Open Stack

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

By now many people think USB-redirection is a valuable function, so I wrote a BP for it in https://blueprints.launchpad.net/nova/+spec/usb-redirection.
I will write a detailed spec for it a little later, hope you can review it too.
 
For use cases of USB-passthrough, we indeed have many requirements from customers in private cloud.
I think Openstack may also been used for private cloud solution, so if we provide USB-passthrough
as an optional function may also have some values.

Welcome for any and more advices. 

Thanks


-----Original Message-----
From: Jay Pipes [mailto:jaypipes at gmail.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 1:23 PM
To: Yuanjing (D)
Cc: Daniel Berrange; Joe Gordon; openstack-dev at lists.openstack.org
Subject: Re: [Openstack] [Nova] BP about usb-passthrough RE: Change in openstack/nova-specs[master]: Support specify USB controller for USB-passthrough

On Wed, 2014-04-23 at 02:01 +0000, Yuanjing (D) wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I have proposed three BPs about usb-passthrough.
> 1. Usb-passthrough is the core function I want to provide which is in https://review.openstack.org/#/c/86404/.
> 2. The function of specify usb controller for usb-passthrough is for 
> refine the use of Usb-passthrough, which is in https://review.openstack.org/#/c/88337/.
> 3. The function of specify usb controller is the prerequisite of 
> specify usb controller for usb-passthrough which is in https://review.openstack.org/#/c/88334.
> 
> The backgrounds are:
> I want to make a detailed explanation about why I suggest to provide this function.
>  
> We provide VDI(Virtual Desktop) and server virtualization solutions for customers, our customers have strong requirements for using USB devices.
>  
> The typical use cases and our solutions are described as below:
> 
> 1.In VDI solution, customers want to use local USB printers or USB 
> scanners with TC(Thin-Client), because remote desktop protocol like ICA have already support USB-redirection, so customers only need to attach USB device to TC, the protocol can map USB device to VM.
> 
> 2. In virtualization solution, when starting or restarting some 
> business-critical applications, a connected USB-KEY is needed for authentication, some applications even need a daily authentication by USB-KEY. we suggest the following solutions:
> (1) Using physical 'USB-HUB' box and technology of USB-redirection 
> over TCP/IP. Customers need to buy USB-HUB and install software in guest os, the software helps redirecting USB device to VM.
> 
> (2) Using USB-Passthrough and USB hot-plug functions provided by our 
> virtualization software. The end users(normally application or system administrators) insert USB devices to host that containing the VM, then  can see USB device list in portal and choose USB device to attach.
> 
> This solution has advantages that
> 1. It doesn't need additional physical devices
> 
> 2. It doesn't need a special server to run spice client for 
> USB-Redirection
> 
> 3. Business-critical applications commonly need stable and long-standing USB-KEY to attach, USB-Passthrough maybe more stable than USB-Redirection over TCP/IP or remote desktop protocol.

Hi Jing, thx for your above email.

I think of cloud computing as providing a way for users to *not* have to manage hardware -- they are free to work with virtual servers and then throw them away when not needed or get a new one quickly if something bad happens.

I'm afraid I don't see any relation to what I think of as "cloud" in the second use case you list above. I don't think having a system administrator running around to a physical machine in a datacenter and plugging in a USB key is a "cloudy" activity.

For the first use case, however, where the user inserts a USB device on the thin client and USB redirection allows the VM to read/write to the USB device on the thin client, I certainly see a good use case there.

However, I am uncertain which of your blueprints deals exclusively with the first use case. Could you advise on that?

Best,
-jay