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Rich web-based DaaS possible by bridging web services to rich applications via Open Source Ulteo

Submitted by saloob on Sun, 03/04/2012 - 22:20

While what Ulteo are doing is not new, nor the way they are doing it - but what they have done is open the door to a deluge of applications that are both rich and on-demand - at super competitive pricing - FREE!.

Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop v3.0 is the latest release from this start-up whose, "...goal is to become one of the global leaders in the virtual desktop space so that organizations of all size can get an independent, open (source) solution along side or instead of commercial, closed and more expensive alternatives."

Citrix have been offering a similar solution - which is very expensive - so once you get a handle of setting up Ulteo, there is likely no reason to look back.

Ulteo allows you to set up the distributed solution to allow the application servers and desktop servers to be more efficiently utilised. Check out the documentation here.

Here is how we tested Ulteo...

  1. We set up the local server farm on Linux Virtuozzo Containers.
  2. Install Ulteo OVD on Ubuntu Lucid 10.04 x86_64 Container for the Session Manager, Application Server, File Server and Remote Desktop Server.
  3. Install Ulteo OVD on CentOS 5 x86_64 (based on the install of RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.5) for the Application Server, File Server and Remote Desktop Server.
  4. Assigned the Remote Servers and Application Servers as allowed to be used as Remote Desktops
  5. Installed RDP (yum or apt-get) and set the Firewall rules to allow RDP to point at the above local servers
  6. Created some Application Groups:
    1. Office Productivity
    2. Graphics
    3. Development
  7. Ulteo provides a 650MB bundle of ready to load applications that come from the usual open source community such as Gimp, Open Office, etc. We added some of these to the above groups.
  8. Created some User Groups and associate the Application Groups with them
  9. Created Users and assigned to the User Groups

As a local farm, this works off the bat - truly brilliant solution. The containers are created literally in seconds and Ulteo is so easy to install, it is scary.

It took us a while to work out how to add new servers to the Session Manager, but once it registers there, you can allocate the servers to any User Groups. As Linux is free - as well as all the rich apps - and with Parallels automation taking the pain away from provisioning and delivering - there will be a huge shift in the way people measure their DaaS future - both as Providers and Users. This stuff just simply rocks.

We have not yet tested with Windows - but have no doubt Windows Virtuozzo Containers will work just the same - just as efficient to provision and would deliver applications similarly. If we were to use Windows, the most efficient and inexpensive way to set up would be as follows:

  • Windows 2008 Server x86_64 - Data Center License (unlimited Containers!)
  • Office 2010 SPLA license
  • Virtuozzo for Windows

Many people think you need to use VMware or XEN to deliver rich and powerful desktops and applications - this is a pure fallacy that hardware vendors perpetuate. In fact, there is no real difference between Windows 7 and the latest Windows Server - inside. This means it is not necessary to buy clunky VM technology to run the clunky Windows 7 OS!! You have to be joking! We just proved that really powerful, on-demand and inexpensive rich-featured DaaS can be delivered on the web.

You can run 100 Containers on Windows servers with Virtuozzo finely tuned to deliver both Remote Desktops and applications via Ulteo at the lowest possible cost available in the market.

From SaaS to DaaS to Local Farms...

When you run DaaS via Ulteo, you can set up the firewall to point the first log-in page to a local server for the RDP - and next to these servers, you can set up a bunch of SaaS farms - such as Open-Xchange.

The Remote Desktop server is a Linux Container with IP 192.168.1.xxx - and sits alongside a number of other Containers also with local IPs. Some of these servers can never be accessed directly from the outside world - but once you enter the DaaS, these services are all open to you. You can access these services via the DaaS (Firefox) browser via a local IP based domain (pre-set in the Remote Desktop Server). Some look at this as another simple level of security.

Demo it!

We set up a limited demo, contact us to try: info @ saloob.com

Select the Desktop type log-in to run a full x86_64 Enterprise Linux Desktop with Office Productivity apps added.

The Session will last 10 minutes and then you will be booted out - just so you can get a taste of what it is.

This works like this:

-> Log-in -> Session Manager -> User Rights -> Remote Desktop & Apps (Local IP Container within a Local Virtuozzo Server Server)

Enjoy!