[Request] Someone to explain me how to stream Virtual machines

[White Cuban]

Hey, i wasn't sure where to post since this is both about program, but hardware streaming i guess.

i saw many places do this, and i thought i might as well do this at home:

instead of changing computers every year for family members, have a powerful server i replace every 3-4-5 years stream virtual workstations to individual Screen's and Mouse and keyboards

stuff like CD's i think can be on server, and when someone wants to use cd they will walk to the server and put it in, even though it will show on all workstations i guess, its fine.

i would love to know how to do this

Thanks

Matan Mates.

[Widdowmaker]

  Matan Mates said:

Hey, i wasn't sure where to post since this is both about program, but hardware streaming i guess.

i saw many places do this, and i thought i might as well do this at home:

instead of changing computers every year for family members, have a powerful server i replace every 3-4-5 years stream virtual workstations to individual Screen's and Mouse and keyboards

stuff like CD's i think can be on server, and when someone wants to use cd they will walk to the server and put it in, even though it will show on all workstations i guess, its fine.

i would love to know how to do this

Thanks

Matan Mates.

im no expert, but if you have the time, money, inclination, and technical skill to sucsesfully setup a home based virtual workstation for every member of your family based off of a a really powerful server then you wouldnt need to ask.

I imagine its a bit more involved then flip a few switchs, but i could be wrong. it is 09 now

[White Cuban]

widdow, this isn't related to money or time or technical skill, i just don't know what to use, or how to do it, whats wrong with that?

[eFX]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_client

[White Cuban]

are thoose thin clients expensive?or are they simply computers who boot from network

Edited April 12, 2009 by Matan Mates

[Digitalx]

quick over view reading (apologies if maybe slightly incorrect) cheapest solution to your issue i think would be setting up VPS's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_server or something with KVM and network admin to manage optical disks otherwise make available across network a directory of isos which people can then mount within the virtual machine when needed etc. Look into vmware server etc or hyper-v and stuff like that or maybe just ask someone with fair amount of knowledge in terms of networking and implementation of virtual machines and things how much and stuff.

[White Cuban]

digiz, what do you mean, so i set up a VPS on my server, its now 8 servers, which i somehow don't grasp how it will work, but lets say so, how do i stream them into the network? and into every thin client or w/e (btw, if old computers will help this, theres a unlimited amount i can get of old computers, so if thats the thin clients, it can work)

[Si Veteran]

A) Install Windows (XP/Vista/Server/whatever) onto your powerful computer.

B) Set up a static IP, DNS entry in your router etc for that computer.

C) Install MS Virtual Server 2005 onto this same machine (or enable Hyper-V if you are using Server 2008).

D) Create a virtual machine for each family member and install your chosen OS's into them.

E) On the console of your powerful computer set up the each virtual machine's networking etc and make sure you enable remote desktop OR install a VNC server.

F) From your older computers, launch the remote desktop client (Start, run mstsc.exe) OR your VNC client and type the name or IP address of the virtual machine you want to use.

Remember: If using Remote Desktop your users must have passwords and be enabled for remote desktop. You will also need XP Pro, Vista Business or Ultimate. You also need a Windows license for each virtual machine you create.

The VMs will all be sharing the NIC & CPU on your 'server' so remember to go easy where needed.

[VT-Vincent]

There's one small problem with the remote desktop idea. All resources are pooled from the server as mentioned, essentially making the hardware and resources of the individual terminals irrelevant. In addition to that, even when connected over a gigabit LAN, any video or DirectX content (such as games) will be completely unusable. Your best option if you really want to do this would likely be setting up a Windows Server with an Active Directory. This will essentially allow you to store the user's profile on the server and manage their computer from the server. With the proper settings, it would be difficult for them to cause any damage to the terminals and even if it were to happen, the terminals could be remotely re-imaged using PXE. Sufficive to say though, this is a somewhat daunting setup.

To learn how to do all of this and get a better understanding of the process, you may want to stop down to your local book store and pick up a good Windows Server 2003/2008 book. The Microsoft Press books are well-written and cover most of what you will need to know.

[White Cuban]

Si, i would really want to make it invisible, they open the computer, no VNC or anything they log straight in the Virtual machine, theres nothing running on the computers too, i have no interest in it running a Virtual window inside a OS, but have the OS be "natively"(even though it doesn't actually run there)

also, i can get windows server 2008 legal free, since im in the dreamspark program.

Edited April 13, 2009 by Matan Mates

[VT-Vincent]

To the best of my knowledge, the only way to truly do what you are proposing is with a third-party server called Citrix Provisioning Server. It is an enterprise-grade server which allows you to create hardware-independent virtual machine images and boot directly to them using PXE. Like most enterprise-grade products, it is extremely expensive and not intended for any kind of SOHO use.

[White Cuban]

is there no way to make it seemless on the client? log in prompt and his in? no need to open software, the computer itself is only running the thing allowing the VM stream

also, i belive marshmalus did something like this in his university i tried asking in topic, no response though (he won a award for it)

[Si Veteran]

I had a setup of SLAX linux do exactly what you want once, it booted up, started X and logged in, then fired up rdesktop and auto logged into a Windows server. This was on a USB drive and the computer had no hard disk. Pretty slick if I do say so myself ;)

Not sure how that would function over wifi, I've never really used it in linux.

[The2]

  Si said:

I had a setup of SLAX linux do exactly what you want once, it booted up, started X and logged in, then fired up rdesktop and auto logged into a Windows server. This was on a USB drive and the computer had no hard disk. Pretty slick if I do say so myself ;)

Not sure how that would function over wifi, I've never really used it in linux.

I'm using this across wireless to access Windows 2008 server and it works superb. I'm even accessing virtual windows inside vmware workstation inside serve 2008. Everything is ok, but games are a big NO NO.

[K3v1NR]

  The2 said:

I'm using this across wireless to access Windows 2008 server and it works superb. I'm even accessing virtual windows inside vmware workstation inside serve 2008. Everything is ok, but games are a big NO NO.

Try using Vmware VDI VM's coupled with a Windows 7 VDI (VM), as long as you have a 3d card in your big powerful server and 3d cards in the other "workstations" that are running the (VM's) then you can stream all the full motion video or games you like :-)

Regards

k

[White Cuban]

games aren't necessary. btw, nor is directX, youtube is probaly heaviest media necessary.

[MentalDisturb.]

So... you think you have to replace your family member's computers each year because they won't be able to handle youtube after a while?

My 8 year old desktop that I don't use anymore handles youtube just fine...

Sounds to me you're making too much hassle out of something simple.

Hell, I'm sure that if you bought all your family members low-end PCs every 2 years, it would still be cheaper than buying the server you would replace every 3 to 5 years.

I've only seen thin clients being used at big corporations and there's a reason for that.

[White Cuban]

sigh forget the house, i want to implent it there, but also mainly in my school network, figured i'd do it at home first to figure out how it works, if your not alright with that just don't post, why does it matter what i need to use? i need the system works like the way i requested, isn't related to hardware acceleration, but safety and downtime and maintainence, especially maintainence if you haven't read the post

[tuckerm]

  MentalDisturb. said:

So... you think you have to replace your family member's computers each year because they won't be able to handle youtube after a while?

My 8 year old desktop that I don't use anymore handles youtube just fine...

Sounds to me you're making too much hassle out of something simple.

Hell, I'm sure that if you bought all your family members low-end PCs every 2 years, it would still be cheaper than buying the server you would replace every 3 to 5 years.

I've only seen thin clients being used at big corporations and there's a reason for that.

How about you stop offering him what he doesn't want? I don't mean to be rude, but shesh the guy is looking how to do something and he doesn't need that attitude in his thread. If you don't have the information he needs, I think you should stay out of the thread. I'm sorry for ranting but come on people.

[macf13nd]

interesting thread (Y)

[White Cuban]

Glad you found it so, but i still have yet to find a solution