How to Secure Access to VMware View Using Access Server

Overview

There is an increasing demand to enable remote end- users to access virtualized desktops that are centralized in the corporate data center. End-users may be geographically scattered but are all connected to the corporate datacenter through the Internet. Desktop virtualization offers advantages over the traditional client/ server model, in which every computer operates as a completely self-contained unit with its own operating system, applications and user personalization. Overall expenses are reduced through the centralization of desktop management and end-users can take advantage of increased flexible access to their desktop environment.

VMware View is a desktop virtualization technology that uses the PC-over-IP (PCoIP) display protocol to greatly enhance the users experience. VMware's software implementation of PCoIP uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) over port 50002. The TCP port is used for session establishment and control and the UDP port is used for optimal performance of media and streaming content.

One of the key requirements of the VMware View solution is to enable secure remote access to the virtual machines in the corporate data center while preserving the real-time characteristics of PCoIP which is based on datagram transport service. OpenVPN software is designed to provide secure SSL transport over UDP datagram service which makes it an ideal remote access solution for real-time applications such as VMware View.

VMware View

VMware View delivers a desktop solution enabling end-users to access virtual desktops running in the corporate data center from a variety of devices and locations inside and outside of the corporate firewall. Using VMware View with the PCoIP display protocol, end-users benefit from a rich desktop experience across locations.

VMware is working with OpenVPN to deliver solutions that enable secure access to end-users based on OpenVPN software. With a solution such as the OpenVPN Access Server users can securely access their virtual desktops across the Internet while preserving the real-time experience of the PCoIP display protocol used by VMware View.

OpenVPN Access Server

OpenVPN Access Server is a full featured SSL VPN software solution that accommodates a wide range of configurations, including secure and granular remote access to corporate internal network and/ or corporate private cloud network resources and applications with fine-grained access control. OpenVPN Access Server features include:

• Unlike hardware appliance solutions, OpenVPN Access Server software can be deployed on wide range of Linux OS platform ranging from Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu, Fedora, and others.
• A simple, Web-based Admin UI for configuration and management.
• A scalable solution that can support more than 10,000 concurrent VPN connections.
• Uses UDP as its primary transport protocol while falling back to TCP when UDP is not accessible or blocked by a particular network.
• A Client Web Server that automatically generates a client configuration file and can be used by various open source OpenVPN Client software for Windows, MAC, Linux, and other OS platforms, enabling interoperability with open source OpenVPN Client software.
• Integration with existing authentication systems using RADIUS, LDAP, and PAM
• Open source software which makes it economical and affordable solution for any business size.

OpenVPN Access Server gives you the broad support and robust security of the OpenVPN open-source software project, coupled with the configuration and management tools needed to deploy the VPN solution easily and quickly.

VMWare View and OpenVPN Software

OpenVPN Access Server software is very flexible and can be deployed on the same hardware infrastructure utilized by the VMWare Server software. OpenVPN Access Server software deployment and validation with VMWare View revealed the following benefits:

• Provides secure VPN solution based on SSL
• Preserves the real-time characteristics of PCoIP
• Easy to configure and operate
• Expandable and scalable to handle large number of Users
• Flexible deployment on any hardware or virtualized environment
• Interconnect with OpenVPN client software supported by various OS platforms
• Affordable pricing for any business

Summary

VMware View and OpenVPN Access Server provide a solution for remote end-users to securely access virtual desktops residing in corporate data centers. Due to OpenVPN software solutions, OpenVPN transports PCoIP display protocol over UDP datagram protocol while preserving real-time characteristics of VMware View. OpenVPN provides a flexible solution that enables both VMware Server and OpenVPN Access Server software to share the same hardware infrastructure.

CONTACTS

VMWare, Inc.

Web: http://www.vmware.com/products/view/

OpenVPN Technologies, Inc.

Web: openvpn.net

Email: info@openvpn.net