Challenges in Monitoring the Oracle VirtualBox

What makes monitoring an Oracle VDI infrastructure a challenge is the large number of virtual desktops that will typically be configured on the VirtualBoxes and the large number of users to the desktops. While it can be very difficult to keep track of which user is accessing which desktop on which VirtualBox, the live and automatic migration of desktops to other VirtualBoxes (if any) in the environment only compounds the problem. To make matters worse, the users to the VDI service demand from the virtual desktops the same quality of service that they are used to receiving from their physical desktops. This means, quick access, uninterrupted connectivity, and stable operations will be the criteria on which the user experience with the VDI service will be judged. Non-availability of a desktop when a user needs it, or slowdowns in desktop operations caused by a resource contention at the desktop-level or at the host-level may result in a deluge of user complaints and a bevy of dissatisfied users. To avoid this, service desk should be able to:

  • Continuously monitor the user activity to the virtual desktops operating on a VirtualBox;

  • Know which user accessed the desktop on which VirtualBox at what time;

  • Track the powered-on state of desktops;

  • Study the resource usage patterns of the virtual desktops to nail the root-cause of resource contentions - is it owing to a resource-hungry desktop? or a resource-starved host?;

  • Promptly alert users to potential resource drains on desktops or a sudden change in the desktop state, much before users notice the difference!

eG Enterprise offers a specially designed model for monitoring the Oracle Virtual Box. The model helps administrators to achieve the above-said requirements in a simple way.