Virtual desktop Infrastructure (VDI) technologies tremendously improve the flexibility of IT organizations that provide client access to hundreds or even thousands of dispersed users. In addition, VDI improves manageability by centralizing desktop images, accelerating provisioning, improving security, balancing OS and application compatibility, and reducing resource and maintenance costs.

A positive end-user experience depends on storage performance, and picking the right storage for VDI is a critical factor for success.

True Efficiency, Converged Storage from Nimble

Nimble has developed an entirely new approach to storage that seamlessly combines SSDs with high-capacity drives. Nimble’s breakthrough CASL™ architecture is designed from the ground up to address the performance and cost challenges of VDI.

Benefits of Nimble Storage for VDI include:

Performance and Capacity Efficiency:

• CASL’s innovative use of flash enhances read performance and addresses boot-storm and login-storm situations (i.e., multiple users booting or logging in at the same time). Serializing random writes enhances write performance – effectively meeting peaks in write IO’s triggered by virus scans and OS upgrades.
• CASL compresses all data and provides savings 30-75% capacity savings. Zero-copy cloning ensures duplicate images don’t consume valuable disk space.
• Most importantly, Nimble can respond rapidly to workload fluctuations. In comparison, traditional tiered architectures require hours or even days to respond to changes in IO patterns.

Integrated Data Protection:

• Highly efficient snapshots allow frequent recovery points with 60-90 days of retention of virtual desktop images and user data. Backups take seconds and do not impact application or storage performance.
• Built-in replication ensures VDI data is protected off-site in the event of a site failure.

Pain-Free Operations:

• The intuitive Nimble UI eliminates the complexity of provisioning and managing separate storage, backup, and disaster recovery devices.
• Nimble’s vCenter plug-in simplifies the process of provisioning, replicating, backing up, monitoring, and managing virtual desktops.
• Frequent heartbeats monitor system health to identify potential failures before they occur. High availability and resiliency features combined with truly non-disruptive upgrades virtually eliminate downtime.