[AccessD] OT: Virtual PC 2007 (MS), CITRIX XenServer, CITRIX HDX...

jwcolby jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Sun Sep 20 20:50:01 CDT 2009


Shamil,

I do use virtual machines but they are for business purposes.  Given a file size of 40 gb they are 
not exactly portable, certainly not something that could be directly uploaded to a host on the 
internet.

I use these machines to run a specific software package for address validation.  I use three virtual 
machines running simultaneously on a quad core server with 16 gigs ram.  Each vm is allocated 3.5 gb 
of ram, which is required for the task it performs.  Each vm runs the exact same application, 
against different data.  The application they run can validate 2 million records, start to finish, 
in about 45 minutes, and I have situations where I have to validate many millions of records, up to 
90 million at a shot.  Obviously to have one machine do this would take two full days.  By having 
three machines running I can (more or less) cut the time in 1/3, realistically in 1/2.  It would 
really cut the time to 1/3rd except that I have to send files out over the internet and get them 
back.  With upload speeds limited to 1/10th the download speeds, the machines often fight for 
bandwidth.  However it is still much faster than simply running the software on a single machine.

So that is what I use them for.  Not what you are looking for but that is my only experience with 
VMs.  It is real life, used every week and often every day usage.

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com


Shamil Salakhetdinov wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for off-topic but I expect the subject would be interesting for many
> developers here, and I do expect some of you do use such a configuration of
> computers systems I'm considering here to create.
> 
>  
> 
> Plan: 
> 
>  
> 
> I wanted to have:
> 
>  
> 
> 1)      Several virtual PCs (VPCs), which can be kept and loaded from a
> common local/Internet store with minimal overheads;
> 
> 2)      When loaded and started I wanted to access VPCs from real desktop on
> PC they are running as well as via a virtual desktop from other systems
> running in my LAN as well as from Internet assuming my running VPCs will be
> seen from there (I will get static IP(s) and my main ISP has a broadband
> connection to my home/office, which I'm using here every day );
> 
> 3)      I also wanted the data from some of my VPCs/physical systems
> backed-up automatically (on schedule) not only locally but also somewhere on
> Internet;
> 
> 4)      When out of home/office for a long period of time, and having my
> physical systems shut down I wanted to have (some of) my VPCs moved to an
> Internet VPS hosting to use them from anywhere in this world.
> 
>  
> 
> As far I currently understand:
> 
>  
> 
>  (1) -  can be done using CITRIX XenServer
> (http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/product.asp?contentID=683148), 
> 
>  (2) - using CITRIX HDX technology
> (http://community.citrix.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=79463606),
> 
>  (3) - using e.g. Amazon S3 Services
> (http://aws.amazon.com/s3/#functionality ), and
> 
>  (4) - using e.g. Triple8 VPSs (http://www.triple8.net/vps.htm )
> 
>  
> 
> Question: Does anybody use/plan to use the above technologies in the near
> future? If you do use them what are your experience - I'm especially
> interested to hear about real life experience of using VS2005/2008/2010
> development for Visual Studio running on an Internet-located  VPS (Virtual
> Private Server), and accessed via Virtual Desktop (CITRIX HDX) from Web
> Browser. running on Windows Mobile powered SmartPhone J Well, I'm kidding
> about the latter  "SmartPhone VS development" but I do wanted to know about
> real life experience of using VS development via Virtual Desktop driven by
> CITRIX HDX.
> 
>  
> 
> Please correct me if I'm wrong and advise what are the better technologies
> in your opinion to apply for and fulfill my plan.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you.
> 
>  
> 
> --
> 
> Shamil  
> 



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