
Introduction .................................................................................................... 5
3
3.
Solution Overview .......................................................................................... 6
7. Conclusion ................................................................................................... 40
9. References .................................................................................................. 42
The VMware Horizon on Nutanix solution provides a single high-density platform for hosting
Horizon Workspace and Horizon View deployments. This modular pod based approach
enables Horizon deployments to easily be scaled.
Audience
5
This best practices document is part of the Nutanix Solutions Library and is intended for
architecting, designing, managing, and/or supporting Nutanix infrastructures. Consumers of this
document should be already familiar with VMware Horizon View, Microsoft Windows 7/8 and
Nutanix.
This document has been broken down to address key items for each role focusing on the
enablement of a successful design, implementation, and transition to operation.
Purpose
This document will cover the following subject areas:
o Overview of the Nutanix solution
o The benefits of VMware Horizon View on Nutanix
o Overview of the high-level VMware Horizon View best practices for Nutanix
o Expanded detail on the VMware Horizon View best practices for
o Design and configuration considerations when architecting a VMware Horizon View
solution on Nutanix
If you are interested in the high-level best practices continue with the Best Practice Checklist
section below.
Controller
Controller
User
User
VVM(s)
M(s)
VM
VM
VM
I/O
Passthrough Hypervisor
Hypervisor
SCSI
SCSI
CController
ontroller
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
In addition, local storage from all nodes is virtualized into a unified pool by the Nutanix
Distributed File System (NDFS). In effect, NDFS acts like an advanced NAS that uses local
SSDs and disks from all nodes to store virtual machine data. Virtual machines running on the
cluster write data to NDFS as if they were writing to shared storage.
User
User
VVM(s)
M(s) User
User
VVM(s)
M(s) User
User
VVM(s)
M(s)
Hypervisor
Hypervisor VM
I/O Hypervisor
Hypervisor VM
I/O ... Hypervisor
Hypervisor VM
I/O
SCSI
SCSI
CController
ontroller Controller
Controller
SCSI
SCSI
CController
ontroller Controller
Controller
SCSI
SCSI
CController
ontroller Controller
Controller
VM
VM VM
VM VM
VM
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
NDFS
SCALE
SCALE
VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN
Hypervisor
Hypervisor Hypervisor
Hypervisor Hypervisor
Hypervisor
Cache
Cache Cache
Cache Cache
Cache
Cache Cache Cache
CVM
CVM CVM
CVM CVM
CVM
Storage
Storage Storage
Storage Storage
Storage
...
NDFS
Figure 3 Elastic Deduplication Engine
Inspired by the Google File System, NDFS delivers a unified pool of storage from all nodes
across the cluster, leveraging techniques including striping, replication, auto-tiering, error
detection, failover and automatic recovery. This pool can then be presented as shared storage
resources to VMs for seamless support of features like vMotion, HA, and DRS, along with
industry-leading data management features. Additional nodes can be added in a plug-and-play
manner in this high-performance scale-out architecture to build a cluster that will easily grow as
your needs do.
The Nutanix platform operates and scales VMware Horizon View in conjunction with the other
hosted services like Horizon Workspace and any other supporting services like file and print
services. For existing sources and platforms, interaction with the VMware Horizon View on the
Virtual Computing Platform will occur over the network. The figure below shows a high-level 8
view of the VMware Horizon View on Nutanix solution:
Site
Site
LLoad
oad
BBalancer
alancer
Site
A Site
N
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
SServices
ervices Desktop
Desktop
BBrokers
rokers Session
Session
LLoad
oad
Session
Session
LLoad
oad
Desktop
Desktop
BBrokers
rokers Infrastructure
Infrastructure
SServices
ervices
Balancer
Balancer Balancer
Balancer
SSO SSO
Desktops
Desktops
PPools
ools Data
Replication Desktops
Desktops
PPools
ools
vCOps vCOps
User
Data User
Data
vCenter vCenter
SCALE
SCALE
SCALE
SCALE
Figure 4 Horizon View on Nutanix Solution
The Nutanix approach of modular building blocks enables customers to select any initial
deployment size and grow in more granular data and compute increments. This removes the
hurdle of a large up-front infrastructure purchase that a customer will need many months or
years to grow into, ensuring a faster time-to-value for the implementation. It also allows for
application performance profiles to increase over time without have to do a rip and replace of
the whole environment. Nutanix provides insurance with a pay as you grow model.
Memory
Content
Cache
NDFS
EDE
OpLog*
SSD
Drain Cache
Extent
Store
HDD
NDFS
ILM
Data IO Detail
The figure below describes the high-level IO path for VMs and desktop VMs running on Nutanix.
As shown, all IO operations are handled by NDFS and occur on the local node to provide the
highest possible IO performance. Data written to the desktop VMs occurs locally for all VMs on
the same ESXi node and over 10GbE for VMs and sources hosted on another node or remotely.
VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN
Hypervisor
Hypervisor Hypervisor
Hypervisor ... Hypervisor
Hypervisor
Cache
Cache Cache
Cache Cache
Cache
Cache Cache Cache
CVM
CVM CVM
CVM CVM
CVM
Storage
Storage Storage
Storage Storage
Storage
External
External
10GbE
10GbE
NNetwork
etwork
Sources
Sources
NDFS
Figure 6 Data IO Detail
The figure below describes the detailed IO path for VMs and desktop VMs running on Nutanix.
All write IOs, including data being input to the desktop VMs, will occur locally on the local nodes
SSD tier to provide the highest possible performance. Read requests for the desktop VMs
occur locally and are served from the high performance in-memory read cache (if cached) or the
SSD or HDD tier depending on placement. Each node will also cache frequently accessed data
in the read cache for any local data (VM, User data). Nutanix ILM will continue to constantly
monitor data and the IO patterns to choose the appropriate tier placement.
VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN VM
VM
11 ... VM
VM
NN
Hypervisor
Hypervisor Hypervisor
Hypervisor ... Hypervisor
Hypervisor
Cache
Cache Cache
Cache Cache
Cache
Cache Cache Cache
CVM
CVM CVM
CVM CVM
CVM
Storage
Storage Storage
Storage Storage
Storage
External
External
10GbE
10GbE
NNetwork
etwork
Sources
Sources
NDFS
Figure 7 Data IO Detail Expanded
Shadow Clones is a feature, which allows for distributed caching of particular vDisks or VM
data. It is particular useful in a multi-reader scenarios such as booting linked clones. In
Nutanix any file over 512 bytes would be a stored as a virtual disk (vdisk). In the case of linked
clones in VMware Horizon View, each clone is based off a master disk. All the hosts accessing 1
individual linked clones end up reading the master disk. 1
NDFS will monitor vdisk access trends with in a system including where it is being accessed
from. When Shadow Clones is enabled, the system looks for read requests occurring from more
than two remote nodes in addition to a local CVM. If this case is found, then vdisk is marked as
immutable and is cached locally by each remote CVM. All subsequent reads are directed to the
local cached copy. In the case of VDI, remote nodes booting up user desktops based on linked
clones can read the boot image from their local Shadow Clone, eliminating unnecessary latency
over the network.
The data will only be migrated on a read as to not flood the network and allow for efficient cache
utilization. In the case where the Base VM is modified the Shadow Clones will be dropped and
the process will start over.
The figure below shows how shadow clones allow VMware Horizon View desktops to harness
the power of embarrassingly parallel processing characteristics of web-scale
architectures. Utilizing every virtual storage controller in the cluster. This feature helps to drive
user density and consistent user experience.
Nutanix enables you to run multiple workloads all on the same scalable converged infrastructure
o Modular incremental scale: With the Nutanix solution you can start small and scale. A
single Nutanix block (four nodes) provides from 20-40+ TB storage and up to 80+ cores 1
in a compact footprint. Given the modularity of the solution, you can granularly scale 2
per-node giving you the ability to accurately match supply with demand and minimize the
upfront CapEx.
o High performance: Up to 100,000 random read IOPS and up to 3 GB/s of sequential
throughput in a compact 2U cluster. ILM keeps indexes and heavily access data in the
high performance SSD and cache tiers.
o Integrated: The Nutanix platform provides full support for VAAI allowing you to leverage
all the latest advancements from VMware and taking your solution to the next level.
o Elastic Deduplication: The Nutanix Elastic Deduplication Engine provides granular
deduplication of data to increase cache efficiency. The engine will utilize the unique
fingerprints of data and only bring one copy up into the Nutanix Content Cache. This
allows for the highest possible cache utilization and higher performance for VMs
accessing common data - eliminating the issues normally seen with full clones or P2V
migrations.
o Data efficiency: The Nutanix solution is truly VM-centric for all compression and
deduplication policies. Unlike traditional solutions that perform these tasks mainly at the
LUN level, the Nutanix solution provides all of these capabilities at the VM and file level,
greatly increasing efficiency and simplicity. By allowing for both inline and post-process
compression capabilities and cache and on-disk deduplication, the Nutanix solution
breaks the bounds set by traditional solutions.
o Effective Information Lifecycle Management: Nutanix incorporates heat-optimized
tiering (HOT), which leverages multiple tiers of storage and optimally places data on the
tier that provides the best performance. The architecture was built to support local disks
attached to the controller VM (SSD, HDD) as well as remote (NAS) and cloud-based
source targets. The tiering logic is fully extensible, allowing new tiers to be dynamically
added and extended. The Nutanix system continuously monitors data-access patterns to
determine whether access is random, sequential, or a mixed workload. Random I/O
workloads are maintained in an SSD tier to minimize latencies. Sequential workloads
can be automatically placed into HDD to improve endurance.
o Business continuity and data protection: Native snapshotting and replication features
provide an extensive DR and protection capability. VSS provides integration for
application consistent snapshots and a SRA for VMware SRM integration.
o Enterprise-grade cluster management: A simplified and intuitive Apple-like approach
to managing large clusters, including a converged GUI that serves as a single pane of
glass for servers and storage, alert notifications, and bonjour mechanism to auto-detect
new nodes in the cluster.
o High-density architecture: Nutanix uses an advanced server architecture in which 8
Intel CPUs (up to 80+ cores) and up to 1TB of memory are integrated into a single 2U
appliance. Coupled with data archiving and compression, Nutanix can reduce desktop
hardware footprints by up to 4x.
Core Components
o Desktops
Size desktops appropriately for your particular use case
Use a mix of applications installed in gold images and application virtualization,
depending on the scenario
Disable unnecessary OS services and applications
Redirect home directories or use a profile management tool for user profiles and
documents
o VMware Horizon View
Running VMware Horizon View 5.3
Design for reliability and scale
Disable Host Caching
Redirect home directory or use a profile management tool (i.e. View Persona
Management) for user profiles and documents.
Redirect disposable disks
Use PCoIP and optimize PCoIP settings
o VMware vSphere
Follow VMware performance best practices
Keep number of VMs per ESXi host to the following:
! VMs to ESXi host physical core ratio ~ 8:1
! vCPU to ESXi host physical core ratio ~ 16:1
Keep vCPU numbers easily divisible by NUMA node sizes for easy scheduling
Leave Hyperthreading sharing at the default policy (Any)
Supporting Components
o Network
Utilize and optimize QoS for NDFS and PCoIP traffic
Use 1 Gb or greater access ports for end-user LAN connectivity
Ensure adequate bandwidth for WAN and VPN clients
Use low-latency 10GbE switches
Utilize redundant 10GbE uplinks from each Nutanix node
Check for any pause frames which could impact replication and VM communication
o Active Directory
5.1. Desktops
1
6
The following are typical scenarios for desktop deployment and utilization:
Scenario Definition
Light / Task workers and administrative workers perform repetitive tasks within
Task Workers a small set of applications, usually at a stationary computer. Task
workers who work specific shifts might all log in to their virtual desktops
at the same time. Task workers include call center analysts, retail
employees, and warehouse workers.
Medium / Knowledge workers daily tasks include accessing the Internet, using
Knowledge Workers email, and creating complex documents, presentations, and
spreadsheets. Knowledge workers include accountants, sales
managers, and marketing research analysts.
Heavy / Power users include application developers and people who use
Power Users graphics-intensive applications.
Below are some initial recommendations for desktop sizing for a Windows 8.1 desktop. Note:
These are recommendations for sizing and should be modified after a current state analysis.
Note: These are recommendations for sizing and should be modified after a current state
analysis.
Table 3: VM Configuration
Parameter Configuration 1
7
Network adapter Vmxnet3
Storage adapter PVSCSI
Flopps Remove Floppy Drive
VMware tools Latest installed
Memory Locked (preferred)
VM Logging Disabled
BIOS Disable unnecessary LPT and COM ports
View Agent Latest Installed
Advanced VM Disable HotAdd/HotPlug = devices.hotplug false
configuration parameters
OS Optimization
Configure your Windows image to the specifications outlined in the VMware Horizon View
Optimization Guide for Windows 7 and Windows 8. . Here is a summary of the optimizations:
o Anti-virus
Full Clones: Run ESXi level anti-virus scans and if necessary; run OS level anti-Virus
full scan jobs during off-hours and in phases
Linked Clones: Run ESXi level anti-virus scan jobs during off-hours and in phases
o Updates
Linked Clones: Update base image during off-hours and recompose in phases
For common applications, which will be used by a majority of users, it normally makes sense to
install the applications onto the base image. However, in some cases utilization of application
virtualization can be beneficial or may be used temporarily until added into the golden image
and the environment is recomposed or refreshed.
1
Common application virtualization options are: 8
o VMware ThinApp
o Microsoft App-V
o Unidesk
o VMware Mirage
Using a profile management platform can have extensive benefits when managing VDI
environments and maintaining user experience.
Active Directory user profile best practices recommend redirecting user profiles and host
directories to a fileserver in most cases. User profile redirection is configured as part of Active
Directory settings and provides the following benefits:
o Centralized management of user profiles and data
o Simplified backups
o Removing user data layer from VDI-linked clone
The following diagram shows the decoupling of the user persona from the desktop.
Virtual
Desktop
Base
Base
Additional
applications
are
OS
OS Default
and
standard
deployed
and/or
Apps
Apps applications
are
deployed
streamed
to
desktop on
gold
image
Gold
Image
Figure 8 Persona Decoupling
If storing user profile or user data on a file server its highly recommend installing this hotfix: I/O
delays in Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
Architecture
Nutanix allows you to start small and scale from hundreds to thousands of desktops. To enable 2
this scale and growth it is critical to design a solution with scalability in mind. 0
Below is an example architecture using a modular building block methodology for designing
either a small or massive scale VMware Horizon View infrastructure with Nutanix:
Load
Load
BBalancer
alancer
PPool
ool
Load
Load
Balancer
1 ... Balancer
N
Pod 1 Pod N
View
Desktop
Pool View
Desktop
Pool View
Desktop
Pool View
Desktop
Pool
800
Desktops 800
Desktops 800
Desktops 800
Desktops
...
16
Host
Cluster 16
Host
Cluster
Nutanix Block Nutanix Block Nutanix Block Nutanix Block Nutanix Block Nutanix Block Nutanix Block Nutanix Block
SCALE
For more information on VMware Horizon View on Nutanix design refer to the VMware Horizon
View on Nutanix Reference Architecture on the Nutanix resources site
(http://www.nutanix.com/resources.html#Collateral).
Desktop Pools
This section contains recommended pool configurations for various desktop scenarios.
o Persistent Desktops With the SESparse disk being used to reclaim OS space,
persistent desktops should only be set to refresh as a mechanism to reboot the
desktop. In a normal environment the recommendation should be Refresh after
14 days
View Composer
2
o With VCAI View Composer API for Array Integration is the preferred method 1
when using View Composer. Nutanix has more control over the data and
optimization around caching and dedupe. Replica images will not become the
bottleneck when using VCAI.
o Without VCAI Replica images using View Composer will be serviced only from
one storage controller regardless of vendor. This can recreate bottlenecks and
inefficient caching. Nutanix Shadow Clones can prevent this bottleneck from
happening and should be enabled when not using VCAI.
Item Detail
Pool Type Automated 2
User Assignment Floating or Dedicated 2
Clone Type View Composer Linked Clones
View Composer Disks
o Persistent Disk: Dont redirect (Use home directory
redirection or profile management system)
o Disposable File Redirection: Redirect
Datastore(s) 1 NFS Datastore for all VMs (linked clone, replica, VAAI, etc.)
Parameter Configuration
General
State Default
Connection server restrictions Default
Remote Settings
Remote desktop power policy Default
Automatically logoff after disconnect Immediately
Allow users to reset their desktops Default
Refresh OS disk after logoff Never or determined by need
Item Detail
Pool Type Automated 2
User Assignment Dedicated (enable automatic assignment) 4
Clone Type View Composer Linked Clones
View Composer Disks
o Persistent Disk: Dont redirect (Use home directory
redirection or profile management system)
o Disposable File Redirection: Redirect
Datastore(s) 1 NFS Datastore for all VMs (linked clone, replica, VAAI, etc.)
Parameter Configuration
General
State Default
Connection server restrictions Default
Remote Settings
Remote desktop power policy Default
Automatically logoff after disconnect Never
Allow users to reset their desktops Default
Refresh OS disk after logoff Never or determined by need
Item Detail
Pool Type Automated / Manual (If importing existing)
User Assignment Dedicated (enable automatic assignment)
Clone Type Full or VCAI Clones
View Composer Disks
o Persistent Disk: Dont redirect (Use home directory
redirection or profile management system)
o Disposable File Redirection: Redirect
Datastore(s) 1 NFS Datastore for all VMs (linked clone, replica, VAAI, etc.)
Parameter Configuration
General
State Default
Connection server restrictions Default
Remote Settings
VM Memory
Virtual hardware version 8 and later (ESXi 5.0 and later) have the option to reserve all VM 2
memory. This setting ensures that host memory is not overcommitted and removes the need 7
for.vswp files, freeing up storage space. It is normally recommended to lock VM memory and
then, if necessary, to gradually overcommit host memory after steady-state analysis.
The new Intel chipsets include Speed Step Technology, which dynamically adjusts CPU
performance based on load. To get the best possible performance, set the power policy to High
Performance, which disables CPU power management features.
Datastore(s)
Because of the localized I/O that Nutanix provides, we can very easily configure our storage for
VDI and linked clones. It is recommended to create a single NFS container, which is mounted
as a datastore, simplifying the View configuration and providing a single datastore for all linked
clones.
Note: If your datastore has more than 20,000 files it is recommended to create another
datastore. VMware HA only supports 2048 powered-on VMs per container and this exceeds
their guidance. Running the Nutanix Cluster Check will inform you of how many files are on the
container.
Resource Pools
Using resource pools, which is a vSphere best practice, offers an easy way to control resource
management. Requirements for resource pools should be derived from the needs of the
environment.
Note: Given the desktop sizing and quantity per tier the shares values per tier might need to be
re-balanced. Its very important not to put virtual machines on the top level outside of a resource
pool. 2
8
The figure below shows an example resource pool structure:
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The Nutanix Virtual Computing Platform provides an ideal combination of both high-
performance compute with localized storage to meet any demand. True to this capability, this
document contains zero reconfiguration of, or customization to, the Nutanix product to optimize
for this use case. 3
0
The figure below shows a high-level example of the relationship between a Nutanix block, node,
storage pool and container
Container
1
-
CTR-RF2-VM-01 ... Container
N
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
HDD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
SSD
Nutanix
Nutanix
Nutanix
Nutanix
... Nutanix
Nutanix
Nutanix
Nutanix
Node Node Node Node Node Node Node Node
Nutanix
Block Nutanix
Block
Figure 11 Nutanix Component Architecture
The table below shows the Nutanix storage pool and container configuration.
The following values have been configured and validated to give the best possible performance
for View or other VDI deployments.
3
Note: The Controller VM (CVM) can be adjusted in a rolling fashion. There is no downtime
required to make the change.
1
Parameter Configuration
Base Inline Dedupe
Memory Size Increase to 24 GB Increase to 24-32 GB
Memory Reservation Increase to 24 GB Increase to 24-32 GB
The in-memory cache on the CVM is automatically adjusted when the RAM of the CVM is
increased. Its best practice to increase the CVM memory in 2 GB increments and track the
effectiveness of the change.
Base (Non-Dedupe)
Dedupe 3
2
Using the Prism management interface, you can assess if more RAM will help your content
cache hit rate ratio. The content cache spans over RAM and flash. It is possible to have a high
hit rate ratio and have little being served from RAM.
In the Analysis section of the UI check to see how much physical RAM is making up the content
cache and what your return on it is.
If the memory being saved is over 50% of the physical memory being used and the hit rate ratio
is above 90%. You can try adding more RAM to the CVM.
NOTE: For both extent cache and content cache it is possible to have a low hit rate ratio and
high usage of resource and still benefit from more RAM. In a really busy system the workload
may be too large and is getting cycled thru the cache before it can hit a consecutive time. Its
our recommendation to increase the CVM memory if you know you have reached your
maximum limit for CPU on the host. Available memory can help the running workload instead of
sitting idle.
Domain / DNS
Aim to have a global catalog server and DNS server at the site and preferably hosted on 3
Nutanix. This will increase logon speeds due to local network I/O for GPO application and 3
access to SYSVOL.
The optimal registry configuration can be summarized by the following computer configuration
policy items:
Parameter Configuration
Turn off Build-to-Lossless feature Enabled
Low bandwidth: Consider
disabling
Configure the PCoIP session audio bandwidth limit High bandwidth: 1500Kbps
Medium bandwidth: 400Kbps
Low bandwidth: 90Kbps
Maximum initial image quality High bandwidth: 90 (default)
Medium bandwidth: 70
Low bandwidth: 70
Minimum image quality High bandwidth: 50 (default)
Medium bandwidth: 50
Low bandwidth: 50
Maximum frame rate High bandwidth: 30+
Medium bandwidth: 20-30 (default)
Low bandwidth: 10
Configure the maximum PCoIP session bandwidth LAN: N/A
WAN: Peak desktop bandwidth (see
network section below)
Configure the PCoIP session bandwidth floor 0-100,000Kbps (sum of all floors must be
less than network
capability)
PCoIP encoding support client image caching in both PCoIP software and the Teradici APEX
2800 Server Offload Card. The client cache size can be adjusted using a PCoIP session
variable GPO.
This setting only applies to soft clients running on a Windows or Linux PC (does not apply to
Tera1 or Tera2 devices). When set to Not Configured or Disabled; the client image cache size 3
defaults to 250 MB. 4
When set to Configured; the image cache size defaults to 250 MB but may be specified
between a minimum of 50 MB and a maximum of 1024 MB. Be careful when using older thin
clients or PCs that dont have enough RAM. If the cache is set to high it will cause disconnects.
The optimal PCoIP configuration can be summarized by the following items above. For more
information, refer to the VMware View PCoIP Optimization Guide.
When utilizing Nutanix NX-7110 in your clusters you have options to utilize the NVIDIA GRID K1
and K2 cards in conjunction with Teradici APEX cards. These cards help to decrease the impact
of viewing 3D images on virtual desktops and deliver high user experience to the most
demanding users. 3
5
GPU Cards
PCoIP sends frames to the client device based on available bandwidth going to the endpoint. By
default it will a send max of 30 fps and can be set as high as 120 fps. To save GPU cycles View
has a setting for applications to limit the frame rate that it renders the application. The maximum
application frame should match or be set lower than the maximum PCoIP frame rate.
The below registry setting can be adjusted to keep the two in sync.
When the network bandwidth for a session goes below 5 Mbps by default, display offloading is
cancelled. Once the network bandwidth is above the 6 Mbps by default the display(s) are
eligible for offloading again based on the VM priority and Hardware Accelerator resource
availability.
You can adjust the bandwidth for enabling and disabling the card but at lower bandwidth rates
features in PCoIP software, such as client image caching will most likely provide more value.
If the majority of your environment is WAN users and the client end device is using Tera1 Zero
Clients or older thin clients we recommend lowering the setting to the below values.
Designed for true linear scaling, a Leaf Spine network architecture is leveraged. A Leaf Spine
architecture consists of two network tiers: an L2 Leaf and an L3 Spine based on 40GbE and
non-blocking switches. This architecture maintains consistent performance without any
throughput reduction due to a static maximum of three hops from any node in the network. 3
6
The figure below shows a design of a scale-out Leaf Spine network architecture which provides
20Gb active throughput from each node to its L2 Leaf and scalable 80Gb active throughput from
each Leaf to Spine switch providing scale from 1 Nutanix block to thousands without any impact
to available bandwidth
When planning for estimated network bandwidth requirements, use the following estimated
values:
o 100 to 150 Kbps average bandwidth for a basic office productivity desktop: typical office
applications with no video, no 3D graphics, and the default Windows and VMware View
settings.
o 400 to 600 Kbps average bandwidth for virtual desktops utilizing multiple monitors, 3D,
Aero, and Office 2010.
3
o 500 Kbps to 1 Mbps minimum peak bandwidth to provide headroom for bursts of display 7
changes. In general, size your network using the average bandwidth, but consider peak
bandwidth to accommodate bursts of imaging traffic associated with large screen
changes.
o 2 Mbps per simultaneous user running 480p video, depending upon the configured
frame rate limit and the video type.
Consider the percentage of users who will use 3D graphics. You might balance users who will
use 3D with other users who will not use 3D graphics. Those using 3D will have higher
bandwidth utilization. With the reduced bandwidth consumption in View 5, adding 3D users is
satisfactory on a WAN with up to approximately 100 ms latency.
LAN
Taking the general network assumptions into account, configure the LAN as follows:
o Utilize QoS/CoS if available (specify as real-time and above TCP but below VoIP).
o Place desktops on a dedicated network / VLAN and optimize for latency and throughput.
WAN
Taking the general network assumptions into account, configure the WAN as follows:
o Ensure UDP traffic is available and not de-prioritized over VPN or the WAN.
o Place desktops on a dedicated network / VLAN and optimize for latency and throughput.
o Utilize QoS/CoS if available (specify as real-time and above TCP but below VoIP).
o Size WAN bandwidth between sites using the desktop throughput assumptions above.
Example calculation:
WAN bandwidth required = (# of users average bandwidth) / 0.8
3
Example calculation: 8
# of users supported by WAN = (WAN bandwidth 0.8) / average bandwidth
o In branch office deployments, primary desktops should be local with secondary in the
datacenter.
Hardware
o Storage / Compute 4
Nutanix NX-3450 1
o Per node specs (4 nodes per 2U block):
! CPU: 2x Intel Xeon E5-2670
! Memory: 256 GB Memory
! SSD: 2x400 GB Intel S3700
! HDD: 4 x 1 TB SATA Drives
o Network
Arista 7050Q - L3 Spine
Arista 7050S - L2 Leaf
Software
o Nutanix
Version: NOS 3.5
o Windows Server
2008 R2
o Infrastructure
ESXi 5.1.0 patch 2
vCenter 5.1.0 patch 2
VM
o Nutanix Controller
CPU: 8 vCPU
Memory: 32 GB
Dwayne Lessner is a Technical Marketing Engineer on the Product Marketing team at Nutanix,
Inc. In this role, Dwayne helps designing, testing and building solutions on top of the Nutanix
Virtual Computing Platform. Dwayne is always willing to assist customers and partners build the
right solution to fit the project.
Dwayne has worked in healthcare and oil & gas for over 10 years in various roles. A strong
background in server and desktop virtualization has given Dwayne the opportunity to work with
many different applications frameworks and architecture. Dwayne has been a speaker at
BriForums and various VMUG events and conferences.
About Nutanix
Nutanix is the recognized leader in the emerging Virtual Computing Platform market. The
Nutanix solution converges compute and storage resources into a single appliance, delivering a
powerful, modular building block for virtual datacenters. It incorporates the same advanced,
distributed software architecture that powers leading IT innovators such as Google, Facebook
and Amazon but is tailored for mainstream enterprises and government agencies. The
Nutanix solution enables easy deployment of any virtual workload, including large-scale virtual
desktop initiatives (VDI), development/test apps, big data (Hadoop) projects and more. Nutanix
customers can radically simplify and scale out their datacenter infrastructures with cost-effective
appliances that can be deployed in under 30 minutes for rapid time to value.