Citrix CCA

Discussion in 'Other IT certifications' started by Luddym, Mar 30, 2008.

  1. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    I'm studying for my 70-293 which I have on Tuesday, and with 2 Exams left to complete my MCSE (One being the 70-620 :twisted:) I've already been procrastinating and looking at studying Citrix as I really like the idea of working with it in the future.

    I had planned to go for a CCA as well as it is meant to be a relatively simple Exam, but wondered if a CCA with NO experience would help me in attaining a job where Citrix came as part of my role. Remembering that I'd also be an MCSE and a VCP.
     
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  2. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Bud - if application virtualisation in TS2K8 is truly as promising as it looks from my (admittedly limited) testing, Citrix might not HAVE a future!
     
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  3. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    To be honest Zeb, you are probably quite right. I don't think VMWare will be around for many many years to come either, due to the USB issue.
     
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  4. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    What USB issue?
     
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  5. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Eh? :blink
     
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  6. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    USB isn't suppoted under VMWare.
     
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  7. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    What on Earth? USB has been supported on VMWare for years mate - almost since inception. How have you managed to get a VCP thinking that it isn't?
     
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  8. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Whaaaa? :ohmy

    On the wind up mate? :biggrin
     
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  9. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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  10. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    First up, there are numerous products that will enable USB support via ESX hosts - for instance, as you've already pointed out, AnywhereUSB

    Secondly, and more importantly, why would you need USB support in an ESX host? I can't think of a single reason to support USB when ESX is being used for what its designed for (enterprise virtualisation).
     
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  11. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    I see your point Zeb, and I know that in context it is a very minor thing, but......

    Imagine you have a whole Department of users who have to use a unique USB security dongle. Imagine you wanted to VDI with them all (500+) using thin clients on ESX, as you already had the infrastructure and couldn't afford Citrix.
     
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  12. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Still don't see your point at all fella, tbh. I'm not having a pop here, but it seems like you're not really grasping what ESX is designed for. Yes there's a bit of a buzz around VDI and there has been for some time now, but that isn't remotely a show-stopper for VMWare. The real power of ESX lies in virtualising your servers, not your desktop infrastructure. There are an enormous number of enterprises that now run almost their entire infrastructure - including Mail, Authentication, File & Print and Enterprise Apps on ESX (mine included). I couldn't possibly see where you would already 'have the infrastructure in place' to support an additional 500 VMs on top of what you already have - that would be defeating one of the objects of ESX.
     
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  13. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    I totally understand where you are coming from Zeb. I know what ESX is MEANT to be used for. I know that ESX is MEANT for the consolidation of Servers, for the flexibilty of assigning resources, for things such as VMotion which, when designed with the right storage, can give you an excellent way of giving your servers fault tolerance. But I also know that there are smaller companies that will want to consolidate as much as possible. Get a few ESX Servers in to host some of their current services, realise they have plenty of resources so want to get as much value from the product as physically possible, but run into unexpected issues that they hadn't planned on.

    I know my '500 users with the infrastructure' in place might seem a little bit of an improbable event, and I agree with you that it is. But where I'm coming from is that there are companies out there that have been misssold equipment, or Techs that have bought in ESX without doing their research, so that they do have equipment that they can't use for the original purporse. (Which is why we are considering using ESX for VDI.) And I personally know that if I were tasked with implementing Virtualisation and I had the choice between ESX without USB support, or A competitior with just as good a reputation with USB support, I know who I would choose.
     
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  14. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Want to make a bet with me? I'll bet you that in three years' time, ESX will still have at least ten times the user base of Viridian.

    ESX absolutely rules - it is the first 'wow factor' technology I can remember for about the last six/seven years. Many companies have not just embraced VMWare - their entire infrastructure now depends on it. VMWare have a record of supporting customers through growth that is unrivalled amongst other tech organisations (certainly better than Microsoft's)

    Where MS might have some success is in the SME market - but even then ESX will probably be cheaper than Viridian ends up being, is a much more mature technology than Viridian will be (it'll take MS at least five years playing catch-up to be able to compete with them realistically) and 'just works' - unlike anything from MS does before SP1 (my 'testing' of App Virtualisation hasn't exactly been extensive enough to consider switching to it from Citrix in the next year or so)

    I know where you're coming from now on the VDI front - but I still don't see why you would ever want to bother with something like that when thin clients can be had for sod all or old workstations can be converted into thin clients and applications can be pushed out to them via Citrix, TS Web in 2K8 or other solutions. Maybe its because I don't ever see VDI taking off in the real world - other than in niche environments where it might be especially useful.

    Great debate though!
     
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  15. Phoenix
    Honorary Member

    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    I have not read all the responses here so appologies if it's been said, USB in a VDI instance is generally handled by the thin client front end and just connected via RDP I've seen it working fine
    ESX is not really designed to have end users plugging usb sticks directly into the server so it goes without saying that its not really worth supporting

    that said if there are benefits to supporting it it will be done, that's how vmware operate :)


    Noww... to read the rest of these posts.. they look long and detailed, i like that :)
     
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  16. Phoenix
    Honorary Member

    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    Gotta disagree with ya there fella
    VDI is just a bit of 'buzz' at the moment, but face it most orgs have way more desktops than servers, and the iussues that VDI solves have already been causing issues for ages, security of local data, heat and power on trading floors etc, plenty to be gained by VDI and its the logical next move as virtualisation becomes accepted in the mainstream

    Agree totally about your Hyper-V points though ;)
     
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  17. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Ya see, you've hit on one of the 'niche' environments where I think VDI could be a real, viable concern - trading desks/floors. I think that the need to be able to have 100% available, 24/7/365 desktops & apps is where VDI would be extremely useful - especially when you factor hot DR & Business Continuity into the equation. the amount of money brokerages, banks & the like plough into their DR solutions makes VDI extremely attractive to them. I interviewed for a BC Manager role at Morgan Stanley a while back and, whilst disclosure prevents me from mentioning anything specific about their solution i was utteryl flabbergasted at the amount of money they spend on virtualising. Admittedly this was a while back now - before ESX was really being implemented anywhere other than for test/dev environments, but the sums involved were staggering - and I can see that anywhere that is willing to spend that amount of money could easily afford to move to a totally virtual environment. Glad I didn't get the job tbh - it was too daunting for me (and I don't daunt easily :biggrin)

    I can also see it being extremely useful in tech research envrionments, but for the average, everyday corporation I just don't see the real benefits. Of course, I've been wrong plenty of times in the past - I once said I couldn't see any benefit to thin clients - then spent the next eighteen months working in a Citrix environment :twisted:
     
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  18. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I didn't realise that USB was handled by the Thin Client's front end........ the consultant we had mis-sold us with some rather important issues, so it doesn't surprise me I had the wrong end of the stick.
     
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  19. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Who did the purchasing? They need to be kneecapped for not understanding the potential benefits of technology (or even, in this case, how it works!) before committing to buy it. I'm glad I don't work where you do Luddym - I imagine implementing ESX there will be, or was, an absolute nightmare! If you don't mind me asking, what sector do you work in? Sounds like you need an experienced Technical Architect there who can not only make decisions, but also understand the technology he/she is just about to spend an enormous chunk of your IT budget on!
     
    Certifications: A few
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  20. Luddym

    Luddym Megabyte Poster

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    To be honest, it is a builders merchants, and IT isn't always on the forefront of their mind.

    About a year ago, pretty much the whole IT team of 4/5 walked out, and the company was forced to get a Consultant in. Unfortunately, it was the consultant and his friend who shaped the IT of the company into what it is, signing long term contracts willy nilly without thought of consequence, and ultimately blew a whole load of cash on ESX servers and only LOCALLY attachable storage.

    They didn't even bother considering VMotion (Even though it would have been the best solution all round...and cost at that point wasn't the issue) instead advised the company to get VReplicator, which they sold as 'it takes one backup, the only backs up the bit level changes. I don't know a huge ammount about VReplicator, but I know the way ours works, it isn't with bit level changes, instead a complete image of the virtual machine is taken. :rolleyes:

    The whole thing pretty much went in with ease..... but only because the setup we have is so spectacularly being underused at the moment. I would love some GOOD networked storage to be able to implement VMotion, but alas, the budget is now unavailable and will be for some time to come. The 'We spent xxx ammount a little while ago on it, we couldn't possibly spend any more.'
     
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