Last week Nimble Storage announced a new reference architecture called SmartStack, with Cisco Systems and VMware for 1.000 simultaneous VDI users, requiring only 3U of rack space, for $43 for storage per desktop. A pre-configured, fully-integrated system – built around the reference architecture, which consists of a Nimble CS220G-X2 array, Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) B-Series Blade server platform, and VMware View 5.1 – enables customers to rapidly provision VDI, realize significant savings over deployment of physical desktops, and achieve high levels of security and central manageability.
Highlights
- Fully validated and tested Nimble Storage, Cisco and VMware reference architecture that eliminates the complexities of configuring compute, networking and storage;
- Nimble Storage conducted load stress tests, including tests for boot storms and software patches, that optimize the system configuration;
- Optimized desktop storage density: $43 per desktop for 1,000 users in 3U of rack space;
- The architecture was tested with a moderate profile steady-state workload;
- Modular product architecture provides easy scalability and support.
Architecture
- Cisco UCS B-Series Blade server platform including six UCS B230 M2 blades, each with dual-socketed 10-core Intel CPU and 256GB RAM;
- Dual, redundant 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections between the Nimble Storage array and Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect;
- Windows 7 Enterprise virtual desktops with 1.5GB vRAM and one vCPU per desktop;
- One Nimble Storage CS220G-X2 array with twelve 1TB hard disk drives and four 160GB flash SSDs;
- VMware View 5.1 with VMware vSphere.