The document discusses how Amazon WorkSpaces was used to power hands-on labs at AWS re:Invent 2018. Over 500 Amazon WorkSpaces were provisioned across multiple rooms to replace traditional PCs. The solution was designed to be automated, redundant across regions, and leverage native AWS capabilities. Images were created using a light-touch process of provisioning users and WorkSpaces through scripts.

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How Amazon WorkSpaces Powers
the Hands-On Labs
B A P 3 1 7
Greg LaVigne
Sr. Specialized Solutions
Architect
End User Computing
AWS
Justin Stokes
Sr. Specialized Solutions
Architect
End User Computing
AWS
Jeff Ferris
Sr. Manager, Solutions
Architecture
End User Computing
AWS

3. © 2018, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Agenda
Historical
background/use case
overview
Implementation
requirements/principles/
tenants
Solution design and
implementation

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5. © 2018, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
How did we get here?
Using traditional PCs for
events
• Hardware leases are expensive
• Imaging takes days and requires
space
• Mid-event reimaging is disruptive
• Load-out requires reimaging
Physical PCs don’t feel very
cloud
Using WorkSpaces for events
• Own a zero client for less than the cost
of a PC lease for a single event
• Imaging happens in an AWS account,
weeks before the event
• Extra capacity takes no extra physical
space
• Replace a system by logging in as a
different user; rebuild behind-the-
scenes
• Load-out requires a power button

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2018 AWS re:Invent WorkSpaces overview
Hands-on Labs Room
200 attendee stations
2 stations for staff
Spotlight Labs Room
125 attendee stations
2 stations for staff
Associate Certifications Room
112 attendee stations
Professional Certifications Room
64 attendee stations
Amazon Workspaces
Performance bundle
Windows 10
Client device hardware
Zero clients
Dual monitors (Spotlight and Labs)

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Requirements and tenants
Automation/light touch
User provisioning
Amazon WorkSpaces provisioning
Image creation
AWS Tools for PowerShell
PowerShell
.BAT
GPO
AD group policy
Must follow AWS Well-
Architected standards
Redundant
Available
Active-Active failover
Must leverage out of the box
capabilities
Standard implementation
No extra assistance from service teams

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Amazon Virtual Private Cloud
(Amazon VPC) configuration
VPCs in 2 regions
• N. Virginia
• Oregon
VPC peering
• Oregon-N. Virginia
VPC configuration
• 5 subnets per AZ
• 1 public
• 4 privates
1 infrastructure
3 use case environments

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Failover
• Fully redundant
environments
• Load balanced
connection managers
• Amazon Route 53
• CNAME per use case
• 60 second TTL
• Programmatic failover

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Active Directory/Directory Services
Security group/role IDs
• Service account for ADCs
• Role IDs for image creation
• Cert
• Lab/spot
Group Policy
• Replication across the globe
• Kick off image creation process
• User configuration
• Lockdown/Windows interface
• Browser configurations
• Manage automatic updates
• Windows
• Applications
Active Directory domain
controllers
2 DCs per region
1 DC in each availability zone
AWS Directory Service=Active
Directory connectors
Inherently redundant
1 ADC pair for EACH environment
Cert
Lab
Spot
Image creation

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Image creation-Light Touch
.Bundle type
• OS=Windows 10 only
• Hardware=Performance
• Volume sizes
• C: Volume= 80 GB
• D: Volume=50 GB
• AD infrastructure
• Domain ID=Map drive to deployment
server share
• Group Policy=Sets login script to kick
off automated process
• Main .PS1 scrolls through
nested folders calling an
install.bat within each

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User provisioning
UserPrefix,count,Pass,path
aws-hol-,200,password,"OU=LAB,OU=Users,OU=AWS,DC=example,DC=domain,DC=com"
aws-spot-p-,125,password,"OU=SPOT,OU=Users,OU=AWS,DC=example,DC=domain,DC=com"

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Amazon WorkSpaces provisioning
UserPrefix,count,wsdirectory,wsregion,wsbundleid
aws-spot-,125,d-xxxxxxxxx1,us-west-2,wsb-123456789
aws-hol,200,d-yyyyyyyyy2,us-west-2,wsb-ABCDEFGH2

16. Autodesk University case study
https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/autodesk-workspaces/
“Using AWS, Autodesk is able to set up and deploy 450 workstations at its
Autodesk University events, saving nearly a week’s worth of time and
thousands of dollars. Autodesk develops software for the engineering,
design, and entertainment industries. Instead of renting physical hardware,
Autodesk uses GPU-enabled Amazon WorkSpaces to host its virtual
workstations on zero clients, improving setup efficiency and reducing its
carbon footprint.”

17. Thank you!
© 2018, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Greg LaVigne
lavigneg@amazon.com
Justin Stokes
stokjust@amazon.com
Jeff Ferris
jaferris@amazon.com

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Related sessions
Thursday, November 29th
BAP305: How to Move to Amazon WorkSpaces and Replace Your Legacy VDI
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | MGM, Level 3, Premier Ballroom 319, T2
Friday, November 30th
BAP323: Move Your Desktops and Applications to AWS with Amazon
WorkSpaces and AppStream 2.0
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Venetian, Level 4, Lando 4202, T1
Tuesday, November 27th
BAP204: Using AWS End User Computing Services for Your Modern Workforce
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Mirage, Grand Ballroom F, T1

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