Think FlexCast - Defining success criteria -
So in my last blog, I talked about the need to set clear requirements early in the lifecycle of the project. In this blog, I began the fight against the elephant in the room - we're going to "virtualize the entire office area" a project requirement. I promised to come back later, so we'll see if we can make that clearer and make it easier beast to discuss with the developers of the project!
Where do we start with that? Normally, it comes down to C-level executives as a VDI project waiting for them to come to agreement, but on the way down to the IT teams, he won mystical properties! "We should virtualize the desktops of everyone because says so!" Personally, I beg to differ and I spend much of my time to discuss all the different shades the FlexCast model, and how they all have one goal in organizations of most people. Take a holistic approach to VDI projects is asking for the unfortunate users and failed projects.
So where are we going start slicing the delivery terms of FlexCast? I would start by working with specific user groups and understanding of their application sets, so that while tracing the project plan, we discuss a design " . boilerplate "that includes all delivery platforms for us to have open discussions and define the best possible solution we define the expected technical requirements (see my previous blog), then the next steps are generally as follows:
1) Examine the desktop succession
- discovery application should be made to define application sets and user segments
- distribution mechanisms applications based on the application of discovery and user segmentation results, set
- define an implementation strategy that addresses all application sets and user groups
- based on the implementation strategy, define an infrastructure capable of providing all the different delivery platforms (XenApp, app-V streaming, XenDesktop, PC Remote Access etc.)
- define working solutions flexible (Cloud gateway, AppController Sharefile, Podio etc.)
there is a reasonable allocation of what it takes to define a model of FlexCast, but we made decisions based on our understanding of what users do with their working hours. The reflection on the technical mechanisms of delivery is fine, but it must be accepted by the end users to make the project a success. The involvement of users is essential to the success of any project of change, and with the integration of remote access PC in the FlexCast model, we can adopt a phased approach to show users the benefits associated with new flexible computing solutions. By deploying first PC remote access to desktops and allowing users to work at home, but on their existing PC, we allow them to learn a new thing at a time. Once that is comfortable, we could begin the process of migration from the PC to the data center - you P2V the existing machine to the data center or build a new office? This is something that needs serious discussion, and depends on a variety of factors (cost / scale, user acceptance, etc.).
One of the best approaches I've met is the idea of a "Demo Suite" in the organization - the IT function creates a demonstration center for all different models for user groups and allows the Department to try the technology. with this being an "iT as a service" model really every type of deployment (thin client, hybrid clients, tablets, BYOD, etc.) can be demonstrated and cost of service attached to each method for the department. Instead iT choose the right strategy for the department, the officials buy (literally) in the process! with a well-designed solution, it is also quite easy to attach a path "Upgrade" if departments find that they need a different style of technology later on the way. As an iT team behind the scenes we need to be building this flexibility in design, so that the capacity of each model can flex over time. Ensuring that IT teams as a whole begin to work together in this way, we can build an IT service that has the ability to change as various requirements are created throughout the company.
But back to the first statement of "virtualizing the entire desktop area" - have we approached properly Well, we still have not clarified that the executive sponsor could tell by that, but? we certainly put the project to achieve the vision would also be a good idea to understand the key drivers of the transition to virtualization. - Mobility, agility, cost reduction, etc. more information here gathered more finessed solution can be. How do you handle these types of discussions?
the views expressed here are mine alone and was not authorized by, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citrix.
