This document addresses the architecture design, configuration and implementation considerations for the key components required to deliver virtual desktops or shared sessions via Citrix® XenDesktop® and XenApp® on Microsoft® Windows Server® Hyper-V® 2012 R2 or VMware® vSphere® with software defined storage by Nutanix®.

Reliable, predictable desktop virtualization

Take out the guesswork. You can procure, deploy and manage virtual desktops with predictable scaling and management costs. The Dell EMC XC Series Hyper-Converged Appliance for desktop virtualization simplifies Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) with easy-to-order, prescriptive configurations and a combination of tools and user interfaces so you can manage your desktop environment more easily. Increase your time to value with these benefits:

  • Predictable per-seat costs that fit a broad range of use cases — Start with a single cluster of three nodes for around 300 seats and avoid step-function infrastructure costs by adding about 100 seats at a time, with predictable per-seat cost and performance.
  • Support for most broker- and hypervisor-compatible desktop virtualization software — Choose from Citrix® XenDesktop® and XenApp®, VMware®, Microsoft® broker platforms with vSphere® or Hyper-V® hypervisors.
  • Flexible scaling and performance — Add additional nodes to increase the number of seats or scale up to a different configuration to improve performance.
  • Easy-to-order, appliance-based configurations — Simplify purchasing with one of three fixed configurations.
  • Optimal lifecycle management (LCM) and low operating expenses (OPEX)— Get the maximum number of virtual desktops on the appliance up and running in a matter of hours versus days.
  • Supported by an Appliance Architecture — Learn about how to implement the Dell EMC XC Series, with sizing guidance and endpoint recommendations to optimize your environment.
  • Reliable Dell ProSupport — Our highly trained experts deliver enterprise-level tech-to-tech support.

Dell has partnered with Nutanix®, a leader in web-scale virtualized infrastructure, to incorporate their web-scale application with Dell infrastructure. The result is a hyper-converged infrastructure appliance (HCIA) that reduces the complexity of procurement, deployment and management by lowering the need for separate SAN storage.