VERDE Cloud Branch allows you to centralize the management of remote facilities (branches, regional data centers) to large enterprises with multiple locations and Managed Service Providers (MSP’s). The VERDE Cloud Branch solution includes:
- The desktop runs locally.
- Automatic Replication Technology using our SmartSync™ Protocol.
- Tolerates Intermittent Branch Connectivity.
- Security isolation. There is no requirement for Core to Branch Network.
- OS Gold images, policies, and critical data are synchronized between the central cluster and regional data center or branch office.
The Cloud Branch can be a single machine serving a handful of users, or a large cluster of VERDE servers in a regional data center that may be serving thousands of users. No matter the size, the management will remain centralized.
The Cloud Branch solution consists of two parts:
- In the Data Center. A VERDE Server or cluster with access to Gold Image storage and provisioned users at the data center. The Gold Images and system and user policies are automatically synchronized via the Smartsync™ protocol between the Data Center (DC) and the regional Data Center or Branch Office.
- In the Branch. A VERDE Server or cluster synchronizing Gold Images from the data center, and serving dynamic instances of the cached Gold Image to its own set of users. The virtual desktops run locally, providing LAN performance and availability to the Cloud Branch users. Because the Gold Images and user data are stored locally, the branch does not require a permanent connection with the Data Center, and can operate even if the Data Center is down or connectivity to the Data Center is severed. Like the Data Center, the Branch can scale horizontally from one to hundreds of servers.
Cloud Branch Deployment
Gold Images can be checked out to the branch server and modified at the branch. The changes to the image are saved when the image is checked in. The VERDE Management Console maintains a history of the images and their locations. The branch server synchronization daemon contacts the data center at a defined interval (five minutes by default) to check for additional updates.
Users can be created and managed at the local branch, or managed at the data center with a centralized authentication system, such as Active Directory. Centralized user management requires that the Cloud Branch server be joined to the domain. Using Active Directory replication is possible; users can login via their AD credentials, even if the branch is temporarily disconnected from the central VERDE server.
The following steps outline the workflow for the cloud branch and data center relationship:
- VERDE is installed in the central data center/headquarters and in the remote branch location.
- For remote administration, the central data center needs to be accessible from the branch servers.
- Gold Images are created in the central data center or the branch, and are either checked out to the branch or assigned a Desktop Policy with the deployment mode set to the Branch.
- Checking the image out to the branch gives the branch permission to make changes. When the Gold Image is checked in, the changes are saved to the data center.
- User access and session settings are assigned to the Gold Image from the data center.
- On the Cloud Branch server, the synchronization daemon contacts the VERDE Server to check for policy and session settings updates and synchronize Gold Images that are not checked out to the branch. Synchronization is two-way.
If a user logs in from a location other than the branch, the user will be able to launch the session but will not recover his/her documents from the previous connections.