マスター タイトルの書式設定
ReadCache System
44 Tanaka-monzen , Sakyo , Kyoto 606-8225 , Japan

Tel +81-75-703-0740

Fax +81-75-703-0738

Introducing ReadCache
System 4.5
CO-CONV, Corp.
Representative Director: Shin Maruyama

2016/09/13© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

1. What is the ReadCache System?
Designed for educational institution systems, the ReadCache System software dramaticallyincreases the efficiency of optimal network boot-type thin clients and greatly reduces installationand operating costs while remarkably improving the agility of the overall system. ReadCache is theperfect product for systems where a large number of people share a common environment, notonly in educational institutions but public terminal and office terminal systems.

Immediate reflectionof updates

Multiple disk types

ReadCache System

Unique cache system

Extensiveexperience
DOWN

Reduced costs
2© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

2. Network Booting Technology Overview
Network booting is a technology that allows hard disks that would be used for starting up
individual terminals to be consolidated on a server as disk images. Network booting offers thefollowing features.
ServerFeature

1

Feature2

Disk images
are sharedwith all terminals

Feature3

FeatureUser terminals

34

Increased maintenance efficiency
Facilitates management by immediately reflecting to allterminals any changes made to a disk image on a server

Increased operational flexibility
Allows selection of a specific disk image from multiple
images at terminal startup

Stable operationEnsures that all terminals start up under the same
conditions through shared disk images

Highly secure
Increases security by preventing critical data from being
accumulated on the hard disk

© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

3. Components
The ReadCache System consists of the following elements.

PVS server

PVS
PVS (Citrix Provisioning Services) is used as the core system behind ournetwork booting. PVS is the most venerable and trusted disk
distribution solution products on the market.
(The related productmanagement tool.)is the recommended disk

CO-CONV, Corp. is a certified Citrix Solution Adviser.

ReadCache System
The ReadCache System provides cache functionality* to a network booting
system in order to facilitate integrated management of large-scale systems andto allow for a lightweight system by, for example, speeding up terminal startupspeeds.

Terminals

4* This cache system utilizes only the smallest amount of disk space required on theterminal without impairing inherent network booting advantages, including
instant reflection of any disk image changes to terminals and the ability to use
multiple disk images with the ability to switch images at any time.

© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

4. Operating Principles
Data read from the server is cached on the terminal’s HDD, eliminating the need to request thedata again after initial startup.
This not only dramatically reduces traffic but also resolves server and networking loadconcentration problems that have been a weak point of thin clients.

1st

2ndbootboot
On the first startup,
data is loaded from theserver and cached on
the terminal.

Virtuallyno traffic

Data requests are unnecessary.
Only the data differences areobtained when the need arises.
Data is readfrom the cacheon the HDD of
the terminal.

Tips
5

Read Cache
The idea behind ReadCache System arose out of noticing that even when data used by the OS or an application is updated,essentially the same data was being updated every time. This system is a unique patented technology that makes use ofadvanced regions possible with thin clients, a task that had long been considered impossible. (Japanese Patent No. 4,808,275)© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

Feature 1

5.1. Cost Reduction
Advancements in server consolidation are rewriting the book on network booting.
Centralized management from a single location makes it possible to drastically reduce purchasing
costs and operating costs.

Reduced purchasing costs

More than 500
terminals on 1
serverReduced operating costs

Increased power-saving
capabilities for amore environmentallyfriendly operation

500
terminals

Tips
6• General server performance specifications are sufficient with no need for excessive capabilities.
• Adopting CO-CONV products has allowed Hiroshima University to reduce its power consumption by two-thirds.
• Regardless of virtual disk size, terminal cache sizes are kept to a minimum.
(A large number of cases feature a 128 GB SSD, with HDD configurations also possible.)© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13Feature 2

5.2. Lightweight Startup, Lightweight Operation
Thanks to vastly reduced traffic between the server and the terminal, there is almost no impact onstartup times. Starting up hundreds of terminals at once is also no slower than starting up a standalone machine. No extra time spent waiting for the terminal to start up means more time that canbe spent on teaching or other tasks.

Reduced traffic

Reliable simultaneous startup

Measurement of traffic between server and terminal
at startup

Measurement of time required for
simultaneous startup

Without ReadCache
Data read from theReadCache driver, etc.

BIOS initialization

IP acquisition (DHCP)

With ReadCache
15 secWindowsstartup

7

10 sec25 secLogon screen

10 sec 10 sec

Windowsstartup complete

Cache use
virtually
eliminates
trafficTips

Windows logo display* These startup times are measured
values from the actual operation
environment of a specific customer.
* Startup times will vary dependingon the environment.

70 seconds
to startup!

Startup behavior and the Prefetch Function
For even shorter startup times, the ReadCache System features a Prefetch function that pre-loads data from memory. Thisfunction temporarily moves cached data from the slow HDD to faster memory for startup, allowing for startup times that are
not plagued by the overhead generally associated with thin clients.
© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

Feature 3

5.3. Easily Manageable Daily Maintenance
CO-CONV systems are developed to be able to utilize the cache at any time. This makes it possible
to perform daily maintenance easily without stopping system operation.
When security is a top priority, daily updates can also be carried out with no effect onperformance.

Always-available cache system

When restarting Directly after updating

When switching disks

Tips
8

When rolling backCache characteristics
Caches can beas large as ispermitted bydisk capacity

Caches can be
as compact as
20 GB per disk
image

Caches can becreated for up
to 10 disk
imagesCaches will beavailable nomatter which
disk image isused for startup

Precise sector management
maximizes cache efficiency andminimizes server access

Always-Available Cache System
Even if changes are made to the server disk, only the changed area (usually negligible in size) is erased,with other areas being left untouched. (Japanese Patent No. 5,290,287)
This allows for a low-cost design by assuming a low load because the cache is always available.
© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

Feature 4

5.4. Thorough Security
The Image Recovery function, an essential function for a shared terminal, erases all traces of use
from the terminal. To protect security and confidentiality, this function makes sure the terminal
uses the same framework data from the server at every startup to ensure no user data remains on
the terminal.

Image recovery
Initialization ofterminal usage history
when restarting
System protection
with no data left on
the terminal
Complete environment
unification for terminalgroups•Tips
9Disk management tool
The related productis therecommended disk management tool.
Image data can be immediately applied toa terminal for rapid and easy security
management.
The disk management
tool has been designed
to make the most of
the advantages
associated with
network booting.

CO-Store is a disk management tool with the main feature of allowing changes to be made to an image easily and byanyone. By reducing update wait times for changes to an image to virtually zero, the tool makes it possible to perform
updates quickly and easily. The ability to apply Windows updates with no delays thanks to the Automatic Disk Image
Update function greatly enhances system safety.
© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

Feature 5

5.5. Advanced Management Tools
The ReadCache System includes useful tools for understanding ReadCache operating conditions
and for managing terminals.

Server-side management tool
ReadCache system monitor

Terminal-side management tool
ReadCache client toolSThe server-side tool can be used from theserver to obtain operating statuses and logs
from client terminals installed with
ReadCache all at once and to list operating
statuses for ReadCache, for terminals, orfor provisioning services (PVS).

This graphical tool allows administrators tocheck and control the operation status of
ReadCache on client terminals.

Tips
10

© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

Feature 6

5.6. Extensive Application Record
The ReadCache System has been put to use in both large and small educational institutes all overJapan. The number of institutes that have adopted the system is a testimony to the capability,quality, and reliability of the ReadCache System.

70Approx.

Kyoto University

total
institutions

Hiroshima
UniversityRitsumeikan
University

44,000licenses

Tezukayama
University*As ofDecember 2015

State-ofthe-art
systems

11

Gakushuin
University

Systems withthousands ofterminals

Languagesystems

Meiji
University

Professional
training

Hokkaido University,
Tohoku Gakuin University,
Tokai University,
Rikkyo University,
Fukuyama University,
Prefectural University of
Kumamoto,
and more!

Integrated
managementof remote
campuses© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

6. Configuration ExamplesBecause there is virtually no traffic between the server and the terminal, even older Ethernet
networks can be used.
Redundancy
recommended

200

1000
Use of Fast
Ethernet
is possible

terminals

GbE

Redundancy

With 10 GbE,
as few as twoservers canbe usedterminals
10 GbE(1 Gbps)

FE(100 Mbps)

GbE

1000

• A bandwidth of at least 1 Gbps or so per 100 unit terminals is recommended for the uplink in each classroom.

Tips
12

© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

7. Actual Introduction Examples
The ReadCache System has been extensively adopted by many institutions across Japan, mainlyuniversities.

KyotoUniversityGakushuin
University

Small-scale
projects(2 campuses)

6
servers
Introducing the1400

terminals
andrelated
products simultaneously enables
both centralized management
and flexible configuration oflarge-scale systems.

4
servers

1900
terminals

By constructing a network booting systemwith four consolidated servers and alarge number of terminals, Gakushuin
University was able to minimize bothinstallation and operating costs.
Using cache technology,
startup times are kept atless than 90 seconds.

Numerous small-scale projects with50 terminals have been introduced.
These projects offer the same
benefits as large-scale institutions,
including reduced installation andoperation costs, and lightweightstartup.

Kyoto University
Gakushuin University

Fukuyama University,
Prefectural University of Kumamoto,and more!
13© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

8. Specifications (Operating Environment)
Operating Environment

ServerWindows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012 R2• The operating requirements for the server
OS are the same as for Citrix XenDesktop.
• Operation verification has been performedusing Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 andWindows Server 2012 R2 (both StandardEdition).

14User terminal

Windows 7Windows 8
Windows 8.1
Windows 10• Both 32- and 64-bit systems are supported.
• The operating requirements for the userterminal OS are the same as for Citrix
XenDesktop.
• A dedicated ReadCache partition must be
created on the HDD.
The size of the partition where the cache will
be saved can be specified as desired, but atleast 20 GB is recommended for each disk
image.
• Operation verification has been performed
using Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit/64-bit)
SP1 and Windows 8.1 Enterprise (32-bit/64bit).

Network booting
environmentCitrix Provisioning Services 7.0
Citrix Provisioning Services 7.1
Citrix Provisioning Services 7.6
Citrix Provisioning Services 7.7
Citrix Provisioning Services 7.8
Citrix Provisioning Services 7.9• Citrix Provisioning Services is provided as afunction of Citrix XenDesktop.

© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

8. Specifications (Functions and Restrictions)
Functions

Basicfunctions

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Management
functions• A tool for displaying the cache operating status is included with both server-side and terminal-side systems.
• Notifications can be sent to administrators via e-mail or HTTP request in the event a terminal is operated without
using the cache.

Restrictions

The following restrictions are present in the Citrix Provisioning Services settings.

VHD format

Fixed and Dynamic supported

vDisk access mode

No restrictions

Cache types(Cache writedestination)

Support for device hard drive, device RAM, and server caches.
(However, persistent caching settings are not supported.)

Other restrictions

15

The content of a disk image on the server is cached on the terminal’s HDD.
The terminal uses this cache for operation, allowing for reduced server access and thus reduced server load.
Terminals with insufficient hard disk space can also operate without using the cache function.
Up to 10 disk images can be cached on a terminal.
Startup times are reduced through cache pre-loading when starting up the terminal.
The terminal uses this cache even when updating a disk image, allowing for reduced server access and thus reduced
server load.
When updating a disk image, the terminal uses the always-available cache system rather than completely erasing thecache on the terminal.
When rolling back to a previous version, the terminal uses the always-available cache system rather than completely
erasing the cache on the terminal.
Maximum terminal cache sizes can be specified.
Virtual disks on the server can be changed without needing to clear the terminal cache.
Both MBR and GPT format terminal hard disks are supported.

Automatic vDisk updating (image updating using hypervisor) is not supported by PVS.
When no server filter function is used, use of vDisk mounting is limited.

© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

9. Inquiries
Product Inquiries
Exclusive sales distributor
ReadCache System Group, 1st Government and Public Solutions Division, NEC Corporation

Technical Inquiries
Developer
CO-CONV, Corp.

16© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13

Making PC management enjoyable.

* Citrix XenDesktop and Provisioning Services are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. in the United States
and/or other countries.
* “ReadCache System” and “CO-Store” are registered trademarks of CO-CONV, Corp.
* Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Server are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
* Other company or product names are either registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.
* CO-CONV, Corp. assumes no responsibility for damages caused through use of this product.
* The contents of this document are subject to change without notice. Moreover, although the data and other information described within
are based on test results obtained during material creation, the performance of this product is not guaranteed.

17© 2016 CO-CONV,Corp. All Rights Reserved.

2016/09/13