Integration of the MySQL database with Sun Virtual Desktop Infrastructure(VDI) 3 is the subject of a recent blog by Tino Rachui, the engineer who was responsible for the database integration aspect of the release.

Sun's decision to acquire MySQL coincided fortuitously with the decision to adopt a relational data model for VDI 3, Rachui recalls, making for a good fit. Also influencing design decisions at the time were the requirements that there be no single point of failure (SPOF); that no knowledge of MySQL be required to get started with VDI 3; built-in flexibility that makes it possible to serve deployments from small to large.

Concentrating on the SPOF issue led to the choice of MySQL Cluster as the version to use for VDI 3, Rachui explains, which entailed some additional effort in the VDI 3 installation process in order not to violate the no-foreknowledge provision to which the development team was committed.

The result, the blogger reports, is that now with VDI 3 if you choose to use the embedded database a complete, high available MySQL Cluster will be automatically configured for you. You don't need to know anything about the details and theory behind it.

He adds that there is one noticeable implication of using MySQL Cluster, however: you need a minimum of three physical hosts to configure a HA MySQL Cluster. This is the recommended deployment option for the embedded VDI database scenario. Rachui then explains why three hosts are necessary and enumerates some alternatives.

He notes first that one might choose the remote database option (incorporated to address the flexibility requirement). This allows you to either use MySQL Server version 5.0 with InnoDB or MySQL Cluster version 6.2.15 in whatever way is supported by MySQL.

Thus, one could use the minimal setup enabled by this option, which involves an all-in-one host scenario (and requires VDI 3 patch 1). One physical host can run Sun VDI 3, VirtualBox and the storage, though one must also run Solaris 10 update 7 on this host.

The database calls for a locally installed MySQL Server connected to it, selecting the remote database option during VDI 3 configuration. The problem with this option, Rachui warns, is that it is "one big SPOF." A separate MySQL support contract is also called for.

A second alternative is to elect shared VirtualBox and VDI Primary host. In this scenario, the Sun VDI 3 Primary and one of your VirtualBox hosts share one physical machine. It is important to make sure the shared host has enough capacity to deal with these two roles at the same time, he advises.

Option three is to run the VDI 3 Primary in a virtual machine, which is a useful choice when you are using VMware as a virtualization platform. Running MySQL Cluster completely in a virtualized environment is not supported, he notes. Still, given the fact that the MySQL Cluster management node requires only little resources the MySQL folks have agreed that it is an acceptable and supported scenario to run it in a virtual machine, he explains, adding that the two VDI 3 secondary hosts running the MySQL Cluster data nodes nevertheless need to run on bare metal.

The blog elaborates on the flexibility requirement, stating that the team added the possibility to make use of an existing MySQL database known as the remote database option in the VDI 3 configuration, thereby satisfying the need for flexibility.

More Information

Sun VDI 3 Software Product Page

Sun Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Software

Sun VDI 3 Software Product Documention

Sun VDI Software User Forum

VDI 3 - Why you need 3 VDI hosts and what you can do about that? -- Tino Rachui's blog [...read more...]

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