Vmware Setting Up Desktop And Application Pools In View OpenTopic Horizon 6.1 61 Setup Desktops En

User Manual: vmware Horizon View - 6.1 - Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools Free User Guide for VMware Horizon Software, Manual

Open the PDF directly: View PDF .
Page Count: 296

Download
Open PDF In Browser	View PDF

Setting Up Desktop and Application
Pools in View
VMware Horizon 6
Version 6.1

This document supports the version of each product listed and
supports all subsequent versions until the document is
replaced by a new edition. To check for more recent editions
of this document, see http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs.

EN-001724-04

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware Web site at:
http://www.vmware.com/support/
The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates.
If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to:
docfeedback@vmware.com

VMware, Inc.
3401 Hillview Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94304
www.vmware.com

VMware, Inc.

Contents

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

1 Introduction to Desktop and Application Pools 9

Farms, RDS Hosts, and Desktop and Application Pools 9
Advantages of Desktop Pools 10
Desktop Pools for Specific Types of Workers 11
Advantages of Application Pools 14

2 Preparing Unmanaged Machines 15

Prepare an Unmanaged Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment 15
Install View Agent on an Unmanaged Machine 15

3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines 19

Creating Virtual Machines for Remote Desktop Deployment 19
Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine 27
Install View Agent Silently 30
Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for View Agent 36
Optimize Guest Operating System Performance for All Windows Versions 36
Optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8 Guest Operating System Performance 37
Optimizing Windows 7 and Windows 8 for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines 38
Preparing Virtual Machines for View Composer 45
Creating Virtual Machine Templates 51
Creating Customization Specifications 51

4 Creating Automated Desktop Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines 53
Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines 53
Worksheet for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines
Create an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines 57
Desktop Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines 58

5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 61

Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 61
Worksheet for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool 61
Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool 69
Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 71
View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party Applications 72
Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned and Ready During View Composer Operations
Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for Linked Clones 77

6 Creating Manual Desktop Pools 79
Manual Desktop Pools 79

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Worksheet for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool

Create a Manual Desktop Pool 81
Create a Manual Pool That Contains One Machine
Desktop Pool Settings for Manual Pools 83

7 Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts 85

Remote Desktop Services Hosts 85
Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2008 R2 87
Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 87
Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2 88
Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 88
Restrict Users to a Single Session 89
Install View Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host 89
Enable Time Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application Sessions 92
Enable Windows Basic Theme for Applications 92
Configure Group Policy to Start Runonce.exe 93
RDS Host Performance Options 93

8 Creating Farms 95

Farms 95
Worksheet for Creating a Farm
Create a Farm 97

9 Creating Application Pools 99

Application Pools 99
Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually
Create an Application Pool 100

10 Creating RDS Desktop Pools 101

Understanding RDS Desktop Pools 101
Create an RDS Desktop Pool 102
Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools 102
Configure Adobe Flash Throttling with Internet Explorer for RDS Desktop Pools

103

11 Provisioning Desktop Pools 105

User Assignment in Desktop Pools 105
Naming Machines Manually or Providing a Naming Pattern
Manually Customizing Machines 111
Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types 113
Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling 116
Setting Power Policies for Desktop Pools 117
Configuring 3D Rendering for Desktops 122
Prevent Access to View Desktops Through RDP 129
Deploying Large Desktop Pools 130

106

12 Entitling Users and Groups 133

Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool 133
Remove Entitlements from a Desktop or Application Pool 134

VMware, Inc.

Contents

Review Desktop or Application Pool Entitlements

134

Restricting Remote Desktop Access 134

13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features 139

Configuring Unity Touch 139
Configuring Flash URL Redirection for Multicast or Unicast Streaming 142
Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video 146
Configuring Scanner Redirection 160
Managing Access to Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR) 165

14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications 167
Limitations Regarding USB Device Types 168
Overview of Setting Up USB Redirection 169
Network Traffic and USB Redirection 170
Automatic Connections to USB Devices 170
Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View Environment 171
Using Log Files for Troubleshooting and to Determine USB Device IDs 173
Using Policies to Control USB Redirection 174
Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems 183

15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements 185

Managing Storage with vSphere 185
Reducing Storage Requirements with View Composer 190
Storage Sizing for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 191
Storage Overcommit for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines 195
Linked-Clone Data Disks 197
Storing Linked Clones on Local Datastores 198
Storing View Composer Replicas and Linked Clones on Separate Datastores 199
Configure View Storage Accelerator for Desktop Pools 200
Reclaim Disk Space on Linked-Clone Virtual Machines 201
Using View Composer Array Integration with Native NFS Snapshot Technology (VAAI)
Set Blackout Times for ESXi Operations on View Virtual Machines 204

203

16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools 205
Setting Policies in View Administrator 205
Using Active Directory Group Policies 207
Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files 208
View ADM and ADMX Template Files 209
View Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings 210
View PCoIP Session Variables ADM Template Settings 215
Using Remote Desktop Services Group Policies 226
Setting Up Location-Based Printing 234
Active Directory Group Policy Example 239

17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management 243
Providing User Personas in View 243
Using View Persona Management with Standalone Systems 244
Migrating User Profiles with View Persona Management 245

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Persona Management and Windows Roaming Profiles 247
Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment 247
Best Practices for Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment
View Persona Management Group Policy Settings 260

256

18 Troubleshooting Machines and Desktop Pools 269

Display Problem Machines 269
Send Messages to Desktop Users 270
Troubleshooting Desktop Pool Creation Problems 270
Troubleshooting Network Connection Problems 280
Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems 283
Manage Machines and Policies for Unentitled Users 285
Resolving Database Inconsistencies with the ViewDbChk Command 285
Further Troubleshooting Information 288

Index 289

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in
View

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View describes how to create and provision pools of machines and
create pools of remote applications that run on Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) hosts. It includes
information about preparing machines, configuring policies, entitling users and groups, configuring remote
desktop features, and configuring user profiles with View Persona Management.

Intended Audience
This information is intended for anyone who wants to create and provision desktop and application pools.
The information is written for experienced Windows system administrators who are familiar with virtual
machine technology and datacenter operations.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

VMware, Inc.

Introduction to Desktop and
Application Pools

With VMware Horizon 6, you can create desktop pools that include one or hundreds or thousands of virtual
desktops. You can deploy desktops that run on virtual machines, physical machines, and Windows Remote
Desktop Services (RDS) hosts. Create one virtual machine as a base image, and View can generate a pool of
virtual desktops from that image. You can also create application pools that give users remote access to
applications.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Farms, RDS Hosts, and Desktop and Application Pools,” on page 9

“Advantages of Desktop Pools,” on page 10

“Desktop Pools for Specific Types of Workers,” on page 11

“Advantages of Application Pools,” on page 14

Farms, RDS Hosts, and Desktop and Application Pools
With View, you can create desktop and application pools to give users remote access to virtual machinebased desktops, session-based desktops, physical computers, and applications. View takes advantage of
Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and VMware PC-over-IP (PCoIP) technologies to provide highquality remote access to users.

RDS Hosts
RDS hosts are server computers that have Windows Remote Desktop Services and View Agent installed.
These servers host applications and desktop sessions that users can access remotely. To use RDS desktop
pools or applications, your end users must have access to Horizon Client 3.0 or later software.

Desktop Pools
There are three types of desktop pools: automated, manual, and RDS. Automated desktop pools use a
vCenter Server virtual machine template or snapshot to create a pool of identical virtual machines. Manual
desktop pools are a collection of existing vCenter Server virtual machines, physical computers, or thirdparty virtual machines. In automated or manual pools, each Windows machine is available for one user to
access remotely at a time. RDS desktop pools are not a collection of Windows machines, but instead, provide
users with desktop sessions on RDS hosts. Multiple users can have desktop sessions on an RDS host
simultaneously.

Application Pools
Application pools let you deliver applications to many users. The applications in application pools run on a
farm of RDS hosts.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Farms
Farms are collections of RDS hosts and facilitate the management of those hosts. Farms can have a variable
number of RDS hosts and provide a common set of applications or RDS desktops to users. When you create
an RDS desktop pool or an application pool, you must specify a farm. The RDS hosts in the farm provide
desktop and application sessions to users.

Advantages of Desktop Pools
View offers the ability to create and provision pools of desktops as its basis of centralized management.
You create a remote desktop pool from one of the following sources:
n

A physical system such as a physical desktop PC or an RDS host

A virtual machine that is hosted on an ESXi host and managed by vCenter Server

A virtual machine that runs on a virtualization platform other than vCenter Server that supports View
Agent

If you use a vSphere virtual machine as a desktop source, you can automate the process of making as many
identical virtual desktops as you need. You can set a minimum and maximum number of virtual desktops to
be generated for the pool. Setting these parameters ensures that you always have enough remote desktops
available for immediate use but not so many that you overuse available resources.
Using pools to manage desktops allows you to apply settings or deploy applications to all remote desktops
in a pool. The following examples show some of the settings available:
n

Specify which remote display protocol to use as the default for the remote desktop and whether to let
end users override the default.

If using a virtual machine, specify whether to power off the virtual machine when it is not in use and
whether to delete it altogether.

Specify whether to use a Microsoft Sysprep customization specification or QuickPrep from VMware.
Sysprep generates a unique SID and GUID for each virtual machine in the pool.

In addition, using desktop pools provides many conveniences.
Dedicated-assignment
pools

Each user is assigned a particular remote desktop and returns to the same
desktop at each login. Users can personalize their desktops, install
applications, and store data.

Floating-assignment
pools

The remote desktop is optionally deleted and re-created after each use,
offering a highly controlled environment. A floating-assignment desktop is
like a computer lab or kiosk environment where each desktop is loaded with
the necessary applications and all desktops have access to necessary data.
Using floating-assignment pools also allows you to create a pool of desktops
that can be used by shifts of users. For example, a pool of 100 desktops could
be used by 300 users if they worked in shifts of 100 users at a time.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Desktop and Application Pools

Desktop Pools for Specific Types of Workers
View provides many features to help you conserve storage and reduce the amount of processing power
required for various use cases. Many of these features are available as pool settings.
The most fundamental question to consider is whether a certain type of user needs a stateful desktop image
or a stateless desktop image. Users who need a stateful desktop image have data in the operating system
image itself that must be preserved, maintained, and backed up. For example, these users install some of
their own applications or have data that cannot be saved outside of the virtual machine itself, such as on a
file server or in an application database.
Stateless desktop
images

Stateless architectures have many advantages, such as being easier to
support and having lower storage costs. Other benefits include a limited
need to back up the linked-clone virtual machines and easier, less expensive
disaster recovery and business continuity options.

Stateful desktop images

These images might require traditional image management techniques.
Stateful images can have low storage costs in conjunction with certain
storage system technologies. Backup and recovery technologies such as
VMware Consolidated Backup and VMware Site Recovery Manager are
important when considering strategies for backup, disaster recovery, and
business continuity.

You create stateless desktop images by using View Composer and creating floating-assignment pools of
linked-clone virtual machines.
You create stateful desktop images by creating dedicated-assignment pools of either linked-clone virtual
machines or full virtual machines. If you use linked-clone virtual machines, you can configure View
Composer persistent disks and folder redirection. Some storage vendors have cost-effective storage
solutions for stateful desktop images. These vendors often have their own best practices and provisioning
utilities. Using one of these vendors might require that you create a manual dedicated-assignment pool.

Pools for Task Workers
You can standardize on stateless desktop images for task workers so that the image is always in a wellknown, easily supportable configuration and so that workers can log in to any available desktop.
Because task workers perform repetitive tasks within a small set of applications, you can create stateless
desktop images, which help conserve storage space and processing requirements. Use the following pool
settings:
n

Create an automated pool so that desktops can be created when the pool is created or can be generated
on demand based on pool usage.

Use floating assignment so that users log in to any available desktop. This setting reduces the number
of desktops required if everyone does not need to be logged in at the same time.

Create View Composer linked-clone desktops so that desktops share the same base image and use less
storage space in the datacenter than full virtual machines.

Determine what action, if any, to take when users log off. Disks grow over time. You can conserve disk
space by refreshing the desktop to its original state when users log off. You can also set a schedule for
periodically refreshing desktops. For example, you can schedule desktops to refresh daily, weekly, or
monthly.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If applicable, consider storing desktops on local ESXi datastores. This strategy can offer advantages
such as inexpensive hardware, fast virtual-machine provisioning, high-performance power operations,
and simple management. For a list of the limitations, see “Storing Linked Clones on Local Datastores,”
on page 198.
NOTE For information about other types of storage options, see Chapter 15, “Reducing and Managing
Storage Requirements,” on page 185.

Use the Persona Management feature so that users always have their preferred desktop appearance and
application settings, as with Windows user profiles. If you do not have the desktops set to be refreshed
or deleted at logoff, you can configure the persona to be removed at logoff.

IMPORTANT View Persona Management facilitates implementing a floating-assignment pool for those users
who want to retain settings between sessions. Previously, one of the limitations of floating-assignment
desktops was that when end users logged off, they lost all their configuration settings and any data stored in
the remote desktop.
Each time end users logged on, their desktop background was set to the default wallpaper, and they would
have to configure each application's preferences again. With View Persona Management, an end user of a
floating-assignment desktop cannot tell the difference between their session and a session on a dedicatedassignment desktop.

Pools for Knowledge Workers and Power Users
Knowledge workers must be able to create complex documents and have them persist on the desktop.
Power users must be able to install their own applications and have them persist. Depending on the nature
and amount of personal data that must be retained, the desktop can be stateful or stateless.
Because power users and knowledge workers, such as accountants, sales managers, marketing research
analysts, must be able to create and retain documents and settings, you create dedicated-assignment
desktops for them. For knowledge workers who do not need user-installed applications except for
temporary use, you can create stateless desktop images and save all their personal data outside of the virtual
machine, on a file server or in an application database. For other knowledge workers and for power users,
you can create stateful desktop images. Use the following pool settings:

Use dedicated assignment pools so that each knowledge worker or power user logs in to the same
desktop every time.

Use the Persona Management feature so that users always have their preferred desktop appearance and
application settings, as with Windows user profiles.

Use vStorage thin provisioning so that at first, each desktop uses only as much storage space as the disk
needs for its initial operation.

For power users and knowledge workers who must install their own applications, which adds data to
the operating system disk, create full virtual machine desktops. Use Mirage to deploy and update
applications without overwriting user-installed applications.

If knowledge workers do not require user-installed applications except for temporary use, you can
create View Composer linked-clone desktops. The desktop images share the same base image and use
less storage space than full virtual machines.

If you use View Composer with vSphere 5.1 or later virtual desktops, enable the space reclamation
feature for vCenter Server and for the desktop pool. With the space reclamation feature, stale or deleted
data within a guest operating system is automatically reclaimed with a wipe and shrink process.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 1 Introduction to Desktop and Application Pools

If you use View Composer linked-clone desktops, implement View Persona Management, roaming
profiles, or another profile management solution.
Configure persistent disks so that you can refresh and recompose the linked-clone OS disks while
keeping a copy of the user profile on the persistent disks.

Pools for Kiosk Users
Kiosk users might include customers at airline check-in stations, students in classrooms or libraries, medical
personnel at medical data entry workstations, or customers at self-service points. Accounts associated with
client devices rather than users are entitled to use these desktop pools because users do not need to log in to
use the client device or the remote desktop. Users can still be required to provide authentication credentials
for some applications.
Virtual machine desktops that are set to run in kiosk mode use stateless desktop images because user data
does not need to be preserved in the operating system disk. Kiosk mode desktops are used with thin client
devices or locked-down PCs. You must ensure that the desktop application implements authentication
mechanisms for secure transactions, that the physical network is secure against tampering and snooping,
and that all devices connected to the network are trusted.
As a best practice, use dedicated View Connection Server instances to handle clients in kiosk mode, and
create dedicated organizational units and groups in Active Directory for the accounts of these clients. This
practice not only partitions these systems against unwarranted intrusion, but also makes it easier to
configure and administer the clients.
To set up kiosk mode, you must use the vdmadmin command-line interface and perform several procedures
documented in the topics about kiosk mode in the View Administration document. As part of this setup, you
can use the following pool settings.
n

Create an automated pool so that desktops can be created when the pool is created or can be generated
on demand based on pool usage.

Use floating assignment so that users can access any available desktop in the pool.

Create View Composer linked-clone desktops so that desktops share the same base image and use less
storage space in the datacenter than full virtual machines.

Institute a refresh policy so that the desktop is refreshed frequently, such as at every user logoff.

Use an Active Directory GPO (group policy object) to configure location-based printing, so that the
desktop uses the nearest printer. For a complete list and description of the settings available through
Group Policy administrative (ADM) templates, see Chapter 16, “Configuring Policies for Desktop and
Application Pools,” on page 205.

Use a GPO if you want to override the default policy that enables connecting local USB devices to the
desktop when the desktop is launched or when USB devices are plugged in to the client computer.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Advantages of Application Pools
With application pools, you give users access to applications that run on servers in a data center instead of
on their personal computers or devices.
Application pools offer several important benefits:
n

Accessibility
Users can access applications from anywhere on the network. You can also configure secure network
access.

Device independence
With application pools, you can support a range of client devices, such as smart phones, tablets,
laptops, thin clients, and personal computers. The client devices can run various operating systems,
such as Windows, iOS, Mac OS, or Android.

Access control
You can easily and quickly grant or remove access to applications for one user or a group of users.

Accelerated deployment
With application pools, deploying applications can be accelerated because you only deploy applications
on servers in a data center and each server can support multiple users.

Manageability
Managing software that is deployed on client computers and devices typically requires significant
resources. Management tasks include deployment, configuration, maintenance, support, and upgrades.
With application pools, you can simplify software management in an enterprise because the software
runs on servers in a data center, which requires fewer installed copies.

Security and regulatory compliance
With application pools, you can improve security because applications and their associated data are
centrally located in a data center. Centralized data can address security concerns and regulatory
compliance issues.

Reduced cost
Depending on software license agreements, hosting applications in a data center can be more costeffective. Other factors, including accelerated deployment and improved manageability, can also reduce
the cost of software in an enterprise.

VMware, Inc.

Preparing Unmanaged Machines

Users can access remote desktops delivered by machines that are not managed by vCenter Server. These
unmanaged machines can include physical computers and virtual machines running on virtualization
platforms other than vCenter Server. You must prepare an unmanaged machine to deliver remote desktop
access.
For information about preparing machines that are used as Remote Desktop Services (RDS) hosts, see
Chapter 7, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 85.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Prepare an Unmanaged Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 15

“Install View Agent on an Unmanaged Machine,” on page 15

Prepare an Unmanaged Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment
You must perform certain tasks to prepare an unmanaged machine for remote desktop deployment.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that you have administrative rights on the unmanaged machine.

To make sure that remote desktop users are added to the local Remote Desktop Users group of the
unmanaged machine, create a restricted Remote Desktop Users group in Active Directory. See the View
Installation document for more information.

Procedure
1

Power on the unmanaged machine and verify that it is accessible to the View Connection Server
instance.

Join the unmanaged machine to the Active Directory domain for your remote desktops.

Configure the Windows firewall to allow Remote Desktop connections to the unmanaged machine.

What to do next
Install View Agent on the unmanaged machine. See “Install View Agent on an Unmanaged Machine,” on
page 15.

Install View Agent on an Unmanaged Machine
You must install View Agent on an all unmanaged machines. View cannot manage an unmanaged machine
unless View Agent is installed.
To install View Agent on multiple Windows physical computers without having to respond to wizard
prompts, you can install View Agent silently. See “Install View Agent Silently,” on page 30.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Prerequisites
n

Verify that you have administrative rights on the unmanaged machine.

To use an unmanaged Windows Server machine as a remote desktop rather than as an RDS host,
perform the steps described in “Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use,” on
page 24.

Familiarize yourself with the View Agent custom setup options for unmanaged machines. See “View
Agent Custom Setup Options for Unmanaged Machines,” on page 17.

Familiarize yourself with the TCP ports that the View Agent installation program opens on the firewall.
See the View Architecture Planning document for more information.

If the machine has the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package installed, verify that the version of
the package is 2005 SP1 or later. If the package version is 2005 or earlier, you can either upgrade or
uninstall the package.

Download the View Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.

Procedure
1

To start the View Agent installation program, double-click the installer file.
The installer filename is VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe or VMware-viewagent-x86_64-y.y.yxxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.

Accept the VMware license terms.

Select the Internet Protocol (IP) version, IPv4 or IPv6.
You must install all View components with the same IP version.

Select your custom setup options.

Accept or change the destination folder.

In the Server text box, type the host name or IP address of a View Connection Server host.
During installation, the installer registers the unmanaged machine with this View Connection Server
instance. After registration, the specified View Connection Server instance, and any additional instances
in the same View Connection Server group, can communicate with the unmanaged machine.

Select an authentication method to register the unmanaged machine with the View Connection Server
instance.
Option

Action

Authenticate as the currently
logged in user

The Username and Password text boxes are disabled and you are logged
in to the View Connection Server instance with your current username and
password.

Specify administrator credentials

You must provide the username and password of a View Connection
Server administrator in the Username and Password text boxes.

Provide the username in the following format: Domain\User.
The user account must be a domain user with access to View LDAP on the View Connection Server
instance. A local user does not work.
8

Follow the prompts in the View Agent installation program and finish the installation.

If you selected the USB redirection option, restart the unmanaged machine to enable USB support.
In addition, the Found New Hardware wizard might start. Follow the prompts in the wizard to
configure the hardware before you restart the unmanaged machine.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 2 Preparing Unmanaged Machines

The VMware Horizon View Agent service is started on the unmanaged machine.
What to do next
Use the unmanaged machine to create a remote desktop. See “Manual Desktop Pools,” on page 79.

View Agent Custom Setup Options for Unmanaged Machines
When you install View Agent on an unmanaged machine, you can select or deselect certain custom setup
options. In addition, View Agent installs certain features automatically on all guest operating systems on
which they are supported. These features are not optional.
Table 2‑1. View Agent Custom Setup Options for Unmanaged Machines in an IPv4 Environment (Optional)
Option

Description

USB Redirection

Gives users access to locally connected USB devices on
their desktops.
USB redirection is supported on remote desktops that are
deployed on single-user machines. In addition, redirection
of USB flash drives and hard disks is supported on RDS
desktops and applications.
This setup option is not selected by default. You must
select the option to install it.
For guidance on using USB redirection securely, see the
View Security guide. For example, you can use group policy
settings to disable USB redirection for specific users.

View Persona Management

Synchronizes the user profile on the local desktop with a
remote profile repository, so that users have access to their
profiles whenever they log in to a desktop.

PCoIP Smartcard

Lets users authenticate with smart cards when they use the
PCoIP display protocol.
PCoIP Smartcard is supported on remote desktops that are
deployed on single-user machines but is not supported on
RDS host-based remote desktops.

Virtual audio driver

Provides a virtual audio driver on the remote desktop.

In an IPv6 environment, the only optional feature is PCoIP Smartcard.
Table 2‑2. View Agent Features That Are Installed Automatically on Unmanaged Machines in an IPv4
Environment (Not Optional)
Feature

Description

PCoIP Agent

Lets users connect to the remote desktop with the PCoIP
display protocol.
The PCoIP Agent feature is supported on physical
machines that are configured with a Teradici TERA host
card.

Lync

Provides support for Microsoft Lync 2013 Client on remote
desktops.

Unity Touch

Allows tablet and smart phone users to interact easily with
Windows applications that run on the remote desktop.
Users can browse, search, and open Windows applications
and files, choose favorite applications and files, and switch
between running applications, all without using the Start
menu or Taskbar.

In an IPv6 environment, the only automatically installed feature is PCoIP Agent.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

VMware, Inc.

Creating and Preparing Virtual
Machines

You can use virtual machines managed by vCenter Server to provision and deploy remote desktops. You
can use a virtual machine managed by vCenter Server as a template for an automated pool, a parent for a
linked-clone pool, or a machine in a manual pool. You must prepare virtual machines to deliver remote
desktop access.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Creating Virtual Machines for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 19

“Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 27

“Install View Agent Silently,” on page 30

“Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for View Agent,” on page 36

“Optimize Guest Operating System Performance for All Windows Versions,” on page 36

“Optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8 Guest Operating System Performance,” on page 37

“Optimizing Windows 7 and Windows 8 for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 38

“Preparing Virtual Machines for View Composer,” on page 45

“Creating Virtual Machine Templates,” on page 51

“Creating Customization Specifications,” on page 51

Creating Virtual Machines for Remote Desktop Deployment
The initial virtual machine establishes a virtual hardware profile and operating system to be used for rapid
deployment of remote desktops.
1

Create a Virtual Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment on page 20
You use vSphere Client to create virtual machines in vCenter Server for remote desktops.

Install a Guest Operating System on page 22
After you create a virtual machine, you must install a guest operating system.

Prepare a Guest Operating System for Remote Desktop Deployment on page 22
You must perform certain tasks to prepare a guest operating system for remote desktop deployment.

Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use on page 24
To use a Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 R2 virtual machine as a single-session
View desktop (rather than as an RDS host), you must perform certain steps before you install View
Agent in the virtual machine. You must also configure View Administrator to treat Windows Servers
as supported operating systems for View desktop use.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2 on page 25
For RDS desktops and applications, and for VDI desktops that are deployed on single-user virtual
machines that run Windows Server, scanner redirection requires that you install the Desktop
Experience feature on the RDS hosts and the single-user virtual machines.

Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 on page 26
For RDS desktops and applications, and for VDI desktops that are deployed on single-user virtual
machines that run Windows Server, scanner redirection requires that you install the Desktop
Experience feature on the RDS hosts and the single-user virtual machines.

Configure the Windows Firewall Service to Restart After Failures on page 26
Some Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1 machines that are deployed as single-session
desktops do not become available immediately after they are provisioned. This issue occurs when the
Windows Firewall service does not restart after its timeout period expires. You can configure the
Windows Firewall service on the parent or template virtual machine to ensure that all machines in a
desktop pool become available.

Create a Virtual Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment
You use vSphere Client to create virtual machines in vCenter Server for remote desktops.
Prerequisites
n

Upload an ISO image file of the guest operating system to a datastore on your ESXi server.

Familiarize yourself with the custom configuration parameters for virtual machines. See “Virtual
Machine Custom Configuration Parameters,” on page 20.

Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, log in to the vCenter Server system.

Select File > New > Virtual Machine to start the New Virtual Machine wizard.

Select Custom and configure custom configuration parameters.

Select Edit the virtual machine settings before completion and click Continue to configure hardware
settings.

Add a CD/DVD drive, set the media type to use an ISO image file, select the ISO image file of the
guest operating system that you uploaded to your datastore, and select Connect at power on.

Set Power-on Boot Delay to 10,000 milliseconds.

Click Finish to create the virtual machine.

What to do next
Install a guest operating system on the virtual machine.

Virtual Machine Custom Configuration Parameters
You can use virtual machine custom configuration parameters as baseline settings when you create a virtual
machine for remote desktop deployment.
You can change certain settings when you use View Administrator to deploy desktop pools from the virtual
machine.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Table 3‑1. Custom Configuration Parameters
Parameter

Description and Recommendations

Name and Location

The name and location of the virtual machine.
If you plan to use the virtual machine as a template, assign
a generic name. The location can be any folder within your
datacenter inventory.

Host/Cluster

The ESXi server or cluster of server resources that will run
the virtual machine.
If you plan to use the virtual machine as a template, the
location of the initial virtual machine does not necessarily
specify where future virtual machines created from
template will reside.

Resource Pool

If the physical ESXi server resources are divided into
resource pools, you can assign them to the virtual machine.

Datastore

The location of files associated with the virtual machine.

Hardware Machine Version

The hardware machine version that is available depends on
the ESXi version you are running. As a best practice, select
the latest available hardware machine version, which
provides the greatest virtual machine functionality. Certain
View features require minimum hardware machine
versions.

Guest Operating System

The type of operating system that you will install in the
virtual machine.

CPUs

The number of virtual processors in the virtual machine.
For most guest operating systems, a single processor is
sufficient.

Memory

The amount of memory to allocate to the virtual machine.
In most cases, 512MB is sufficient.

Network

The number of virtual network adapters (NICs) in the
virtual machine.
One NIC is usually sufficient. The network name should be
consistent across virtual infrastructures. An incorrect
network name in a template can cause failures during the
instance customization phases.
When you install View Agent on a virtual machine that has
more than one NIC, you must configure the subnet that
View Agent uses. See “Configure a Virtual Machine with
Multiple NICs for View Agent,” on page 36 for more
information.
IMPORTANT For Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows 2012
R2, and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems, you
must select the VMXNET 3 network adapter. Using the
default E1000 adapter can cause customization timeout
errors on virtual machines. To use the VMXNET 3 adapter,
you must install a Microsoft hotfix patch:
n For Windows 7 SP1:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2550978

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 3‑1. Custom Configuration Parameters (Continued)
Parameter

Description and Recommendations

SCSI Controller

The type of SCSI adapter to use with the virtual machine.
For Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 7 guest operating
systems, you should specify the LSI Logic adapter. The LSI
Logic adapter has improved performance and works better
with generic SCSI devices.
LSI Logic SAS is available only for virtual machines with
hardware version 7 and later.

Select a Disk

The disk to use with the virtual machine.
Create a new virtual disk based on the amount of local
storage that you decide to allocate to each user. Allow
enough storage space for the OS installation, patches, and
locally installed applications.
To reduce the need for disk space and management of local
data, you should store the user's information, profile, and
documents on network shares rather than on a local disk.

Install a Guest Operating System
After you create a virtual machine, you must install a guest operating system.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that an ISO image file of the guest operating system is on a datastore on your ESXi server.

Verify that the CD/DVD drive in the virtual machine points to the ISO image file of the guest operating
system and that the CD/DVD drive is configured to connect at power on.

Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, log in to the vCenter Server system where the virtual machine resides.

Right-click the virtual machine, select Power, and select Power On to start the virtual machine.
Because you configured the CD/DVD drive to point to the ISO image of the guest operating system and
to connect at power on, the guest operating system installation process begins automatically.

Click the Console tab and follow the installation instructions provided by the operating system vendor.

If you are installing Windows 7 or Windows 8, activate Windows online.

What to do next
Prepare the guest operating system for View desktop deployment.

Prepare a Guest Operating System for Remote Desktop Deployment
You must perform certain tasks to prepare a guest operating system for remote desktop deployment.
Prerequisites

Create a virtual machine and install a guest operating system.

Configure an Active Directory domain controller for your remote desktops. See the View Installation
document for more information.

To make sure that desktop users are added to the local Remote Desktop Users group of the virtual
machine, create a restricted Remote Desktop Users group in Active Directory. See the View Installation
document for more information.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Verify that Remote Desktop Services are started on the virtual machine. Remote Desktop Services are
required for View Agent installation, SSO, and other View operations. You can disable RDP access to
your View desktops by configuring desktop pool settings and group policy settings. See “Prevent
Access to View Desktops Through RDP,” on page 129.

Verify that you have administrative rights on the guest operating system.

On Windows Server operating systems, prepare the operating system for desktop use. See “Prepare
Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use,” on page 24.

If you intend to configure 3D graphics rendering for desktop pools, familiarize yourself with the Enable
3D Support setting for virtual machines.
This setting is active on Windows 7 and later operating systems. On ESXi 5.1 and later hosts, you can
also select options that determine how the 3D renderer is managed on the ESXi host. For details, see the
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration document.

Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, log in to the vCenter Server system where the virtual machine resides.

Right-click the virtual machine, select Power, and select Power On to start the virtual machine.

Right-click the virtual machine, select Guest, and select Install/Upgrade VMware Tools to install the
latest version of VMware Tools.
NOTE The virtual printing feature is supported only when you install it from View Agent. Virtual
printing is not supported if you install it with VMware Tools.

Use the VMware Tools time synchronization function to ensure that the virtual machine is
synchronized to ESXi.
ESXi must synchronize to an external NTP source, for example, the same time source as Active
Directory.
Disable other time synchronization mechanisms such as Windows Time Service.
The VMware Tools online help provides information on configuring time synchronization between
guest and host.

Install service packs and updates.

Install antivirus software.

Install other applications and software, such as smart card drivers if you are using smart card
authentication.
If you plan to use Workspace Portal to offer a catalog that includes ThinApp applications, you must
install Workspace Portal for Windows.
IMPORTANT If you are installing Microsoft .NET Framework, you must install it after you install View
Agent.

If Horizon Client devices will connect to the virtual machine with the PCoIP display protocol, set the
power option Turn off the display to Never.
If you do not disable this setting, the display will appear to freeze in its last state when power savings
mode starts.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If Horizon Client devices will connect to the virtual machine with the PCoIP display protocol, go to
Control Panel > System > Advanced System Settings > Performance Settings and change the setting
for Visual Effects to Adjust for best performance.
If you instead use the setting called Adjust for best appearance or Let Windows choose what's best for
my computer and Windows chooses appearance instead of performance, performance is negatively
affected.

If a proxy server is used in your network environment, configure network proxy settings.

Configure network connection properties.
a

Assign a static IP address or specify that an IP address is assigned by a DHCP server.
View does not support link-local (169.254.x.x) addresses for View desktops.

b
12

Set the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses to your Active Directory server address.

Join the virtual machine to the Active Directory domain for your remote desktops.
A parent virtual machine that you use for View Composer must either belong to the same Active
Directory domain as the domain that the linked-clone desktops will join or be a member of the local
WORKGROUP.

Configure Windows Firewall to allow Remote Desktop connections to the virtual machine.

(Optional) Disable Hot Plug PCI devices.
This step prevents users from accidentally disconnecting the virtual network device (vNIC) from the
virtual machine.

(Optional) Configure user customization scripts.

What to do next
Install View Agent. See “Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 27.

Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use
To use a Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 R2 virtual machine as a single-session View
desktop (rather than as an RDS host), you must perform certain steps before you install View Agent in the
virtual machine. You must also configure View Administrator to treat Windows Servers as supported
operating systems for View desktop use.
Prerequisites
n

Familiarize yourself with the steps to install the Desktop Experience feature on Windows Server 2008
R2 or Windows Server 2012 R2. See “Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2,”
on page 25 or “Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,” on page 26

On Windows Server 2012 R2 machines, familiarize yourself with the steps to configure the Windows
Firewall service to restart after failures occur. See “Configure the Windows Firewall Service to Restart
After Failures,” on page 26.

Procedure
1

Verify that the Remote Desktop Services role is not installed.
When the Remote Desktop Services role is not present, the View Agent installer prompts you to confirm
that you want to install View Agent in desktop mode. If the Remote Desktop Services role is present,
the View Agent installer does not display this prompt and it treats the Windows Server machine as an
RDS host instead of a single-session View desktop.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Install Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Windows Server 2012 R2.
If you do not install SP1 with Windows Server 2008 R2, an error occurs when you install View Agent.

(Optional) Install the Desktop Experience feature if you plan to use the following features.
n

HTML Access

Scanner redirection

Windows Aero

(Optional) To use Windows Aero on a Windows Server desktop, start the Themes service.
When you create or edit a desktop pool, you can configure 3D graphics rendering for your desktops.
The 3D Renderer setting offers a Software option that enables users to run Windows Aero on the
desktops in the pool.

On Windows Server 2012 R2 machines, configure the Windows Firewall service to restart after failures
occur.

Configure View Administrator to treat Windows Servers as supported desktop operating systems.
If you do not perform this step, you cannot select Windows Server machines for desktop use in View
Administrator.
a

In View Administrator, select View Configuration > Global Settings.

In the General pane, click Edit.

Select the Enable Windows Server desktops check box and click OK.

When you enable Windows Server desktops in View Administrator, View Administrator displays all
available Windows Server machines, including machines on which View Connection Server is installed, as
potential machines for desktop use. You cannot install View Agent on machines on which other View
software components are installed.

Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2
For RDS desktops and applications, and for VDI desktops that are deployed on single-user virtual machines
that run Windows Server, scanner redirection requires that you install the Desktop Experience feature on
the RDS hosts and the single-user virtual machines.
Procedure
1

Start Server Manager.

Click Features.

Click Add Features.

On the Select Features page, select the Desktop Experience checkbox.

Review the information about other features that are required by the Desktop Experience feature, and
click Add Required Features.

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2
For RDS desktops and applications, and for VDI desktops that are deployed on single-user virtual machines
that run Windows Server, scanner redirection requires that you install the Desktop Experience feature on
the RDS hosts and the single-user virtual machines.
Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 are supported on machines that are used as RDS hosts.
Windows Server 2012 R2 is supported on single-user virtual machines.
Procedure
1

Start Server Manager.

Select Add roles and features.

On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation.

On the Select Destination Server page, select a server.

On the Select Server Roles page, accept the default selection and click Next.

On the Select Features page, under User Interfaces and Infrastructure, select Desktop Experience.

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

Configure the Windows Firewall Service to Restart After Failures
Some Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1 machines that are deployed as single-session desktops do
not become available immediately after they are provisioned. This issue occurs when the Windows Firewall
service does not restart after its timeout period expires. You can configure the Windows Firewall service on
the parent or template virtual machine to ensure that all machines in a desktop pool become available.
If you encounter this issue during provisioning, the Windows event logs display the following error: The
Windows Firewall service terminated with the following service-specific error: This operation
returned because the timeout period expired.

This issue occurs on Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1 machines. Other guest operating systems
are not affected.
Procedure
1

On the Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows 8.1 parent or template virtual machine from which you
will deploy a desktop pool, select Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.

In the Services dialog box, right-click the Windows Firewall service and select Properties.

In the Windows Firewall Properties dialog box, click the Recovery tab.

Select the recovery settings to restart the service after a failure occurs.
Setting

Drop-down Menu Option

First failure:

Restart the Service

Second failure:

Restart the Service

Subsequent failures:

Restart the Service

Select the Enable actions for stops with errors check box and click OK.

Deploy or redeploy the desktop pool from the parent or template virtual machine.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine
You must install View Agent on virtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server so that View
Connection Server can communicate with them. Install View Agent on all virtual machines that you use as
templates for automated desktop pools, parents for linked-clone desktop pools, and machines in manual
desktop pools.
To install View Agent on multiple Windows virtual machines without having to respond to wizard
prompts, you can install View Agent silently. See “Install View Agent Silently,” on page 30.
The View Agent software cannot coexist on the same virtual or physical machine with any other View
software component, including a security server, View Connection Server, View Composer, or
Horizon Client.
Prerequisites
n

Prepare the guest operating system for remote desktop deployment. See “Prepare a Guest Operating
System for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 22.

To use a Windows Server virtual machine as a remote desktop (rather than as an RDS host), perform
the steps described in “Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use,” on page 24.

Download the View Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.

Verify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine.

Familiarize yourself with the View Agent custom setup options. See “View Agent Custom Setup
Options,” on page 28.

Familiarize yourself with the TCP ports that the View Agent installation program opens on the firewall.
See the View Architecture Planning document for more information.

If you select the View Composer Agent custom setup option, verify that you have a license to use View
Composer.

Procedure
1

Accept the VMware license terms.

If you install View Agent on a Windows Server machine on which the Remote Desktop Services (RDS)
role is not installed, select Install VMware Horizon View Agent in 'desktop mode'.
Selecting this option configures the Windows Server machine as a single-user View desktop rather than
as an RDS host. If you intend the machine to function as an RDS host, cancel the View Agent
installation, install the RDS role on the machine, and restart the View Agent installation.

Select the Internet Protocol (IP) version, IPv4 or IPv6.
You must install all View components with the same IP version.

Select your custom setup options.
To deploy linked-clone desktops, select the View Composer Agent option.

VMware, Inc.

Accept or change the destination folder.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Follow the prompts in the View Agent installation program and finish the installation.
NOTE If you did not enable Remote Desktop support during guest operating system preparation, the
View Agent installation program prompts you to enable it. If you do not enable Remote Desktop
support during View Agent installation, you must enable it manually after the installation is finished.

If you selected the USB redirection option, restart the virtual machine to enable USB support.
In addition, the Found New Hardware wizard might start. Follow the prompts in the wizard to
configure the hardware before you restart the virtual machine.

The VMware Horizon View Agent service is started on the virtual machine.
If you selected the View Composer Agent option, the VMware Horizon View Composer Guest Agent
Server service is started on the virtual machine.
What to do next
If the virtual machine has multiple NICs, configure the subnet that View Agent uses. See “Configure a
Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for View Agent,” on page 36.

View Agent Custom Setup Options
When you install View Agent on a virtual machine, you can select or deselect custom setup options. In
addition, View Agent installs certain features automatically on all guest operating systems on which they
are supported. These features are not optional.
To learn which features are supported on which guest operating systems, see "Feature Support Matrix for
View Agent" in the View Architecture Planning document.
All custom setup options are selected by default except Scanner Redirection, USB Redirection, and PCoIP
Smartcard.
Table 3‑2. View Agent Custom Setup Options in an IPv4 Environment

Option

Description

Scanner Redirection

Redirects scanning and imaging devices that are connected
to the client system so that they can be used on the remote
desktop or application.
This setup option is not selected by default on Windows
Desktop and Windows Server guest operating systems.
You must select the option to install it.
Scanner redirection is available in Horizon 6.0.2 and later
releases.

USB Redirection

HTML Access

Allows users to connect to View desktops by using
HTML Access. The HTML Access Agent must be installed
on View desktops to allow users to make connections with
HTML Access.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Table 3‑2. View Agent Custom Setup Options in an IPv4 Environment (Continued)
Option

Description

View Composer Agent

Lets View Agent run on the linked-clone desktops that are
deployed from this virtual machine.

Real-Time Audio-Video

Redirects webcam and audio devices that are connected to
the client system so that they can be used on the remote
desktop.

Virtual Printing

Lets users print to any printer available on their client
computers. Users do not have to install additional drivers
on their desktops.
In Horizon 6.0.1 and later, virtual printing is supported on
the following remote desktops and applications:
n Desktops that are deployed on single-user machines,
including Windows Desktop and Windows Server
machines
n Desktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the
RDS hosts are virtual machines
n Hosted Apps
n Hosted Apps that are launched from Horizon Client
inside remote desktops
In Horizon 6.0 and earlier, virtual printing is supported on
desktops that are deployed on single-user, Windows
Desktop machines.
The virtual printing feature is supported only when you
install it from View Agent. It is not supported if you install
it with VMware Tools.

vRealize Operations Desktop Agent

Provides information that allows vRealize Operations for
View to monitor View desktops.

View Persona Management

Synchronizes the user profile on the local desktop with a
remote profile repository, so that users have access to their
profiles whenever they log in to a desktop.

PCoIP Smartcard

Lets users authenticate with smart cards when they use the
PCoIP display protocol. This option is not selected by
default.
PCoIP Smartcard is supported on remote desktops that are
deployed on single-user machines.

VMware Audio

Provides a virtual audio driver on the remote desktop.

In an IPv6 environment, the only optional features are View Composer Agent and VMware Audio.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 3‑3. View Agent Features That Are Installed Automatically (Not Optional)
Feature

Description

PCoIP Agent

Lets users connect to the View desktop using the PCoIP
display protocol.
Installing the PCoIP Agent feature disables sleep mode on
Windows 8 and Windows 7 desktops. When a user
navigates to the Power Options or Shut Down menu, sleep
mode or standby mode is inactive. Desktops do not go into
sleep or standby mode after a default period of inactivity.
Desktops remain in active mode.

Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR)

Extends multimedia redirection to Windows 7 and later
desktops and clients. This feature delivers a multimedia
stream directly to the client computer, allowing the
multimedia stream to be processed on the client hardware
instead of the remote ESXi host.
In Horizon 6.0.2 and later, Windows Media MMR is
installed on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1desktops. In
Horizon 6.0.1 and earlier, Win7 Multimedia Redirection is
installed on Windows 7 desktops.

Lync

Provides support for Microsoft Lync 2013 Client on View
desktops.

Virtual Printing with PCoIP

Provides virtual printing over PCoIP. This feature lets
users print to any printer available on their Windows client
computers. Users do not have to install additional drivers
on their desktops.

Unity Touch

Virtual video driver

Provides a virtual video driver on the remote desktop.

In an IPv6 environment, the only automatically installed feature is PCoIP Agent.

Install View Agent Silently
You can use the silent installation feature of the Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) to install View Agent on
several Windows virtual machines or physical computers. In a silent installation, you use the command line
and do not have to respond to wizard prompts.
With silent installation, you can efficiently deploy View components in a large enterprise.
If you do not want to install all features that are installed automatically or by default, you can use the
ADDLOCAL MSI property to selectively install individual setup options and features. For details about the
ADDLOCAL property, see Table 3-5.
Prerequisites

Prepare the guest operating system for desktop deployment. See “Prepare a Guest Operating System
for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 22.

To use Windows Server as a single-session remote desktop (rather than as an RDS host), perform the
steps described in “Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use,” on page 24.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Download the View Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
The installer filename is VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe or VMware-viewagent-x86_64-y.y.yxxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.

Verify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine or physical PC.

Familiarize yourself with the View Agent custom setup options. See “View Agent Custom Setup
Options,” on page 28.

If you select the View Composer Agent custom setup option, verify that you have a license to use View
Composer.

Familiarize yourself with the MSI installer command-line options. See “Microsoft Windows Installer
Command-Line Options,” on page 32.

Familiarize yourself with the silent installation properties available with View Agent. See “Silent
Installation Properties for View Agent,” on page 33.

Familiarize yourself with the TCP ports that the View Agent installation program opens on the firewall.
See the View Architecture Planning document for more information.

Verify that the latest Windows Update patches are installed on the guest operating systems on which
you plan to install View Agent silently. In certain cases, an interactive installation by an administrator
might be required to execute pending Windows Update patches. Verify that all OS operations and
subsequent reboots are completed.

Procedure
1

Open a Windows command prompt on the virtual machine or physical PC.

Type the installation command on one line.
This example installs View Agent in a virtual machine that is managed by vCenter Server. The installer
configures the View Composer Agent, Virtual Printing, USB redirection, HTML Access, and Real-Time
Audio-Video custom setup options and the non-optional features that are installed automatically.
VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=1
ADDLOCAL=Core,SVIAgent,ThinPrint,USB,HtmlAccess,RTAV"

This example installs View Agent on an unmanaged computer and registers the desktop with the
specified View Connection Server, cs1.companydomain.com. The installer configures the Virtual Printing
and USB redirection custom setup options.
VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=0
VDM_SERVER_NAME=cs1.companydomain.com VDM_SERVER_USERNAME=admin.companydomain.com
VDM_SERVER_PASSWORD=secret ADDLOCAL=Core,ThinPrint,USB"

If you install View Agent on a Windows Server machine, and you intend to configure the machine as a
single-user View desktop rather than as an RDS host, you must include the VDM_FORCE_DESKTOP_AGENT=1
property in the installation command. This requirement applies to machines that are managed by
vCenter Server and unmanaged machines.
The VMware View Agent service is started on the virtual machine.
If you selected the View Composer Agent option, the VMware View Composer Guest Agent Server service
is started on the virtual machine.
What to do next
If the virtual machine has multiple NICs, configure the subnet that View Agent uses. See “Configure a
Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for View Agent,” on page 36.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Microsoft Windows Installer Command-Line Options
To install View components silently, you must use Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) command-line
options and properties. The View component installers are MSI programs and use standard MSI features.
For details about MSI, see the Microsoft Web site. For MSI command-line options, see the Microsoft
Developer Network (MSDN) Library Web site and search for MSI command-line options. To see MSI
command-line usage, you can open a command prompt on the View component computer and type
msiexec /?.
To run a View component installer silently, you begin by silencing the bootstrap program that extracts the
installer into a temporary directory and starts an interactive installation.
At the command line, you must enter command-line options that control the installer's bootstrap program.
Table 3‑4. Command-Line Options for a View Component's Bootstrap Program
Option

Description

Disables the bootstrap splash screen and extraction dialog, which prevents the display of
interactive dialogs.
For example: VMware-viewconnectionserver-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s
The /s option is required to run a silent installation.

/v"
MSI_command_line_options"

Instructs the installer to pass the double-quote-enclosed string that you enter at the command
line as a set of options for MSI to interpret. You must enclose your command-line entries
between double quotes. Place a double quote after the /v and at the end of the command line.
For example: VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"command_line_options"
To instruct the MSI installer to interpret a string that contains spaces, enclose the string in
two sets of double quotes. For example, you might want to install the View component in an
installation path name that contains spaces.
For example: VMware-viewconnectionserver-y.y.yxxxxxx.exe /s /v"command_line_options INSTALLDIR=""d:\abc\my folder"""
In this example, the MSI installer passes on the installation-directory path and does not
attempt to interpret the string as two command-line options. Note the final double quote that
encloses the entire command line.
The /v"command_line_options" option is required to run a silent installation.

You control the remainder of a silent installation by passing command-line options and MSI property values
to the MSI installer, msiexec.exe. The MSI installer includes the View component's installation code. The
installer uses the values and options that you enter in the command line to interpret installation choices and
setup options that are specific to the View component.
Table 3‑5. MSI Command-Line Options and MSI Properties
MSI Option or Property

Description

/qn

Instructs the MSI installer not to display the installer wizard pages.
For example, you might want to install View Agent silently and use only default setup
options and features:
VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn"
Alternatively, you can use the /qb option to display the wizard pages in a
noninteractive, automated installation. As the installation proceeds, the wizard pages
are displayed, but you cannot respond to them.
The /qn or /qb option is required to run a silent installation.

INSTALLDIR

Specifies an alternative installation path for the View component.
Use the format INSTALLDIR=path to specify an installation path. You can ignore this
MSI property if you want to install the View component in the default path.
This MSI property is optional.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Table 3‑5. MSI Command-Line Options and MSI Properties (Continued)
MSI Option or Property

Description

ADDLOCAL

Determines the component-specific options to install.
In an interactive installation, the View installer displays custom setup options that you
can select or deselect. In a silent installation, you can use the ADDLOCAL property to
selectively install individual setup options by specifying the options on the command
line. Options that you do not explicitly specify are not installed.
In both interactive and silent installations, the View installer automatically installs
certain features. You cannot use ADDLOCAL to control whether or not to install these nonoptional features.
Type ADDLOCAL=ALL to install all custom setup options that are installed by default and
all features that are installed automatically (on supported guest operating systems).
For example: VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn ADDLOCAL=ALL"
If you do not use the ADDLOCAL property, the default setup options and automatically
installed features are installed. Typing ADDLOCAL=ALL and not using the ADDLOCAL
property have the same effect.
To specify individual setup options, type a comma-separated list of setup option names.
Do not use spaces between names. Use the format ADDLOCAL=value,value,value....
For example, you might want to install View Agent in a guest operating system with the
View Composer Agent and Virtual Printing options:
VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn
ADDLOCAL=Core,SVIAgent,ThinPrint"
The ADDLOCAL MSI property is optional.

REBOOT

You can use the REBOOT=ReallySuppress option to allow system configuration tasks to
complete before the system reboots.
This MSI property is optional.

/l*v log_file

Writes logging information into the specified log file with verbose output.
For example: /l*v ""%TEMP%\vmmsi.log""
This example generates a detailed log file that is similar to the log generated during an
interactive installation.
You can use this option to record custom features that might apply uniquely to your
installation. You can use the recorded information to specify installation features in
future silent installations.
The /l*v option is optional.

Silent Installation Properties for View Agent
You can include specific properties when you silently install View Agent from the command line. You must
use a PROPERTY=value format so that Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) can interpret the properties and
values.
Table 3-6 shows the View Agent silent installation properties that you can use at the command-line.
Table 3‑6. MSI Properties for Silently Installing View Agent
MSI Property

Description

Default Value

INSTALLDIR

The path and folder in which the View Agent software is installed.

%ProgramFiles
%\VMware\VMware
View\Agent

For example: INSTALLDIR=""D:\abc\my folder""
The sets of two double quotes that enclose the path permit the MSI
installer to ignore the space in the path.
This MSI property is optional.
RDPCHOICE

VMware, Inc.

Determines whether to enable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) on
the desktop.
A value of 1 enables RDP. A value of 0 leaves the RDP setting
disabled.
This MSI property is optional.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 3‑6. MSI Properties for Silently Installing View Agent (Continued)
MSI Property

Description

Default Value

UNITY_DEFAULT_APPS

Specifies a default list of default favorite applications that are
displayed in the Unity Touch sidebar on a mobile device. This
property was created to support the Unity Touch component. It is
not a general MSI property.
For information about configuring a default list of favorite
applications and about the syntax and format to use with this
property, see “Configure Favorite Applications Displayed by Unity
Touch,” on page 140.
This MSI property is optional.

VDM_FORCE_DESKTOP_AGENT

Configures the machine as a single-user View desktop rather than
as an RDS host when you install View Agent on a Windows Server
operating system.

VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT

Determines whether vCenter Server manages the virtual machine
on which View Agent is installed.
A value of 1 configures the desktop as a vCenter Server-managed
virtual machine.
A value of 0 configures the desktop as unmanaged by vCenter
Server.
This MSI property is required.

None

VDM_SERVER_NAME

The host name or IP address of the View Connection Server
computer on which the View Agent installer registers an
unmanaged desktop. This property applies to unmanaged
desktops only.

None

For example: VDM_SERVER_NAME=10.123.01.01
This MSI property is required for unmanaged desktops.
Do not use this MSI property for virtual-machine desktops that are
managed by vCenter Server.
VDM_SERVER_USERNAME

The user name of the administrator on the View Connection Server
computer. This MSI property applies to unmanaged desktops only.

None

For example: VDM_SERVER_USERNAME=domain\username
This MSI property is required for unmanaged desktops.
Do not use this MSI property for virtual-machine desktops that are
managed by vCenter Server.
VDM_SERVER_PASSWORD

The View Connection Server administrator user password.

None

For example: VDM_SERVER_PASSWORD=secret
This MSI property is required for unmanaged desktops.
Do not use this MSI property for virtual-machine desktops that are
managed by vCenter Server.
VDM_IP_PROTOCOL_USAGE

Specifies the IP version that View Agent uses. The possible values
are IPv4 and IPv6.

IPv4

In a silent installation command, you can use the MSI property, ADDLOCAL=, to specify options that the View
Agent installer configures.
Table 3-7 shows the View Agent options you can type at the command line. These options have
corresponding setup options that you can deselect or select during an interactive installation. For details
about the custom setup options, see “View Agent Custom Setup Options,” on page 28.
During an interactive installation, all of these options except PCoIP Smartcard are installed by default.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Table 3‑7. View Agent Silent Installation Options and Interactive Custom Setup Options (Optional)
Silent Installation Option

Custom Setup Option in an Interactive Installation

USB

USB Redirection

HtmlAccess

HTML Access Agent

SVIAgent

View Composer Agent

RTAV

Real-Time Audio-Video

ScannerRedirection

Scanner Redirection

ThinPrint

Virtual Printing

V4V

vCenter Operations Manager for View

VPA

View Persona Management

SmartCard

PCoIP Smartcard. This feature is not installed by default in an interactive
installation.

Table 3-8 shows the View Agent features that are installed automatically. The features are installed on all
guest operating systems on which they are supported. These features are not optional. You cannot control
whether or not to install them by using the ADDLOCAL= property.
Table 3‑8. View Agent Silent Installation Features That Are Installed Automatically (Not Optional)
Silent Installation Feature

Description

Core

The core View Agent functions.
If you specify ADDLOCAL=ALL, the Core features are installed.

ThinPrintPCoIP

Virtual Printing with PCoIP

PCoIP

PCoIP Protocol Agent

VmVideo

Virtual video driver

VmwVaudio

Virtual audio driver

UnityTouch

Unity Touch

MMR

Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR) is installed in Horizon
6.0.2 and later on Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 desktops.
Win7 Multimedia Redirection (MMR) is installed in Horizon 6.0.1 and
earlier on Windows 7 desktops.

You install the Flash URL Redirection feature by typing the command-line argument, FlashURLRedirection,
in a silent installation. This feature is not installed during an interactive installation or by using
ADDLOCAL=ALL in a silent installation.
For example: VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=1
ADDLOCAL=Core,SVIAgent,ThinPrint,USB,HtmlAccess,FlashURLRedirection,RTAV"

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for View Agent
When you install View Agent on a virtual machine that has more than one NIC, you must configure the
subnet that View Agent uses. The subnet determines which network address View Agent provides to the
View Connection Server instance for client protocol connections.
Procedure
u

On the virtual machine on which View Agent is installed, open a command prompt, type regedit.exe,
and create a registry entry to configure the subnet.
For example, in an IPv4 network:
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\IpPrefix = n.n.n.n/m (REG_SZ)

In this example, n.n.n.n is the TCP/IP subnet and m is the number of bits in the subnet mask.
NOTE In releases earlier than Horizon 6 version 6.1, this registry path was

HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Node Manager\subnet = n.n.n.n/m (REG_SZ). The old

registry setting is not used with View Agent 6.1 or later. If you upgrade View Agent from an earlier
release to version 6.1 or later, make sure to use the current registry setting.

Optimize Guest Operating System Performance for All Windows
Versions
You can perform certain steps to optimize guest operating system performance for remote desktop
deployment. The steps apply to all Windows operating systems. All of the steps are optional.
These recommendations include turning off the screen saver and not specifying a sleep timer. Your
organization might require the use of screen savers. For example, you might have a GPO-managed security
policy that locks a desktop a certain time after the screen saver starts. In this case, use a blank screen saver.
Prerequisites
Prepare a guest operating system for remote desktop deployment.
Procedure
n

Disable any unused ports, such as COM1, COM2, and LPT.

Adjust display properties.
a

Choose a basic theme.

Set the background to a solid color.

Set the screen saver to None.

Verify that hardware acceleration is enabled.

Select a high-performance power option and do not specify a sleep timer.

Disable the Indexing Service component.
NOTE Indexing improves searches by cataloging files. Do not disable this feature for users who search
often.

Remove or minimize System Restore points.

Turn off system protection on C:\.

Disable any unnecessary services.

Set the sound scheme to No Sounds.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Set visual effects to Adjust for best performance.

Open Windows Media Player and use the default settings.

Turn off automatic computer maintenance.

Adjust performance settings for best performance.

Delete any hidden uninstall folders in C:\Windows, such $NtUninstallKB893756$.

Delete all event logs.

Run Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files, empty the Recycle Bin, and remove system files and other
items that are no longer needed.

Run Disk Defragmenter to rearrange fragmented data.

If users are going to play full-screen videos or run 3D applications on desktops that run in a vSphere 5.1
environment, follow the instructions to modify the registry described in Microsoft KB 235257.
The Microsoft KB is titled "Server Does Not Use All Bandwidth Available When Streaming Files with
Bit Rates over 100 Kbps" and is located at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/235257. Restart the virtual
machine to enable the modified registry setting to take effect.
Without this optimization, brief freezes can occur, or the videos can stutter.
NOTE Making this optimization delivers performance improvements in both ESXi 5.x and ESXi 5.1, but
it is required for ESXi 5.1.

What to do next
For Windows 7 and Windows 8 guest operating systems, perform additional optimization tasks. See
“Optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8 Guest Operating System Performance,” on page 37.

Optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8 Guest Operating System
Performance
You can perform additional steps to optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8 guest operating system
performance for remote desktop deployment. All of the steps are optional.
Prerequisites
n

Perform the guest operating system optimization steps that apply to all Windows operating systems.
See “Optimize Guest Operating System Performance for All Windows Versions,” on page 36.

Familiarize yourself with the procedure for disabling the Windows Customer Experience Improvement
Program. See “Disable the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program,” on page 38.

Procedure
1

Uninstall Tablet PC Components, unless this feature is needed.

Disable IPv6, unless it is needed.

Use the File System Utility (fsutil) command to disable the setting that keeps track of the last time a
file was accessed.
For example: fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 1

Start the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and change the TimeOutValue REG_DWORD in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Disk to 0x000000be(190).

Turn off the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program and disable related tasks from the
Task Scheduler.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Shut down the guest operating system and power off the virtual machine.

Power on the virtual machine.

What to do next
See “Optimizing Windows 7 and Windows 8 for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 38 for
information on disabling certain Windows 7 and Windows 8 services and tasks to reduce the growth of
View Composer linked-clone virtual machines. Disabling certain services and tasks can also result in
performance benefits for full virtual machines.

Disable the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program
Disabling the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program and the related Task Scheduler tasks
that control this program can improve Windows 7 and Windows 8 system performance in large desktop
pools.
Procedure
1

In the Windows 7 or Windows 8 guest operating system, start the control panel and click Action Center
> Change Action Center settings.

Click Customer Experience Improvement Program settings.

Select No, I don't want to participate in the program and click Save changes.

Start the control panel and click Administrative Tools > Task Scheduler.

In the Task Scheduler (Local) pane of the Task Scheduler dialog box, expand the Task Scheduler
Library > Microsoft > Windows nodes and open the Application Experience folder.

Disable the AITAgent and ProgramDataUpdater tasks.

In the Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows node, open the Customer Experience
Improvement Program folder.

Disable the Consolidator, KernelCEIPTask, and Use CEIP tasks.

What to do next
Perform other Windows 7 or Windows 8 optimization tasks. See “Optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8
Guest Operating System Performance,” on page 37.

Optimizing Windows 7 and Windows 8 for Linked-Clone Virtual
Machines
By disabling certain Windows 7 or Windows 8 services and tasks, you can reduce the growth of View
Composer linked-clone virtual machines. Disabling certain services and tasks can also result in performance
benefits for full virtual machines.

Benefits of Disabling Windows 7 and Windows 8 Services and Tasks
Windows 7 and Windows 8 schedule services and tasks that can cause View Composer linked clones to
grow, even when the linked-clone machines are idle. The incremental growth of linked-clone OS disks can
undo the storage savings that you achieve when you first create the linked-clone machines. You can reduce
linked-clone growth by disabling these Windows services.
Windows 7 and Windows 8 introduce new services and schedules older services, such as disk
defragmentation, to run by default. These services run in the background if you do not disable them.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Services that affect OS disk growth also generate input/output operations per second (IOPS) on the
Windows 7 or Windows 8 virtual machines. Disabling these services can reduce IOPS and improve
performance on full virtual machines and linked clones.
These best practices for optimizing Windows 7 and Windows 8 apply to most user environments. However,
you must evaluate the effect of disabling each service on your users, applications, and desktops. You might
require certain services to stay active.
For example, disabling Windows Update Service makes sense if you refresh and recompose the linked
clones. A refresh operation restores the OS disks to their last snapshots, deleting all automatic Windows
updates since the last snapshots were taken. A recompose operation recreates the OS disks from a new
snapshot that can contain the current Windows updates, making automatic Windows updates redundant.
If you do not use refresh and recompose regularly, you might decide to keep Windows Update Service
active.

Overview of Windows 7 and Windows 8 Services and Tasks That Cause LinkedClone Growth
Certain services and tasks in Windows 7 and Windows 8 can cause linked-clone OS disks to grow
incrementally every few hours, even when the linked-clone machines are idle. If you disable these services
and tasks, you can control the OS disk growth.
Services that affect OS disk growth also generate IOPS on Windows 7 and Windows 8 virtual machines. You
can evaluate the benefits of disabling these services on full virtual machines as well as linked clones.
Before you disable the Windows 7 or Windows 8 services that are shown in Table 3-9, verify that you took
the optimization steps in “Optimize Guest Operating System Performance for All Windows Versions,” on
page 36 and “Optimize Windows 7 and Windows 8 Guest Operating System Performance,” on page 37.
Table 3‑9. Impact of Windows 7 and Windows 8 Services and Tasks on OS Disk Growth and IOPS When OS Is Left
Idle
Default
Occurrence or
Startup

Impact on
Linked-Clone OS
Disks

Description

Windows
Hibernation

Provides a powersaving state by
storing open
documents and
programs in a file
before the
computer is
powered off. The
file is reloaded
into memory when
the computer is
restarted, restoring
the state when the
hibernation was
invoked.

Default powerplan settings
disable
hibernation.

High.
By default, the size
of the hibernation
file,
hiberfil.sys, is
the same as the
installed RAM on
the virtual
machine. This
feature affects all
guest operating
systems.

High.
When hibernation
is triggered, the
system writes a
hiberfil.sys file
the size of the
installed RAM.

Yes
Hibernation
provides no benefit
in a virtual
environment.
For instructions, see
“Disable Windows
Hibernation in the
Parent Virtual
Machine,” on
page 48..

Windows
Scheduled Disk
Defragmentation

Disk
defragmentation is
scheduled as a
background
process.

Once a week

High.
Repeated
defragmentation
operations can
increase the size of
linked-clone OS
disks by several
GB and do little to
make disk access
more efficient on
linked clones.

High

Yes

VMware, Inc.

Impact on IOPS

Turn Off This
Service or Task?

Service or Task

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 3‑9. Impact of Windows 7 and Windows 8 Services and Tasks on OS Disk Growth and IOPS When OS Is Left
Idle (Continued)
Default
Occurrence or
Startup

Impact on
Linked-Clone OS
Disks

Description

Windows Update
Service

Detects,
downloads, and
installs updates for
Windows and
other programs.

Automatic startup

Medium to high.
Causes frequent
writes to the
linked-clones' OS
disks because
update checks
occur often. The
impact depends on
the updates that
are downloaded.

Medium to high

Yes, if you use View
Composer
recompose to install
Windows updates
and refresh to
return OS disks to
their original
snapshots.

Windows
Diagnostic Policy
Service

Detects,
troubleshoots, and
resolves problems
in Windows
components. If
you stop this
service,
diagnostics no
longer function.

Automatic startup

Medium to high.
The service is
triggered on
demand. The write
frequency varies,
depending on
demand.

Small to medium

Yes, if you do not
need the diagnostic
tools to function on
the desktops.

Prefetch/Superfetch

Stores specific
information about
applications that
you run to help
them start faster.

Always on, unless
it is disabled.

Medium
Causes periodic
updates to its
layout and
database
information and
individual
prefetch files,
which are
generated on
demand.

Medium

Yes, if application
startup times are
acceptable after you
disable this feature.

Windows Registry
Backup
(RegIdleBackup)

Automatically
backs up the
Windows registry
when the system is
idle.

Every 10 days at
12:00 am

Medium.
Each time this task
runs, it generates
registry backup
files.

Medium.

Yes.
There is no need for
Windows Registry
Backup. To restore
registry data, you
can use the View
Composer refresh
operation.

System Restore

Reverts the
Windows system
to a previous,
healthy state.

When Windows
starts up and once
a day thereafter.

Small to medium.
Captures a system
restore point
whenever the
system detects that
it is needed. When
the linked clone is
idle, this overhead
is small.

No major impact.

Yes
Although its impact
is small, this task is
redundant if you
use View Composer
refresh to return OS
disks to their
original snapshots.

Impact on IOPS

Turn Off This
Service or Task?

Service or Task

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Table 3‑9. Impact of Windows 7 and Windows 8 Services and Tasks on OS Disk Growth and IOPS When OS Is Left
Idle (Continued)
Default
Occurrence or
Startup

Impact on
Linked-Clone OS
Disks

Impact on IOPS

Turn Off This
Service or Task?

Service or Task

Description

Windows Defender

Provides antispyware features.

When Windows
starts up. Performs
a quick scan once a
day. Checks for
updates before
each scan.

Medium to high.
Performs
definition updates,
scheduled scans,
and scans that are
started on
demand.

Medium to high.

Yes, if other antispyware software is
installed.

Microsoft Feeds
Synchronization
task
(msfeedssync.exe)

Periodically
updates RSS feeds
in Windows
Internet Explorer
Web browsers.
This task updates
RSS feeds that
have automatic
RSS feeds
synchronization
turned on. The
process appears in
Windows Task
Manager only
when Internet
Explorer is
running.

Once a day.

Medium.
Affects OS-disk
growth if
persistent disks
are not configured.
If persistent disks
are configured, the
impact is diverted
to the persistent
disks.

Medium

Yes, if your users do
not require
automatic RSS feed
updates on their
desktops.

Disable Scheduled Disk Defragmentation on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Parent
Virtual Machines
Before you create linked clones, you must disable scheduled defragmentations on Windows 7 and Windows
8 parent virtual machines. Windows 7 and Windows 8 schedule weekly disk defragmentations by default.
Repeated defragmentation operations significantly increase the size of linked-clone OS disks and do not
make disk access more efficient on linked clones.
When you create a linked-clone pool from the parent virtual machine, the linked clones share the replica's
disk. Subsequent defragmentation operations do not affect the replica's disk, which is read-only. Instead,
defragmentations expand each clone's OS disk.
As a best practice, defragment the parent virtual machine one time, before you take a snapshot and create
the pool. The linked clones benefit from the defragmentation because they share the replica's optimized,
read-only disk.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that the applications that you intend to deploy to the linked clones are installed on the virtual
machine.

Verify that View Agent with View Composer Agent is installed on the virtual machine.

Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start and type defrag in the Search programs and files box.

In the Programs pane, click Disk Defragmenter.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click Defragment disk.
The Disk Defragmenter consolidates defragmented files on the virtual machine's hard disk.

In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click Configure schedule.

Deselect Run on a schedule (recommended) and click OK.

Defragmentation operations will not take place on linked-clone virtual machines that are created from this
parent virtual machine.

Disable the Windows Update Service on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Virtual
Machines
Disabling the Windows Update Service can reduce the number of files that are created and writes that occur
when updates are downloaded and installed. This action can reduce linked-clone growth and reduce IOPS
in linked clones and full virtual machines.
Disable Windows Update Service if you refresh and recompose the linked-clone desktops. A refresh
operation restores the OS disks to their original snapshots, deleting the automatic Windows updates. A
recompose operation recreates the OS disks from a new snapshot that can contain Windows updates,
making automatic Windows updates redundant.
Do not disable the Windows Update Service if you do not use recompose to install Windows updates in the
linked clones.
Prerequisites
Verify that the most recent Windows updates are downloaded and installed on the virtual machine.
Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Turn automatic updating on or off.

In the Important updates menu, select Never check for updates.

Deselect Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.

Deselect Allow all users to install updates on this computer and click OK.

Disable the Diagnostic Policy Service on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Virtual
Machines
Disabling the Windows Diagnostic Policy Service can minimize the number of system writes and reduce the
growth of linked-clone machines.
Do no disable the Windows Diagnostic Policy Service if your users require the diagnostic tools on their
desktops.
Procedure

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.

Select Services and click Open.

Double-click Diagnostic Policy Service.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

In the Diagnostic Policy Service Properties (Local Computer) dialog, click Stop.

In the Startup type menu, select Disabled.

Click OK.

Disable the Prefetch and Superfetch Features on Windows 7 and Windows 8
Virtual Machines
By disabling the Windows prefetch and superfetch features, you can avoid generating prefetch files and the
overhead associated with prefetch and superfetch operations. This action can reduce the growth of linkedclone machines and minimize IOPS on full virtual machines and linked clones.
To disable the prefetch and superfetch features, you must edit a Windows registry key and disable the
Prefetch service on the virtual machine.
Prerequisites
See the Microsoft TechNet Web site for information on how to use the Windows Registry Editor on
Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Procedure
1

Start the Windows Registry Editor on the local Windows 7 or Windows 8 virtual machine.

Navigate to the registry key called PrefetchParameters.
The registry key is located in the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\PrefetchParameters.

Set the EnablePrefetcher and EnableSuperfetch values to 0.

Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.

Select Services and click Open.

Double-click the Superfetch service.

In the Superfetch Properties (Local Computer) dialog, click Stop.

In the Startup type menu, select Disabled.

Click OK.

Disable Windows Registry Backup on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Virtual
Machines
Disabling the Windows registry backup feature, RegIdleBackup, can minimize the number of system writes
and reduce the growth of linked-clone machines.
Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.

Select Task Scheduler and click Open.

In the left pane, expand Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, Windows.

Double-click Registry and select RegIdleBackup.

In the Actions pane, click Disable.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Disable the System Restore on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Virtual Machines
You do not need to use the Windows System Restore feature if you use View Composer refresh to restore
linked-clone OS disks to their original snapshots.
When the operating system is idle, System Restore does not have a visible impact on OS-disk growth.
However, when the operating system is in use, System Restore generates restore points based on system
use, which can have a significant impact on OS-disk growth.
The function of Windows System Restore is the same as View Composer refresh.
As a best practice, you can disable Windows System Restore and avoid unnecessary growth in your linked
clones.
If you do not use refresh, evaluate whether it is best to leave System Restore active in your View
environment.
Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.

Select Task Scheduler and click Open.

In the left pane, expand Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, Windows.

Double-click SystemRestore and select SR.

In the Actions pane, click Disable.

Disable Windows Defender on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Virtual Machines
Microsoft Windows Defender can contribute to linked-clone OS disk growth and increase IOPS in linked
clones and full virtual machines. Disable Windows Defender if you install other anti-spyware software on
the virtual machine.
If Windows Defender is the only anti-spyware installed on the virtual machine, you might prefer to keep
Windows Defender active on the desktops in your environment.
Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start and type Windows Defender in the Search programs and files box.

Click Tools > Options > Administrator.

Deselect Use this program and click Save.

Disable Microsoft Feeds Synchronization on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Virtual
Machines
Windows Internet Explorer uses the Microsoft Feeds Synchronization task to update RSS feeds in users'
Web browsers. This task can contribute to linked-clone growth. Disable this task if your users do not require
automatic RSS feed updates in their browsers.
Microsoft Feeds Synchronization can cause OS-disk growth if persistent disks are not configured. If
persistent disks are configured, the impact is diverted to the persistent disks. In this situation, you should
still disable Microsoft Feeds Synchronization to control persistent-disk growth.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options.

Click the Content tab.

Under Feeds and Web Slices, click Settings.

Deselect Automatically check feeds and Web Slices for updates and click OK.

In the Internet Properties dialog, click OK.

Preparing Virtual Machines for View Composer
To deploy a linked-clone desktop pool, you must prepare a parent virtual machine that meets the
requirements of the View Composer service.
n

Prepare a Parent Virtual Machine on page 45
The View Composer service requires a parent virtual machine from which you generate a base image
for creating and managing a linked-clone desktop pool.

Activating Windows on Linked-Clone Virtual Machines on page 47
To make sure that View Composer properly activates Windows 8 and Windows 7 operating systems
on linked-clone machines, you must use Microsoft volume activation on the parent virtual machine.
The volume-activation technology requires a volume license key.

Disable Windows Hibernation in the Parent Virtual Machine on page 48
The Windows hibernation option creates a large system file that can increase the size of the linkedclone OS disks that are created from the parent virtual machine. Disabling the hibernation option
reduces the size of linked-clones.

Configure a Parent Virtual Machine to Use Local Storage on page 49
When you prepare a parent virtual machine for View Composer, you can configure the parent virtual
machine and linked clones to store virtual-machine swap files on the local datastore. This optional
strategy lets you take advantage of local storage.

Keep a Record of the Parent Virtual Machine's Paging-File Size on page 49
When you create a linked-clone pool, you can redirect the linked clones' guest OS paging and temp
files to a separate disk. You must configure this disk to be larger than the paging file in the guest OS.

Increase the Timeout Limit of QuickPrep Customization Scripts on page 50
View Composer terminates a QuickPrep post-synchronization or power-off script that takes longer
than 20 seconds. You can increase the timeout limit for these scripts by changing the
ExecScriptTimeout Windows registry value on the parent virtual machine.

Prepare a Parent Virtual Machine
The View Composer service requires a parent virtual machine from which you generate a base image for
creating and managing a linked-clone desktop pool.
Prerequisites
n

VMware, Inc.

Verify that you prepared a virtual machine to use for deploying remote desktops. See “Creating Virtual
Machines for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 19.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

A parent virtual machine that you use for View Composer must either belong to the same Active
Directory domain as the domain that the linked-clone machines will join or be a member of the local
WORKGROUP.
IMPORTANT To use features that are supported in View 4.5 or later, such as redirecting disposable data
to a separate disk and customizing linked-clone machines with Sysprep, you must deploy the machines
from a parent virtual machine on which View Agent 4.5 or later is installed.
n

Verify that the virtual machine was not converted from a View Composer linked clone. A virtual
machine that is converted from a linked clone has the clone's internal disk and state information. A
parent virtual machine cannot have state information.
IMPORTANT Linked clones and virtual machines that were converted from linked clones are not
supported as parent virtual machines.

When you install View Agent on the parent virtual machine, select the View Composer Agent option.
See “Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 27.
To update View Agent in a large environment, you can use standard Windows update mechanisms
such as Altiris, SMS, LanDesk, BMC, or other systems management software. You can also use the
recompose operation to update View Agent.
NOTE Do not change the log on account for the VMware View Composer Guest Agent Server service in
a parent virtual machine. By default, this is the Local System account. If you change this account, the
linked clones created from the parent do not start.

To deploy machines that run Windows 8 or Windows 7, configure a volume license key and activate the
parent virtual machine's operating system with volume activation. See “Activating Windows on
Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 47.

If the parent virtual machine runs Windows 7 or Windows 8, verify that you followed the best practices
for optimizing the operating system. See “Optimizing Windows 7 and Windows 8 for Linked-Clone
Virtual Machines,” on page 38.

Familiarize yourself with the procedure for disabling searching Windows Update for device drivers.
See the Microsoft Technet article, "Disable Searching Windows Update for Device Drivers" at
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc730606(v=ws.10).aspx.

Procedure
n

Remove the DHCP lease on the parent virtual machine to avoid copying a leased IP address to the
linked clones in the pool.
a

On the parent virtual machine, open a command prompt.

Type the ipconfig /release command.

Verify that the system disk contains a single volume.
You cannot deploy linked clones from a parent virtual machine that contains more than one volume.
The View Composer service does not support multiple disk partitions. Multiple virtual disks are
supported.
NOTE If the parent virtual machine contains multiple virtual disks, when you create a desktop pool, do
not select a drive letter for the View Composer persistent disk or disposable data disk that already
exists on the parent virtual machine or that conflicts with a drive letter that is used for a networkmounted drive.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Verify that the virtual machine does not contain an independent disk.
An independent disk is excluded when you take a snapshot of the virtual machine. Linked clones that
are created or recomposed from the virtual machine will not contain the independent disk.

If you plan to configure disposable data disks when you create linked-clone machines, remove default
user TEMP and TMP variables from the parent virtual machine.
You can also remove the pagefile.sys file to avoid duplicating the file on all the linked clones. If you
leave the pagefile.sys file on the parent virtual machine, a read-only version of the file is inherited by
the linked clones, while a second version of the file is used on the disposable data disk.

Disable the hibernation option to reduce the size of linked-clone OS disks that are created from the
parent virtual machine.

Before you take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine, disable searching Windows Update for device
drivers.
This Windows feature can interfere with the customization of linked-clone machines. As each linked
clone is customized, Windows might search for the best drivers on the Internet for that clone, resulting
in repeated searches and customization delays.

In vSphere Client, disable the vApp Options setting on the parent virtual machine.

On Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012 R2 machines, disable the
scheduled maintenance task that recovers disk space by removing unused features.
For example: Schtasks.exe /change /disable /tn "\Microsoft\Windows\AppxDeploymentClient\Prestaged app cleanup"

If left enabled, this maintenance task can remove the Sysprep customization script after the linked
clones are created, which would cause subsequent recompose operations to fail with customization
operation timeout errors. For more information, see the Microsoft KB article available at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2928948.
You can deploy a linked-clone pool from the parent virtual machine.
What to do next
Use vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client to take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine in its powereddown state. This snapshot is used as the baseline configuration for the first set of linked-clone machines that
are anchored to the parent virtual machine.
IMPORTANT Before you take a snapshot, completely shut down the parent virtual machine by using the Shut
Down command in the guest operating system.

Activating Windows on Linked-Clone Virtual Machines
To make sure that View Composer properly activates Windows 8 and Windows 7 operating systems on
linked-clone machines, you must use Microsoft volume activation on the parent virtual machine. The
volume-activation technology requires a volume license key.
To activate Windows 8 or Windows 7 with volume activation, you use Key Management Service (KMS),
which requires a KMS license key. See your Microsoft dealer to acquire a volume license key and configure
volume activation.
NOTE View Composer does not support Multiple Activation Key (MAK) licensing.
Before you create linked-clone machines with View Composer, you must use volume activation to activate
the operating system on the parent virtual machine.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

When a linked-clone machine is created, and each time the linked clone is recomposed, the View Composer
agent uses the parent virtual machine's KMS server to activate the operating system on the linked clone.
The View Composer QuickPrep tool implements the activation through these steps:
1

Invokes a script to remove the existing license status on the linked-clone virtual machine

Restarts the guest operating system

Invokes a script that uses KMS licensing to activate the operating system on the clone.

Each time QuickPrep runs on a linked clone, the activation takes place.
For KMS licensing, View Composer uses the KMS server that is configured to activate the parent virtual
machine. The KMS server treats an activated linked clone as a computer with a newly issued license.

Disable Windows Hibernation in the Parent Virtual Machine
The Windows hibernation option creates a large system file that can increase the size of the linked-clone OS
disks that are created from the parent virtual machine. Disabling the hibernation option reduces the size of
linked-clones.
The Windows hibernation option creates a hidden system file, Hiberfil.sys. Windows uses this file to store
a copy of system memory on the hard disk when the hybrid sleep setting is turned on. When you create a
linked-clone pool, the file is created on each linked clone's OS disk.
On Windows 7 or Windows 8 virtual machines, this file can be 10GB.
CAUTION When you make hibernation unavailable, the hybrid sleep setting does not work. Users can lose
data if the hybrid sleep setting is turned on and a power loss occurs.
Prerequisites
Familiarize yourself with the Windows hibernation feature. See the Microsoft Support Web site. For
information about disabling hibernation on Windows 8 or Windows 7, see the Microsoft Support Web site
and search for how to disable and re-enable hibernation on a computer that is running Windows.
Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.

Disable the hibernation option.

Click Start and type cmd in the Start Search box.

In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt and click Run as Administrator.

At the User Account Control prompt, click Continue.

At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off and press Enter.

Type exit and press Enter.

Log out of the guest operating system.

When you a create linked-clone machines from the parent virtual machine, the Hiberfil.sys file is not
created on the linked-clone OS disks.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

Configure a Parent Virtual Machine to Use Local Storage
When you prepare a parent virtual machine for View Composer, you can configure the parent virtual
machine and linked clones to store virtual-machine swap files on the local datastore. This optional strategy
lets you take advantage of local storage.
In this procedure, you configure local storage for the virtual-machine swap files, not the paging and temp
files in the guest OS. When you create a linked-clone pool, you also can redirect guest OS paging and temp
files to a separate disk. See “Worksheet for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 61.
Prerequisites
Prepare the parent virtual machine to meet the requirements of the View Composer service. See “Prepare a
Parent Virtual Machine,” on page 45.
Procedure
1

Configure a swapfile datastore on the ESXi host or cluster on which you will deploy the linked-clone
pool.

When you create the parent virtual machine in vCenter Server, store the virtual-machine swap files on
the swapfile datastore on the local ESXi host or cluster:
a

In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine.

Click Edit Settings and click the Options tab.

Click Swapfile location and click Store in the host's swapfile datastore.

For detailed instructions, see the VMware vSphere documentation.
When you deploy a pool from this parent virtual machine, the linked clones use the local ESXi host's
swapfile datastore.

Keep a Record of the Parent Virtual Machine's Paging-File Size
When you create a linked-clone pool, you can redirect the linked clones' guest OS paging and temp files to a
separate disk. You must configure this disk to be larger than the paging file in the guest OS.
When a linked clone that is configured with a separate disk for the disposable files is powered off, View
replaces the temporary disk with a copy of the original temporary disk that View Composer created with
the linked-clone pool. This feature can slow the growth of linked clones. However, this feature can work
only if you configure the disposable-file disk to be large enough to hold the guest OS's paging files.
Before you can configure the disposable-file disk, you must know the maximum paging-file size in the
parent virtual machine. The linked clones have the same paging-file size as the parent virtual machine from
which they are created.
As a best practice, you can remove the pagefile.sys file from the parent virtual machine before you take a
snapshot, to avoid duplicating the file on all the linked clones. See “Prepare a Parent Virtual Machine,” on
page 45.
NOTE This feature is not that same as configuring local storage for the virtual-machine swap files. See
“Configure a Parent Virtual Machine to Use Local Storage,” on page 49.
Procedure
1

In vSphere Client, right-click the parent virtual machine and click Open Console.

Select Start > Settings > Control Panel > System.

Click the Advanced tab.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

In the Performance pane, click Settings.

Click the Advanced tab.

In the Virtual memory pane, click Change.
The Virtual Memory page appears.

Set the paging file size to a larger value than the size of the memory that is assigned to the virtual
machine.
IMPORTANT If the Maximum size (MB) setting is smaller than the virtual-machine memory size, type a
larger value and save the new value.

Keep a record of the Maximum size (MB) setting that is configured in the Paging file size for selected
drive pane.

What to do next
When you configure a linked-clone pool from this parent virtual machine, configure a disposable-file disk
that is larger than the paging-file size.

Increase the Timeout Limit of QuickPrep Customization Scripts
View Composer terminates a QuickPrep post-synchronization or power-off script that takes longer than 20
seconds. You can increase the timeout limit for these scripts by changing the ExecScriptTimeout Windows
registry value on the parent virtual machine.
The increased timeout limit is propagated to linked clones that are created from the parent virtual machine.
QuickPrep customization scripts can run on the linked clones for the time that you specify.
Alternatively, you can use your customization script to launch another script or process that performs the
long-running task.
NOTE Most QuickPrep customization scripts can finish running within the 20-second limit. Test your scripts
before you increase the limit.
Prerequisites
n

Install View Agent with the View Composer Agent option on the parent virtual machine.

Verify that the parent virtual machine is prepared to create a linked-clone pool. See “Prepare a Parent
Virtual Machine,” on page 45.

Procedure
1

On the parent virtual machine, start the Windows Registry Editor.
a

Select Start > Command Prompt.

At the command prompt, type regedit.

In the Windows registry, locate the vmware-viewcomposer-ga registry key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\vmware-viewcomposer-ga

Click Edit and modify the registry value.
Value Name: ExecScriptTimeout
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value unit: milliseconds

The default value is 20000 milliseconds.
The timeout value is increased. You do not have to restart Windows for this value to take effect.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines

What to do next
Take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine and create a linked-clone pool.

Creating Virtual Machine Templates
You must create a virtual machine template before you can create an automated pool that contains full
virtual machines.
A virtual machine template is a master copy of a virtual machine that can be used to create and provision
new virtual machines. Typically, a template includes an installed guest operating system and a set of
applications.
You create virtual machine templates in vSphere Client. You can create a virtual machine template from a
previously configured virtual machine, or you can convert a previously configured virtual machine to a
virtual machine template.
See the vSphere Basic System Administration guide for information on using vSphere Client to create virtual
machine templates. See “Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines,” on page 53 for
information on creating automated pools.
NOTE You do not create a linked-clone pool from a virtual machine template.

Creating Customization Specifications
Customization specifications are optional, but they can greatly expedite automated pool deployments by
providing configuration information for general properties such as licensing, domain attachment, and
DHCP settings.
With customization specifications, you can customize remote desktops as they are created in View
Administrator. You create new customization specifications by using the Customization Specification
wizard in vSphere Client. You can also use the Customization Specification wizard to import existing
custom sysprep.ini files.
See the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration document for information on using the Customization
Specification wizard.
Make sure that the customization specifications are accurate before you use them in View Administrator. In
vSphere Client, deploy and customize a virtual machine from your template using the customization
specifications. Fully test the virtual machine, including DHCP and authentication, before you create remote
desktops.
NOTE You do not have to install Sysprep tools in vCenter Server for desktop pools that use Windows 8 or
Windows 7. Sysprep tools are built into these operating systems.
When you use a Sysprep customization specification to join a Windows 8 or Windows 7 desktop to a
domain, you must use the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the Active Directory domain. You cannot
use the NetBIOS name of the Active Directory domain.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

VMware, Inc.

Creating Automated Desktop Pools
That Contain Full Virtual Machines

With an automated desktop pool that contains full virtual machines, you create a virtual machine template
and View uses that template to create virtual machines for each desktop. You can optionally create
customization specifications to expedite automated pool deployments.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines,” on page 53

“Worksheet for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 53

“Create an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 57

“Desktop Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines,” on page 58

Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines
To create an automated desktop pool, View dynamically provisions machines based on settings that you
apply to the pool. View uses a virtual machine template as the basis of the pool. From the template, View
creates a new virtual machine in vCenter Server for each desktop.

Worksheet for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines
When you create an automated desktop pool, the View Administrator Add Desktop Pool wizard prompts
you to configure certain options. Use this worksheet to prepare your configuration options before you create
the pool.
You can print this worksheet and write down the values you want to specify when you run the Add
Desktop Pool wizard.
To create a linked-clone pool, see “Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 61.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines
Option

Description

User assignment

Choose the type of user assignment:
n In a dedicated-assignment pool, each user is
assigned to a machine. Users receive the
same machine each time they log in to the
pool.
n In a floating-assignment pool, users receive
different machines each time they log in.
For details, see “User Assignment in Desktop
Pools,” on page 105.

Enable automatic assignment

In a dedicated-assignment pool, a machine is
assigned to a user when the user first logs in to
the pool. You can also explicitly assign machines
to users.
If you do not enable automatic assignment, you
must explicitly assign a machine to each user.

Fill In Your Value Here

You can assign machines manually even when
automatic assignment is enabled.

vCenter Server

Select the vCenter Server that manages the
virtual machines in the pool.

Desktop Pool ID

The unique name that identifies the pool in View
Administrator.
If multiple vCenter Servers are running in your
environment, make sure that another vCenter
Server is not using the same pool ID.
A View Connection Server configuration can be a
standalone View Connection Server instance or a
pod of replicated instances that share a common
View LDAP configuration.

Display name

The pool name that users see when they log in
from a client device. If you do not specify a
display name, the pool ID is displayed to users.

Access group

Select an access group in which to place the pool
or leave the pool in the default root access group.
If you use an access group, you can delegate
managing the pool to an administrator who has a
specific role. For details, see the role-based
delegated administration chapter in the View
Administration document.
NOTE Access groups are different from vCenter
Server folders that store desktop virtual
machines. You select a vCenter Server folder
later in the wizard with other vCenter Server
settings.

Delete machine after logoff

If you select floating user assignment, choose
whether to delete machines after users log off.
NOTE You set this option on the Desktop Pool
Settings page.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 4 Creating Automated Desktop Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines

Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines (Continued)
Option

Description

Desktop Pool Settings

Settings that determine the desktop state, power
status when a virtual machine is not in use,
display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and so on.
For descriptions, see “Desktop Pool Settings for
All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.
For a list of the settings that apply to automated
pools, see “Desktop Settings for Automated
Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines,” on
page 58.
For more information about power policies and
automated pools, see “Setting Power Policies for
Desktop Pools,” on page 117.

Stop provisioning on error

You can direct View to stop provisioning or
continue to provision virtual machines in a
desktop pool after an error occurs during the
provisioning of a virtual machine. If you leave
this setting selected, you can prevent a
provisioning error from recurring on multiple
virtual machines.

Virtual Machine Naming

Choose whether to provision machines by
manually specifying a list of machine names or
by providing a naming pattern and the total
number of machines.
For details, see “Naming Machines Manually or
Providing a Naming Pattern,” on page 106.

Specify names manually

If you specify names manually, prepare a list of
machine names and, optionally, the associated
user names.

Naming Pattern

If you use this naming method, provide the
pattern.
The pattern you specify is used as a prefix in all
the machine names, followed by a unique
number to identify each machine.
For details, see “Using a Naming Pattern for
Automated Desktop Pools,” on page 108.

Maximum number of machines

If you use a naming pattern, specify the total
number of machines in the pool.
You can also specify a minimum number of
machines to provision when you first create the
pool.

Number of spare (powered on)
machines

If you specify names manually or use a naming
pattern, specify a number of machines to keep
available and powered on for new users. For
details, see “Naming Machines Manually or
Providing a Naming Pattern,” on page 106.
When you specify names manually, this option is
called # Unassigned machines kept powered on.

VMware, Inc.

Fill In Your Value Here

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines (Continued)

Option

Description

Minimum number of machines

If you use a naming pattern and provision
machines on demand, specify a minimum
number of machines in the pool.
The minimum number of machines is created
when you create the pool.
If you provision machines on demand, additional
machines are created as users connect to the pool
for the first time or as you assign machines to
users.

Use vSphere Virtual SAN

Specify whether to use Virtual SAN, if available.
Virtual SAN is a software-defined storage tier
that virtualizes the local physical storage disks
available on a cluster of ESXi hosts. For more
information, see “Using Virtual SAN for HighPerformance Storage and Policy-Based
Management,” on page 187.

Template

Select the virtual machine template to use for
creating the pool.

vCenter Server folder

Select the folder in vCenter Server in which the
desktop pool resides.

Host or cluster

Select the ESXi host or cluster on which the
virtual machines run.
In vSphere 5.1 or later, you can select a cluster
with up to 32 ESXi hosts.

Resource pool

Select the vCenter Server resource pool in which
the desktop pool resides.

Datastores

Select one or more datastores on which to store
the desktop pool.
For clusters, you can use shared or local
datastores.
NOTE If you use Virtual SAN, select only one
datastore.

Use View Storage Accelerator

Determine whether ESXi hosts cache common
virtual machine disk data. View Storage
Accelerator can improve performance and
reduce the need for extra storage I/O bandwidth
to manage boot storms and anti-virus scanning
I/O storms.
This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and
later.
This feature is enabled by default.
For details, see “Configure View Storage
Accelerator for Desktop Pools,” on page 200.

Fill In Your Value Here

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 4 Creating Automated Desktop Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines

Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines (Continued)
Option

Description

Transparent Page Sharing Scope

Select the level at which to allow transparent
page sharing (TPS). The choices are Virtual
Machine (the default), Pool, Pod, or Global. If
you turn on TPS for all the machines in the pool,
pod, or globally, the ESXi host eliminates
redundant copies of memory pages that result if
the machines use the same guest operating
system or applications.
Page sharing happens on the ESXi host. For
example, if you enable TPS at the pool level but
the pool is spread across multiple ESXi hosts,
only virtual machines on the same host and
within the same pool will share pages. At the
global level, all machines managed by View on
the same ESXi host can share memory pages,
regardless of which pool the machines reside in.
NOTE The default setting is not to share memory
pages among machines because TPS can pose a
security risk. Research indicates that TPS could
possibly be abused to gain unauthorized access
to data in very limited configuration scenarios.

Guest customization

Select a customization specification (SYSPREP)
from the list to configure licensing, domain
attachment, DHCP settings, and other properties
on the machines.
Alternatively, you can customize the machines
manually after they are created.

Fill In Your Value Here

Create an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines
You can create an automated desktop pool based on a virtual machine template that you select. View
dynamically deploys the desktops, creating a new virtual machine in vCenter Server for each desktop.
To create a linked-clone pool, see “Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 61.
Prerequisites
n

Prepare a virtual machine template that View will use to create the machines. View Agent must be
installed on the template. See Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines,” on page 19.

If you intend to use a customization specification, make sure that the specifications are accurate. In
vSphere Client, deploy and customize a virtual machine from your template using the customization
specification. Fully test the resulting virtual machine, including DHCP and authentication.

Verify that you have a sufficient number of ports on the ESXi virtual switch that is used for the virtual
machines that are used as remote desktops. The default value might not be sufficient if you create large
desktop pools. The number of virtual switch ports on the ESXI host must equal or exceed the number of
virtual machines multiplied by the number of virtual NICs per virtual machine.

Gather the configuration information you must provide to create the pool. See “Worksheet for Creating
an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 53.

Decide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If you intend to provide access to your desktops and applications through Workspace Portal, verify that
you create the desktop and application pools as a user who has the Administrators role on the root
access group in View Administrator. If you give the user the Administrators role on an access group
other than the root access group, Workspace Portal will not recognize the SAML authenticator you
configure in View, and you cannot configure the pool in Workspace Portal.

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Click Add.

Select Automated Desktop Pool.

On the vCenter Server page, choose Full virtual machines.

Follow the prompts in the wizard to create the pool.
Use the configuration information that you gathered in the worksheet. You can go directly back to any
wizard page that you completed by clicking the page name in the navigation panel.

In View Administrator, you can view the machines as they are added to the pool by selecting Catalog >
Desktop Pools.
What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See “Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 133.

Desktop Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual
Machines
You must specify desktop pool settings when you configure automated pools that contain full virtual
machines. Different settings apply to pools with dedicated user assignments and floating user assignments.
Table 4-2 lists the settings that apply to automated pools with dedicated assignments and floating
assignments.
For descriptions of each desktop pool setting, see “Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on
page 113.
Table 4‑2. Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines

Setting

Automated Pool, Dedicated
Assignment

Automated Pool, Floating
Assignment

State

Yes

Connection Server restrictions

Yes

Remote machine power policy

Yes

Automatic logoff after disconnect

Yes

Allow users to reset their machines

Yes

Allow user to initiate separate sessions
from different client devices

Yes

Delete machine after logoff

Yes

Default display protocol

Yes

Allow users to choose protocol

Yes

3D Renderer

Yes

Max number of monitors

Yes

Max resolution of any one monitor

Yes

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 4 Creating Automated Desktop Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines

Table 4‑2. Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines (Continued)
Setting

Automated Pool, Dedicated
Assignment

Automated Pool, Floating
Assignment

Adobe Flash quality

Yes

Adobe Flash throttling

Yes

Override global Mirage settings

Yes

Mirage Server configuration

Yes

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

VMware, Inc.

Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

With a linked-clone desktop pool, View creates a desktop pool based on a parent virtual machine that you
select. The View Composer service dynamically creates a new linked-clone virtual machine in vCenter
Server for each desktop.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 61

“Worksheet for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 61

“Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 69

“Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 71

“View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party Applications,” on page 72

“Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned and Ready During View Composer Operations,” on
page 76

“Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for Linked Clones,” on page 77

Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
To create a linked-clone desktop pool, View Composer generates linked-clone virtual machines from a
snapshot of a parent virtual machine. View dynamically provisions the linked-clone desktops based on
settings that you apply to the pool.
Because linked-clone desktops share a base system-disk image, they use less storage than full virtual
machines.

Worksheet for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool
When you create a linked-clone desktop pool, the View Administrator Add Desktop Pool wizard prompts
you to configure certain options. Use this worksheet to prepare your configuration options before you create
the pool.
You can print this worksheet and write down the values you want to specify when you run the Add
Desktop Pool wizard.
Before you create a linked-clone pool, you must use vCenter Server to take a snapshot of the parent virtual
machine that you prepare for the pool. You must shut down the parent virtual machine before you take the
snapshot. View Composer uses the snapshot as the base image from which the clones are created.
NOTE You cannot create a linked-clone pool from a virtual machine template.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool

Option

Description

User assignment

Choose the type of user assignment:
n In a dedicated-assignment pool, each user is
assigned to a machine. Users receive the same
machine each time they log in.
n In a floating-assignment pool, users receive
different machines each time they log in.
For details, see “User Assignment in Desktop Pools,”
on page 105.

Enable automatic assignment

In a dedicated-assignment pool, a machine is assigned
to a user when the user first logs in to the pool. You
can also explicitly assign machines to users.
If you do not enable automatic assignment, you must
explicitly assign a machine to each user.

vCenter Server

Select the vCenter Server that manages the virtual
machines in the pool.

Desktop Pool ID

The unique name that identifies the pool in View
Administrator.
If multiple View Connection Server configurations are
running in your environment, make sure that another
View Connection Server configuration is not using the
same pool ID.
A View Connection Server configuration can be a
standalone View Connection Server instance or a pod
of replicated instances that share a common View
LDAP configuration.

Display name

The pool name that users see when they log in from a
client device. If you do not specify a display name, the
pool ID is displayed to users.

Access group

Select an access group in which to place the pool or
leave the pool in the default root access group.
If you use an access group, you can delegate managing
the pool to an administrator who has a specific role.
For details, see the role-based delegated administration
chapter in the View Administration document..
NOTE Access groups are different from vCenter Server
folders that store virtual machines that are used as
desktops. You select a vCenter Server folder later in
the wizard with other vCenter Server settings.

Delete or refresh machine on
logoff

If you select floating user assignment, choose whether
to refresh machines, delete machines, or do nothing
after users log off.
NOTE You set this option on the Desktop Pool Settings
page.

Desktop Pool Settings

Settings that determine the machine state, power status
when a virtual machine is not in use, display protocol,
Adobe Flash quality, and so on.
For descriptions, see “Desktop Pool Settings for All
Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.
For a list of the settings that apply to linked-clone
pools, see “Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone
Desktop Pools,” on page 71.
For more information about power policies and
automated pools, see “Setting Power Policies for
Desktop Pools,” on page 117.

Fill In Your Value Here

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option

Description

Stop provisioning on error

You can direct View to stop provisioning or continue
to provision virtual machines in a desktop pool after
an error occurs during the provisioning of a virtual
machine. If you leave this setting selected, you can
prevent a provisioning error from recurring on
multiple virtual machines.

Virtual machine naming

Choose whether to provision machines by manually
specifying a list of machine names or by providing a
naming pattern and the total number of machines.
For details, see “Naming Machines Manually or
Providing a Naming Pattern,” on page 106.

Specify names manually

If you specify names manually, prepare a list of
machine names and, optionally, the associated user
names.

Naming pattern

If you use this naming method, provide the pattern.
The pattern you specify is used as a prefix in all the
machine names, followed by a unique number to
identify each machine.
For details, see “Using a Naming Pattern for
Automated Desktop Pools,” on page 108.

Max number of machines

If you use a naming pattern, specify the total number
of machines in the pool.
You can also specify a minimum number of machines
to provision when you first create the pool.

Number of spare (powered
on) machines

If you specify names manually or use a naming
pattern, specify a number of machines to keep
available and powered on for new users. For details,
see “Naming Machines Manually or Providing a
Naming Pattern,” on page 106.
When you specify names manually, this option is
called # Unassigned machines kept powered on.

Minimum number of ready
(provisioned) machines
during View Composer
maintenance operations

If you specify names manually or use a naming
pattern, specify a minimum number of machines that
are ready and provisioned while View Composer
operations take place.
This setting lets you keep machines provisioned and
ready to accept connection requests from users while
View Composer refreshes, recomposes, or rebalances
the machines in the pool.
This value must be smaller than the Min number of
machines, which you specify if you provision
machines on demand.
See “Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned and
Ready During View Composer Operations,” on
page 76.

VMware, Inc.

Fill In Your Value Here

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)

Option

Description

Provision machines on
demand
or
Provision all machines up
front

If you use a naming pattern, choose whether to
provision all machines when the pool is created or
provision machines as they are needed.
n Provision all machines up front. When the pool is
created, the system provisions the number of
machines you specify in Max number of
machines.
n Provision machines on demand. When the pool is
created, the system creates the number of
machines that you specify in Min number of
machines. Additional machines are created as
users connect to the pool for the first time or as you
assign machines to users.

Min number of machines

If you use a naming pattern and provision desktops on
demand, specify a minimum number of machines in
the pool.
The system creates the minimum number of machines
when you create the pool. This number is maintained
even when other settings such as Delete or refresh
machine on logoff cause machines to be deleted.

Redirect Windows profile to
a persistent disk

If you select dedicated user assignments, choose
whether to store Windows user-profile data on a
separate View Composer persistent disk or the same
disk as the OS data.
Separate persistent disks let you preserve user data
and settings. View Composer refresh, recompose, and
rebalance operations do not affect persistent disks. You
can detach a persistent disk from a linked clone and
recreate the linked-clone virtual machine from the
detached disk. For example, when a machine or pool is
deleted, you can detach the persistent disk and recreate
the desktop, preserving the original user data and
settings.
If you store the Windows profile in the OS disk, user
data and settings are removed during refresh,
recompose, and rebalance operations.

Disk size and drive letter for
persistent disk

If you store user profile data on a separate View
Composer persistent disk, provide the disk size in
megabytes and the drive letter.
NOTE Do not select a drive letter that already exists on
the parent virtual machine or that conflicts with a drive
letter that is used for a network-mounted drive.

Disposable File Redirection

Choose whether to redirect the guest OS's paging and
temp files to a separate, nonpersistent disk. If you do,
provide the disk size in megabytes.
With this configuration, when a linked clone is
powered off, the disposable-file disk is replaced with a
copy of the original disk that was created with the
linked-clone pool. Linked clones can increase in size as
users interact with their desktops. Disposable file
redirection can save storage space by slowing the
growth of linked clones.

Fill In Your Value Here

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option

Description

Disk size and drive letter for
disposable file disk

If you redirect disposable files to a nonpersistent disk,
provide the disk size in megabytes and the drive letter.
The disk size should be larger than page-file size of the
guest OS. To determine the page-file size, see “Keep a
Record of the Parent Virtual Machine's Paging-File
Size,” on page 49.
When you configure the disposable file disk size,
consider that the actual size of a formatted disk
partition is slightly smaller than the value you provide
in View Administrator.
You can select a drive letter for the disposable file disk.
The default value, Auto, directs View to assign the
drive letter.
NOTE Do not select a drive letter that already exists on
the parent virtual machine or that conflicts with a drive
letter that is used for a network-mounted drive.

Use vSphere Virtual SAN

Specify whether to use VMware Virtual SAN, if
available. Virtual SAN is a software-defined storage
tier that virtualizes the local physical storage disks
available on a cluster of ESXi hosts. For more
information, see “Using Virtual SAN for HighPerformance Storage and Policy-Based Management,”
on page 187.

Select separate datastores for
persistent and OS disks

(Available only if you do not use Virtual SAN) If you
redirect user profiles to separate persistent disks, you
can store the persistent disks and OS disks on different
datastores.

Select separate datastores for
replica and OS disks

(Available only if you do not use Virtual SAN or
Virtual Volumes) You can store the replica (master)
virtual machine disk on a high performance datastore
and the linked clones on separate datastores.
For details, see “Storing View Composer Replicas and
Linked Clones on Separate Datastores,” on page 199.
If you store replicas and OS disks on separate
datastores, native NFS snapshots cannot be used.
Native cloning on a NAS device can only take place if
the replica and OS disks are stored on the same
datastores.

Parent VM

Select the parent virtual machine for the pool.

Snapshot (default image)

Select the snapshot of the parent virtual machine to use
as the base image for the pool.
Do not delete the snapshot and parent virtual machine
from vCenter Server, unless no linked clones in the
pool use the default image, and no more linked clones
will be created from this default image. The system
requires the parent virtual machine and snapshot to
provision new linked clones in the pool, according to
pool policies. The parent virtual machine and snapshot
are also required for View Composer maintenance
operations.

VM folder location

Select the folder in vCenter Server in which the
desktop pool resides.

VMware, Inc.

Fill In Your Value Here

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)

Option

Description

Host or cluster

Select the ESXi host or cluster on which the desktop
virtual machines run.
With Virtual SAN datastores (a vSphere 5.5 Update 1
feature), you can select a cluster with up to 20 ESXi
hosts. With Virtual Volumes datastores (a vSphere 6.0
feature), you can select a cluster with up to 32 ESXi
hosts.
In vSphere 5.1 or later, you can select a cluster with up
to 32 ESXi hosts if the replicas are stored on VMFS5 or
later datastores or NFS datastores. If you store replicas
on a VMFS version earlier than VMFS5, a cluster can
have at most eight hosts.
In vSphere 5.0, you can select a cluster with more than
eight ESXi hosts if the replicas are stored on NFS
datastores. If you store replicas on VMFS datastores, a
cluster can have at most eight hosts. See “Configuring
Desktop Pools on Clusters With More Than Eight
Hosts,” on page 130.

Resource pool

Select the vCenter Server resource pool in which the
desktop pool resides.

Datastores

Select one or more datastores on which to store the
desktop pool.
A table on the Select Linked Clone Datastores page of
the Add Desktop Pool wizard provides high-level
guidelines for estimating the pool's storage
requirements. These guidelines can help you
determine which datastores are large enough to store
the linked-clone disks. For details, see “Storage Sizing
for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 191.
You can use shared or local datastores for an
individual ESXi host or for ESXi clusters. If you use
local datastores in an ESXi cluster, you must consider
the vSphere infrastructure constraints that are imposed
on your desktop deployment. See “Storing Linked
Clones on Local Datastores,” on page 198.
With Virtual SAN datastores (a vSphere 5.5 Update 1
feature), you can select a cluster with up to 20 ESXi
hosts. With Virtual Volumes datastores (a vSphere 6.0
feature), you can select a cluster with up to 32 ESXi
hosts.
In vSphere 5.1 or later, a cluster can have more than
eight ESXi hosts if the replicas are stored on datastores
that are VMFS5 or later or NFS. In vSphere 5.0, a
cluster can have more than eight ESXi hosts only if the
replicas are stored on NFS datastores. See
“Configuring Desktop Pools on Clusters With More
Than Eight Hosts,” on page 130.
For more information about the disks that are created
for linked clones, see “Linked-Clone Data Disks,” on
page 197.
NOTE If you use Virtual SAN, select only one
datastore.

Fill In Your Value Here

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option

Description

Storage Overcommit

Determine the storage-overcommit level at which
linked-clones are created on each datastore.
As the level increases, more linked clones fit on the
datastore and less space is reserved to let individual
clones grow. A high storage-overcommit level lets you
create linked clones that have a total logical size larger
than the physical storage limit of the datastore. For
details, see “Set the Storage Overcommit Level for
Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 196.
NOTE This setting has no effect if you use Virtual
SAN.

Use View Storage Accelerator

Determine whether to use View Storage Accelerator,
which allows ESXi hosts to cache common virtual
machine disk data. View Storage Accelerator can
improve performance and reduce the need for extra
storage I/O bandwidth to manage boot storms and
anti-virus scanning I/O storms.

Fill In Your Value Here

This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.
This feature is enabled by default.
For details, see “Configure View Storage Accelerator
for Desktop Pools,” on page 200.
Use native NFS snapshots
(VAAI)

(Available only if you do not use Virtual SAN) If your
deployment includes NAS devices that support the
vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI), you can
use native snapshot technology to clone virtual
machines.
You can use this feature only if you select datastores
that reside on NAS devices that support native cloning
operations through VAAI.
You cannot use this feature if you store replicas and OS
disks on separate datastores. You cannot use this
feature on virtual machines with space-efficient disks.
VAAI is not supported on machines that are virtual
hardware version 9 or later, because the OS disks are
always space-efficient, even when you disable the
space reclamation operation.
This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.
For details, see “Using View Composer Array
Integration with Native NFS Snapshot Technology
(VAAI),” on page 203.

Reclaim VM disk space

(Available only if you do not use Virtual SAN or
Virtual Volumes) Determine whether to allow ESXi
hosts to reclaim unused disk space on linked clones
that are created in space-efficient disk format. The
space reclamation feature reduces the total storage
space required for linked-clone desktops.
This feature is supported on vSphere 5.1 and later. The
linked-clone virtual machines must be virtual
hardware version 9 or later.
For details, see “Reclaim Disk Space on Linked-Clone
Virtual Machines,” on page 201.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option

Description

Initiate reclamation when
unused space on VM
exceeds:

(Available only if you do not use Virtual SAN or
Virtual Volumes) Type the minimum amount of
unused disk space, in gigabytes, that must accumulate
on a linked-clone OS disk to trigger space reclamation.
When the unused disk space exceeds this threshold,
View initiates the operation that directs the ESXi host
to reclaim space on the OS disk.
This value is measured per virtual machine. The
unused disk space must exceed the specified threshold
on an individual virtual machine before View starts the
space reclamation process on that machine.

Fill In Your Value Here

For example: 2 GB.
The default value is 1 GB.

Blackout Times

Configure days and times during which View Storage
Accelerator regeneration and the reclamation of virtual
machine disk space do not take place.
To ensure that ESXi resources are dedicated to
foreground tasks when necessary, you can prevent the
ESXi hosts from performing these operations during
specified periods of time on specified days.
For details, see “Set Blackout Times for ESXi
Operations on View Virtual Machines,” on page 204.

Transparent Page Sharing
Scope

Select the level at which to allow transparent page
sharing (TPS). The choices are Virtual Machine (the
default), Pool, Pod, or Global. If you turn on TPS for
all the machines in the pool, pod, or globally, the ESXi
host eliminates redundant copies of memory pages
that result if the machines use the same guest
operating system or applications.
Page sharing happens on the ESXi host. For example, if
you enable TPS at the pool level but the pool is spread
across multiple ESXi hosts, only virtual machines on
the same host and within the same pool will share
pages. At the global level, all machines managed by
View on the same ESXi host can share memory pages,
regardless of which pool the machines reside in.
NOTE The default setting is not to share memory
pages among machines because TPS can pose a
security risk. Research indicates that TPS could
possibly be abused to gain unauthorized access to data
in very limited configuration scenarios.

Domain

Select the Active Directory domain and user name.
View Composer requires certain user privileges to
create a linked-clone pool. The domain and user
account are used by QuickPrep or Sysprep to
customize the linked-clone machines.
You specify this user when you configure View
Composer settings for vCenter Server. You can specify
multiple domains and users when you configure View
Composer settings. When you use the Add Desktop
Pool wizard to create a pool, you must select one
domain and user from the list.
For information about configuring View Composer,
see the View Administration document.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option

Description

AD container

Provide the Active Directory container relative
distinguished name.

Fill In Your Value Here

For example: CN=Computers
When you run the Add Desktop Pool wizard, you can
browse your Active Directory tree for the container.
Allow reuse of pre-existing
computer accounts

Select this option to use existing computer accounts in
Active Directory for linked clones that are provisioned
by View Composer. This option lets you control the
computer accounts that are created in Active Directory.
When a linked clone is provisioned, if an existing AD
computer account name matches the linked clone
machine name, View Composer uses the existing
computer account. Otherwise, a new computer account
is created.
The existing computer accounts must be located in the
Active Directory container that you specify with the
Active Directory container setting.
When this option is disabled, a new AD computer
account is created when View Composer provisions a
linked clone. This option is disabled by default.
For details, see “Use Existing Active Directory
Computer Accounts for Linked Clones,” on page 77.

Use QuickPrep or a
customization specification
(Sysprep)

Choose whether to use QuickPrep or select a
customization specification (Sysprep) to configure
licensing, domain attachment, DHCP settings, and
other properties on the machines.
Sysprep is supported for linked clones only on vSphere
4.1 or later software.
After you use QuickPrep or Sysprep when you create a
pool, you cannot switch to the other customization
method later on, when you create or recompose
machines in the pool.
For details, see “Choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep to
Customize Linked-Clone Machines,” on page 73.

Power-off script

QuickPrep can run a customization script on linkedclone machines before they are powered off.
Provide the path to the script on the parent virtual
machine and the script parameters.

Post-synchronization script

QuickPrep can run a customization script on linkedclone machines after they are created, recomposed, and
refreshed.
Provide the path to the script on the parent virtual
machine and the script parameters.

Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool
You can create an automated, linked-clone desktop pool based on a parent virtual machine that you select.
The View Composer service dynamically creates a new linked-clone virtual machine in vCenter Server for
each desktop.
To create an automated pool that contains full virtual machines, see “Automated Pools That Contain Full
Virtual Machines,” on page 53.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Prerequisites
n

Verify that the View Composer service is installed, either on the same host as vCenter Server or on a
separate host, and that a View Composer database is configured. See the View Installation document.

Verify that View Composer settings for vCenter Server are configured in View Administrator. See the
View Administration document.

Verify that you prepared a parent virtual machine. View Agent must be installed on the parent virtual
machine. See Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing Virtual Machines,” on page 19.

Take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine in vCenter Server. You must shut down the parent
virtual machine before you take the snapshot. View Composer uses the snapshot as the base image
from which the clones are created.
NOTE You cannot create a linked-clone pool from a virtual machine template.

Gather the configuration information you must provide to create the pool. See “Worksheet for Creating
a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 61.

Decide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.

IMPORTANT While a linked-clone pool is created, do not modify the parent virtual machine in vCenter
Server. For example, do not convert the parent virtual machine to a template. The View Composer service
requires that the parent virtual machine remain in a static, unaltered state during pool creation.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Click Add.

Select Automated Desktop Pool.

On the vCenter Server page, choose View Composer linked clones.

Follow the prompts in the wizard to create the pool.
Use the configuration information you gathered in the worksheet. You can go directly back to any
wizard page you completed by clicking the page name in the navigation panel.
On the vCenter Settings page, you must click Browse and select the vCenter Server settings in
sequence. You cannot skip a vCenter Server setting:

Parent VM

Snapshot

VM folder location

Host or cluster

Resource pool

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

Datastores

In View Administrator, you can view the machines as they are added to the pool by selecting Catalog >
Desktop Pools.
The linked clones might restart one or more times while they are provisioned. If a linked clone is in an error
state, the View automatic recovery mechanism attempts to power on, or shut down and restart, the linked
clone. If repeated recovery attempts fail, the linked clone is deleted.
View Composer also creates a replica virtual machine that serves as the master image for provisioning the
linked clones. To reduce space consumption, the replica is created as a thin disk. If all the virtual machines
are recomposed or deleted, and no clones are linked to the replica, the replica virtual machine is deleted
from vCenter Server.
If you do not store the replica on a separate datastore, View Composer creates a replica on each datastore on
which linked clones are created.
If you store the replica on a separate datastore, one replica is created for the entire pool, even when linked
clones are created on multiple datastores.
What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See “Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 133.

Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
You must specify machine and desktop pool settings when you configure automated pools that contain
linked clones created by View Composer. Different settings apply to pools with dedicated user assignments
and floating user assignments.
Table 5-2 lists the settings that apply to linked-clone pools with dedicated assignments and floating
assignments.
For descriptions of each setting, see “Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.
Table 5‑2. Settings for Automated, Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
Setting

Linked-Clone Pool, Dedicated
Assignment

Linked-Clone Pool, Floating
Assignment

State

Yes

Connection Server restrictions

Yes

Remote machine power policy

Yes

Automatically logoff after disconnect

Yes

Allow users to reset their machines

Yes

Allow user to initiate separate sessions
from different client devices

Yes

Delete or refresh machine on logoff

Yes

Refresh OS disk after logoff

Yes

Default display protocol

Yes

Allow users to choose protocol

Yes

3D Renderer

Yes

Max number of monitors

Yes

Max resolution of any one monitor

Yes

Adobe Flash quality

Yes

Adobe Flash throttling

Yes

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 5‑2. Settings for Automated, Linked-Clone Desktop Pools (Continued)
Setting

Linked-Clone Pool, Dedicated
Assignment

Linked-Clone Pool, Floating
Assignment

Override global Mirage settings

Yes

Mirage Server configuration

Yes

View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party
Applications
View Composer can generate and preserve local computer security identifiers (SIDs) for linked-clone virtual
machines in some situations. View Composer can preserve globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) of thirdparty applications, depending on the way that the applications generate GUIDs.
To understand how View Composer operations affect SIDs and application GUIDs, you should understand
how linked-clone machines are created and provisioned:
1

View Composer creates a linked clone by taking these actions:
a

Creates the replica by cloning the parent virtual-machine snapshot.

Creates the linked clone to refer to the replica as its parent disk.

View Composer and View customize the linked clone with QuickPrep or a Sysprep customization
specification, depending on which customization tool you select when you create the pool.
n

If you use Sysprep, a unique SID is generated for each clone.

If you use QuickPrep, no new SID is generated. The parent virtual machine's SID is replicated on
all provisioned linked-clone machines in the pool.

Some applications generate a GUID during customization.

View creates a snapshot of the linked clone.
The snapshot contains the unique SID generated with Sysprep or common SID generated with
QuickPrep.

View powers on the machine according to the settings you select when you create the pool.
Some applications generate a GUID the first time the machine is powered on.

For a comparison of QuickPrep and Sysprep customization, see “Choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep to
Customize Linked-Clone Machines,” on page 73.
When you refresh the linked clone, View Composer uses the snapshot to restore the clone to its initial state.
Its SID is preserved.
If you use QuickPrep, when you recompose the linked clone, the parent virtual machine's SID is preserved
on the linked clone as long as you select the same parent virtual machine for the recompose operation. If
you select a different parent virtual machine for the recomposition, the new parent's SID is replicated on the
clone.
If you use Sysprep, a new SID is always generated on the clone. For details, see “Recomposing Linked
Clones Customized with Sysprep,” on page 76.
Table 5-3 shows the effect of View Composer operations on linked-clone SIDs and third-party application
GUIDs.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

Table 5‑3. View Composer Operations, Linked-Clone SIDs, and Application GUIDs
Support for SIDs or GUIDs

Clone Creation

Refresh

Recompose

Sysprep: Unique SIDs for
linked clones

With Sysprep
customization, unique SIDs
are generated for linked
clones.

Unique SIDs are preserved.

Unique SIDS are not
preserved.

QuickPrep: Common SIDs
for linked clones

With QuickPrep
customization, a common
SID is generated for all
clones in a pool.

Common SID is preserved.

Third-party application
GUIDs

Each application behaves
differently.
NOTE Sysprep and
QuickPrep have the same
effect on GUID
preservation.

The GUID is preserved if
an application generates
the GUID before the initial
snapshot is taken.
The GUID is not preserved
if an application generates
the GUID after the initial
snapshot is taken.

Recompose operations do
not preserve an application
GUID unless the application
writes the GUID on the
drive specified as a View
Composer persistent disk.

Choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep to Customize Linked-Clone Machines
QuickPrep and Microsoft Sysprep provide different approaches to customizing linked-clone machines.
QuickPrep is designed to work efficiently with View Composer. Microsoft Sysprep offers standard
customization tools.
When you create linked-clone machines, you must modify each virtual machine so that it can function as a
unique computer on the network. View and View Composer provide two methods for personalizing linkedclone machines.
Table 5-4 compares QuickPrep with customization specifications that are created with Microsoft Sysprep.
Table 5‑4. Comparing QuickPrep and Microsoft Sysprep
QuickPrep

Customization Specification (Sysprep)

Designed to work with View Composer.
For details, see “Customizing Linked-Clone Machines with
QuickPrep,” on page 74.

Can be created with the standard Microsoft Sysprep tools.

Uses the same local computer security identifier (SID) for
all linked clones in the pool.

Generates a unique local computer SID for each linked
clone in the pool.

Can run additional customization scripts before linked
clones are powered off and after linked clones are created,
refreshed, or recomposed.

Can run an additional script when the user first logs in.

Joins the linked clone computer to the Active Directory
domain.

Joins the linked-clone computer to the Active Directory
domain.
The domain and administrator information in the Sysprep
customization specification is not used. The virtual
machine is joined to the domain using the guest
customization information that you enter in View
Administrator when you create the pool.

For each linked clone, adds a unique ID to the Active
Directory domain account.

Does not generate a new SID after linked clones are
refreshed. The common SID is preserved.

Generates a new SID when each linked clone is
customized. Preserves the unique SIDs during a refresh
operation, but not during a recompose or rebalance
operation.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 5‑4. Comparing QuickPrep and Microsoft Sysprep (Continued)
QuickPrep

Customization Specification (Sysprep)

Does not generate a new SID after linked clones are
recomposed. The common SID is preserved.

Runs again after linked clones are recomposed, generating
new SIDs for the virtual machines.
For details, see “Recomposing Linked Clones Customized
with Sysprep,” on page 76.

Runs faster than Sysprep.

Can take longer than QuickPrep.

After you customize a linked-clone pool with QuickPrep or Sysprep, you cannot switch to the other
customization method when you create or recompose machines in the pool.

Customizing Linked-Clone Machines with QuickPrep
You can personalize the linked-clone machines that are created from a parent virtual machine by using the
QuickPrep system tool. View Composer executes QuickPrep when a linked-clone machine is created or
recomposed.
QuickPrep customizes a linked-clone machine in several ways:
n

Gives the computer a name that you specify when you create the linked-clone pool.

Creates a computer account in Active Directory, joining the computer to the appropriate domain.

Mounts the View Composer persistent disk. The Windows user profile is redirected to this disk.

Redirects temp and paging files to a separate disk.

These steps might require the linked clones to restart one or more times.
QuickPrep uses KMS volume license keys to activate Windows 7 and Windows 8 linked-clone machines. For
details, see the View Administration document.
You can create your own scripts to further customize the linked clones. QuickPrep can run two types of
scripts at predefined times:
n

After linked clones are created or recomposed

Immediately before linked clones are powered off

For guidelines and rules for using QuickPrep customization scripts, see “Running QuickPrep Customization
Scripts,” on page 74.
NOTE View Composer requires domain user credentials to join linked-clone machines to an Active
Directory domain. For details, see the View Administration document.

Running QuickPrep Customization Scripts
With the QuickPrep tool, you can create scripts to customize the linked-clone machines in a pool. You can
configure QuickPrep to run customization scripts at two predefined times.
When QuickPrep Scripts Run
The post-synchronization script runs after linked clones are created, recomposed, or rebalanced, and the
clones' status is Ready. The power-off script runs before linked clones are powered off. The scripts run in
the guest operating systems of the linked clones.
How QuickPrep Executes Scripts
The QuickPrep process uses the Windows CreateProcess API call to execute scripts. Your script can invoke
any process that can be created with the CreateProcess API. For example, cmd, vbscript, exe, and batch-file
processes work with the API.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

In particular, QuickPrep passes the path that is specified for the script as the second parameter to the
CreateProcess API and sets the first parameter to NULL.
For example, if the script path is c:\myscript.cmd, the path appears as the second parameter in the function
in the View Composer log file: CreateProcess(NULL,c:\myscript.cmd,...).
Providing Paths to QuickPrep Scripts
You provide paths to the QuickPrep customization scripts when you create a linked-clone machine pool or
when you edit a pool's guest customization settings. The scripts must reside on the parent virtual machine.
You cannot use a UNC path to a network share.
If you use a scripting language that needs an interpreter to execute the script, the script path must start with
the interpreter binary.
For example, if you specify the path C:\script\myvb.vbs as a QuickPrep customization script, View
Composer Agent cannot execute the script. You must specify a path that starts with the interpreter binary
path:
C:\windows\system32\cscript.exe c:\script\myvb.vbs

IMPORTANT Protect QuickPrep customization scripts from access by ordinary users. Place the scripts in a
secure folder.
QuickPrep Script Timeout Limit
View Composer terminates a post-synchronization or power-off script that takes longer than 20 seconds. If
your script takes longer than 20 seconds, you can increase the timeout limit. For details, see “Increase the
Timeout Limit of QuickPrep Customization Scripts,” on page 50.
Alternatively, you can use your script to launch another script or process that performs the long-running
task.
QuickPrep Script Account
QuickPrep runs the scripts under the account under which the VMware View Composer Guest Agent
Server service is configured to run. By default, this account is Local System.
Do not change this log on account. If you do, the linked clones do not start.
QuickPrep Process Privileges
For security reasons, certain Windows operating system privileges are removed from the View Composer
Guest Agent process that invokes QuickPrep customization scripts.
A QuickPrep customization script cannot perform any action that requires a privilege that is removed from
the View Composer Guest Agent process.
The following privileges are removed from the process that invokes QuickPrep scripts:
SeCreateTokenPrivilege
SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege
SeSecurityPrivilege
SeSystemEnvironmentPrivilege
SeLoadDriverPrivilege
SeSystemtimePrivilege
SeUndockPrivilege
SeManageVolumePrivilege
SeLockMemoryPrivilege

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege
SeCreatePermanentPrivilege
SeDebugPrivilege
SeAuditPrivilege

QuickPrep Script Logs
View Composer logs contain information about QuickPrep script execution. The log records the start and
end of execution and logs output or error messages. The log is located in the Windows temp directory:
C:\Windows\Temp\vmware-viewcomposer-ga-new.log

Recomposing Linked Clones Customized with Sysprep
If you recompose a linked-clone machine that was customized with Sysprep, View runs the Sysprep
customization specification again after the OS disk is recomposed. This operation generates a new SID for
the linked-clone virtual machine.
If a new SID is generated, the recomposed linked clone functions as a new computer on the network. Some
software programs such as system-management tools depend on the SID to identify the computers under
their management. These programs might not be able to identify or locate the linked-clone virtual machine.
Also, if third-party software is installed on the system disk, the customization specification might regenerate
the GUIDs for that software after the recomposition.
A recomposition restores the linked clone to its original state, before the customization specification was run
the first time. In this state, the linked clone does not have a local computer SID or the GUID of any thirdparty software installed in the system drive. View must run the Sysprep customization specification after
the linked clone is recomposed.

Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned and Ready During View
Composer Operations
If your users must be able to access remote desktops at all times, you must maintain a certain number of
machines that stay provisioned and ready to accept connection requests from your users even when View
Composer maintenance operations take place. You can set a minimum number of provisioned, ready
machines while View Composer refreshes, recomposes, or rebalances the linked-clone virtual machines in a
pool.
When you specify a Minimum number of ready (provisioned) machines during View Composer
maintenance operations, View ensures that the specified number of machines stays provisioned and ready
while View Composer proceeds through the operation. You can specify the minimum number of ready
machines when you create or edit a linked-clone pool.
The following guidelines apply to this setting:

If you use a naming pattern to provision machines and provision machines on demand, set the number
of ready machines during View Composer operations to a smaller value than the specified Max
number of machines. If the maximum number were smaller, your pool could end up with fewer total
machines than the minimum number you want to keep provisioned and ready during View Composer
operations. In this case, View Composer maintenance operations could not take place.

If you provision machines by manually specifying a list of machine names, do not reduce the total pool
size (by removing machine names) to a lower number than the minimum number of ready machines. In
this case, View Composer maintenance operations could not take place.

If you set a large minimum number of ready machines in relation to the pool size, View Composer
maintenance operations might take longer to complete. While View maintains the minimum number of
ready machines during a maintenance operation, the operation might not reach the concurrency limit
that is specified in the Max concurrent View Composer maintenance operations setting.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools

For example, if a pool contains 20 machines and the minimum number of ready machines is 15, View
Composer can operate on at most five machines at a time. If the concurrency limit for View Composer
maintenance operations is 12, the concurrency limit is never reached.
n

The term "ready" applies to the state of the linked-clone virtual machine, not the machine status that is
displayed in View Administrator. A virtual machine is ready when it is provisioned and ready to be
powered on. The machine status reflects the View-managed condition of the machine. For example, a
machine can have a status of Connected, Disconnected, Agent Unreachable, Deleting, and so on.

Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for Linked Clones
When you create or edit a desktop pool, you can configure View Composer to use existing computer
accounts in Active Directory for newly provisioned linked clones.
By default, View Composer generates a new Active Directory computer account for each linked clone that it
provisions. The Allow reuse of pre-existing computer accounts option lets you control the computer
accounts that are created in Active Directory by ensuring that View Composer uses existing AD computer
accounts.
With this option enabled, when a linked clone is provisioned, View Composer checks if an existing AD
computer account name matches the linked clone machine name. If a match exists, View Composer uses the
existing AD computer account. If View Composer does not find a matching AD computer account name,
View Composer generates a new AD computer account for the linked clone.
You can set the Allow reuse of pre-existing computer accounts option when you create a new desktop pool
or edit an existing pool. If you edit a pool and set this option, the setting affects linked-clone machines that
are provisioned in the future. Linked clones that are already provisioned are not affected.
When you set the Allow reuse of pre-existing computer accounts option, you can limit the Active Directory
permissions assigned to the View Composer user account that generates the desktop pool. Only the
following Active Directory permissions are required:
n

List Contents

Read All Properties

Read Permissions

Reset Password

You can only limit the Active Directory permissions if you are sure that all machines you intend to
provision have existing computer accounts allocated in Active Directory. View Composer generates a new
AD computer account if no matching name is found. Additional permissions such as Create Computer
Objects are required to create new computer accounts. For a complete list of permissions required for the
View Composer user account, see the View Administration document.
This option cannot be disabled if View Composer is currently using at least one existing AD computer
account.
Prerequisites
Verify that the existing computer accounts are located in the Active Directory container that you specify
with the Active Directory container setting. If the existing accounts are located in a different container,
provisioning fails for linked clones with those account names, and an error message states that the existing
computer accounts already exist in Active Directory.
For example, if you select the Allow reuse of pre-existing computer accounts option and specify that the
Active Directory container is the default value, CN=Computers, and the existing computer accounts are
located in OU=mydesktops, provisioning fails for those accounts.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Procedure
1

In Active Directory, create the computer accounts to use for the linked-clone machines.
For example: machine1, machine2, machine3
The computer account names must use consecutive integers so that they match the names that are
generated during machine provisioning in View.

In View Administrator, create a pool by using the Add Desktop Pool wizard or edit the pool in the Edit
dialog box.

On the Provisioning Settings page or tab, select Use a naming pattern.

In the Naming Pattern text box, type a machine name that matches the Active Directory computer
account name.
For example: machine
View appends unique numbers to the pattern to provide a unique name for each machine.
For example: machine1, machine2, machine3

On the Guest Customization page or tab, select the Allow reuse of pre-existing computer accounts
option.

VMware, Inc.

Creating Manual Desktop Pools

In a manual desktop pool, each remote desktop that is accessed by an end user is a separate machine. When
you create a manual desktop pool, you select existing machines. You can create a pool that contains a single
desktop by creating a manual desktop pool and selecting a single machine.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Manual Desktop Pools,” on page 79

“Worksheet for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 79

“Create a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 81

“Create a Manual Pool That Contains One Machine,” on page 82

“Desktop Pool Settings for Manual Pools,” on page 83

Manual Desktop Pools
To create a manual desktop pool, View provisions desktops from existing machines. You select a separate
machine for each desktop in the pool.
View can use several types of machines in manual pools:
n

Virtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server

Virtual machines that run on a virtualization platform other than vCenter Server

Physical computers

Worksheet for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool
When you create a manual desktop pool, the View Administrator Add Desktop Pool wizard prompts you to
configure certain options. Use this worksheet to prepare your configuration options before you create the
pool.
You can print this worksheet and write down the values you want to specify when you run the Add
Desktop Pool wizard.
NOTE In a manual pool, you must prepare each machine to deliver remote desktop access. View Agent
must be installed and running on each machine.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool

Option

Description

User assignment

Choose the type of user assignment:
n In a dedicated-assignment pool, each user is
assigned to a machine. Users receive the
same machine each time they log in.
n In a floating-assignment pool, users receive
different machines each time they log in.
For details, see “User Assignment in Desktop
Pools,” on page 105.

vCenter Server

The vCenter Server that manages the machines.
This option appears only if the machines are
virtual machines that are managed by vCenter
Server.

Machine Source

The virtual machines or physical computers that
you want to include in the desktop pool.
1 Decide which type of machine you want to
use. You can use either virtual machines that
are managed by vCenter Server or
unmanaged virtual machines and physical
computers.
2 Prepare a list of the vCenter Server virtual
machines or unmanaged virtual machines
and physical computers that you want to
include in the desktop pool.
3 Install View Agent on each machine that you
want to include in the desktop pool.
To use PCoIP with machines that are unmanaged
virtual machines or physical computers, you
must use Teradici hardware.
NOTE When you enable Windows Server
desktops in View Administrator, View
Administrator displays all available Windows
Server machines, including machines on which
View Connection Server and other View servers
are installed, as potential machine sources.
You cannot select machines for the desktop pool
if View server software is installed on the
machines. View Agent cannot coexist on the
same virtual or physical machine with any other
View software component, including View
Connection Server, security server, View
Composer, or Horizon Client.

Desktop Pool ID

The pool name that users see when they log in
and that identifies the pool in View
Administrator.
If multiple vCenter Servers are running in your
environment, make sure that another vCenter
Server is not using the same pool ID.

Fill In Your Value Here

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 6 Creating Manual Desktop Pools

Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option

Description

Desktop Pool Settings

Settings that determine the machine state, power
status when a virtual machine is not in use,
display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and so on.
For details, see “Desktop Pool Settings for All
Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.
For a list of the settings that apply to manual
pools, see “Desktop Pool Settings for Manual
Pools,” on page 83.

Transparent Page Sharing Scope

Fill In Your Value Here

Create a Manual Desktop Pool
You can create a manual desktop pool that provisions desktops from existing virtual machines or physical
computers. You must select the machines that will be included in the desktop pool.
For manual pools with virtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server, View ensures that a spare
machine is powered on so that users can connect to it. The spare machine is powered on no matter which
power policy is in effect.
Prerequisites
n

Prepare the machines to deliver remote desktop access. In a manual pool, you must prepare each
machine individually. View Agent must be installed and running on each machine.
To prepare virtual machines managed by vCenter Server, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing
Virtual Machines,” on page 19.
To prepare unmanaged virtual machines and physical computers, see Chapter 2, “Preparing
Unmanaged Machines,” on page 15.

Gather the configuration information that you must provide to create the pool. See “Worksheet for
Creating a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 79.

Decide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.

Procedure
1

VMware, Inc.

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Click Add.

Select Manual Desktop Pool.

Create a Manual Pool That Contains One Machine
You can create a pool that contains a single machine when a user requires a unique, dedicated desktop, or
when, at different times, multiple users must access a costly application with a single-host license.
You can provision an individual machine in its own pool by creating a manual desktop pool and selecting a
single machine.
To mimic a physical computer that can be shared by multiple users, specify a floating assignment for the
users entitled to access the pool.
Whether you configure the single-machine pool with dedicated or floating assignment, power operations
are initiated by session management. The virtual machine is powered on when a user requests the desktop
and powered off or suspended when the user logs off.
If you configure the Ensure machines are always powered on policy, the virtual machine remains powered
on. If the user shuts down the virtual machine, it immediately restarts.
Prerequisites
n

Prepare the machine to deliver remote desktop access. View Agent must be installed and running on
the machine.
To prepare a virtual machine managed by vCenter Server, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing
Virtual Machines,” on page 19.
To prepare an unmanaged virtual machine or physical computer, see Chapter 2, “Preparing
Unmanaged Machines,” on page 15.

Gather the configuration information you must provide to create the manual pool. See “Worksheet for
Creating a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 79.

Decide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.

Procedure

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Click Add.

Select Manual Desktop Pool.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 6 Creating Manual Desktop Pools

Select the type of user assignment.
Option

Description

Dedicated

The machine is assigned to one user. Only that user can log in to the
desktop.

Floating

The machine is shared by all users who are entitled to the pool. Any
entitled user can log in to the desktop as long as another user is not logged
in.

On the Machine Source page, select the machine to be included in the desktop pool.

In View Administrator, you can view the machine being added to the pool by selecting Catalog > Desktop
Pools.
What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See “Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 133.

Desktop Pool Settings for Manual Pools
You must specify machine and pool settings when you configure manual desktop pools. Not all settings
apply to all types of manual pools.
Table 6-2 lists the settings that apply to manual desktop pools that are configured with these properties:
n

Dedicated user assignments

Floating user assignments

Managed machines (vCenter Server virtual machines)

Unmanaged machines

These settings also apply to a manual pool that contains a single machine.
For descriptions of each desktop pool setting, see “Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on
page 113.
Table 6‑2. Settings for Manual Desktop Pools

Setting

Manual
Managed Pool,
Dedicated
Assignment

Manual Managed Pool,
Floating Assignment

Manual Unmanaged
Pool, Dedicated
Assignment

Manual Unmanaged
Pool, Floating
Assignment

State

Yes

Connection
Server
restrictions

Yes

Remote machine
power policy

Yes

Automatically
logoff after
disconnect

Yes

Allow users to
reset their
machines

Yes

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 6‑2. Settings for Manual Desktop Pools (Continued)

Setting

Manual
Managed Pool,
Dedicated
Assignment

Allow user to
initiate separate
sessions from
different client
devices

Manual Managed Pool,
Floating Assignment

Manual Unmanaged
Pool, Dedicated
Assignment

Yes

Manual Unmanaged
Pool, Floating
Assignment
Yes

Default display
protocol

Yes

Yes
To use PCoIP with a
machine that is not
managed by vCenter
Server, you must install
Teradici hardware on the
machine.

Allow users to
choose protocol

Yes

3D Renderer

Yes

Max number of
monitors

Yes

Max resolution
of any one
monitor

Yes

Adobe Flash
quality

Yes

Adobe Flash
throttling

Yes

Override global
Mirage settings

Yes

Mirage Server
configuration

Yes

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Remote Desktop Services
Hosts

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) hosts provide desktop sessions and applications that users can
access from client devices. If you plan to create RDS desktop pools or application pools, you must first set
up RDS hosts.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 85

“Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2008 R2,” on page 87

“Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,” on page 87

“Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2,” on page 88

“Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,” on page 88

“Restrict Users to a Single Session,” on page 89

“Install View Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host,” on page 89

“Enable Time Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application Sessions,” on page 92

“Enable Windows Basic Theme for Applications,” on page 92

“Configure Group Policy to Start Runonce.exe,” on page 93

“RDS Host Performance Options,” on page 93

Remote Desktop Services Hosts
An RDS host is a server computer that hosts applications and desktop sessions for remote access. An RDS
host can be a virtual machine or a physical server.
In View, an RDS host is a server that has the Microsoft Remote Desktop Services role, the Microsoft Remote
Desktop Session Host service, and View Agent installed. Remote Desktop Services was previously known as
Terminal Services. The Remote Desktop Session Host service allows a server to host applications and remote
desktop sessions. With View Agent installed on an RDS host, users can connect to applications and desktop
sessions by using the display protocol PCoIP. PCoIP provides an optimized user experience for the delivery
of remote content, including images, audio and video.
The performance of an RDS host depends on many factors. For information on how to tune the performance
of different versions of Windows Server, see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/gg463392.aspx.
View supports at most one desktop session and one application session per user on an RDS host.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

When users submit print jobs concurrently from RDS desktops or applications that are hosted on the same
RDS host, the ThinPrint server on the RDS host processes the print requests serially rather than in parallel.
This can cause a delay for some users. Note that the print server does not wait for a print job to complete
before processing the next one. Print jobs that are sent to different printers will print in parallel.
If a user launches an application and also an RDS desktop, and both are hosted on the same RDS host, they
share the same user profile. If the user launches an application from the desktop, conflicts may result if both
applications try to access or modify the same parts of the user profile, and one of the applications may fail to
run properly.
The process of setting up applications or RDS desktops for remote access involves the following tasks:
1

Set up RDS hosts.

Create a farm. See Chapter 8, “Creating Farms,” on page 95.

Create an application pool or an RDS desktop pool. See Chapter 9, “Creating Application Pools,” on
page 99 or Chapter 10, “Creating RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 101.

Entitle users and groups. See Chapter 12, “Entitling Users and Groups,” on page 133.

(Optional) Enable time zone redirection for RDS desktop and application sessions. See “Enable Time
Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application Sessions,” on page 92.

CAUTION When a user launches an application, for example, a Web browser, it is possible for a user to gain
access to the local drives on the RDS host that is hosting the application. This can happen if the application
provides functions that cause Windows Explorer to run. To prevent this type of access to the RDS host,
follow the procedure that is described in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/179221 to prevent an application
from running Windows Explorer.
Because the procedure described in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/179221 affects both desktop and
application sessions, it is recommended that you do not create RDS desktop pools and application pools on
the same farm if you plan to follow the procedure in the Microsoft KB article, so that desktop sessions are
not affected.

Installing Applications
If you plan to create application pools, you must install the applications on the RDS hosts. If you want View
to automatically display the list of installed applications, you must install the applications so that they are
available to all users from the Start menu. You can install an application at any time before you create the
application pool. If you plan to manually specify an application, you can install the application at any time,
either before or after creating an application pool.
IMPORTANT When you install an application, you must install it on all the RDS hosts in a farm and in the
same location on each RDS host. If you do not, a health warning will appear on the View Administrator
dashboard. In such a situation, if you create an application pool, users might encounter an error when they
try to run the application.
When you create an application pool, View automatically displays the applications that are available to all
users rather than individual users from the Start menu on all of the RDS hosts in a farm. You can choose any
applications from that list. In addition, you can manually specify an application that is not available to all
users from the Start menu. There is no limit on the number of applications that you can install on an RDS
host.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 7 Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts

Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2008 R2
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is one of the roles that a Windows Server can have. You must install this
role to set up an RDS host that runs Windows Server 2008 R2.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that the RDS host is running Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Verify that the RDS host is part of the Active Directory domain for the View deployment.

Install the Microsoft hotfix rollup that is documented in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2775511.

Procedure
1

Start Server Manager.

Select Roles in the navigation tree.

Click Add Roles to start the Add Role wizard.

Select the role Remote Desktop Services.

On the Select Role Services page, select Remote Desktop Session Host.

On the Specify Authentication Method page, select either Require Network Level Authentication or
Do not require Network Level Authentication, whichever is appropriate.

On the Configure Client Experience page, select the functionality that you want to provide to users.

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

What to do next
If you plan to use HTML Access or scanner redirection, install the Desktop Experience feature. The steps for
installing Desktop Experience differ on Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2.
Restrict users to a single desktop session. See “Restrict Users to a Single Session,” on page 89.

Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2
Remote Desktop Services is one of the roles that a Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 can have. You must
install this role to set up an RDS host.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that the RDS host is running Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2.

Verify that the RDS host is part of the Active Directory domain for the View deployment.

Procedure
1

Start Server Manager.

Select Add roles and features.

On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation.

On the Select Destination Server page, select a server.

On the Select Server Roles page, select Remote Desktop Services.

On the Select Features page, accept the defaults.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

On the Select Role Services page, select Remote Desktop Session Host.

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

Start Server Manager.

Click Features.

Click Add Features.

On the Select Features page, select the Desktop Experience checkbox.

Review the information about other features that are required by the Desktop Experience feature, and
click Add Required Features.

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

Start Server Manager.

Select Add roles and features.

On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation.

On the Select Destination Server page, select a server.

On the Select Server Roles page, accept the default selection and click Next.

On the Select Features page, under User Interfaces and Infrastructure, select Desktop Experience.

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 7 Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts

Restrict Users to a Single Session
View supports at most one desktop session and one application session per user on an RDS host. You must
configure the RDS host to restrict users to a single session. For Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server
2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2, you can can restrict users to a single session by enabling the group
policy setting
Restrict Remote Desktop Services users to a single Remote Desktop Services session. This
setting is located in the folder Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows
Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Connections. For Windows Server
2008 R2, you can also use the following procedure to restrict users to a single session.
Prerequisites
n

Install the Remote Desktop Services role as described in “Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows
Server 2008 R2,” on page 87.

Procedure
1

Click Start > Administrative Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host
Configuration.

On the Edit Settings pane, under General, double-click Restrict each user to a single session.

In the Properties dialog box, on the General tab, select Restrict each user to a single session and click
OK.

What to do next
Install View Agent on the RDS host. See “Install View Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host,” on
page 89.

Install View Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host
View Agent communicates with View Connection Server and supports the display protocol PCoIP. You
must install View Agent on an RDS Host.
Prerequisites
n

Install the Remote Desktop Services role as described in “Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows
Server 2008 R2,” on page 87 or “Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,”
on page 87.

Restrict users to a single desktop session. See “Restrict Users to a Single Session,” on page 89.

Familiarize yourself with the View Agent custom setup options. See “View Agent Custom Setup
Options for an RDS Host,” on page 90.

Download the View Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.

Procedure
1

To start the View Agent installation program, double-click the installer file.
The installer filename is VMware-viewagent-x86_64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number
and xxxxxx is the build number.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Select the Internet Protocol (IP) version, IPv4 or IPv6.
You must install all View components with the same IP version.

Select your custom setup options.

In the Server text box, type the host name or IP address of a View Connection Server host.
During installation, the installer registers the RDS host with this View Connection Server instance. After
registration, the specified View Connection Server instance, and any additional instances in the same
View Connection Server group, can communicate with the RDS host.

Select an authentication method to register the RDS host with the View Connection Server instance.
Option

Description

Authenticate as the currently
logged in user

The Username and Password text boxes are disabled and you are logged
in to the View Connection Server instance with your current username and
password.

Specify administrator credentials

You must provide the username and password of a View Connection
Server administrator in the Username and Password text boxes.

The user account must be a domain user with access to View LDAP on the View Connection Server
instance. A local user does not work.
7

Follow the prompts and finish the installation.

What to do next
Create a farm. See Chapter 8, “Creating Farms,” on page 95.

View Agent Custom Setup Options for an RDS Host
When you install View Agent on an RDS host, you can select custom setup options. In addition, View Agent
installs certain features automatically on all guest operating systems on which they are supported. These
features are not optional.
Table 7‑1. View Agent Custom Setup Options for an RDS Host in an IPv4 Environment

Option

Description

USB Redirection

Gives users access to locally connected USB storage devices.
Specifically, redirection of USB flash drives and hard disks is supported in RDS
desktops and applications. Redirection of other types of USB devices, and other
types of USB storage devices such as security storage drives and USB CD-ROM,
is not supported in RDS desktops and applications.
This setup option is not selected by default. You must select the option to install
it. This option is available on RDS hosts that run Windows Server 2012 or 2012
R2 but not Windows Server 2008 R2.
For guidance on using USB redirection securely, see the View Security guide. For
example, you can use group policy settings to disable USB redirection for
specific users.

HTML Access

Allows users to connect to View desktops by using HTML Access. The
HTML Access Agent must be installed on View desktops to allow users to
make connections with HTML Access

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 7 Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts

Table 7‑1. View Agent Custom Setup Options for an RDS Host in an IPv4 Environment (Continued)
Option

Description

Virtual Printing

Lets users print to any printer available on their client computers. Users do not
have to install additional drivers on their desktops.
In Horizon 6.0.1 and later, virtual printing is supported on the following remote
desktops and applications:
n Desktops that are deployed on single-user machines, including Windows
Desktop and Windows Server machines
n Desktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the RDS hosts are virtual
machines
Hosted
Apps
n
Hosted
Apps
that are launched from Horizon Client inside remote
n
desktops
In Horizon 6.0 and earlier, virtual printing is supported on desktops that are
deployed on single-user, Windows Desktop machines.
The virtual printing feature is supported only when you install it from View
Agent. It is not supported if you install it with VMware Tools.

vRealize Operations Desktop Agent

Lets vRealize Operations Manager work with
vRealize Operations Manager for Horizon.

Scanner Redirection

Redirects scanning devices that are connected to the client system so that they
can be used on the RDS desktop or application.
You must install the Desktop Experience feature in the Windows Server
operating system on the RDS hosts to make this option available in the View
Agent installer.
This setup option is not installed by default on Windows Server guest operating
systems. You must select the option to install it.
Scanner redirection is available in Horizon 6.0.2 and later releases.

In an IPv6 environment, there are no optional features.
Table 7‑2. View Agent Features That Are Installed Automatically on an RDS Host
Option

Description

PCoIP Agent

Allows users to connect to applications and RDS desktops using the PCoIP
display protocol.
You must install this component if you plan to create application pools because
users can only connect to applications using PCoIP.

Unity Touch

Allows tablet and smart phone users to interact with Windows applications
that run on the remote desktop. Users can browse, search, and open Windows
applications and files, choose favorite applications and files, and switch
between running applications without using the Start menu or Taskbar.

PSG Agent

Installs the PCoIP Secure Gateway on RDS hosts to implement the PCoIP
display protocol for desktop and application sessions that run on RDS hosts.

VMwareRDS

Provides the VMware implementation of Remote Desktop Services
functionality.

In an IPv6 environment, the automatically installed features are PCoIP Agent, PSG Agent, and
VMwareRDS.
For additional features that are supported on RDS hosts, see "Feature Support Matrix for View Agent" in the
View Architecture Planning document.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Enable Time Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application
Sessions
If an RDS host is in one time zone and a user is in another time zone, by default, when the user connects to
an RDS desktop, the desktop displays time that is in the time zone of the RDS host. You can enable the Time
Zone Redirection group policy setting to make the RDS desktop display time in the local time zone. This
policy setting applies to application sessions as well.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that the Group Policy Management feature is available on your Active Directory server.
The steps for opening the Group Policy Management Console differ in the Windows 2012, Windows
2008, and Windows 2003 Active Directory versions. See “Create GPOs for View Group Policies,” on
page 240.

Verify that the View RDS ADMX files are added to Active Directory. See “Add the Remote Desktop
Services ADMX Files to Active Directory,” on page 226.

Familiarize yourself with the group policy settings. See “RDS Device and Resource Redirection
Settings,” on page 228.

Procedure
1

On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.

Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.

Right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.

In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Policies >
Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Horizon View RDSH Services > Remote
Desktop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection.

Enable the setting Allow time zone redirection.

Enable Windows Basic Theme for Applications
If a user has never connected to a desktop on an RDS host, and the user launches an application that is
hosted on the RDS host, the Windows basic theme is not applied to the application even if a GPO setting is
configured to load the Aero-styled theme. View does not support the Aero-styled theme but supports the
Windows basic theme. To make the Windows basic theme apply to the application, you must configure
another GPO setting.
Prerequisites
n

Procedure

On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.

Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.

Right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.

In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to User Configuration > Policies > Administrative
Templates > Control Panel > Personalization.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 7 Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts

Enable the setting Force a specific visual style file or force Windows classic and set the Path to Visual
Style as %windir%\resources\Themes\Aero\aero.msstyles.

Configure Group Policy to Start Runonce.exe
By default, some applications that rely on the Explorer.exe file may not run in an application session. To
avoid this issue, you must configure a GPO setting to start runonce.exe.
Prerequisites
n

Procedure
1

On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.

Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.

Right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.

In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to User Configuration > Policies > Windows
Settings > Scripts (Logon/Logoff).

Double-click Logon and click Add.

In the Script Name box, type runonce.exe.

In the Script Parameters box, type /AlternateShellStartup.

RDS Host Performance Options
You can optimize Windows for either foreground programs or background services by setting performance
options. By default, View disables certain performance options for RDS hosts for all supported versions of
Windows Server.
The following table shows the performance options that are disabled by View.
Table 7‑3. Performance Options Disabled by View
Performance Options Disabled by View
Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing
Show shadows under mouse pointer
Show shadows under windows
Use drop shadow for icon labels on the desktop
Show windows contents while dragging

The five performance options that are disabled by View correspond to four View settings in the registry. The
following table shows the View settings and their default registry values. The registry values are all located
in the registry subkey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Agent\Configuration. You
can re-enable the performance options by setting one or more of the View registry values to false.
Table 7‑4. View Settings Related to Windows Performance Options
View Setting

Registry Value

Disable cursor shadow

DisableMouseShadows

Disable full window drag

DisableFullWindowDrag

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 7‑4. View Settings Related to Windows Performance Options (Continued)

View Setting

Registry Value

Disable ListView shadow

DisableListViewShadow

Disable Window Animation

DisableWindowAnimation

VMware, Inc.

Creating Farms

A farm is a group of RDS hosts that provides a common set of applications or RDS desktops to users.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Farms,” on page 95

“Worksheet for Creating a Farm,” on page 96

“Create a Farm,” on page 97

Farms
Farms simplify the task of managing RDS hosts, RDS desktops, and applications in an enterprise. You can
create farms to serve groups of users that vary in size or have different desktop or application requirements.
When you create an application pool or an RDS desktop pool, you must specify one and only one farm. The
RDS hosts in a farm can host RDS desktops, applications, or both. A farm can support at most one RDS
desktop pool, but it can support multiple application pools. A farm can support both types of pools
simultaneously.
Farms provide the following conveniences:
n

Load balancing
By default, View balances the load of the RDS desktop sessions and the application sessions across all
the RDS hosts in the farm.

Redundancy
If one RDS host in a farm is offline, the other RDS hosts in the farm continue to provide applications
and desktops to users.

Scalability
A farm can have a variable number of RDS hosts. You can create farms with different numbers of RDS
hosts to serve user groups of different sizes.

Farms have the following properties:
n

A View pod can have a maximum of 200 farms.

A farm can have a maximum of 200 RDS hosts.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

The RDS hosts in a farm can run any supported version of Windows Server. See "System Requirements
for Guest Operating Systems" in the View Installation document.

IMPORTANT Microsoft recommends that you configure roaming profiles for users separately for each farm.
The profiles should not be shared between farms or users' physical desktops since profile corruption and
data loss may occur if a user is simultaneously logged in to two machines that load the same profile.

Worksheet for Creating a Farm
When you create a farm, the Add Farm wizard prompts you to configure certain options.
You can print this worksheet and write down the values you want to specify when you run the Add Farm
wizard.
Table 8‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Farm

Option

Description

Unique name that identifies the farm
in View Administrator.

Description

Description of this farm.

Access group

Access group in which to place all the
pools in this farm.
If you use an access group, you can
delegate managing the pool to an
administrator who has a specific role.
For details, see the role-based
delegated administration chapter in
the View Administration document.

Default display protocol

Select PCoIP or RDP. This setting
applies to desktop pools only. The
display protocol for application pools
is always PCoIP. If you select RDP
and you plan to use this farm to host
application pools, you must set the
Allow users to choose protocol
option to Yes . The default is PCoIP.

Allow users to choose protocol

Select Yes or No. This option applies
to RDS desktop pools only. If you
select Yes, you allow users to choose
the display protocol when they
connect to an RDS desktop from
Horizon Client. The default is Yes.

Empty session timeout (applications
only)

Determines the amount of time that
an empty application session is kept
open. An application session is
empty when all the applications that
run in the session are closed. While
the session is open, users can open
applications faster. You can save
system resources if you disconnect or
log off empty application sessions.
Select Never or set the number of
minutes as the timeout value. The
default is After 1 minute.

Fill in Your Value Here

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 8 Creating Farms

Table 8‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Farm (Continued)
Option

Description

When timeout occurs

Determines whether an empty
application session is disconnected or
logged off after the Empty session
timeout limit is reached. Select
Disconnect or Log off. A session that
is logged off frees up resources, but
opening an application takes longer.
The default is Disconnect.

Log off disconnected session

Determines when a disconnected
session is logged off. This setting
applies to both desktop and
application sessions. Select Never,
Immediate, or After ... minutes. Use
caution when you select Immediate
or After ... minutes. When a
disconnected session is logged off,
the session is lost. The default is
Never.

Allow HTML Access to desktops on
this farm

Determines whether HTML Access to
RDS desktops is allowed. Check the
Enabled box to allow HTML Access
to RDS desktops. When you edit this
setting after a farm is created, the
new value applies to existing
desktops as well as new desktops.

Fill in Your Value Here

Create a Farm
You create a farm as part of the process to give users access to applications or RDS desktops.
Prerequisites
n

Set up the RDS hosts that belong to the farm. See Chapter 7, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services
Hosts,” on page 85.

Verify that all the RDS hosts have the Available status. In View Administrator, select View
Configuration > Registered Machines and check the status of each RDS host on the RDS Hosts tab.

Gather the configuration information you must provide to create the farm. See “Worksheet for Creating
a Farm,” on page 96.

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, click Resources > Farms.

Click Add to enter the configuration information that you gathered in the worksheet.

Specify settings for the farm and click Next.

Select the RDS hosts to add to the farm and click Next.

Click Finish.

In View Administrator, you can now view the farm by clicking Resources > Farms.
What to do next
Create an application pool or an RDS desktop pool. See Chapter 9, “Creating Application Pools,”
on page 99 or Chapter 10, “Creating RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 101.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

VMware, Inc.

Creating Application Pools

One of the tasks that you perform to give users remote access to an application is to create an application
pool. Users who are entitled to an application pool can access the application remotely from a variety of
client devices.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Application Pools,” on page 99

“Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually,” on page 99

“Create an Application Pool,” on page 100

Application Pools
With application pools, you can deliver a single application to many users. The application runs on a farm
of RDS hosts.
When you create an application pool, you deploy an application in the data center that users can access from
anywhere on the network. For an introduction to application pools, see “Farms, RDS Hosts, and Desktop
and Application Pools,” on page 9.
An application pool has a single application and is associated with a single farm. To avoid errors, you must
install the application on all of the RDS hosts in the farm.
When you create an application pool, View automatically displays the applications that are available to all
users rather than individual users from the Start menu on all the RDS hosts in the farm. You can select one
or more applications from the list. If you select multiple applications from the list, a separate application
pool is created for each application. You can also manually specify an application that is not on the list. If an
application that you want to manually specify is not already installed, View displays a warning message.
When you create an application pool, you cannot specify the access group in which to place the pool. For
application pools and RDS desktop pools, you specify the access group when you create a farm.

Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually
When you create an application pool and manually specify an application, the Add Application Pools
wizard prompts you for information about the application. It is not a requirement that the application is
already installed on any RDS host.
You can print this worksheet and write down the properties of an application when you specify the
application manually.

VMware, Inc.

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 9‑1. Worksheet: Application Properties for Creating an Application Pool Manually
Property

Description

Unique name that identifies the pool in View
Administrator. This field is required.

Display Name

Pool name that users see when they log in to
Horizon Client. If you do not specify a display
name, it will be the same as ID.

Version

Version of the application.

Publisher

Publisher of the application.

Path

Full pathname of the application. For example,
C:\Program Files\app1.exe. This field is
required.

Start Folder

Full pathname of the starting directory for the
application.

Parameters

Parameters to pass to the application when it
starts. For example, you can specify username user1 -loglevel 3.

Description

Description of this application pool.

Fill in Your Value Here

Create an Application Pool
You create an application pool as part of the process to give users access to an application that runs on RDS
hosts.
Prerequisites
n

Set up RDS hosts. See Chapter 7, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 85.

Create a farm that contains the RDS hosts. See Chapter 8, “Creating Farms,” on page 95.

If you plan to add the application pool manually, gather information about the application. See
“Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually,” on page 99.

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, click Catalog > Application Pools.

Click Add.

Follow the prompts in the wizard to create the pool.
If you choose to add an application pool manually, use the configuration information you gathered in
the worksheet. If you select applications from the list that View Administrator displays, you can select
multiple applications. A separate pool is created for each application.

In View Administrator, you can now view the application pool by clicking Catalog > Application Pools.
What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See Chapter 12, “Entitling Users and Groups,” on page 133.
Make sure that your end users have access to Horizon Client 3.0 or later software, which is required to
support RDS applications.

100

VMware, Inc.

Creating RDS Desktop Pools

One of the tasks that you perform to give users remote access to session-based desktops is to create a
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) desktop pool. An RDS desktop pool has properties that can satisfy some
specific needs of a remote desktop deployment.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Understanding RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 101

“Create an RDS Desktop Pool,” on page 102

“Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 102

“Configure Adobe Flash Throttling with Internet Explorer for RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 103

Understanding RDS Desktop Pools
An RDS desktop pool is one of three types of desktop pools that you can create. This type of pool was
known as a Microsoft Terminal Services pool in previous View releases.
An RDS desktop pool and an RDS desktop have the following characteristics:
n

An RDS desktop pool is associated with a farm, which is a group of RDS hosts. Each RDS host is a
Windows server that can host multiple RDS desktops.

An RDS desktop is based on a session to an RDS host. In contrast, a desktop in an automated desktop
pool is based on a virtual machine, and a desktop in a manual desktop pool is based on a virtual or
physical machine.

An RDS desktop supports the RDP, PCoIP, and HTML Access display protocols. To enable HTML
Access, see "Make Desktops from RDS Hosts Available in HTML Access" in the chapter "Configuring
HTML Access for End Users" in the Using HTML Access document, available from
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.

An RDS desktop pool is only supported on Windows Server operating systems that support the RDS
role and are supported by View. See "System Requirements for Guest Operating Systems" in the View
Installation document.

View provides load balancing of the RDS hosts in a farm by directing connection requests to the RDS
host that has the least number of active sessions.

Because an RDS desktop pool provides session-based desktops, it does not support operations that are
specific to a linked-clone desktop pool, such as refresh, recompose, and rebalance.

If an RDS host is a virtual machine that is managed by vCenter Server, you can use snapshots as base
images. You can use vCenter Server to manage the snapshots. The use of snapshots on RDS host virtual
machines is transparent to View.

VMware, Inc.

101

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

RDS desktops do not support View Persona Management.

The copy and paste feature is disabled by default for HTML Access. To enable the feature, see "HTML
Access Group Policy Settings" in the chapter "Configuring HTML Access for End Users" in the Using
HTML Access document, available from
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.

Create an RDS Desktop Pool
You create an RDS desktop pool as part of the process to give users access to RDS desktops.
Prerequisites
n

Set up RDS hosts. See Chapter 7, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 85.

Create a farm that contains the RDS hosts. See Chapter 8, “Creating Farms,” on page 95.

Decide how to configure the pool settings. See “Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools,” on
page 102.

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Click Add.

Select RDS Desktop Pool.

Provide a pool ID, display name, and description.
The pool ID is the unique name that identifies the pool in View Administrator. The display name is the
name of the RDS desktop pool that users see when they log in to Horizon Client. If you do not specify a
display name, it will be the same as the pool ID.

Select pool settings.

Select or create a farm for this pool.

In View Administrator, you can now view the RDS desktop pool by selecting Catalog > Desktop Pools.
What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See “Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 133.
Make sure that your end users have access to Horizon Client 3.0 or later software, which is required to
support RDS desktop pools.

Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools
You can specify certain pool settings when you create an RDS desktop pool. Not all pool settings apply to all
types of desktop pools.
For descriptions of all pool settings, see “Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113.
The following pool settings apply to an RDS desktop pool.
Table 10‑1. Settings for an RDS Desktop Pool

102

Setting

Default Value

State

Enabled

Connection Server restrictions

None

Adobe Flash quality

Do not control

Adobe Flash throttling

Disabled

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 10 Creating RDS Desktop Pools

Configure Adobe Flash Throttling with Internet Explorer for RDS
Desktop Pools
To ensure that Adobe Flash throttling works with Internet Explorer in RDS desktops, users must enable
third-party browser extensions.
Procedure
1

Start Horizon Client and log in to a user's desktop.

In Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options.

Click the Advanced tab, select Enable third-party browser extensions, and click OK.

Restart Internet Explorer.

VMware, Inc.

103

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

104

VMware, Inc.

Provisioning Desktop Pools

When you create a desktop pool, you select configuration options that determine how the pool is managed
and how users interact with the desktops.
These provisioning tasks apply to desktop pools that are deployed on single-user machines. They do not
apply to RDS desktop pools. However, the Adobe Flash quality and throttling settings apply to all types of
desktop pools, including RDS.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“User Assignment in Desktop Pools,” on page 105

“Naming Machines Manually or Providing a Naming Pattern,” on page 106

“Manually Customizing Machines,” on page 111

“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 113

“Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling,” on page 116

“Setting Power Policies for Desktop Pools,” on page 117

“Configuring 3D Rendering for Desktops,” on page 122

“Prevent Access to View Desktops Through RDP,” on page 129

“Deploying Large Desktop Pools,” on page 130

User Assignment in Desktop Pools
You can configure a desktop pool so that users have dedicated assignments or floating assignments to the
machines in the pool. You must choose a user assignment for automated pools that contain full virtual
machines, automated linked-clone pools, and manual pools.
With a dedicated assignment, View assigns each entitled user to one machine in the pool. When a user
connects to the pool, the user always logs in to the same machine. The user's settings and data are saved
between sessions. No other user in the pool can access the machine.
With a floating assignment, View dynamically assigns machines in the pool to entitled users. Users connect
to a different machine each time they log in. When a user logs off, the machine is returned to the pool.
You can configure floating-assignment machines to be deleted when users log off. Automatic deletion lets
you keep only as many virtual machines as you need at one time. You can use automatic deletion only in
automated pools that you provision with a machine-naming pattern and a total number of machines.
Floating-assignment machines let you reduce software licensing costs.

VMware, Inc.

105

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Naming Machines Manually or Providing a Naming Pattern
You can provision the machines in an automated pool by manually specifying a list of machine names or by
providing a naming pattern and the number of machines you want in the pool. These two approaches offer
different advantages.
If you name machines by specifying a list, you can use your company's naming scheme, and you can
associate each machine name with a user.
If you provide a naming pattern, View can dynamically create and assign machines as users need them.
You must use one of these naming methods to provision automated pools that contain full virtual machines
or linked clones.
Table 11-1 compares the two naming methods, showing how each method affects the way you create and
administer a desktop pool.
Table 11‑1. Naming machines Manually or Providing a machine-Naming Pattern

106

Feature

Providing a Machine-Naming Pattern

Naming Machines Manually

Machine names

View generates machine names.
You provide a naming pattern. View adds
a unique number to identify each
machine.
For details, see “Using a Naming Pattern
for Automated Desktop Pools,” on
page 108.

You specify a list of machine names.
In a dedicated-assignment pool, you
can pair users with machines by listing
user names with the machine names.
For details, see “Specify a List of
Machine Names,” on page 107.

Pool size

You specify a maximum number of
machines.

Your list of machine names determines
the number of machines.

To add machines to the pool

You can increase the maximum pool size.

You can add machine names to the list.
For details, see “Add Machines to an
Automated Pool Provisioned by a List
of Names,” on page 110.

On-demand provisioning

Available.
View dynamically creates and provisions
the specified minimum and spare number
of machines as users first log in or as you
assign machines to users.
View can also create and provision all the
machines when you create the pool.

Not available.
View creates and provisions all the
machines that you specify in your list
when the pool is created.

Initial customization

Available.
When a machine is provisioned, View can
run a customization specification that you
select.

Available.
When a machine is provisioned, View
can run a customization specification
that you select.

Manual customization of
dedicated machines

To customize machines and return
desktop access to your users, you must
remove and reassign the ownership of
each machine. Depending on whether
you assign machines on first log in, you
might have to perform these steps twice.
You cannot start machines in
maintenance mode. After the pool is
created, you can manually put the
machines into maintenance mode.

You can customize and test machines
without having to reassign ownership.
When you create the pool, you can
start all machines in maintenance
mode to prevent users from accessing
them. You can customize the machines
and exit maintenance mode to return
access to your users.
For details, see “Manually
Customizing Machines,” on page 111.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Table 11‑1. Naming machines Manually or Providing a machine-Naming Pattern (Continued)
Feature

Providing a Machine-Naming Pattern

Naming Machines Manually

Dynamic or fixed pool size

Dynamic.
If you remove a user assignment from a
machine in a dedicated-assignment pool,
the machine is returned to the pool of
available machines.
If you choose to delete machines on logoff
in a floating-assignment pool, the pool
size can grow or shrink depending on the
number of active user sessions.

Fixed.
The pool contains the number of
machines you provide in the list of
machine names.
You cannot select the Delete machine
on logoff setting if you name
machines manually.

Spare machines

You can specify a number of spare
machines that View keeps powered on for
new users.
View creates new machines to maintain
the specified number. View stops creating
spare machines when it reaches the
maximum pool size.
View keeps the spare machines powered
on even when the pool power policy is
Power off or Suspend, or when you do
not set a power policy.

You can specify a number of spare
machines that View keeps powered on
for new users.
View does not create new spare
machines to maintain the specified
number.
View keeps the spare machines
powered on even when the pool
power policy is Power off or Suspend,
or when you do not set a power policy.

User assignment

You can use a naming pattern for
dedicated-assignment and floatingassignment pools.

You can specify machine names for
dedicated-assignment and floatingassignment pools.
NOTE In a floating-assignment pool,
you cannot associate user names with
machine names. The machines are not
dedicated to the associated users. In a
floating-assignment pool, all machines
that are not currently in use remain
accessible to any user who logs in.

Specify a List of Machine Names
You can provision an automated desktop pool by manually specifying a list of machine names. This naming
method lets you use your company's naming conventions to identify the machines in a pool.
When you explicitly specify machine names, users can see familiar names based on their company's
organization when they log in to their remote desktops.
Follow these guidelines for manually specifying machine names:
n

Type each machine name on a separate line.

A machine name can have up to 15 alphanumeric characters.

You can add a user name to each machine entry. Use a comma to separate the user name from the
machine name.

In this example, two machines are specified. The second machine is associated with a user:
Desktop-001
Desktop-002,abccorp.com\jdoe

VMware, Inc.

107

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Prerequisites
Make sure that each machine name is unique. You cannot use the names of existing virtual machines in
vCenter Server.
Procedure
1

Create a text file that contains the list of machine names.
If you intend to create a desktop pool with only a few machines, you can type the machine names
directly in the Add Desktop Pool wizard. You do not have to create a separate text file.

In View Administrator start the Add Desktop Pool wizard to begin creating an automated desktop
pool.

On the Provisioning Settings page, select Specify names manually and click Enter names.

Copy your list of machine names in the Enter Machine Names page and click Next.
The Enter Machine Names wizard displays the desktop list and indicates validation errors with a red !.

Correct invalid machine names.
a

Place your cursor over an invalid name to display the related error message at the bottom of the
page.

Click Back.

Edit the incorrect names and click Next.

Click Finish.

(Optional) Select Start machines in maintenance mode.
This option lets you customize the machines before users can log in and use them.

Follow the prompts in the wizard to finish creating the desktop pool.

View creates a machine for each name in the list. When an entry includes a machine and user name, View
assigns the machine to that user.
After the desktop pool is created, you can add machines by importing another list file that contains
additional machine names and users. See "Add Machines to an Automated Pool Provisioned by a List of
Names" in the View Administration document.

Using a Naming Pattern for Automated Desktop Pools
You can provision the machines in a pool by providing a naming pattern and the total number of machines
you want in the pool. By default, View uses your pattern as a prefix in all the machine names and appends a
unique number to identify each machine.

Length of the Naming Pattern in a Machine Name
Machine names have a 15-character limit, including your naming pattern and the automatically generated
number.

108

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Table 11‑2. Maximum Length of the Naming Pattern in a Machine Name
If You Set This Number of Machines in the Pool

This Is the Maximum Prefix Length

1-99

13 characters

100-999

12 characters

1,000 or more

11 characters

Names that contain fixed-length tokens have different length limits. See “Length of the Naming Pattern
When You Use a Fixed-Length Token,” on page 109.

Using a Token in a Machine Name
You can place the automatically generated number anywhere else in the name by using a token. When you
type the pool name, type n surrounded by curly brackets to designate the token.
For example: amber-{n}-desktop
When View creates a machine, View replaces {n} with a unique number.
You can generate a fixed-length token by typing {n:fixed=number of digits}.
View replaces the token with numbers containing the specified number of digits.
For example, if you type amber-{n:fixed=3}, View replaces {n:fixed=3} with a three-digit number and
creates these machine names: amber-001, amber-002, amber-003, and so on.

Length of the Naming Pattern When You Use a Fixed-Length Token
Names that contain fixed-length tokens have a 15-character limit, including your naming pattern and the
number of digits in the token.
Table 11‑3. Maximum Length of the Naming Pattern When You Use a Fixed-Length Token
Fixed-Length Token

Maximum Length of the Naming Pattern

{n:fixed=1}

14 characters

{n:fixed=2}

13 characters

{n:fixed=3}

12 characters

Machine-Naming Example
This example shows how to create two automated desktop pools that use the same machine names, but
different sets of numbers. The strategies that are used in this example achieve a specific user objective and
show the flexibility of the machine-naming methods.
The objective is to create two pools with the same naming convention such as VDIABC-XX, where XX
represents a number. Each pool has a different set of sequential numbers. For example, the first pool might
contain machines VDIABC-01 through VDIABC-10. The second pool contains machines VDIABC-11
through VDIABC-20.
You can use either machine-naming method to satisfy this objective.
n

To create fixed sets of machines at one time, specify machine names manually.

To create machines dynamically when users log in for the first time, provide a naming pattern and use a
token to designate the sequential numbers.

Specifying the Names Manually
1

VMware, Inc.

Prepare a text file for the first pool that contains a list of machine names from VDIABC-01 through
VDIABC-10.

109

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

In View Administrator, create the pool and specify machine names manually.

Click Enter Names and copy your list into the Enter Machine Names list box.

Repeat these steps for the second pool, using the names VDIABC-11 through VDIABC-20.

For detailed instructions, see “Specify a List of Machine Names,” on page 107.
You can add machines to each pool after it is created. For example, you can add machines VDIABC-21
through VDIABC-30 to the first pool, and VDIABC-31 through VDIABC-40 to the second pool. See “Add
Machines to an Automated Pool Provisioned by a List of Names,” on page 110.

Providing a Naming Pattern With a Token
1

In View Administrator, create the first pool and use a naming pattern to provision the machine names.

In the naming-pattern text box, type VDIABC-0{n}.

Limit the pool's maximum size to 9.

Repeat these steps for the second pool, but in the naming-pattern text box, type VDIABC-1{n}.

The first pool contains machines VDIABC-01 through VDIABC-09. The second pool contains machines
VDIABC-11 through VDIABC-19.
Alternatively, you can configure the pools to contain up to 99 machines each by using a fixed-length token
of 2 digits:
n

For the first pool, type VDIABC-0{n:fixed=2}.

For the second pool, type VDIABC-1{n:fixed=2}.

Limit each pool's maximum size to 99. This configuration produces machines that contain a 3-digit
sequential naming pattern.
First pool:
VDIABC-001
VDIABC-002
VDIABC-003

Second pool:
VDIABC-101
VDIABC-102
VDIABC-103

For details about naming patterns and tokens, see “Using a Naming Pattern for Automated Desktop Pools,”
on page 108.

Add Machines to an Automated Pool Provisioned by a List of Names
To add machines to an automated desktop pool provisioned by manually specifying machine names, you
provide another list of new machine names. This feature lets you expand a desktop pool and continue to use
your company's naming conventions.
Follow these guidelines for manually adding machine names:

110

Type each machine name on a separate line.

A machine name can have up to 15 alphanumeric characters.

You can add a user name to each machine entry. Use a comma to separate the user name from the
machine name.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

In this example, two machines are added. The second machine is associated with a user:
Desktop-001
Desktop-002,abccorp.com/jdoe

NOTE In a floating-assignment pool, you cannot associate user names with machine names. The machines
are not dedicated to the associated users. In a floating-assignment pool, all machines that are not currently
in use remain accessible to any user who logs in.
Prerequisites
Verify that you created the desktop pool by manually specifying machine names. You cannot add machines
by providing new machine names if you created the pool by providing a naming pattern.
Procedure
1

Create a text file that contains the list of additional machine names.
If you intend to add only a few machines, you can type the machine names directly in the Add Desktop
Pool wizard. You do not have to create a separate text file.

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Select the desktop pool to be expanded.

Click Edit.

Click the Provisioning Settings tab.

Click Add Machines.

Copy your list of machine names in the Enter Machine Names page and click Next.
The Enter Machine Names wizard displays the machine list and indicates validation errors with a red
X.

Correct invalid machine names.
a

Place your cursor over an invalid name to display the related error message at the bottom of the
page.

Click Back.

Edit the incorrect names and click Next.

Click Finish.

Click OK.

View adds the new machines to the pool.
In vCenter Server, you can monitor the creation of the new virtual machines.
In View Administrator, you can view the machines as they are added to the desktop pool by selecting
Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Manually Customizing Machines
After you create an automated pool, you can customize particular machines without reassigning ownership.
By starting the machines in maintenance mode, you can modify and test the machines before you release
them to their assigned users or make them available to all entitled users in the pool.

VMware, Inc.

111

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Customizing Machines in Maintenance Mode
Maintenance mode prevents users from accessing their desktops. If you start machines in maintenance
mode, View places each machine in maintenance mode when the machine is created.
In a dedicated-assignment pool, you can use maintenance mode to log in to a machine without having to
reassign ownership to your own administrator account. When you finish the customization, you do not
have to return ownership to the user assigned to the machine.
In a floating-assignment pool, you can test machines in maintenance mode before you let users log in.
To perform the same customization on all machines in an automated pool, customize the virtual machine
you prepare as a template or parent. View deploys your customization to all the machines. When you create
the pool, you can also use a Sysprep customization specification to configure all the machines with licensing,
domain attachment, DHCP settings, and other computer properties.
NOTE You can start machines in maintenance mode if you manually specify machine names for the pool,
not if you name machines by providing a naming pattern.

Customize Individual Machines
You can customize individual machines after a pool is created by starting the machines in maintenance
mode.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, begin creating an automated desktop pool by starting the Add Desktop Pool
wizard.

On the Provisioning Settings page, select Specify names manually.

Select Start machines in maintenance mode.

Complete the Add Desktop Pool wizard to finish creating the desktop pool.

In vCenter Server, log in, customize, and test the individual virtual machines.
You can customize the machines manually or by using standard Windows systems-management
software such as Altiris, SMS, LanDesk, or BMC.

In View Administrator, select the desktop pool.

Use the filter tool to select specific machines to release to your users.

Click More Commands > Exit Maintenance Mode.

What to do next
Notify your users that they can log in to their desktops.

112

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types
You must specify machine and desktop pool settings when you configure automated pools that contain full
virtual machines, linked-clone desktop pools, manual desktop pools, and RDS desktop pools. Not all
settings apply to all types of desktop pools.
Table 11‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions
Setting

Options

State

n
n

Enabled. After being created, the desktop pool is enabled and ready for immediate use.
Disabled. After being created, the desktop pool is disabled and unavailable for use, and
provisioning is stopped for the pool. This is an appropriate setting if you want to conduct post
deployment activities such as testing or other forms of baseline maintenance.
When this state is in effect, remote desktops are unavailable for use.

Connection Server
restrictions

None. The desktop pool can be accessed by any View Connection Server instance.
With tags. Select one or more View Connection Server tags to make the desktop pool
accessible only to View Connection Server instances that have those tags. You can use the
check boxes to select multiple tags.
If you intend to provide access to your desktops through Workspace Portal, and you configure
View Connection Server restrictions, the Workspace App Portal might display desktops to users
when those desktops are actually restricted. Workspace Portal users will be unable to launch these
desktops.

n
n

Remote machine
power policy

Determines how a virtual machine behaves when the user logs off of the associated desktop.
For descriptions of the power-policy options, see “Power Policies for Desktop Pools,” on
page 117.
For more information about how power policies affect automated pools, see “Setting Power
Policies for Desktop Pools,” on page 117.

Automatically logoff
after disconnect

n
n
n

Immediately. Users are logged off as soon as they disconnect.
Never. Users are never logged off.
After. The time after which users are logged off when they disconnect. Type the duration in
minutes.
The log off time applies to future disconnections. If a desktop session was already
disconnected when you set a log off time, the log off duration for that user starts when you set
the log off time, not when the session was originally disconnected. For example, if you set this
value to five minutes, and a session was disconnected 10 minutes earlier, View will log off
that session five minutes after you set the value.

Allow users to reset
their machines

Allow users to reset their own desktops without administrative assistance.

Allow user to
initiate separate
sessions from
different client
devices

When this setting is selected, a user connecting to the same desktop pool from different client
devices will get different desktop sessions. The user can only reconnect to an existing session from
the client device where that session was initiated. When this setting is not selected, the user will
be reconnected to his or her existing session no matter which client device is used.

Delete machine after
logoff

Select whether to delete floating-assignment, full virtual machines.
No. Virtual machines remain in the desktop pool after users log off.
n Yes. Virtual machines are powered off and deleted as soon as users log off.

Delete or refresh
machine on logoff

Select whether to delete, refresh, or leave alone floating-assignment, linked-clone virtual
machines.
n Never. Virtual machines remain in the pool and are not refreshed after users log off.
n Delete immediately. Virtual machines are powered off and deleted as soon as users log off.
When users log off, virtual machines immediately go into a Deleting state.

VMware, Inc.

Refresh immediately. Virtual machines are refreshed as soon as users log off. When users log
off, virtual machines immediately go into maintenance mode to prevent other users from
logging in as the refresh operation begins.

113

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 11‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions (Continued)
Setting

Options

Refresh OS disk
after logoff

Select whether and when to refresh the OS disks for dedicated-assignment, linked-clone virtual
machines.
n Never. The OS disk is never refreshed.
n Always. The OS disk is refreshed every time the user logs off.
n Every. The OS disk is refreshed at regular intervals of a specified number of days. Type the
number of days.

The number of days is counted from the last refresh, or from the initial provisioning if no
refresh has occurred yet. For example, if the specified value is 3 days, and three days have
passed since the last refresh, the machine is refreshed after the user logs off.
At. The OS disk is refreshed when its current size reaches a specified percentage of its
maximum allowable size. The maximum size of a linked clone's OS disk is the size of the
replica's OS disk. Type the percentage at which refresh operations occur.

With the At option, the size of the linked clone's OS disk in the datastore is compared to its
maximum allowable size. This disk-utilization percentage does not reflect disk usage that you
might see inside the machine's guest operating system.
When you refresh the OS disks in a linked-clone pool with dedicated assignment, the View
Composer persistent disks are not affected.
Default display
protocol

114

Select the display protocol that you want View Connection Server to use to communicate with
clients.
PCoIP

The default option wherever it is supported. PCoIP is supported as
the display protocol for virtual and physical machines that have
Teradici hardware. PCoIP provides an optimized PC experience for
the delivery of images, audio, and video content for a wide range of
users on the LAN or across the WAN.

Microsoft RDP

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) uses RDP to transmit
data. RDP is a multichannel protocol that allows a user to connect to
a computer remotely.

Allow users to
choose protocol

Allow users to override the default display protocol for their desktops by using Horizon Client.

3D Renderer

You can select whether to enable 3D graphics rendering if your pool comprises Windows 7 or
later desktops. You can configure the 3D Renderer to use software rendering or hardware
rendering based on physical GPU graphics cards installed on ESXi 5.1 or later hosts.
To enable this feature, you must select PCoIP as the protocol and disable the Allow users to
choose protocol setting (select No).
With the hardware-based 3D Renderer options, users can take advantage of graphics applications
for design, modeling, and multimedia. With the software 3D Renderer option, users can take
advantage of graphics enhancements in less demanding applications such as AERO, Microsoft
Office, and Google Earth. For system requirements, see “Configuring 3D Rendering for
Desktops,” on page 122.
If your View deployment does not run on vSphere 5.0 or later, this setting is not available and is
inactive in View Administrator.
When you select this feature, you can configure the amount of VRAM that is assigned to machines
in the pool. You can select at most two monitors for your machines that are used as remote
desktops. The Maximum resolution of any one monitor is set to 1920x1200 pixels. You cannot
configure this value.
NOTE When you configure or edit this setting, you must power off existing virtual machines,
verify that the machines are reconfigured in vCenter Server, and power on the machines to cause
the new setting to take effect. Restarting a virtual machine does not cause the new setting to take
effect.
For more information, see “Configuring 3D Rendering for Desktops,” on page 122, “3D Renderer
Options,” on page 124. and “Best Practices for Configuring 3D Rendering,” on page 126.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Table 11‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions (Continued)
Setting

Options

Max number of
monitors

If you use PCoIP as the display protocol, you can select the Maximum number of monitors on
which users can display the desktop.
When the 3D Renderer setting is not selected, the Max number of monitors setting affects the
amount of VRAM that is assigned to machines in the pool. When you increase the number of
monitors, more memory is consumed on the associated ESXi hosts.
When the 3D Renderer setting is selected, you can select at most two monitors.
NOTE You must power off and on existing virtual machines for this setting to take effect.
Restarting a virtual machine does not cause the setting to take effect.

Max resolution of
any one monitor

If you use PCoIP as the display protocol and you do not select the 3D Renderer setting, you
should specify the Maximum resolution of any one monitor.
When the 3D Renderer setting is not selected, the Max resolution of any one monitor setting
affects the amount of VRAM that is assigned to machines in the pool. When you increase the
resolution, more memory is consumed on the associated ESXi hosts.
When the 3D Renderer setting is selected, you cannot change the Maximum resolution of any
one monitor. The resolution is set to 1920x1200 pixels.
NOTE You must power off and on existing virtual machines for this setting to take effect.
Restarting a virtual machine does not cause the setting to take effect.

HTML Access

Select Enabled to allow users to connect to remote desktops from within their Web browsers.
When a user logs in through the VMware Horizon Web portal page or the Workspace App Portal
and selects a remote desktop, the HTML Access agent enables the user to connect to the desktop
over HTTPS. The desktop is displayed in the user's browser. Other display protocols, such as
PCoIP or RDP, are not used. Horizon Client software does not have to be installed on the client
devices.
To use HTML Access, you must install HTML Access in your View deployment. For more
information, see Using HTML Access, available from
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
To use HTML Access with Workspace Portal, you must pair View Connection Server with a
SAML Authentication server, as described in the View Administration document. Workspace Portal
must be installed and configured for use with View Connection Server.

Adobe Flash quality

Determines the quality of Adobe Flash content that is displayed on Web pages.
n Do not control. Quality is determined by Web page settings.
n Low. This setting results in the most bandwidth savings. If no quality level is specified, the
system defaults to Low.
n Medium. This setting results in moderate bandwidth savings.
n High. This setting results in the least bandwidth savings.
For more information, see “Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling,” on page 116.

Adobe Flash
throttling

Determines the frame rate of Adobe Flash movies. If you enable this setting, you can reduce or
increase the number of frames displayed per second by selecting an aggressiveness level.
n Disabled. No throttling is performed. The timer interval is not modified.
n Conservative. Timer interval is 100 milliseconds. This setting results in the lowest number of
dropped frames.
n Moderate. Timer interval is 500 milliseconds.
n Aggressive. Timer interval is 2500 milliseconds. This setting results in the highest number of
dropped frames.
For more information, see “Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling,” on page 116.

VMware, Inc.

115

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 11‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions (Continued)
Setting

Options

Override global
Mirage settings

To specify the same Mirage server for all desktop pools, use the global View configuration setting
rather than this pool-specific setting.

Mirage Server
configuration

Allows you to specify the URL of a Mirage server, using the format
mirage://server-name:port or mirages://server-name:port. Here server-name is the fully
qualified domain name. If you do not specify the port number, the default port number 8000 is
used.
Specifying the Mirage server in View Administrator is an alternative to specifying the Mirage
server when installing the Mirage client. To find out which versions of Mirage support having the
server specified in View Administrator, see the Mirage documentation, at
https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/mirage_pubs.html.

Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling
You can specify a maximum allowable level of quality for Adobe Flash content that overrides Web page
settings. If Adobe Flash quality for a Web page is higher than the maximum level allowed, quality is
reduced to the specified maximum. Lower quality results in more bandwidth savings.
To make use of Adobe Flash bandwidth-reduction settings, Adobe Flash must not be running in full screen
mode.
Table 11-5 shows the available Adobe Flash render-quality settings.
Table 11‑5. Adobe Flash Quality Settings
Quality Setting

Description

Do not control

Quality is determined by Web page settings.

Low

This setting results in the most bandwidth savings.

Medium

This setting results in moderate bandwidth savings.

High

This setting results in the least bandwidth savings.

If no maximum level of quality is specified, the system defaults to a value of Low.
Adobe Flash uses timer services to update what is shown on the screen at a given time. A typical Adobe
Flash timer interval value is between 4 and 50 milliseconds. By throttling, or prolonging, the interval, you
can reduce the frame rate and thereby reduce bandwidth.
Table 11-6 shows the available Adobe Flash throttling settings.
Table 11‑6. Adobe Flash Throttling Settings
Throttling Setting

Description

Disabled

No throttling is performed. The timer interval is not modified.

Conservative

Timer interval is 100 milliseconds. This setting results in the lowest number of
dropped frames.

Moderate

Timer interval is 500 milliseconds.

Aggressive

Timer interval is 2500 milliseconds. This setting results in the highest number of
dropped frames.

Audio speed remains constant regardless of which throttling setting you select.

116

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Setting Power Policies for Desktop Pools
You can configure a power policy for the virtual machines in a desktop pool if the virtual machines are
managed by vCenter Server.
Power policies control how a virtual machine behaves when its associated desktop is not in use. A desktop
is considered not in use before a user logs in and after a user disconnects or logs off. Power policies also
control how a virtual machine behaves after administrative tasks such as refresh, recompose, and rebalance
are completed.
You configure power policies when you create or edit desktop pools in View Administrator.
NOTE You cannot configure power policies for desktop pools that have unmanaged machines.

Power Policies for Desktop Pools
Power policies control how a virtual machine behaves when the associated remote desktop is not in use.
You set power policies when you create or edit a desktop pool. Table 11-7 describes the available power
policies.
Table 11‑7. Power Policies
Power Policy

Description

Take no power action

View does not enforce any power policy after a user logs
off. This setting has two consequences.
n View does not change the power state of the virtual
machine after a user logs off.

For example, if a user shuts down the virtual machine,
the virtual machine remains powered off. If a user logs
off without shutting down, the virtual machine
remains powered on. When a user reconnects to the
desktop, the virtual machine restarts if it was powered
off.
View does not enforce any power state after an
administrative task is completed.
For example, a user might log off without shutting
down. The virtual machine remains powered on. When
a scheduled recomposition takes place, the virtual
machine is powered off. After the recomposition is
completed, View does nothing to change the power
state of the virtual machine. It remains powered off.

Ensure machines are always powered on

VMware, Inc.

The virtual machine remains powered on, even when it is
not in use. If a user shuts down the virtual machine, it
immediately restarts. The virtual machine also restarts after
an administrative task such as refresh, recompose, or
rebalance is completed.
Select Ensure machines are always powered on if you run
batch processes or system management tools that must
contact the virtual machines at scheduled times.

117

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 11‑7. Power Policies (Continued)
Power Policy

Description

Suspend

The virtual machine enters a suspended state when a user
logs off, but not when a user disconnects.
You can also configure machines in a dedicated pool to be
suspended when a user disconnects without logging off. To
configure this policy, you must set an attribute in View
LDAP. See “Configure Dedicated Machines To Be
Suspended After Users Disconnect,” on page 119.
When multiple virtual machines are resumed from a
suspended state, some virtual machines might have delays
in powering on. Whether any delays occur depends on the
ESXi host hardware and the number of virtual machines
that are configured on an ESXi host. Users connecting to
their desktops from Horizon Client might temporarily see a
desktop-not-available message. To access their desktops,
users can connect again.

Power off

The virtual machine shuts down when a user logs off, but
not when a user disconnects.

NOTE When you add a machine to a manual pool, View powers on the machine to ensure that it is fully
configured, even when you select the Power off or Take no power action power policy. After View Agent is
configured, it is marked as Ready, and the normal power-management settings for the pool apply.
For manual pools with machines that are managed by vCenter Server, View ensures that a spare machine is
powered on so that users can connect to it. The spare machine is powered on no matter which power policy
is in effect.
Table 11-8 describes when View applies the configured power policy.
Table 11‑8. When View Applies the Power Policy

118

Desktop Pool Type

The power policy is applied ...

Manual pool that contains one machine (vCenter Servermanaged virtual machine)

Power operations are initiated by session management. The
virtual machine is powered on when a user requests the
desktop and powered off or suspended when the user logs
off.
NOTE The Ensure machines are always powered on
policy always applies, whether the single-machine pool
uses floating or dedicated assignment, and whether the
machine is assigned or unassigned.

Automated pool with dedicated assignment

To unassigned machines only.
On assigned machines, power operations are initiated by
session management. Virtual machines are powered on
when a user requests an assigned machine and are
powered off or suspended when the user logs off.
NOTE The Ensure machines are always powered on
policy applies to assigned and unassigned machines.

Automated pool with floating assignment

When a machine is not in use and after a user logs off.
When you configure the Power off or Suspend power
policy for a floating-assignment desktop pool, set
Automatically logoff after disconnect to Immediately to
prevent discarded or orphaned sessions.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Table 11‑8. When View Applies the Power Policy (Continued)
Desktop Pool Type

The power policy is applied ...

Manual pool with dedicated assignment

Manual pool with floating assignment

How View applies the configured power policy to automated pools depends on whether a machine is
available. See “How Power Policies Affect Automated Desktop Pools,” on page 119 for more information.

Configure Dedicated Machines To Be Suspended After Users Disconnect
The Suspend power policy causes virtual machines to be suspended when a user logs off, but not when a
user disconnects. You can also configure machines in a dedicated pool to be suspended when a user
disconnects from a desktop without logging off. Using suspend when users disconnect helps to conserve
resources.
To enable suspend on disconnect for dedicated machines, you must set an attribute in View LDAP.
Procedure
1

Start the ADSI Edit utility on your View Connection Server host.

In the console tree, select Connect to.

In the Select or type a domain or server field, type the server name as localhost:389

Under Connection point, click Select or type a distinguished name or naming context, type the
distinguished name as DC=vdi,DC=vmware,DC=int, and click OK.
The ADAM ADSI Edit main window appears.

Expand the ADAM ADSI tree and expand OU=Properties.

Select OU=Global and select CN=Common in the right pane

7
8

Select Action > Properties, and under the pae-NameValuePair attribute, add the new entry

suspendOnDisconnect=1.

Restart the VMware Horizon View Connection Server service or View Connection Server.

How Power Policies Affect Automated Desktop Pools
How View applies the configured power policy to automated pools depends on whether a machine is
available.
A machine in an automated pool is considered available when it meets the following criteria:
n

Is active

Does not contain a user session

Is not assigned to a user

VMware, Inc.

119

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

The View Agent service running on the machine confirms the availability of the machine to View
Connection Server.
When you configure an automated pool, you can specify the minimum and maximum number of virtual
machines that must be provisioned and the number of spare machines that must be kept powered on and
available at any given time.

Power Policy Examples for Automated Pools with Floating Assignments
When you configure an automated pool with floating assignments, you can specify that a particular number
of machines must be available at a given time. The spare, available machines are always powered on, no
matter how the pool policy is set.

Power Policy Example 1
Table 11-9 describes the floating-assignment, automated pool in this example. The pool uses a machinenaming pattern to provision and name the machines.
Table 11‑9. Desktop Pool Settings for Automated Pool with Floating Assignment Example 1
Desktop Pool Setting

Value

Number of machines (minimum)

Number of machines (maximum)

Number of spare, powered-on machines

Remote machine power policy

Power off

When this desktop pool is provisioned, 10 machines are created, two machines are powered on and
immediately available, and eight machines are powered off.
For each new user that connects to the pool, a machine is powered on to maintain the number of spare,
available machines. When the number of connected users exceeds eight, additional machines, up to the
maximum of 20, are created to maintain the number of spare machines. After the maximum number is
reached, the machines of the first two users who disconnect remain powered on to maintain the number of
spare machines. The machine of each subsequent user is powered off according to the power policy.

Power Policy Example 2
Table 11-10 describes the floating-assignment, automated pool in this example. The pool uses a machinenaming pattern to provision and name the machines.
Table 11‑10. Desktop Pool Settings for Automated Pool with Floating Assignments Example 2
Desktop Pool Setting

Value

Number of machines (minimum)

Number of machines (maximum)

Number of spare, powered-on machines

Remote machine power policy

Power off

When this desktop pool is provisioned, five machines are created, two machines are powered on and
immediately available, and three machines are powered off.
If a fourth machine in this pool is powered off, one of the existing machines is powered on. An additional
machine is not powered on because the maximum of number of machines has already been reached.

120

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Power Policy Example for Automated Pools with Dedicated Assignments
Unlike a powered-on machine in an automated pool with floating assignments, a powered-on machine in an
automated pool with dedicated assignments is not necessarily available. It is available only if the machine is
not assigned to a user.
Table 11-11 describes the dedicated-assignment, automated pool in this example.
Table 11‑11. Desktop Pool Settings for Automated Pool with Dedicated Assignments Example
Desktop Pool Setting

Value

Number of machines (minimum)

Number of machines (maximum)

Number of spare, powered-on machines

Remote machine power policy

Ensure machines are always powered on

When this desktop pool is provisioned, three machines are created and powered on. If the machines are
powered off in vCenter Server, they are immediately powered on again, according to the power policy.
After a user connects to a machine in the pool, the machine becomes permanently assigned to that user.
After the user disconnects from the machine, the machine is no longer available to any other user. However,
the Ensure machines are always powered on policy still applies. If the assigned machine is powered off in
vCenter Server, it is immediately powered on again.
When another user connects, a second machine is assigned. Because the number of spare machines falls
below the limit when the second user connects, another machine is created and powered on. An additional
machine is created and powered on each time a new user is assigned until the maximum machine limit is
reached.

Preventing View Power Policy Conflicts
When you use View Administrator to configure a power policy, you must compare the power policy to the
settings in the guest operating system's Power Options control panel to prevent power policy conflicts.
A virtual machine can become temporarily inaccessible if the power policy configured for the machine is not
compatible with a power option configured for the guest operating system. If there are other machines in
the same pool, they can also be affected.
The following configuration is an example of a power policy conflict:
n

In View Administrator, the power policy Suspend is configured for the virtual machine. This policy
causes the virtual machine to enter a suspended state when it is not in use.

In the Power Options control panel in the guest operating system, the option Put the Computer to sleep
is set to three minutes.

In this configuration, both View Connection Server and the guest operating system can suspend the virtual
machine. The guest operating system power option might cause the virtual machine to be unavailable when
View Connection Server expects it to be powered on.

VMware, Inc.

121

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Configuring 3D Rendering for Desktops
When you create or edit a desktop pool of virtual machines, you can configure 3D graphics rendering for
your desktops. Desktops can take advantage of Virtual Shared Graphics Acceleration (vSGA), Virtual
Dedicated Graphics Acceleration (vDGA), or shared GPU hardware acceleration (NVIDIA GRID vGPU).
vDGA and NVIDIA GRID vGPU are vSphere features that use physical graphics cards installed on the ESXi
hosts and manage the graphics processing unit (GPU) resources among the virtual machines.
End users can take advantage of 3D applications for design, modeling, and multimedia, which typically
require GPU hardware to perform well. For users that do not require physical GPU, a software option
provides graphics enhancements that can support less demanding applications such as Windows AERO,
Microsoft Office, and Google Earth. Following are brief descriptions of the 3D graphics options:
NVIDIA GRID vGPU
(shared GPU hardware
acceleration)

Available with vSphere 6.0 and later, this feature allows a physical GPU on
an ESXi host to be shared among virtual machines. This feature offers flexible
hardware-accelerated 3D profiles ranging from lightweight 3D task workers
to high-end workstation graphics power users.

Virtual Dedicated
Graphics Acceleration
(vDGA)

Available with vSphere 5.5 and later, this feature dedicates a single physical
GPU on an ESXi host to a single virtual machine. Use this feature if you
require high-end, hardware-accelerated workstation graphics.

Virtual Shared Graphics
Acceleration (vSGA)

Available with vSphere 5.1 and later, this feature allows multiple virtual
machines to share the physical GPUs on ESXi hosts. This feature is suitable
for mid-range 3D design, modeling, and multimedia applications.

Soft 3D

Software-accelerated graphics, available with vSphere 5.0 and later, allows
you to run DirectX 9 and OpenGL 2.1 applications without requiring a
physical GPU. Use this feature for less demanding 3D applications such as
Windows Aero themes, Microsoft Office 2010, and Google Earth.

Because NVIDIA GRID vGPU and vDGA use PCI pass-through on the ESXi host, live VMotion is not
supported. vSGA and Soft 3D support live VMotion.
In some cases, if an application such as a video game or 3D benchmark forces the desktop to display in full
screen resolution, the desktop session can be disconnected. Possible workarounds include setting the
application to run in Windowed mode or matching the View session desktop resolution to the default
resolution expected by the application.

Requirements for All Types of 3D Rendering
To enable 3D graphics rendering, your pool deployment must meet the following requirements:
n

The virtual machines must be Windows 7 or later (Horizon 6 version 6.1 does not support Windows XP
or Vista guest operating systems)

The pool must use the PCoIP as the default display protocol

Users must not be allowed to choose their own protocol

IMPORTANT When you configure or edit the 3D Renderer setting, you must power off existing virtual
machines, verify that the machines are reconfigured in vCenter Server, and power on the machines to cause
the new setting to take effect. Restarting a virtual machine does not cause the new setting to take effect.

122

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Additional Requirements for Using NVIDIA GRID vGPU
With NVIDIA GRID vGPU, a single physical GPU on an ESXi host can be shared among virtual machines.
To support this type of shared GPU hardware acceleration, a pool must meet these additional requirements:
n

The virtual machines must run on ESXi 6.0 or later hosts, be virtual hardware version 11 or later, and be
managed by vCenter Server 6.0 or later software.
You must configure the parent virtual machine or the virtual machine template to use a shared PCI
device before you create the desktop pool in View.

You must install graphics drivers from the GPU vendor in the guest operating system of the virtual
machine.
NOTE For a list of supported GPU hardware, see the VMware Hardware Compatibility List at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php.

You must set the 3D Renderer option to NVIDIA GRID vGPU.

Additional Requirements for Using vDGA
vDGA dedicates a single physical GPU on an ESXi host to a single virtual machine. To support vDGA, a
pool must meet these additional requirements:
n

The virtual machines must run on ESXi 5.5 or later hosts, be virtual hardware version 9 or later, and be
managed by vCenter Server 5.5 or later software. .
You must enable GPU pass-through on the ESXi hosts and configure the individual virtual machines to
use dedicated PCI devices after the desktop pool is created in View. You cannot configure the parent
virtual machine or template for vDGA and then create a desktop pool, because the same physical GPU
would be dedicated to every virtual machine in the pool. See "vDGA Installation" in the VMware white
paper about graphics acceleration.
For linked-clone virtual machines, vDGA settings are preserved after refresh, recompose, and rebalance
operations.

You must set the 3D Renderer option to Manage using vSphere Client.

Additional Requirements for Using vSGA
vSGA allows multiple virtual machines to share the physical GPUs on ESXi hosts. To support vSGA, a pool
must meet these additional requirements:
n

The virtual machines must run on ESXi 5.1 or later hosts and be managed by vCenter Server 5.1 or later
software.

GPU graphics cards and the associated vSphere Installation Bundles (VIBs) must be installed on the
ESXi hosts. For a list of supported GPU hardware, see the VMware Hardware Compatibility List at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php.

Windows 7 machines must be virtual hardware version 8 or later. Windows 8 machines must be virtual
hardware version 9 or later.

VMware, Inc.

123

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

You can set the 3D Renderer option to any of the following settings: Manage using vSphere Client,
Automatic, or Hardware. See also “Video RAM Configuration Options for the 3D Renderer,” on
page 124.
Automatic uses hardware acceleration if there is a capable and available hardware GPU in the ESXi
host. If a hardware GPU is not available, the virtual machine uses software 3D rendering for any 3D
tasks.

Additional Requirements for Using Soft 3D
To support software 3D rendering, a pool must meet these additional requirements:
n

The virtual machines must run on ESXi 5.0 or later hosts and be managed by vCenter Server 5.0 or later
software.

The machines must be virtual hardware version 8 or later.

You must set the 3D Renderer option to Software. See also “Video RAM Configuration Options for the
3D Renderer,” on page 124.

Video RAM Configuration Options for the 3D Renderer
When you enable the 3D Renderer setting, if you select the Automatic, Software, or Hardware option, you
can configure the amount of VRAM that is assigned to the virtual machines in the pool by moving the slider
in the Configure VRAM for 3D guests dialog box. The minimum VRAM size is 64MB. The default VRAM
amount depends on the virtual hardware version:
n

For virtual hardware version 8 (vSphere 5.0) virtual machines, the default VRAM size is 64MB, and you
can configure a maximum size of 128MB.

For virtual hardware version 9 (vSphere 5.1) and 10 (vSphere 5.5 Update 1) virtual machines, the
default VRAM size is 96MB, and you can configure a maximum size of 512MB.

For virtual hardware version 11 (vSphere 6.0) virtual machines, the default VRAM size is 96MB, and
you can configure a maximum size of 128MB. In vSphere 6.0 and later virtual machines, this setting
refers only to the amount of display memory in the graphics card and therefore has a lower maximum
setting than earlier virtual hardware versions, which included both display memory and guest memory
for storing 3D objects.

The VRAM settings that you configure in View Administrator take precedence over the VRAM settings that
can be configured for the virtual machines in vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client, unless you select the
Manage using vSphere Client option.
For more information about the Automatic, Software, or Hardware 3D rendering options, see “3D Renderer
Options,” on page 124.

3D Renderer Options
The 3D Renderer setting for desktop pools provides options that let you configure graphics rendering in
different ways.
The following table describes the differences between the various types of 3D rendering options available in
View Administrator but does not provide complete information for configuring virtual machines and ESXi
hosts for Virtual Shared Graphics Acceleration (vSGA), Virtual Dedicated Graphics Acceleration (vDGA), or
NVIDIA GRID vGPU (shared GPU hardware acceleration). These tasks must be done with vSphere Web
Client before you attempt to create desktop pools in View Administrator. vDGA and NVIDIA GRID vGPU
require a similar setup in vSphere. For instructions about these tasks, see the VMware white paper about
graphics acceleration.

124

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Table 11‑12. 3D Renderer Options for Pools Running on vSphere 5.1 or Later
Option

Description

Manage using
vSphere Client

The 3D Renderer option that is set in vSphere Web Client (or vSphere Client in vSphere 5.1 or
later) for a virtual machine determines the type of 3D graphics rendering that takes place. View
does not control 3D rendering.
In the vSphere Web Client, you can configure the Automatic, Software, or Hardware options.
These options have the same effect as they do when you set them in View Administrator.
Use this setting when configuring vDGA. This setting is also an option for vSGA.
When you select the Manage using vSphere Client option, the Configure VRAM for 3D Guests,
Max number of monitors, and Max resolution of any one monitor settings are inactive in View
Administrator. You can configure the amount of memory in vSphere Web Client.

Automatic

3D rendering is enabled. The ESXi host controls the type of 3D rendering that takes place.
For example, the ESXi host reserves GPU hardware resources on a first-come, first-served basis as
virtual machines are powered on. If all GPU hardware resources are already reserved when a
virtual machine is powered on, ESXi uses the software renderer for that machine.
This setting is an option when configuring vSGA.
The ESXi host allocates VRAM to a virtual machine based on the value that is set in the Configure
VRAM for 3D Guests dialog box.

Software

3D rendering is enabled. The ESXi host uses software 3D graphics rendering. If a GPU graphics
card is installed on the ESXi host, this pool will not use it.
Use this setting to configure Soft 3D.
The ESXi host allocates VRAM to a virtual machine based on the value that is set in the Configure
VRAM for 3D Guests dialog box.

Hardware

3D rendering is enabled. The ESXi host reserves GPU hardware resources on a first-come, firstserved basis as virtual machines are powered on.
This setting is an option when configuring vSGA.
The ESXi host allocates VRAM to a virtual machine based on the value that is set in the Configure
VRAM for 3D Guests dialog box.
IMPORTANT If you configure the Hardware option, consider these potential constraints:
n If a user tries to connect to a machine when all GPU hardware resources are reserved, the
virtual machine will not power on, and the user will receive an error message.
n If you use vMotion to move the machine to an ESXi host that does not have GPU hardware
configured, the virtual machine will not power on.
When you configure hardware-based 3D rendering, you can examine the GPU resources that are
allocated to each virtual machine on an ESXi host. For details, see “Examining GPU Resources on
an ESXi Host,” on page 129.

VMware, Inc.

125

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 11‑12. 3D Renderer Options for Pools Running on vSphere 5.1 or Later (Continued)
Option

Description

NVIDIA GRID
vGPU

3D rendering is enabled. The ESXi host reserves GPU hardware resources on a first-come, firstserved basis as virtual machines are powered on. If a user tries to connect to a machine when all
GPU hardware resources are being used by other virtual machines on the host, View Connection
Server will attempt to move the virtual machine to another ESXi host in the cluster before
powering on.
Use this setting when configuring NVIDIA GRID vGPU.
When you select the NVIDIA GRID vGPU option, the Configure VRAM for 3D Guests, Max
number of monitors, and Max resolution of any one monitor settings are inactive in View
Administrator. When you configure the parent virtual machine or virtual machine template with
vSphere Web Client, you are prompted to reserve all memory.
IMPORTANT If you configure the NVIDIA GRID vGPU option, consider these potential
constraints:
n The virtual machine cannot be suspended or resumed. Therefore the Remote Machine Power
Policy option for suspending the virtual machine is not available.
n If you use vMotion to move the machine to an ESXi host that does not have GPU hardware
configured, the virtual machine will not power on. Live vMotion is not available.
n All ESXi hosts in the cluster must be version 6.0 or later, and the virtual machines must be
hardware version 11 or later.
n If an ESXi cluster contains a host that is NVIDIA GRID vGPU enabled and a host that is not
NVIDIA GRID vGPU enabled, the hosts display a yellow (warning) status in the View
Administrator Dashboard. If a user tries to connect to a machine when all GPU hardware
resources are being used by other virtual machines on the host, View Connection Server will
attempt to move the virtual machine to another ESXi host in the cluster before powering on. In
this case, hosts that are not NVIDIA GRID vGPU enabled cannot be used for this type of
dynamic migration.

Disabled

3D rendering is inactive.

Table 11‑13. 3D Renderer Options for Pools Running on vSphere 5.0
Option

Description

Enabled

The 3D Renderer option is enabled. The ESXi host uses software 3D graphics rendering.
When software rendering is configured, the default VRAM size is 64MB, the minimum size. In the
Configure VRAM for 3D Guests dialog box, you can use the slider to increase the amount of
VRAM that is reserved. With software rendering, the ESXi host allocates up to a maximum of
128MB per virtual machine. If you set a higher VRAM size, it is ignored.

Disabled

3D rendering is inactive.

If a desktop pool is running on earlier vSphere version than 5.0, the 3D Renderer setting is inactive and is
not available in View Administrator.

Best Practices for Configuring 3D Rendering
The 3D rendering options and other pool settings offer various advantages and drawbacks. Select the option
that best supports your vSphere hardware infrastructure and your users' requirements for graphics
rendering.
NOTE This topic provides an overview of the controls you find in View Administrator. For detailed
information about all the various choices and requirements for 3D rendering, see the VMware white paper
about graphics acceleration.

126

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

When to Choose the Automatic Option
The Automatic option is the best choice for many View deployments that require 3D rendering. vSGA
(Virtual Shared Graphics Acceleration)-enabled virtual machines can dynamically switch between software
and hardware 3D rendering, without your having to reconfigure. This option ensures that some type of 3D
rendering takes place even when GPU resources are completely reserved. In a mixed cluster of ESXi 5.1 and
ESXi 5.0 hosts, this option ensures that a virtual machine is powered on successfully and uses 3D rendering
even if, for example, vMotion moved the virtual machine to an ESXi 5.0 host.
The only drawback with the Automatic option is that you cannot easily tell whether a virtual machine is
using hardware or software 3D rendering.

When to Choose the Hardware Option
The Hardware option guarantees that every virtual machine in the pool uses hardware 3D rendering,
provided that GPU resources are available on the ESXi hosts. This option might be the best choice when all
your users run graphically intensive applications. You can use this option when configuring vSGA (Virtual
Shared Graphics Acceleration).
With the Hardware option, you must strictly control your vSphere environment. All ESXi hosts must be
version 5.1 or later and must have GPU graphics cards installed.
When all GPU resources on an ESXi host are reserved, View cannot power on a virtual machine for the next
user who tries to log in to a desktop. You must manage the allocation of GPU resources and the use of
vMotion to ensure that resources are available for your desktops.

When to Choose the Option to Manage Using vSphere Client
When you select the Manage using vSphere Client option, you can use vSphere Web Client to configure
individual virtual machines with different options and VRAM values.
n

For vSGA (Virtual Shared Graphics Acceleration), you can support a mixed configuration of 3D
rendering and VRAM sizes for virtual machines in a pool.

For vDGA (Virtual Dedicated Graphics Acceleration), each virtual machine must be individually
configured to share a specific PCI device with the ESXi host and all memory must be reserved.
All ESXi hosts must be version 5.5 or later and must have GPU graphics cards installed.

You might also choose this option if you want to explicitly manage graphics settings of clones and linked
clones by having the clones inherit settings from the parent virtual machine.

When to Choose the NVIDIA GRID vGPU Option
With the NVIDIA GRID vGPU option, you can achieve a higher consolidation ratio of virtual machines on
an NVIDIA GRID vGPU-enabled ESXi host than is possible by using vSGA or vDGA, while maintaining the
same performance level. As with vDGA (Dedicated Virtual Graphics), the ESXi and virtual machine also use
GPU pass-through for NVIDIA GRID vGPU.
NOTE To improve virtual machine consolidation ratios, you can set the ESXi host to use consolidation
mode. Edit the /etc/vmware/config file on the ESXi host and add the following entry:
vGPU.consolidation = "true"

By default, the ESXi host assigns virtual machines to the physical GPU with the fewest virtual machines
already assigned. This is called performance mode. If you would rather have the ESXi host assign virtual
machines to the same physical GPU until the maximum number of virtual machines is reached before
placing virtual machines on the next physical GPU, you can use consolidation mode.

VMware, Inc.

127

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Because a GPU does not need to be dedicated to one specific virtual machine, with the NVIDIA GRID
vGPU option, you can create and configure a parent virtual machine or virtual machine template to be
NVIDIA GRID vGPU-enabled and then create a desktop pool of virtual machines that can share the same
physical GPU.
If all GPU resources on an ESXi host are being used by other virtual machines, when the next user tries to
log in to a desktop, View can move the virtual machine to another NVIDIA GRID vGPU-enabled ESXi
server in the cluster and then power on the virtual machine. All ESXi hosts must be version 6.0 or later and
must have GPU graphics cards installed.

When to Choose the Software Option
Select the Software option if you have ESXi 5.0 hosts only, or if ESXi 5.1 or later hosts do not have GPU
graphics cards, or if your users only run applications such as AERO and Microsoft Office, which do not
require hardware graphics acceleration.

Configuring Desktop Settings to Manage GPU Resources
You can configure other desktop settings to ensure that GPU resources are not wasted when users are not
actively using them.
For floating pools, set a session timeout so that GPU resources are freed up for other users when a user is
not using the desktop.
For dedicated pools, you can configure the Automatically logoff after disconnect setting to Immediately
and a Suspend power policy if these settings are appropriate for your users. For example, do not use these
settings for a pool of researchers who execute long-running simulations. Note that the Suspend power
policy is not available if you use the NVIDIA GRID vGPU option.

Overview of Steps for Preparing for NVIDIA GRID vGPU Capabilities
This overview is an outline of tasks you must perform in vSphere before you can create or configure
desktop pools in View Administrator. For complete information and detailed procedures, see the VMware
white paper about graphics acceleration.
1

Verify that VT-d or AMD IOMMU is enabled on the ESXi host.

Add a shared PCI device to the virtual machine and select the appropriate PCI device to enable GPU
pass-through on the virtual machine.
After you add a shared PCI device, you see a list of all supported graphics profile types that are
available from the GPU card on the ESXi host.

Reserve all memory when creating the virtual machine.

Obtain the GPU drivers from the GPU vendor and install the GPU device drivers in the guest operating
system of the virtual machine.

Install VMware Tools and View Agent in the guest operating system and reboot.

After you perform these tasks, you must add the virtual machine to a manual pool View desktop pool so
that you can access the guest operating system using PCoIP. In a PCoIP session, you can then activate the
NVIDIA display adapter in the guest operating system.
At this point, you can configure the virtual machine to be a template or take a snapshot of the virtual
machine for use as a base image in a View Composer linked-clone pool. (You must power off the virtual
machine before taking the snapshot.) When you use the Add Desktop Pool wizard, after you select the
NVIDIA GRID vGPU option for 3D Renderer, only NVIDIA GRID vGPU-enabled ESXi hosts and NVIDIA
GRID vGPU-enabled virtual machine templates and snapshots appear for selection in the wizard.

128

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

Overview of Steps for Preparing for vDGA Capabilities
This overview is an outline of tasks you must perform in vSphere before you can create or configure
desktop pools in View Administrator. For complete information and detailed procedures, see the VMware
white paper about graphics acceleration.
1

Verify that VT-d or AMD IOMMU is enabled on the ESXi host.

Enable GPU device pass-through on the ESXi host.

Add a PCI device to the virtual machine and select the appropriate PCI device to enable GPU passthrough on the virtual machine.

Reserve all memory when creating the virtual machine.

Obtain the GPU drivers from the GPU vendor and install the GPU device drivers in the guest operating
system of the virtual machine.

Install VMware Tools and View Agent in the guest operating system and reboot.

Examining GPU Resources on an ESXi Host
To better manage the GPU resources that are available on an ESXi host, you can examine the current GPU
resource reservation. The ESXi command-line query utility, gpuvm, lists the GPUs that are installed on an
ESXi host and displays the amount of GPU memory that is reserved for each virtual machine on the host.
Note that this GPU memory reservation is not the same as virtual machine VRAM size.
To run the utility, type gpuvm from a shell prompt on the ESXi host. You can use a console on the host or an
SSH connection.
For example, the utility might display the following output:
~ # gpuvm
Xserver unix:0, GPU maximum memory 2076672KB
pid 118561, VM "JB-w7-64-FC3", reserved 131072KB of GPU memory.
pid 64408, VM "JB-w7-64-FC5", reserved 261120KB of GPU memory.
GPU memory left 1684480KB.

Similarly, you can use the nvidia-smi command on the ESXi host to see a list of NVIDIA GRID vGPUenabled virtual machines, the amount of frame buffer memory consumed, and the slot ID of the physical
GPU that the virtual machine is using.

Prevent Access to View Desktops Through RDP
In certain View environments, it is a priority to prohibit access to View desktops through the RDP display
protocol. You can prevent users and administrators from using RDP to access View desktops by configuring
pool settings and a group policy setting.
By default, while a user is logged in to a View desktop session, you can use RDP to connect to the virtual
machine from outside of View. The RDP connection terminates the View desktop session, and the View
user's unsaved data and settings might be lost. The View user cannot log in to the desktop until the external
RDP connection is closed. To avoid this situation, disable the AllowDirectRDP setting.
NOTE Remote Desktop Services must be started on the virtual machine that you use to create pools and on
the virtual machines that are deployed in the pools. Remote Desktop Services are required for View Agent
installation, SSO, and other View session-management operations.

VMware, Inc.

129

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Prerequisites
Verify that the View Agent Configuration Administrative Template (ADM) file is installed in Active
Directory. See “Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files,” on page 208.
Procedure
1

Select PCoIP as the display protocol that you want View Connection Server to use to communicate with
Horizon Client devices.
Option

Description

Create a desktop pool

a
b

In View Administrator, start the Add Desktop Pool wizard.
On the Desktop Pool Settings page, select PCoIP as the default display
protocol.

Edit an existing desktop pool

a
b

In View Administrator, select the desktop pool and click Edit.
On the Desktop Pool Settings tab, select PCoIP as the default display
protocol.

For the Allow users to choose protocol setting, select No.

Prevent devices that are not running Horizon Client from connecting directly to View desktops through
RDP by disabling the AllowDirectRDP group policy setting.
a

On your Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console and select
Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative
Templates (ADM) > VMware View Agent Configuration.

Disable the AllowDirectRDP setting.

Deploying Large Desktop Pools
When many users require the same desktop image, you can create one large automated pool from a single
template or parent virtual machine. By using a single base image and pool name, you can avoid dividing the
machines arbitrarily into smaller groups that must be managed separately. This strategy simplifies your
View deployment and administration tasks.
To support large pools, you can create pools on ESXi clusters that contain up to 32 ESXi hosts. You can also
configure a pool to use multiple network labels, making the IP addresses of multiple port groups available
for the virtual machines in the pool.

Configuring Desktop Pools on Clusters With More Than Eight Hosts
In vSphere 5.1 and later, you can deploy a linked clone desktop pool on a cluster that contains up to 32 ESXi
hosts. All ESXi hosts in the cluster must be version 5.1 or later. The hosts can use VMFS or NFS datastores.
VMFS datastores must be VMFS5 or later.
In vSphere 5.0, you can deploy linked clones on a cluster that contains more than eight ESXi hosts, but you
must store the replica disks on NFS datastores. You can store replica disks on VMFS datastores only with
clusters that contain eight or fewer hosts.
In vSphere 5.0, the following rules apply when you configure a linked clone pool on a cluster that contains
more than eight hosts:

130

If you store replica disks on the same datastores as OS disks, you must store the replica and OS disks on
NFS datastores.

If you store replica disks on separate datastores than OS disks, the replica disks must be stored on NFS
datastores. The OS disks can be stored on NFS or VMFS datastores.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 11 Provisioning Desktop Pools

If you store View Composer persistent disks on separate datastores, the persistent disks can be
configured on NFS or VMFS datastores.

In vSphere 4.1 and earlier releases, you can deploy desktop pools only with clusters that contain eight or
fewer hosts.

Assigning Multiple Network Labels to a Desktop Pool
In View 5.2 and later releases, you can configure an automated desktop pool to use multiple network labels.
You can assign multiple network labels to a linked-clone pool or an automated pool that contains full virtual
machines.
In past releases, virtual machines in the pool inherited the network labels that were used by the NICs on the
parent virtual machine or template. A typical parent virtual machine or template contains one NIC and one
network label. A network label defines a port group and VLAN. The netmask of one VLAN typically
provides a limited range of available IP addresses.
In View 5.2 and later releases, you can assign network labels that are available in vCenter Server for all the
ESXi hosts in the cluster where the desktop pool is deployed. By configuring multiple network labels for the
pool, you greatly expand the number of IP addresses that can be assigned to the virtual machines in the
pool.
You must use View PowerCLI cmdlets to assign multiple network labels to a pool. You cannot perform this
task in View Administrator.
For details about using View PowerCLI to perform this task, see "Assign Multiple Network Labels to a
Desktop Pool" in the chapter "Using View PowerCLI" in the View Integration document.

VMware, Inc.

131

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

132

VMware, Inc.

Entitling Users and Groups

You configure entitlements to control which remote desktops and applications your users can access. You
can also configure the restricted entitlements feature to control desktop access based on the View
Connection Server instance that users connect to when they select remote desktops.
In a Cloud Pod Architecture environment, you create global entitlements to entitle users or groups to
multiple desktops across multiple pods in a pod federation. When you use global entitlements, you do not
need to configure and manage local entitlements for remote desktops. For information about global
entitlements and setting up a Cloud Pod Architecture environment, see the Administering View Cloud Pod
Architecture document.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 133

“Remove Entitlements from a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 134

“Review Desktop or Application Pool Entitlements,” on page 134

“Restricting Remote Desktop Access,” on page 134

Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool
Before users can access remote desktops or applications, they must be entitled to use a desktop or
application pool.
Prerequisites
Create a desktop or application pool.
Procedure
1

VMware, Inc.

Select the desktop or application pool.
Option

Action

Add an entitlement for a desktop
pool

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools and click the name
of the desktop pool.

Add an entitlement for an
application pool

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Application Pools and click the
name of the application pool.

Select Add entitlement from the Entitlements drop-down menu.

133

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Click Add, select one or more search criteria, and click Find to find users or groups based on your
search criteria.
NOTE Domain local groups are filtered out of search results for mixed-mode domains. You cannot
entitle users in domain local groups if your domain is configured in mixed mode.

Select the users or groups you want to entitle to the desktops or applications in the pool and click OK.

Click OK to save your changes.

Remove Entitlements from a Desktop or Application Pool
You can remove entitlements from a desktop or application pool to prevent specific users or groups from
accessing a desktop or application.
Procedure
1

Select the desktop or application pool.
Option

Description

Remove an entitlement for a
desktop pool

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools and click the name
of the desktop pool.

Remove an entitlement for an
application pool

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Application Pools and click the
name of the application pool.

Select Remove entitlement from the Entitlements drop-down menu.

Select the user or group whose entitlement you want to remove and click Remove.

Click OK to save your changes.

Review Desktop or Application Pool Entitlements
You can review the desktop or application pools to which a user or group is entitled.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Users and Groups and click the name of the user or group.

Click the Entitlements tab and review the desktop or application pools to which the user or group is
entitled.
Option

Action

List the desktop pools to which the
user or group is entitled

Click Desktop Pools.

List the application pools to which
the user or group is entitled

Click Application Pools.

Restricting Remote Desktop Access
You can configure the restricted entitlements feature to restrict remote desktop access based on the View
Connection Server instance that users connect to when they select desktops.
With restricted entitlements, you assign one or more tags to a View Connection Server instance. Then, when
configuring a desktop pool, you select the tags of the View Connection Server instances that you want to be
able to access the desktop pool.

134

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 12 Entitling Users and Groups

When users log in through a tagged View Connection Server instance, they can access only those desktop
pools that have at least one matching tag or no tags.
NOTE You cannot configure the restricted entitlements feature to restrict access to remote applications.
n

Restricted Entitlement Example on page 135
This example shows a View deployment that includes two View Connection Server instances. The first
instance supports internal users. The second instance is paired with a security server and supports
external users.

Tag Matching on page 136
The restricted entitlements feature uses tag matching to determine whether a View Connection Server
instance can access a particular desktop pool.

Considerations and Limitations for Restricted Entitlements on page 137
Before implementing restricted entitlements, you must be aware of certain considerations and
limitations.

Assign a Tag to a View Connection Server Instance on page 137
When you assign a tag to a View Connection Server instance, users who connect to that View
Connection Server can access only those desktop pools that have a matching tag or no tags.

Assign a Tag to a Desktop Pool on page 137
When you assign a tag to a desktop pool, only users who connect to a View Connection Server
instance that has a matching tag can access the desktops in that pool.

Restricted Entitlement Example
This example shows a View deployment that includes two View Connection Server instances. The first
instance supports internal users. The second instance is paired with a security server and supports external
users.
To prevent external users from accessing certain desktops, you could set up restricted entitlements as
follows:
n

Assign the tag "Internal" to the View Connection Server instance that supports your internal users.

Assign the tag "External" to the View Connection Server instance that is paired with the security server
and supports your external users.

Assign the "Internal" tag to the desktop pools that should be accessible only to internal users.

Assign the "External" tag to the desktop pools that should be accessible only to external users.

External users cannot see the desktop pools tagged as Internal because they log in through the View
Connection Server tagged as External, and internal users cannot see the desktop pools tagged as External
because they log in through the View Connection Server tagged as Internal. Figure 12-1 illustrates this
configuration.

VMware, Inc.

135

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Figure 12‑1. Restricted Entitlement Configuration
client device

external
network
DMZ
View
Security
Server

client device

View
Connection
Server
Tag: “External”

View
Connection
Server
Tag: “Internal”

desktop pool A
Tag: “External”

desktop pool B
Tag: “Internal”

You can also use restricted entitlements to control desktop access based on the user-authentication method
that you configure for a particular View Connection Server instance. For example, you can make certain
desktop pools available only to users who have authenticated with a smart card.

Tag Matching
The restricted entitlements feature uses tag matching to determine whether a View Connection Server
instance can access a particular desktop pool.
At the most basic level, tag matching determines that a View Connection Server instance with a specific tag
can access a desktop pool that has the same tag.
The absence of tag assignments can also affect whether a View Connection Server instance can access a
desktop pool. For example, View Connection Server instances that do not have any tags can only access
desktop pools that also do not have any tags.
Table 12-1 shows how the restricted entitlement feature determines when a View Connection Server can
access a desktop pool.
Table 12‑1. Tag Matching Rules
View Connection Server

Desktop Pool

Access Permitted?

No tags

Yes

No tags

One or more tags

No tags

Yes

One or more tags

Only when tags match

The restricted entitlements feature only enforces tag matching. You must design your network topology to
force certain clients to connect through a particular View Connection Server instance.

136

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 12 Entitling Users and Groups

Considerations and Limitations for Restricted Entitlements
Before implementing restricted entitlements, you must be aware of certain considerations and limitations.
n

A single View Connection Server instance or desktop pool can have multiple tags.

Multiple View Connection Server instances and desktop pools can have the same tag.

Desktop pools that do not have any tags can be accessed by any View Connection Server instance.

View Connection Server instances that do not have any tags can only access desktop pools that also do
not have any tags.

If you use a security server, you must configure restricted entitlements on the View Connection Server
instance the security server is paired with. You cannot configure restricted entitlements on a security
server.

You cannot modify or remove a tag from a View Connection Server instance if that tag is still assigned
to a desktop pool and no other View Connection Server instances have a matching tag.

Restricted entitlements take precedence over other desktop entitlements or assignments. For example,
even if a user is assigned to a particular machine, the user will not be able to access that machine if the
desktop pool's tag does not match the tag assigned to the View Connection Server instance that the user
connected to.

If you intend to provide access to your desktops through Workspace Portal, and you configure View
Connection Server restrictions, the Workspace App Portal might display desktops to users when those
desktops are actually restricted. When a Workspace Portal user attempts to log in to a desktop, it will
not launch if the desktop pool's tag does not match the tag assigned to the View Connection Server
instance that the user is connected to.

Assign a Tag to a View Connection Server Instance
When you assign a tag to a View Connection Server instance, users who connect to that View Connection
Server can access only those desktop pools that have a matching tag or no tags.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select View Configuration > Servers.

Click the Connection Servers tab, select the View Connection Server instance, and click Edit.

Type one or more tags in the Tags text box.
Separate multiple tags with a comma or semicolon.

Click OK to save your changes.

What to do next
Assign the tag to desktop pools.

Assign a Tag to a Desktop Pool
When you assign a tag to a desktop pool, only users who connect to a View Connection Server instance that
has a matching tag can access the desktops in that pool.
You can assign a tag when you add or edit a desktop pool.
Prerequisites
Assign tags to one or more View Connection Server instances.

VMware, Inc.

137

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Select the pool that you want to assign a tag to.

Option

Action

Assign a tag to a new pool

Click Add to start the Add Desktop Pool wizard and define and identify
the pool.

Assign a tag to an existing pool

Select the pool and click Edit.

Go to the Desktop Pool Settings page.
Option

138

Action

Pool settings for a new pool

Click Desktop Pool Settings in the Add Desktop Pool wizard.

Pool settings for an existing pool

Click the Desktop Pool Settings tab.

Click Browse next to Connection Server restrictions and configure the View Connection Server
instances that can access the desktop pool.
Option

Action

Make the pool accessible to any
View Connection Server instance

Select No Restrictions.

Make the pool accessible only to
View Connection Server instances
that have those tags

Select Restricted to these tags and select one or more tags. You can use the
check boxes to select multiple tags.

Click OK to save your changes.

VMware, Inc.

Configuring Remote Desktop
Features

Certain remote desktop features that are installed with View Agent can be updated in Feature Pack Update
releases as well as in core View releases. You can configure these features to enhance the remote desktop
experience of your end users.
These features include HTML Access, Unity Touch, Flash URL Redirection, Real-Time Audio-Video,
Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR), and USB Redirection.
For information about HTML Access, see the Using HTML Access document, located on the
VMware Horizon Client Documentation Web page.
For information about USB Redirection, see Chapter 14, “Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and
Applications,” on page 167.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Configuring Unity Touch,” on page 139

“Configuring Flash URL Redirection for Multicast or Unicast Streaming,” on page 142

“Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video,” on page 146

“Configuring Scanner Redirection,” on page 160

“Managing Access to Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR),” on page 165

Configuring Unity Touch
With Unity Touch, tablet and smart phone users can easily browse, search, and open Windows applications
and files, choose favorite applications and files, and switch between running applications, all without using
the Start menu or Taskbar. You can configure a default list of favorite applications that appear in the Unity
Touch sidebar.
You can disable or enable the Unity Touch feature after it is installed by configuring the Enable Unity
Touch group policy setting. See “View Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings,” on page 210.
The VMware Horizon Client documents for iOS and Android devices provide more information about end
user features provided by Unity Touch.

VMware, Inc.

139

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

System Requirements for Unity Touch
Horizon Client software and the mobile devices on which you install Horizon Client must meet certain
version requirements to support Unity Touch.
View desktop

Horizon Client software

Mobile device operating
systems

To support Unity Touch, the following software must be installed in the
virtual machine that the end user will access:
n

You install the Unity Touch feature by installing View Agent 6.0 or later.
See “Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 27.

Operating systems: Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit), Windows 8 (32-bit or
64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit), Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2

Unity Touch is supported on the following Horizon Client versions:
n

Horizon Client 2.0 for iOS or later

Horizon Client 2.0 for Android or later

Unity Touch is supported on the following mobile device operating systems:
n

iOS 5.0 and later

Android 3 (Honeycomb), Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and
Android 4.1 and 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

Configure Favorite Applications Displayed by Unity Touch
With the Unity Touch feature, tablet and smart phone users can quickly navigate to a View desktop
application or file from a Unity Touch sidebar. Although end users can specify which favorite applications
appear in the sidebar, for added convenience, administrators can configure a default list of favorite
applications.
If you use floating-assigment desktop pools, the favorite applications and favorite files that end users
specify will be lost when they disconnect from a desktop unless you enable roaming user profiles in Active
Directory.
The default list of favorite applications list remains in effect when an end user first connects to a desktop
that is enabled with Unity Touch. However, if the user configures his or her own favorite application list,
the default list is ignored. The user's favorite application list stays in the user's roaming profile and is
available when the user connects to different machines in a floating or dedicated pool.
If you create a default list of favorite applications and one or more of the applications are not installed in the
View desktop operating system, or the paths to these applications are not found in the Start menu, the
applications do not appear in the list of favorites. You can use this behavior to set up one master default list
of favorite applications that can be applied to multiple virtual machine images with different sets of
installed applications.
For example, if Microsoft Office and Microsoft Visio are installed on one virtual machine, and Windows
Powershell and VMware vSphere Client are installed on a second virtual machine, you can create one list
that includes all four applications. Only the installed applications appear as default favorite applications on
each respective desktop.
You can use different methods to specify a default list of favorite applications:

140

Add a value to the Windows registry on the virtual machines in the desktop pool

Create an administrative installation package from the View Agent installer and distribute the package
to the virtual machines

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Run the View Agent installer from the command line on the virtual machines

NOTE Unity Touch assumes that shortcuts to applications are located in the Programs folder in the Start
menu. If any shortcut is located outside of the Programs folder, attach the prefix Programs to the shortcut
path. For example, Windows Update.lnk is located in the ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu folder.
To publish this shortcut as a default favorite application, add the prefix Programs to the shortcut path. For
example: "Programs/Windows Update.lnk".
Prerequisites
n

Verify that View Agent is installed on the virtual machine.

Verify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine. For this procedure, you might need
to edit a registry setting.

If you have floating-assignment desktop pools, use Active Directory to set up roaming user profiles.
Follow the instructions provided by Microsoft.
Users of floating-assignment desktop pools will be able to see their list of favorite applications and
favorite files every time they log in.

Procedure
n

(Optional) Create a default list of favorite applications by adding a value to the Windows registry.
a

Open regedit and navigate to the HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware Unity registry setting.
On a 64-bit virtual machine, navigate to the HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc.\VMware
Unity directory.

Create a string value called FavAppList.

Specify the default favorite applications.
Use the following format to specify the shortcut paths to the applications that are used in the Start
menu.
path-to-app-1|path-to-app-2|path-to-app-3|…

For example:
Programs/Accessories/Accessibility/Speech Recognition.lnk|Programs/VMware/VMware vSphere
Client.lnk|Programs/Microsoft Office/Microsoft Office 2010 Tools/Microsoft Office 2010
Language Preferences.lnk

VMware, Inc.

141

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

(Optional) Create a default list of favorite applications by creating an administrative installation
package from the View Agent installer.
a

From the command line, use the following format to create the administrative installation package.
VMware-viewagent-x86_64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /a /v"/qn TARGETDIR=""a network share to
store the admin install package"" UNITY_DEFAULT_APPS=""the list of default favorite apps
that should be set in the registry"""

For example:
VMware-viewagent-x86_x64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /a /v"/qn TARGETDIR=""\\foo-installershare\ViewFeaturePack\"" UNITY_DEFAULT_APPS=""Programs/Accessories/Accessibility/Ease of
Access.lnk|Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Character Map.lnk|
Programs/Accessories/Windows PowerShell/Windows PowerShell.lnk|Programs/Internet
Explorer (64-bit).lnk|Programs/Google Chrome/Google Chrome.lnk|
Programs/iTunes/iTunes.lnk|Programs/Microsoft Office/Microsoft SharePoint Workspace
2010.lnk|Programs/PuTTY/PuTTY.lnk|Programs/Skype/Skype.lnk|Programs/WebEx/Productivity
Tools/WebEx Settings.lnk|"""

Distribute the administrative installation package from the network share to the desktop virtual
machines by using a standard Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) deployment method that is
employed in your organization.

(Optional) Create a default list of favorite applications by running the View Agent installer on a
command line directly on a virtual machine.
Use the following format.
VMware-viewagent-x86_x64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn UNITY_DEFAULT_APPS=""the list of default
favorite apps that should be set in the registry"""

NOTE The preceding command combines installing View Agent with specifying the default list of
favorite applications. You do not have to install View Agent before you run this command.
What to do next
If you performed this task directly on a virtual machine (by editing the Windows registry or installing View
Agent from the command line), you must deploy the newly configured virtual machine. You can create a
snapshot or make a template and create a desktop pool, or recompose an existing pool. Or you can create an
Active Directory group policy to deploy the new configuration.

Configuring Flash URL Redirection for Multicast or Unicast Streaming
Customers can now use Adobe Media Server and multicast or unicast to deliver live video events in a
virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment. To deliver multicast or unicast live video streams within a
VDI environment, the media stream should be sent directly from the media source to the endpoints,
bypassing the remote desktops. The Flash URL Redirection feature supports this capability by intercepting
and redirecting the ShockWave Flash (SWF) file from the remote desktop to the client endpoint.
The Flash content is then displayed using the clients' local Flash media players.
Streaming Flash content directly from the Adobe Media Server to the client endpoints lowers the load on the
datacenter ESXi host, removes the extra routing through the datacenter, and reduces the bandwidth
required to simultaneously stream Flash content to multiple client endpoints.

142

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

The Flash URL redirection feature uses a JavaScript that is embedded inside an HTML Web page by the
Web page administrator. Whenever a remote desktop user clicks on the designated URL link from within a
Web page, the JavaScript intercepts and redirects the SWF file from the remote desktop session to the client
endpoint. The endpoint then opens a local Flash Projector outside of the remote desktop session and plays
the media stream locally.
To configure Flash URL Redirection, you must set up your HTML Web page and your client devices.
Procedure
1

System Requirements for Flash URL Redirection on page 143
To support Flash URL Redirection, your View deployment must meet certain software and hardware
requirements.

Verify that the Flash URL Redirection Feature Is Installed on page 144
Before you use this feature, verify that the Flash URL Redirection feature is installed and running on
your virtual desktops.

Set Up the Web Pages That Provide Multicast or Unicast Streams on page 145
To allow Flash URL redirection to take place, you must embed a JavaScript command in the MIME
HTML (MHTML) Web pages that provide links to the multicast or unicast streams. Users display
these Web pages in the browsers on their remote desktops to access the video streams.

Set Up Client Devices for Flash URL Redirection on page 145
The Flash URL Redirection feature redirects the SWF file from remote desktops to client devices. To
allow these client devices to play Flash videos from a multicast or unicast stream, you must verify that
the appropriate Adobe Flash Player is installed on the client devices. The clients also must have IP
connectivity to the media source.

Disable or Enable Flash URL Redirection on page 146
Flash URL Redirection is enabled when you perform a silent installation of View Agent with the
command-line argument, FlashURLRedirection. You can disable or reenable the Flash URL
Redirection feature on selected remote desktops by setting a value on a Windows registry key on those
virtual machines.

System Requirements for Flash URL Redirection
To support Flash URL Redirection, your View deployment must meet certain software and hardware
requirements.
View desktop

Flash media player and
ShockWave Flash
(SWF)

VMware, Inc.

You install Flash URL Redirection by typing the command-line
argument, FlashURLRedirection, in a silent installation of View Agent
6.0 or later. See “Silent Installation Properties for View Agent,” on
page 33.

The desktops must run Windows 7 64-bit or 32-bit operating systems.

Supported desktop browsers include Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10,
Chrome 29.x, and Firefox 20.x.

You must integrate an appropriate Flash media player such as Strobe Media
Playback into your Web site. To stream multicast content, you can use
multicastplayer.swf or StrobeMediaPlayback.swf in your Web pages. To
stream live unicast content, you must use StrobeMediaPlayback.swf. You can
also use StrobeMediaPlayback.swf for other supported features such as
RTMP streaming and HTTP dynamic streaming.

143

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Horizon Client software

The following Horizon Client releases support multicast and unicast:
n

Horizon Client 2.2 for Linux or a later release

Horizon Client 2.2 for Windows or a later release

The following Horizon Client releases support multicast only (they do not
support unicast):

Horizon Client computer
or client access device

Horizon Client 2.0 or 2.1 for Linux

Horizon Client 5.4 for Windows

Flash URL Redirection is supported on all operating systems that run
Horizon Client for Linux on x86 Thin client devices. This feature is not
supported on ARM processors.

Flash URL Redirection is supported on all operating systems that run
Horizon Client for Windows. For details, see the Using
VMware Horizon Client for Windows document.

On Windows client devices, you must install Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or
later for Internet Explorer.

On Linux Thin client devices, you must install the libexpat.so.0 and
libflashplayer.so files. See “Set Up Client Devices for Flash URL
Redirection,” on page 145.

NOTE With Flash URL Redirection, the multicast or unicast stream is
redirected to client devices that might be outside your organization's
firewall. Your clients must have access to the Adobe Web server that hosts
the ShockWave Flash (SWF) file that initiates the multicast or unicast
streaming. If needed, configure your firewall to open the appropriate ports to
allow client devices to access this server.

Verify that the Flash URL Redirection Feature Is Installed
Before you use this feature, verify that the Flash URL Redirection feature is installed and running on your
virtual desktops.
The Flash URL Redirection feature must be present on every desktop where you intend to support multicast
or unicast redirection. For View Agent installation instructions, see “Silent Installation Properties for View
Agent,” on page 33.
Procedure

144

Start a remote desktop session that uses PCoIP.

Open the Task Manager.

Verify that the ViewMPServer.exe process is running on the desktop.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Set Up the Web Pages That Provide Multicast or Unicast Streams
To allow Flash URL redirection to take place, you must embed a JavaScript command in the MIME HTML
(MHTML) Web pages that provide links to the multicast or unicast streams. Users display these Web pages
in the browsers on their remote desktops to access the video streams.
In addition, you can customize the English error message that is displayed to end users when a problem
occurs with Flash URL redirection. Take this optional step if you want to display a localized error message
to your end users. You must embed the var vmwareScriptErroMessage configuration, together with your
localized text string, in the MHTML Web page.
Prerequisites
Verify that the swfobject.js library is imported in the MHTML Web page.
Procedure
1

Embed the viewmp.js JavaScript command in the MHTML Web page.
For example:

(Optional) Customize the Flash URL redirection error message that is sent to end users.
For example: "var vmwareScriptErroMessage=localized error message"

Make sure to embed the viewmp.js JavaScript command, and optionally customize the Flash URL
redirection error message, before the ShockWave Flash (SWF) file is imported into the MHTML Web
page.

When a user displays the Web page in a remote desktop, the viewmp.js JavaScript command invokes the
Flash URL Redirection mechanism on the remote desktop, which redirects the SWF file from the desktop to
the hosting client device.

Set Up Client Devices for Flash URL Redirection
The Flash URL Redirection feature redirects the SWF file from remote desktops to client devices. To allow
these client devices to play Flash videos from a multicast or unicast stream, you must verify that the
appropriate Adobe Flash Player is installed on the client devices. The clients also must have IP connectivity
to the media source.
NOTE With Flash URL Redirection, the multicast or unicast stream is redirected to client devices that might
be outside your organization's firewall. Your clients must have access to the Adobe Web server that hosts
the SWF file that initiates the multicast or unicast streaming. If needed, configure your firewall to open the
appropriate ports to allow client devices to access this server.

VMware, Inc.

145

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Procedure
u

Install Adobe Flash Player on your client devices.
Operating System

Action

Windows

Install Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or later for Internet Explorer.

Linux

Install the libexpat.so.0 file, or verify that this file is already
installed.
Ensure that the file is installed in the /usr/lib or /usr/local/lib
directory.

Install the libflashplayer.so file, or verify that this file is already
installed.
Ensure that the file is installed in the appropriate Flash plug-in
directory for your Linux operating system.

Install the wget program, or verify that the program file is already
installed.

Disable or Enable Flash URL Redirection
Flash URL Redirection is enabled when you perform a silent installation of View Agent with the commandline argument, FlashURLRedirection. You can disable or reenable the Flash URL Redirection feature on
selected remote desktops by setting a value on a Windows registry key on those virtual machines.
Procedure
1

Start the Windows Registry Editor on the virtual machine.

Navigate to the Windows registry key that controls Flash URL Redirection.

Option

Description

Windows 7 64-bit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\VMware,Inc.\VMware
ViewMP\enabled = value

Windows 7 32-bit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VMware,Inc.\VMware
ViewMP\enabled = value

Set the value to disable or enable Flash URL Redirection.
Option

Value

Disabled

Enabled

By default, the value is set to 1.

Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video
Real-Time Audio-Video allows View users to run Skype, Webex, Google Hangouts, and other online
conferencing applications on their remote desktops. With Real-Time Audio-Video, webcam and audio
devices that are connected locally to the client system are redirected to the remote desktop. This feature
redirects video and audio data to the desktop with a significantly lower bandwidth than can be achieved by
using USB redirection.
Real-Time Audio-Video is compatible with standard conferencing applications and browser-based video
applications, and supports standard webcams, audio USB devices, and analog audio input.
This feature installs the VMware Virtual Webcam and VMware Virtual Microphone on the desktop
operating system. The VMware Virtual Webcam uses a kernel-mode webcam driver that provides enhanced
compatibility with browser-based video applications and other 3rd-party conferencing software.

146

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

When a conferencing or video application is launched, it displays and uses these VMware virtual devices,
which handle the audio-video redirection from the locally-connected devices on the client. The VMware
Virtual Webcam and Microphone appear in the Device Manager on the desktop operating system.
The drivers for the audio and webcam devices must be installed on your Horizon Client systems to enable
the redirection.

Configuration Choices for Real-Time Audio-Video
After you install View Agent with Real-Time Audio-Video, the feature works on your View desktops
without any further configuration. The default values for the webcam frame rate and image resolution are
recommended for most standard devices and applications.
You can configure group policy settings to change these default values to adapt to particular applications,
webcams, or environments. You can also set a policy to disable or enable the feature altogether. An ADM
Template file lets you install Real-Time Audio-Video group policy settings on Active Directory or on
individual desktops. See “Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video Group Policy Settings,” on page 157.
If users have multiple webcams and audio input devices built in or connected to their client computers, you
can configure preferred webcams and audio input devices that will be redirected to their desktops. See
“Selecting Preferred Webcams and Microphones,” on page 148.
NOTE You can select a preferred audio device, but no other audio configuration options are available.
When webcam images and audio input are redirected to a remote desktop, you cannot access the webcam
and audio devices on the local computer. Conversely, when these devices are in use on the local computer,
you cannot access them on the remote desktop.
For information about supported applications, see the VMware knowledge base article, Guidelines for Using
Real-Time Audio-Video with 3rd-Party Applications on Horizon View Desktops, at
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2053754.

System Requirements for Real-Time Audio-Video
Real-Time Audio-Video works with standard webcam, USB audio, and analog audio devices, and with
standard conferencing applications like Skype, WebEx, and Google Hangouts. To support Real-Time AudioVideo, your View deployment must meet certain software and hardware requirements.
View remote desktop

You install the Real-Time Audio-Video feature by installing View Agent 6.0
or later. This feature is supported in desktop pools that are deployed on
single-user virtual machines but not in RDS desktop pools. See “Install View
Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 27.

Horizon Client software

Horizon Client 2.2 for Windows or a later release
Horizon Client 2.2 for Linux or a later release. For Horizon Client for Linux
3.1 or earlier, this feature is available only with the version of Horizon Client
for Linux provided by third-party vendors. For Horizon Client for Linux 3.2
and later, this feature is also available with the version of the client available
from VMware.
Horizon Client 2.3 for Mac OS X or a later release

Horizon Client computer
or client access device

VMware, Inc.

All operating systems that run Horizon Client for Windows.

All operating systems that run Horizon Client for Linux on x86 devices.
This feature is not supported on ARM processors.

Mac OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) and later. It is disabled on all earlier Mac
OS X operating systems.

147

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Display protocol for
View

For details about supported client operating systems, see the Using
VMware Horizon Client document for the appropriate system or device.

The webcam and audio device drivers must be installed, and the
webcam and audio device must be operable, on the client computer. To
support Real-Time Audio-Video, you do not have to install the device
drivers on the desktop operating system where View Agent is installed.

PCoIP
Real-Time Audio-Video is not supported in RDP desktop sessions.

Ensuring That Real-Time Audio-Video Is Used Instead of USB Redirection
Real-Time Audio-Video supports webcam and audio input redirection for use in conferencing applications.
The USB redirection feature that can be installed with View Agent does not support webcam redirection. If
you redirect audio input devices through USB redirection, the audio stream does not synchronize properly
with video during Real-Time Audio-Video sessions, and you lose the benefit of reducing the demand on
network bandwidth. You can take steps to ensure that webcams and audio input devices are redirected to
your desktops through Real-Time Audio-Video, not USB redirection.
If your desktops are configured with USB redirection, end users can connect and display their locally
connected USB devices by selecting the Connect USB Device option in the Windows client menu bar or the
Desktop > USB menu in the Mac OS X client. Linux clients block USB redirection of audio and video
devices by default and do not provide the USB device options to end users.
If an end user selects a USB device from the Connect USB Device or Desktop > USB list, that device
becomes unusable for video or audio conferencing. For example, if a user makes a Skype call, the video
image might not appear or the audio stream might be degraded. If an end user selects a device during a
conferencing session, the webcam or audio redirection is disrupted.
To hide these devices from end users and prevent potential disruptions, you can configure USB redirection
group policy settings to disable the display of webcams and audio input devices in VMware Horizon Client.
In particular, you can create USB redirection filtering rules for View Agent and specify the audio-in and
video Device Family Names to be disabled. For information about setting group policies and specifying
filtering rules for USB redirection, see “Using Policies to Control USB Redirection,” on page 174.

CAUTION If you do not set up USB redirection filtering rules to disable the USB device families, inform your
end users that they cannot select webcam or audio devices from the Connect USB Device or Desktop > USB
list in the VMware Horizon Client menu bar.

Selecting Preferred Webcams and Microphones
If a client computer has more than one webcam and microphone, you can configure a preferred webcam
and default microphone that Real-Time Audio-Video will redirect to the desktop. These devices can be built
in or connected to the local client computer.
On a Windows client computer, you select a preferred webcam by setting a registry key value. On a Mac OS
X client computer, you can specify a preferred webcam or microphone by using the Mac OS X defaults
system. On a Linux client computer, you can specify a preferred webcam or microphone by editing a
configuration file. Real-Time Audio-Video redirects the preferred webcam if it is available. If not, Real-Time
Audio-Video uses the first webcam that is provided by system enumeration.
To select a default microphone, you can configure the Sound control in the Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux
operating system on the client computer.

148

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Select a Default Microphone on a Windows Client System
If you have multiple microphones on your client system, only one of them is used on your View desktop. To
specify which microphone is the default, you can use the Sound control on your client system.
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, audio input devices and audio output devices work without
requiring the use of USB redirection, and the amount of network bandwidth required is greatly reduced.
Analog audio input devices are also supported.
IMPORTANT If you are using a USB microphone, do not connect it from the Connect USB Device menu in
Horizon Client. To do so routes the device through USB redirection so that the device cannot use the RealTime Audio-Video feature.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.

Verify that you are using the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

Procedure
1

If you are currently on a call, stop the call.

Right-click the speaker icon in your system tray and select Recording devices.
You can alternatively open the Sound control from the Control Panel and click the Recording tab.

In the Recording tab of the Sound dialog box, right-click the microphone you prefer to use.

Select Set as Default Device and click OK.

Start a new call from your View desktop.

Select a Preferred Webcam on a Windows Client System
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, if you have multiple webcams on your client system, only one of
them is used on your View desktop. To specify which webcam is preferred, you can set a registry key value.
The preferred webcam is used on the remote desktop if it is available, and if not, another webcam is used.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that you have a USB webcam installed and operational on your client system.

Verify that you are using the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

Procedure
1

Attach the webcam you want to use.

Start a call and then stop a call.
This process creates a log file.

VMware, Inc.

149

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Open the debug log file with a text editor.
Operating System

Log File Location

Windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local
Settings\Application Data\VMware\VDM\Logs\debug-20YY-MM-DDXXXXXX.txt

Windows 7 or Windows 8

C:\Users\%username
%\AppData\Local\VMware\VDM\Logs\debug-20YY-MM-DD-XXXXXX.txt

The format of the log file is debug-20YY-MM-DD-XXXXXX.txt , where 20YY is the year, MM is the month,
DD is the day, and XXXXXX is a number.
4

Search the log file for [ViewMMDevRedir] VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum to find the log file entries that
reference the attached webcams.
Here is an excerpt from the log file identifying the Microsoft Lifecam HD-5000 webcam:
[ViewMMDevRedir] VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum - 2 Device(s) found
[ViewMMDevRedir] VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum - Index=0 Name=Integrated Webcam
UserId=vid_1bcf&pid_2b83&mi_00#7&1b2e878b&0&0000
SystemId=\\?\usb#vid_1bcf&pid_2b83&mi_00#
[ViewMMDevRedir] VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum - Index=1 Name=Microsoft LifeCam HD-5000
UserId=vid_045e&pid_076d&mi_00#8&11811f49&0&0000 SystemId=\\?\usb#vid_045e&pid_076d&mi_00#

Copy the user ID of the preferred webcam.
For example, copy vid_045e&pid_076d&mi_00#8&11811f49&0&0000 to set the Microsoft LifeCam HD-5000
as the default webcam.

Start the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware,
Inc.\VMware VDM\RTAV.

Paste the ID portion of the string into the REG_SZ value, srcWCamId.
For example, paste vid_045e&pid_076d&mi_00#8&11811f49&0&0000 into srcWCamId.

Save your changes and exit the registry.

Start a new call.

Select a Default Microphone on a Mac OS X Client System
If you have multiple microphones on your client system, only one microphone is used on your remote
desktop. You can use System Preferences on your client system to specify which microphone is the default
microphone on the remote desktop.
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, audio input devices and audio output devices work without
requiring the use of USB redirection, and the amount of network bandwidth required is greatly reduced.
Analog audio input devices are also supported.
This procedure describes how to choose a microphone from the user interface of the client system.
Administrators can also configure a preferred microphone by using the Mac OS X defaults system. See
“Configure a Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Mac OS X Client System,” on page 152.
IMPORTANT If you are using a USB microphone, do not connect it from the Connection > USB menu in
Horizon Client. To do so routes the device through USB redirection and the device cannot use the Real-Time
Audio-Video feature.

150

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Prerequisites
n

Verify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.

Verify that you are using the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

Procedure
1

On your client system, select Apple menu > System Preferences and click Sound.

Open the Input pane of Sound preferences.

Select the microphone that you prefer to use.

The next time that you connect to a remote desktop and start a call, the desktop uses the default microphone
that you selected on the client system.

Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video on a Mac OS X Client
You can configure Real-Time Audio-Video settings at the command line by using the Mac OS X defaults
system. With the defaults system, you can read, write, and delete Mac OS X user defaults by using Terminal
(/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app).
Mac OS X defaults belong to domains. Domains typically correspond to individual applications. The
domain for the Real-Time Audio-Video feature is com.vmware.rtav.
Syntax for Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video
You can use the following commands to configure the Real-Time Audio-Video feature.
Table 13‑1. Command Syntax for Real-Time Audio-Video Configuration
Command

Description

defaults write com.vmware.rtav scrWCamId "webcamuserid"

Sets the preferred webcam to use on remote desktops. When this
value is not set, the webcam is selected automatically by system
enumeration. You can specify any webcam connected to (or built
into) the client system.

defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcAudioInId "audiodevice-userid"

Sets the preferred microphone (audio-in device) to use on remote
desktops. When this value is not set, remote desktops use the
default recording device set on the client system. You can specify
any microphone connected to (or built into) the client system.

defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcWCamFrameWidth
pixels

Sets the image width. The value defaults to a hardcoded value of
320 pixels. You can change the image width to any pixel value.

defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcWCamFrameHeight
pixels

Sets the image height. The value defaults to a hardcoded value of
240 pixels. You can change the image height to any pixel value.

defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcWCamFrameRate fps

Sets the frame rate. The value defaults to 15 fps. You can change
the frame rate to any value.

defaults write com.vmware.rtav LogLevel "level"

Sets the logging level for the Real-Time Audio-Video log file
(~/Library/Logs/VMware/vmware-RTAV-pid.log). You can set
the logging level to trace or debug.

defaults write com.vmware.rtav IsDisabled value

Determines whether Real-Time Audio-Video is enabled or
disabled. Real-Time Audio-Video is enabled by default. (This
value is not in effect.) To disable Real-Time Audio-Video on the
client, set the value to true.

VMware, Inc.

151

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 13‑1. Command Syntax for Real-Time Audio-Video Configuration (Continued)
Command

Description

defaults read com.vmware.rtav

Displays Real-Time Audio-Video configuration settings.

defaults delete com.vmware.rtav setting

Deletes a Real-Time Audio-Video configuration setting, for
example: defaults delete com.vmware.rtav
srcWCamFrameWidth

NOTE You can adjust frame rates from 1 fps up to a maximum of 25 fps and resolution up to a maximum of
1920x1080. A high resolution at a fast frame rate might not be supported on all devices or in all
environments.

Configure a Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Mac OS X Client System
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, if you have multiple webcams or microphones on your client
system, only one webcam and one microphone can be used on your remote desktop. You specify which
webcam and microphone are preferred at the command line by using the Mac OS X defaults system.
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, webcams, audio input devices, and audio output devices work
without requiring USB redirection, and the amount of network bandwidth required is greatly reduced.
Analog audio input devices are also supported.
In most environments, there is no need to configure a preferred microphone or webcam. If you do not set a
preferred microphone, remote desktops use the default audio device set in the client system's System
Preferences. See “Select a Default Microphone on a Mac OS X Client System,” on page 150. If you do not
configure a preferred webcam, the remote desktop selects the webcam by enumeration.
Prerequisites
n

If you are configuring a preferred USB webcam, verify that the webcam is installed and operational on
your client system.

If you are configuring a preferred USB microphone or other type of microphone, verify that the
microphone is installed and operational on your client system.

Verify that you are using the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

Procedure
1

152

On your Mac OS X client system, start a webcam or microphone application to trigger an enumeration
of camera devices or audio devices to the Real-Time Audio-Video log file.
a

Attach the webcam or audio device.

In the Applications folder, double-click VMware Horizon View Client (Horizon Client 3.0) or
VMware Horizon Client (Horizon Client 3.1 and later) to start Horizon Client.

Start a call and then stop the call.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Find log entries for the webcam or microphone in the Real-Time Audio-Video log file.
a

In a text editor, open the Real-Time Audio-Video log file.
The Real-Time Audio-Video log file is named ~/Library/Logs/VMware/vmware-RTAV-pid.log, where
pid is the process ID of the current session.

Search the Real-Time Audio-Video log file for entries that identify the attached webcams or
microphones.

The following example shows how webcam entries might appear in the Real-Time Audio-Video log file:
2013-12-16T12:18:17.404Z| vthread-3| I120: RTAV: static void VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum() 1 Device(s) found
2013-12-16T12:18:17.404Z| vthread-3| I120: RTAV: static void VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum() Name=FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
UserId=FaceTime HD Camera (Builtin)#0xfa20000005ac8509
SystemId=0xfa20000005ac8509

The following example shows how microphone entries might appear in the Real-Time Audio-Video log
file:
2013-12-16T12:18:17.404Z| vthread-3| I120: RTAV: int
AVCaptureEnumerateAudioDevices(MMDev::DeviceList&) 2013-12-16T12:18:17.404Z| vthread-3| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureBase::LogDevEnum()
- 2 Device(s) found
2013-12-16T12:18:17.404Z| vthread-3| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureBase::LogDevEnum()
- Index=255
Name=Built-in Microphone
UserId=Built-in Microphone#AppleHDAEngineInput:1B,
0,1,0:1
SystemId=AppleHDAEngineInput:1B,0,1,0:1
2013-12-16T12:18:17.404Z| vthread-3| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureBase::LogDevEnum()
- Index=255
Name=Built-in Input
UserId=Built-in Input#AppleHDAEngineInput:1B,0,1,1:2
SystemId=AppleHDAEngineInput:1B,0,1,1:2

Find the webcam or microphone that you prefer in the Real-Time Audio-Video log file and make a note
of its user ID.
The user ID appears after the string UserId= in the log file. For example, the user ID of the internal face
time camera is FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) and the user ID of the internal microphone is Built-in
Microphone.

In Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app), use the defaults write command to set the
preferred webcam or microphone.
Option

Action

Set the preferred webcam

Type
defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcWCamId "webcam-userid",
where webcam-userid is the user ID of the preferred webcam, which you
obtained from the Real-Time Audio-Video log file. For example:
defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcWCamId "HD Webcam C525”

Set the preferred microphone

Type
defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcAudioInId "audio-deviceuserid", where audio-device-userid is the user ID of the preferred
microphone, which you obtained from the Real-Time Audio-Video log file.
For example:
defaults write com.vmware.rtav srcAudioInId "Built-in
Microphone"

(Optional) Use the defaults read command to verify your changes to the Real-Time Audio-Video
feature.
For example: defaults read com.vmware.rtav
The command lists all of the Real-Time Audio-Video settings.

VMware, Inc.

153

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

The next time you connect to a remote desktop and start a new call, the desktop uses the preferred webcam
or microphone that you configured, if it is available. If the preferred webcam or microphone is not available,
the remote desktop can use another available webcam or microphone.

Select a Default Microphone on a Linux Client System
If you have multiple microphones on your client system, only one of them is used on your View desktop. To
specify which microphone is the default, you can use the Sound control on your client system.
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, audio input devices and audio output devices work without
requiring the use of USB redirection, and the amount of network bandwidth required is greatly reduced.
Analog audio input devices are also supported.
This procedure describes choosing a default microphone from the user interface of the client system.
Administrators can also configure a preferred microphone by editing a configuration file. See “Select a
Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Linux Client System,” on page 154.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.

Verify that you are using the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

Procedure
1

In the Ubuntu graphical user interface, select System > Preferences > Sound.
You can alternatively click the Sound icon on the right side of the toolbar at the top of the screen.

Click the Input tab in the Sound Preferences dialog box.

Select the preferred device and click Close.

Select a Preferred Webcam or Microphone on a Linux Client System
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, if you have multiple webcams and microphones on your client
system, only one webcam and one microphone can be used on your View desktop. To specify which
webcam and microphone are preferred, you can edit a configuration file.
The preferred webcam or microphone is used on the View desktop if it is available, and if not, another
webcam or microphone is used.
With the Real-Time Audio-Video feature, webcams, audio input devices, and audio output devices work
without requiring the use of USB redirection, and the amount network bandwidth required is greatly
reduced. Analog audio input devices are also supported.
To set the properties in the /etc/vmware/config file and specify a preferred device, you must determine the
device ID.
n

For webcams, you set the rtav.srcWCamId property to the value of the webcam description found in the
log file, as described in the procedure that follows.
For audio devices, you set the rtav.srcAudioInId property to the value of the Pulse Audio

device.description field.

To find the value of this field you can search the log file, as described in the procedure that follows.
Prerequisites
Depending on whether you are configuring a preferred webcam, preferred microphone, or both, perform
the appropriate prerequisite tasks:
n

154

Verify that you have a USB webcam installed and operational on your client system.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Verify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.

Verify that you are using the PCoIP display protocol for your remote desktop.

Procedure
1

Launch the client, and start a webcam or microphone application to trigger an enumeration of camera
devices or audio devices to the client log.
a

Attach the webcam or audio device you want to use.

Use the command vmware-view to start Horizon Client.

Start a call and then stop the call.
This process creates a log file.

VMware, Inc.

155

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Find log entries for the webcam or microphone.
a

Open the debug log file with a text editor.
The log file with real-time audio-video log messages is located at /tmp/vmware-/vmwareRTAV-.log. The client log is located at /tmp/vmware-/vmware-view-.log.

Search the log file to find the log file entries that reference the attached webcams and microphones.
The following example shows an extract of the webcam selection:
main| I120: RTAV: static void VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum() - 3 Device(s) found
main| I120: RTAV: static void VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum() - Name=UVC Camera (046d:
0819)
UserId=UVC Camera (046d:0819)#/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.
7/usb1/1-3/1-3.4/1-3.4.5
SystemId=/dev/video1
main| I120: RTAV: static void VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum() - Name=gspca main driver
UserId=gspca main driver#/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.7/usb1/1-3/1-3.4/1-3.4.7
SystemId=/dev/video2
®
main| I120: RTAV: static void VideoInputBase::LogDevEnum() - Name=Microsoft
®
LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks
UserId=Microsoft LifeCam HD-6000 for
Notebooks#/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.7/usb1/1-3/1-3.6
SystemId=/dev/video0
main| W110: RTAV: static bool AudioCaptureLin::EnumCaptureDevices(MMDev::DeviceList&) enumeration data unavailable

The following example shows an extract of the audio device selection, and the current audio level
for each:
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: bool AudioCaptureLin::TriggerEnumDevices() - Triggering
enumeration
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - PulseAudio Get Source (idx=1 'alsa_output.usbLogitech_Logitech_USB_Headset-00-Headset.analog-stereo.monitor' 'Monitor of Logitech USB
Headset Analog Stereo')
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - channel:0 vol:65536
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - channel:1 vol:65536
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - PulseAudio Get Source (idx=2 'alsa_input.usbLogitech_Logitech_USB_Headset-00-Headset.analog-mono' 'Logitech USB Headset Analog Mono')
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - channel:0 vol:98304
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - PulseAudio Get Source (idx=3 'alsa_output.usbMicrosoft_Microsoft_LifeChat_LX-6000-00-LX6000.analog-stereo.monitor' 'Monitor of
Microsoft LifeChat LX-6000 Analog Stereo')
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioGetSourceCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - channel:0 vol:65536

Warnings are shown if any of the source audio levels for the selected device do not meet the
PulseAudio criteria if the source is not set to 100% (0dB), or if the selected source device is muted,
as follows:
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioSourceInfoCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - Note, selected device channel volume: 0: 67%
vthread-18| I120: RTAV: static void AudioCaptureLin::PulseAudioSourceInfoCB(pa_context*,
const pa_source_info*, int, void*) - Note, selected device channel is muted

156

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Copy the description of the device and use it to set the appropriate property in the /etc/vmware/config
file.
®

For a webcam example, copy Microsoft LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks to specify the Microsoft
webcam as the preferred webcam and set the property as follows:
®

rtav.srcWCamId="Microsoft LifeCam HD-6000 for Notebooks"

For this example you could also set the property to rtav.srcWCamId="Microsoft".
For an audio device example, copy Logitech USB Headset Analog Mono to specify the Logitech headset
as the preferred audio device and set the property as follows:
rtav.srcAudioInId="Logitech USB Headset Analog Mono"

Save your changes and close the /etc/vmware/config configuration file.

Log off of the desktop session and start a new session.

Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video Group Policy Settings
You can configure group policy settings that control the behavior of Real-Time Audio-Video (RTAV) on
your View desktops. These settings determine a virtual webcam's maximum frame rate and image
resolution. The settings allow you to manage the maximum bandwidth that any one user can consume. An
additional setting disables or enables the RTAV feature.
You do not have to configure these policy settings. Real-Time Audio-Video works with the frame rate and
image resolution that are set for the webcam on client systems. The default settings are recommended for
most webcam and audio applications.
For examples of bandwidth use during Real-Time Audio-Video, see “Real-Time Audio-Video Bandwidth,”
on page 159.
These policy settings affect your View desktops, not the client systems to which the physical devices are
connected. To configure these settings on your desktops, add the RTAV Group Policy Administrative
Template (ADM) file in Active Directory.
For information about configuring settings on client systems, see the VMware knowledge base article,
Setting Frame Rates and Resolution for Real-Time Audio-Video on Horizon View Clients, at
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2053644.

Add the RTAV ADM Template in Active Directory and Configure the Settings
You can add the policy settings in the RTAV ADM file, vdm_agent_rtav.adm, to group policy objects (GPOs)
in Active Directory and configure the settings in the Group Policy Object Editor.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that the RTAV setup option is installed on your desktops. This setup option is installed by
default but can be deselected during installation. The settings have no effect if RTAV is not installed.
See “Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 27.

Verify that Active Directory GPOs are created for the RTAV group policy settings. The GPOs must be
linked to the OU that contains your desktops. See “Active Directory Group Policy Example,” on
page 239.

Verify that the Microsoft MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active
Directory server.

Familiarize yourself with RTAV group policy settings. See “Real-Time Audio-Video Group Policy
Settings,” on page 158.

VMware, Inc.

157

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Procedure
1

Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware Horizon 6 download site at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip, where x.x.x is the version
and yyyyyyy is the build number. All ADM and ADMX files that provide group policy settings for View
are available in this file.

Unzip the VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip file and copy the RTAV ADM file,
vdm_agent_rtav.adm, to your Active Directory server.

On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO by selecting Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy
Management, right-clicking the GPO, and selecting Edit.

In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Administrative
Templates folder and select Add/Remove Templates.

Click Add, browse to the vdm_agent_rtav.adm file, and click Open.

Configure the RTAV group policy settings.

Real-Time Audio-Video Group Policy Settings
The Real-Time Audio-Video (RTAV) group policy settings control the virtual webcam's maximum frame
rate and maximum image resolution. An additional setting lets you disable or enable the RTAV feature.
These policy settings affect View desktops, not the client systems where the physical devices are connected.
If you do not configure the RTAV group policy settings, RTAV uses the values that are set on the client
systems. On client systems, the default webcam frame rate is 15 frames per second. The default webcam
image resolution is 320x240 pixels.
The Resolution - Max image... group policy settings determine the maximum values that can be used. The
frame rate and resolution that are set on client systems are absolute values. For example, if you configure
the RTAV settings for maximum image resolution to 640x480 pixels, the webcam displays any resolution
that is set on the client up to 640x480 pixels. If you set the image resolution on the client to a value higher
than 640x480 pixels, the client resolution is capped at 640x480 pixels.
Not all configurations can achieve the maximum group policy settings of 1920x1080 resolution at 25 frames
per second. The maximum frame rate that your configuration can achieve for a given resolution depends
upon the webcam being used, the client system hardware, the View Agent virtual hardware, and the
available bandwidth.
The Resolution - Default image... group policy settings determine the default values that are used when
resolution values are not set by the user.

158

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Group Policy
Setting

Description

Disable RTAV

When you enable this setting, the Real-Time Audio-Video feature is disabled.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, Real-Time Audio-Video is enabled.
This setting is located in the View RTAV Configuration folder.

Max frames per
second

Determines the maximum rate per second at which the webcam can capture frames. You can use this
setting to limit the webcam frame rate in low-bandwidth network environments.
The minimum value is one frame per second. The maximum value is 25 frames per second.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, no maximum frame rate is set. Real-Time AudioVideo uses the frame rate that is selected for the webcam on the client system.
By default, client webcams have a frame rate of 15 frames per second. If no setting is configured on the
client system and the Max frames per second setting is not configured or disabled, the webcam
captures 15 frames per second.
This setting is located in the View RTAV Configuration > View RTAV Webcam Settings folder.

Resolution Max image
width in pixels

Determines the maximum width, in pixels, of image frames that are captured by the webcam. By
setting a low maximum image width, you can lower the resolution of captured frames, which can
improve the imaging experience in low-bandwidth network environments.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, a maximum image width is not set. RTAV uses the
image width that is set on the client system. The default width of a webcam image on a client system is
320 pixels.
The maximum limit for any webcam image is 1920x1080 pixels. If you configure this setting with a
value that is higher than 1920 pixels, the effective maximum image width is 1920 pixels.
This setting is located in the View RTAV Configuration > View RTAV Webcam Settings folder.

Resolution Max image
height in pixels

Determines the maximum height, in pixels, of image frames that are captured by the webcam. By
setting a low maximum image height, you can lower the resolution of captured frames, which can
improve the imaging experience in low-bandwidth network environments.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, a maximum image height is not set. RTAV uses the
image height that is set on the client system. The default height of a webcam image on a client system
is 240 pixels.
The maximum limit for any webcam image is 1920x1080 pixels. If you configure this setting with a
value that is higher than 1080 pixels, the effective maximum image height is 1080 pixels.
This setting is located in the View RTAV Configuration > View RTAV Webcam Settings folder.

Resolution Default image
resolution
width in pixels

Determines the default resolution width, in pixels, of image frames that are captured by the webcam.
This setting is used when no resolution value is defined by the user.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, the default image width is 320 pixels.
The value that is configured by this policy setting takes effect only if both View Agent 6.0 or later and
Horizon Client 3.0 or later are used. For older versions of View Agent and Horizon Client, this policy
setting has no effect, and the default image width is 320 pixels.
This setting is located in the View RTAV Configuration > View RTAV Webcam Settings folder.

Resolution Default image
resolution
height in pixels

Determines the default resolution height, in pixels, of image frames that are captured by the webcam.
This setting is used when no resolution value is defined by the user.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, the default image height is 240 pixels.
The value that is configured by this policy setting takes effect only if both View Agent 6.0 or later and
Horizon Client 3.0 or later are used. For older versions of View Agent and Horizon Client, this policy
setting has no effect, and the default image height is 240 pixels.
This setting is located in the View RTAV Configuration > View RTAV Webcam Settings folder.

Real-Time Audio-Video Bandwidth
Real-Time Audio-Video bandwidth varies according to the webcam's image resolution and frame rate, and
the image and audio data being captured.
The sample tests shown in Table 13-2 measure the bandwidth that Real-Time Audio-Video uses in a View
environment with standard webcam and audio input devices. The tests measure the bandwidth to send both
video and audio data from Horizon Client to View Agent. The total bandwidth that is required to run a
desktop session from Horizon Client might be higher than these numbers. In these tests, the webcam
captures images at 15 frames per second for each image resolution.

VMware, Inc.

159

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 13‑2. Sample Bandwidth Results for Sending Real-Time Audio-Video Data from Horizon Client to
View Agent
Image Resolution (Width x Height)

Bandwidth Used (Kbps)

160 x 120

225

320 x 240

320

640 x 480

600

Configuring Scanner Redirection
By using scanner redirection, View users can scan information in their remote desktops and applications
with scanning and imaging devices that are connected locally to their client computers. Scanner redirection
is available in Horizon 6.0.2 and later releases.
Scanner redirection supports standard scanning and imaging devices that are compatible with the TWAIN
and WIA formats.
After you install View Agent with the Scanner Redirection setup option, the feature works on your remote
desktops and applications without further configuration. You do not have to configure scanner-specific
drivers on remote desktops or applications.
You can configure group policy settings to change default values to adapt to particular scanning and
imaging applications or environments. You can also set a policy to disable or enable the feature altogether.
With an ADM template file, you can install scanner redirection group policy settings in Active Directory or
on individual desktops. See “Configuring Scanner Redirection Group Policy Settings,” on page 162.
When scanning data is redirected to a remote desktop or application, you cannot access the scanning or
imaging device on the local computer. Conversely, when a device is in use on the local computer, you
cannot access it on the remote desktop or application.

System Requirements for Scanner Redirection
To support scanner redirection, your View deployment must meet certain software and hardware
requirements.
View remote desktop or
application

This feature is supported on RDS desktops, RDS applications, and VDI
desktops that are deployed on single-user virtual machines.
You must install View Agent 6.0.2 or later, and select the Scanner Redirection
setup option, on the parent or template virtual machines or RDS hosts.
On Windows Desktop and Windows Server guest operating systems, the
View Agent Scanner Redirection setup option is deselected by default.
The following guest operating systems are supported on single-user virtual
machines and, where noted, on RDS hosts:

160

32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7

32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8/8.1

Windows Server 2008 R2 configured as a desktop or RDS host

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Windows Server 2012 R2 configured as a desktop or RDS host
IMPORTANT The Desktop Experience feature must be installed on
Windows Server guest operating systems, whether they are configured
as desktops or as RDS hosts.

The scanner device drivers do not have to be installed on the desktop
operating system where View Agent is installed.
Horizon Client software

Horizon Client 3.2 for Windows or a later release

Horizon Client computer
or client access device

Supported operating systems:
n

32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7

32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8/8.1

The scanner device drivers must be installed, and the scanner must be
operable, on the client computer.
Scanning device
standard

TWAIN or WIA

Display protocol for
View

PCoIP
Scanner redirection is not supported in RDP desktop sessions.

User Operation of Scanner Redirection
With scanner redirection, users can operate physical scanners and imaging devices that are connected to
their client computers as virtual devices that perform scanning operations in their remote desktops and
applications.
Users can operate their virtual scanners in a way that closely parallels the way that they use the scanners on
their locally connected client computers.
n

After the Scanner Redirection option is installed with View Agent, a scanner tool tray icon is added to
the desktop. On RDS applications, the tool tray icon is redirected to the local client computer.
You do not have to use the scanner tool tray icon. Scanning redirection works without any further
configuration. You can use the icon to configure options such as changing which device to use if more
than one device is connected to the client computer.

When you click the scanner icon, the Scanner Redirection for VMware Horizon menu is displayed. No
scanners appear in the menu list if incompatible scanners are connected to the client computer.

By default, scanning devices are autoselected. TWAIN and WIA scanners are selected separately. You
can have one TWAIN scanner and one WIA scanner selected at the same time.

If more than one locally connected scanner is configured, you can select a different scanner than the one
that is selected by default.

WIA scanners are displayed in the remote desktop's Device Manager menu, under Imaging devices.
The WIA scanner is named VMware Virtual WIA Scanner.

In the Scanner Redirection for VMware Horizon menu, you can click the Preferences option and select
options such as hiding webcams from the scanner redirection menu and determining how to select the
default scanner.
You can also control these features by configuring scanner redirection group policy settings in Active
Directory. See “Scanner Redirection Group Policy Settings,” on page 163.

VMware, Inc.

161

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

When you operate a TWAIN scanner, the TWAIN Scanner Redirection for VMware Horizon menu
provides additional options for selecting regions of an image, scanning in color, black and white, or
grayscale, and choosing other common functions.

To display the TWAIN user interface window for TWAIN scanning software that does not display the
window by default, you can select an Always show Scanner Settings dialog option in the VMware
Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box.
Note that most TWAIN scanning software displays the TWAIN user interface window by default. For
this software, the window is always displayed, whether you select or deselect the Always show
Scanner Settings dialog option.

NOTE If you run two RDS applications that are hosted on different farms, two scanner redirection tool tray
icons appear on the client computer. Typically, only one scanner is connected to a client computer. In this
case, both icons operate the same device, and it does not matter which icon you select. In some situations,
you might have two locally connected scanners and run two RDS applications that run on different farms. In
that case, you must open each icon to see which scanner redirection menu controls which RDS application.
For end-user instructions for operating redirected scanners, see the Using VMware Horizon Clientfor Windows
document.

Configuring Scanner Redirection Group Policy Settings
You can configure group policy settings that control the behavior of scanner redirection on your View
desktops and applications. With these policy settings, you can control centrally, from Active Directory, the
options that are available in the VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box on users'
desktops and applications.
You do not have to configure these policy settings. Scanner redirection works with the default settings that
are configured for scanning devices on remote desktops and client systems.
These policy settings affect your remote desktops and applications, not the client systems where the
physical scanners are connected. To configure these settings on your desktops and applications, add the
Scanner Redirection Group Policy Administrative Template (ADM) file in Active Directory.

Add the Scanner Redirection ADM Template in Active Directory
You can add the policy settings in the scanner redirection ADM file, vdm_agent_scanner.adm, to group policy
objects (GPOs) in Active Directory and configure the settings in the Group Policy Object Editor.
Prerequisites

162

Verify that the Scanner Redirection setup option is installed on your desktops and RDS hosts. The
group policy settings have no effect if scanner redirection is not installed. See “Install View Agent on a
Virtual Machine,” on page 27.

Verify that Active Directory GPOs are created for the scanner redirection group policy settings. The
GPOs must be linked to the OU that contains your desktops and RDS hosts. See “Active Directory
Group Policy Example,” on page 239.

Verify that the MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active Directory
server.

Familiarize yourself with scanner redirection group policy settings. See “Scanner Redirection Group
Policy Settings,” on page 163.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Procedure
1

Unzip the VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip file and copy the scanner
redirection ADM file, vdm_agent_scanner.adm, to your Active Directory server.

On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO by selecting Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy
Management, right-clicking the GPO, and selecting Edit.

In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Administrative
Templates folder and select Add/Remove Templates.

Click Add, browse to the vdm_agent_scanner.adm file, and click Open.

Click Close to apply the policy settings in the ADM file to the GPO.
The settings are located in the Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates >
Classic Administrative Templates > VMware View Agent Configuration > Scanner Redirection
folder.
Most settings are also added to the User Configuration folder, located in User Configuration > Policies
> Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates > VMware View Agent
Configuration > Scanner Redirection.

Configure the scanner redirection group policy settings.

Scanner Redirection Group Policy Settings
The scanner redirection group policy settings control the options that are available in the VMware Horizon
Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box on users' desktops and applications.
The scanner redirection ADM file contains both Computer Configuration and User Configuration policies.
The User Configuration policies allow you to set different configurations for users of VDI desktops, RDS
desktops, and RDS applications. Different User Configuration policies can take effect even when users'
desktop sessions and applications are running on the same RDS hosts.
Group Policy
Setting

Description

Disable
functionality

Disables the scanner redirection feature.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration policy only.
When you enable this setting, scanners cannot be redirected and do not appear in the scanner menu on
users' desktops and applications.
When you disable this setting or do not configure it, scanner redirection works and scanners appear in
the scanner menu.

Lock config

Locks the scanner redirection user interface and prevents users from changing configuration options on
their desktops and applications.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration policy only.
When you enable this setting, users cannot configure the options that are available from the tray menu
on their desktops and applications. Users can display the VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection
Preferences dialog box, but the options are inactive and cannot be changed.
When you disable this setting or do not configure it, users can configure the options in the VMware
Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box.

VMware, Inc.

163

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Group Policy
Setting
Compression

Description
Sets the image compression rate during the image transfer to the remote desktop or application.
You can choose from the following compression modes:
n Disable. Image compression is disabled.
Lossless. Lossless (zlib) compression is used without loss of image quality.
JPEG. JPEG compression is used with loss of quality. You specify the level of image quality in the
JPEG compression quality field. JPEG compression quality must be a value between 0 and 100.
When you enable this setting, the selected compression mode is set for all users affected by this policy.
However, users can change the Compression option in the VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection
Preferences dialog box, overriding the policy setting.
When you disable this policy setting or do not configure it, JPEG compression mode is used.

n
n

164

Hide Webcam

Prevents webcams from appearing in the scanner selection menu in the VMware Horizon Scanner
Redirection Preferences dialog box.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration and User Configuration policy.
By default, webcams can be redirected to desktops and applications. Users can select webcams and use
them as virtual scanners to capture images.
When you enable this setting as a Computer Configuration policy, webcams are hidden from all users
of the affected computers. Users cannot change the Hide Webcam option in the VMware Horizon
Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box.
When you enable this setting as a User Configuration policy, webcams are hidden from all affected
users. However, users can change the Hide Webcam option in the VMware Horizon Scanner
Redirection Preferences dialog box.
When you enable this setting in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration, the Hide
Webcam setting in Computer Configuration overrides the corresponding policy setting in User
Configuration for all users of the affected computers.
When you disable this setting or do not configure it in either policy configuration, the Hide Webcam
setting is determined by the corresponding policy setting (either User Configuration or Computer
Configuration) or by user selection in the VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog
box.

Default
Scanner

Provides centralized management of scanner autoselection.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration and User Configuration policy.
You select scanner autoselection options separately for TWAIN and WIA scanners. You can choose
from the following autoselection options:
n None. Do not select scanners automatically.
n Autoselect Automatically select the locally connected scanner.
n Last used Automatically select the last-used scanner.
n Specified Select the scanner name that you type in the Specified scanner text box.
When you enable this setting as a Computer Configuration policy, the setting determines the scanner
autoselection mode for all users of the affected computers. Users cannot change the Default Scanner
option in the VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box.
When you enable this setting as a User Configuration policy, the setting determines the scanner
autoselection mode for all affected users. However, users can change the Default Scanner option in the
VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences dialog box.
When you enable this setting in both Computer Configuration and User Configuration, the scanner
autoselection mode in Computer Configuration overrides the corresponding policy setting in User
Configuration for all users of the affected computers.
When you disable this setting or do not configure it in either policy configuration, the scanner
autoselection mode is determined by the corresponding policy setting (either User Configuration or
Computer Configuration) or by user selection in the VMware Horizon Scanner Redirection Preferences
dialog box.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 13 Configuring Remote Desktop Features

Managing Access to Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR)
View provides the Windows Media MMR feature for Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 desktops and clients.
MMR delivers the multimedia stream directly to client computers. With MMR, the multimedia stream is
processed, that is, decoded, on the client system. The client system plays the media content, thereby
offloading the demand on the ESXi host.
MMR data is sent across the network without application-based encryption and might contain sensitive
data, depending on the content being redirected. To ensure that this data cannot be monitored on the
network, use MMR only on a secure network.

Enabling Multimedia Redirection in View
You can take steps to ensure that MMR is accessible only to Horizon Client systems that have sufficient
resources to handle local multimedia decoding and that are connected to View on a secure network.
By default, the global policy in View Administrator, Multimedia redirection (MMR) is set to Deny.
To use MMR, you must explicitly set this value to Allow.
To control access to MMR, you can enable or disable the Multimedia redirection (MMR) policy globally, for
individual desktop pools, or for specific users.
For instructions for setting global policies in View Administrator, see “View Policies,” on page 207.

System Requirements for Windows Media MMR
To support Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR), your View deployment must meet certain
software and hardware requirements. Windows Media MMR is provided in Horizon 6.0.2 and later releases.
View desktop

The desktops must run one of the following operating systems:
n

64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7 Enterprise or Ultimate

64-bit or 32-bit Windows 8/8.1 Professional or Enterprise

3D Rendering can be enabled or disabled on the desktop pool.

Users must play videos on Windows Media Player 12 or later or in
Internet Explorer 8 or later.
To use Internet Explorer, you must disable Protected Mode. In the
Internet Options dialog box, click the Security tab and deselect Enable
Protected Mode.

Horizon Client software

VMware, Inc.

Horizon Client 3.2 for Windows or a later release

165

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Horizon Client computer
or client access device

Supported media
formats

Media formats that are supported on Windows Media Player are supported.
For example: M4V; MOV; MP4; WMP; MPEG-4 Part 2; WMV 7, 8, and 9;
WMA; AVI; ACE; MP3; WAV.

The clients must run 64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1
operating systems.

NOTE DRM-protected content is not redirected through Windows Media
MMR.
View policies

In View Administrator, set the Multimedia redirection (MMR) policy to
Allow. The default value is Deny.

Back-end firewall

If your View deployment includes a back-end firewall between your DMZbased security servers and your internal network, verify that the back-end
firewall allows traffic to port 9427 on your desktops.

Determine Whether to Use Windows Media MMR Based on Network Latency
Windows Media MMR adapts to network conditions by default on Windows 8 or later desktops. If the
network latency between Horizon Client and the remote desktop is 29 milliseconds or lower, the video is
redirected with Windows Media MMR. If the network latency is 30 milliseconds or higher, the video is not
redirected. Instead, it is rendered on the ESXi host and sent to the client over PCoIP.
Windows Media MMR adapts to network latency on Windows 8 or later desktops only. Users can run any
supported client system, Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.
This feature does not apply to Windows 7 desktops, where Windows Media MMR always performs
multimedia redirection, regardless of network latency.
You can override this feature on Windows 8 or later desktops, forcing Windows Media MMR to perform
multimedia redirection regardless of the network latency, by configuring the RedirectionPolicy registry
setting on the desktop.
Procedure
1

Start the Windows Registry Editor on the remote desktop.

Navigate to the Windows registry key that controls the redirection policy.

Option

Description

Windows 8/8.1 64-bit desktop

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\VMware,Inc.\VMware
tsmmr

Windows 8/8.1 32-bit desktop

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VMware,Inc.\VMware tsmmr

Set the RedirectionPolicy value to always.
Value name = RedirectionPolicy
Value Type = REG_SZ
Value data = always

166

Restart Windows Media Player on the desktop to allow the updated value to take effect.

VMware, Inc.

Using USB Devices with Remote
Desktops and Applications

Administrators can configure the ability to use USB devices, such as thumb flash drives, cameras, VoIP
(voice-over-IP) devices, and printers, from a remote desktop. This feature is called USB redirection, and it
supports using either the RDP or the PCoIP display protocol. A remote desktop can accommodate up to 128
USB devices.
You can also redirect locally connected USB thumb flash drives and hard disks for use in RDS desktops and
applications. Other types of USB devices, including other types of storage devices, are not supported in RDS
desktops and applications.
When you use this feature in desktop pools that are deployed on single-user machines, most USB devices
that are attached to the local client system become available in the remote desktop. You can even connect to
and manage an iPad from a remote desktop. For example, you can sync your iPad with iTunes installed in
your remote desktop. On some client devices, such as Windows and Mac OS X computers, the USB devices
are listed in a menu in Horizon Client. You use the menu to connect and disconnect the devices.
In most cases, you cannot use a USB device in your client system and in your remote desktop or application
at the same time. Only a few types of USB devices can be shared between a remote desktop and the local
computer. These devices include smart card readers and human interface devices such as keyboards and
pointing devices.
Administrators can specify which types of USB devices end users are allowed to connect to. For composite
devices that contain multiple types of devices, such as a video input device and a storage device, on some
client systems, administrators can split the device so that one device (for example, the video input device) is
allowed but the other device (for example, the storage device) is not.
The USB redirection feature is available only on some types of clients. To find out whether this feature is
supported on a particular type of client, see the feature support matrix included in the "Using
VMware Horizon Client" document for the specific type of desktop or mobile client device. Go to
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
IMPORTANT When you deploy the USB redirection feature, you can take steps to protect your organization
from the security vulnerabilities that can affect USB devices. See “Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View
Environment,” on page 171.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Limitations Regarding USB Device Types,” on page 168

“Overview of Setting Up USB Redirection,” on page 169

“Network Traffic and USB Redirection,” on page 170

“Automatic Connections to USB Devices,” on page 170

“Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View Environment,” on page 171

VMware, Inc.

167

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

“Using Log Files for Troubleshooting and to Determine USB Device IDs,” on page 173

“Using Policies to Control USB Redirection,” on page 174

“Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems,” on page 183

Limitations Regarding USB Device Types
Although View does not explicitly prevent any devices from working in a remote desktop, due to factors
such as network latency and bandwidth, some devices work better than others. By default, some devices are
automatically filtered, or blocked, from being used.
In Horizon 6.0.1, together with Horizon Client 3.1 or later, you can plug USB 3.0 devices into USB 3.0 ports
on the client machine. USB 3.0 devices are supported only with a single stream. Because multiple stream
support is not implemented in this release, USB device performance is not enhanced. Some USB 3.0 devices
that require a constant high throughput to function correctly might not work in a VDI session, due to
network latency.
In earlier View releases, although super-speed USB 3.0 devices are not supported, USB 3.0 devices do often
work when plugged into a USB 2.0 port on the client machine. However, there might be exceptions,
depending on the type of USB chipset on the motherboard of the client system.
The following types of devices might not be suitable for USB redirection to a remote desktop that is
deployed on a single-user machine:
n

Due to the bandwidth requirements of webcams, which typically consume more than 60 Mbps of
bandwidth, webcams are not supported through USB redirection. For webcams, you can use the RealTime Audio-Video feature.

The redirection of USB audio devices depends on the state of the network and is not reliable. Some
devices require a high data throughput even when they are idle. If you have the Real-Time AudioVideo feature, audio input and output devices will work well using that feature, and you do not need to
use USB redirection for those devices.

Performance of some USB devices varies greatly, depending on the network latency and reliability,
especially over a WAN. For example, a single USB storage device read-request requires three roundtrips between the client and the remote desktop. A read of a complete file might require multiple USB
read operations, and the larger the latency, the longer the round-trip will take.
The file structure can be very large, depending on the format. Large USB disk drives can take several
minutes to appear in the desktop. Formatting a USB device as NTFS rather than FAT helps to decrease
the initial connection time. An unreliable network link causes retries, and performance is further
reduced.
Similarly, USB CD/DVD readers and writers, which require a steady bit-rate of data to allow the burn
operation to complete correctly, as well as scanners and touch devices such as signature tablets, do not
work well over a latent network such as a WAN.

The redirection of USB scanners depends on the state of the network, and scans might take longer than
normal to complete.

You can redirect the following types of devices to an RDS desktop or application:
n

USB thumb flash drives

USB hard disks

You cannot redirect other types of USB devices, and other types of USB storage devices such as security
storage drives and USB CD-ROM, to an RDS desktop or application.

168

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

Overview of Setting Up USB Redirection
To set up your deployment so that end users can connect removable devices, such as USB flash drives,
cameras, and headsets, you must install certain components on both the remote desktop or RDS host and
the client device, and you must verify that the global setting for USB devices is enabled in View
Administrator.
This checklist includes both required and optional tasks for setting up USB redirection in your enterprise.
The USB redirection feature is available only on some types of clients, such as Windows, Mac OS X, and
partner-supplied Linux clients. To find out whether this feature is supported on a particular type of client,
see the feature support matrix included in the "Using VMware Horizon Client" document for the specific
type of client device. Go to https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
IMPORTANT When you deploy the USB redirection feature, you can take steps to protect your organization
from the security vulnerabilities that can affect USB devices. For example, you can use group policy settings
to disable USB redirection for some remote desktops and users, or to restrict which types of USB devices can
be redirected. See “Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View Environment,” on page 171.
1

When you run the View Agent installation wizard on the remote desktop source or RDS host, be sure to
include the USB Redirection component.
This component is deselected by default. You must select the component to install it.

When you run the VMware Horizon Client installation wizard on the client system, be sure to include
the USB Redirection component.
This component is included by default.

Verify that access to USB devices from a remote desktop or application is enabled in View
Administrator.
In View Administrator, go to Policies > Global Policies and verify that USB access is set to Allow.

(Optional) Configure View Agent group policies to specify which types of devices are allowed to be
redirected.
See “Using Policies to Control USB Redirection,” on page 174.

(Optional) Configure similar settings on the client device.
You can also configure whether devices are automatically connected when Horizon Client connects to
the remote desktop or application, or when the end user plugs in a USB device. The method of
configuring USB settings on the client device depends on the type of device. For example, for Windows
client endpoints, you can configure group policies, whereas for Mac OS X endpoints, you use a
command-line command. For instructions, see the "Using VMware Horizon Client" document for the
specific type of client device.

Have end users connect to a remote desktop or application and plug their USB devices into the local
client system.
If the driver for the USB device is not already installed in the remote desktop or RDS host, the guest
operating system detects the USB device and searches for a suitable driver, just as it would on a
physical Windows computer.

VMware, Inc.

169

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Network Traffic and USB Redirection
USB redirection works independently of the display protocol (RDP or PCoIP) and USB traffic usually uses
TCP port 32111.
Network traffic between a client system and a remote desktop or application can travel various routes,
depending on whether the client system is inside the corporate network and how the administrator has
chosen to set up security.
1

If the client system is inside the corporate network, so that a direct connection can be made between the
client and desktop or application, USB traffic uses TCP port 32111.

If the client system is outside the corporate network, the client can connect through a View security
server.
A security server resides within a DMZ and acts as a proxy host for connections inside your trusted
network. This design provides an additional layer of security by shielding the View Connection Server
instance from the public-facing Internet and by forcing all unprotected session requests through the
security server.
A DMZ-based security server deployment requires a few ports to be opened on the firewall to allow
clients to connect with security servers inside the DMZ. You must also configure ports for
communication between security servers and the View Connection Server instances in the internal
network.
For information on specific ports, see "Firewall Rules for DMZ-Based Security Servers" in the View
Architecture Planning Guide.

If the client system is outside the corporate network, you can use View Administrator to enable the
HTTPS Secure Tunnel. The client then makes a further HTTPS connection to the View Connection
Server or security server host when users connect to a remote desktop or application. The connection is
tunneled using HTTPS port 443 to the security server, and then the onward connection for USB traffic
from the server to the remote desktop or application uses TCP port 32111. USB device performance is
slightly degraded when using this tunnel.
NOTE If you are using a zero client, USB traffic is redirected using a PCoIP virtual channel, rather than
through TCP 32111. Data is encapsulated and encrypted by the PCoIP Secure Gateway using TCP/UDP
port 4172. If you are using only zero clients, it is not necessary to open TCP port 32111.

Automatic Connections to USB Devices
On some client systems, administrators, end users, or both can configure automatic connections of USB
devices to a remote desktop. Automatic connections can be made either when the user plugs a USB device in
to the client system or when the client connects to the remote desktop.
Some devices, such as smart phones and tablets, require automatic connections because these devices are
restarted, and therefore disconnected, during an upgrade. If these devices are not set to automatically
reconnect to the remote desktop, during an upgrade, after the devices restart, they connect to the local client
system instead.
Configuration properties for automatic USB connections that administrators set on the client, or that end
users set by using a Horizon Client menu item, apply to all USB devices unless the devices are configured to
be excluded from USB redirection. For example, in some client versions, webcams and microphones are
excluded from USB redirection by default because these devices work better through the Real-Time Audio-

170

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

Video feature. In some cases, a USB device might not be excluded from redirection by default but might
require administrators to explicitly exclude the device from redirection. For example, the following types of
USB devices are not good candidates for USB redirection and must not be automatically connected to a
remote desktop:
n

USB Ethernet devices. If you redirect a USB Ethernet device, your client system might lose network
connectivity if that device is the only Ethernet device.

Touch screen devices. If you redirect a touch screen device, the remote desktop will receive touch input
but not keyboard input.

If you have set the remote desktop to autoconnect USB devices, you can configure a policy to exclude
specific devices such as touch screens and network devices. For more information, see “Configuring Filter
Policy Settings for USB Devices,” on page 177.
On Windows clients, as an alternative to using settings that automatically connect all but excluded devices,
you can edit a configuration file on the client that sets Horizon Client to reconnect only a specific device or
devices, such as smart phones and tablets, to the remote desktop. For instructions, see Using
VMware Horizon Client for Windows.

Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View Environment
USB devices can be vulnerable to a security threat called BadUSB, in which the firmware on some USB
devices can be hijacked and replaced with malware. For example, a device can be made to redirect network
traffic or to emulate a keyboard and capture keystrokes. You can configure the USB redirection feature to
protect your View deployment against this security vulnerability.
By disabling USB redirection, you can prevent any USB devices from being redirected to your users' View
desktops and applications. Alternatively, you can disable redirection of specific USB devices, allowing users
to have access only to specific devices on their desktops and applications.
The decision whether to take these steps depends on the security requirements in your organization. These
steps are not mandatory. You can install USB redirection and leave the feature enabled for all USB devices in
your View deployment. At a minimum, consider seriously the extent to which your organization should try
to limit its exposure to this security vulnerability.

Disabling USB Redirection for All Types of Devices
Some highly secure environments require you to prevent all USB devices that users might have connected to
their client devices from being redirected to their remote desktops and applications. You can disable USB
redirection for all desktop pools, for specific desktop pools, or for specific users in a desktop pool.
Use any of the following strategies, as appropriate for your situation:
n

When you install View Agent on a desktop image or RDS host, deselect the USB redirection setup
option. (The option is deselected by default.) This approach prevents access to USB devices on all
remote desktops and applications that are deployed from the desktop image or RDS host.

In View Administrator, edit the USB access policy for a specific pool to either deny or allow access.
With this approach, you do not have to change the desktop image and can control access to USB devices
in specific desktop and application pools.
Only the global USB access policy is available for RDS desktop and application pools. You cannot set
this policy for individual RDS desktop or application pools.

In View Administrator, after you set the policy at the desktop or application pool level, you can
override the policy for a specific user in the pool by selecting the User Overrides setting and selecting a
user.

Set the Exclude All Devices policy to true, on the View Agent side or on the client side, as appropriate.

VMware, Inc.

171

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If you set the Exclude All Devices policy to true, Horizon Client prevents all USB devices from being
redirected. You can use other policy settings to allow specific devices or families of devices to be redirected.
If you set the policy to false, Horizon Client allows all USB devices to be redirected except those that are
blocked by other policy settings. You can set the policy on both View Agent and Horizon Client. The
following table shows how the Exclude All Devices policy that you can set for View Agent and
Horizon Client combine to produce an effective policy for the client computer. By default, all USB devices
are allowed to be redirected unless otherwise blocked.
Table 14‑1. Effect of Combining Exclude All Devices Policies
Exclude All Devices Policy on View
Agent

Exclude All Devices Policy on
Horizon Client

Combined Effective Exclude All
Devices Policy

false or not defined (include all USB
devices)

Include all USB devices

false (include all USB devices)

true (exclude all USB devices)

Exclude all USB devices

true (exclude all USB devices)

Any or not defined

Exclude all USB devices

If you have set Disable Remote Configuration Download policy to true, the value of Exclude All Devices
on View Agent is not passed to Horizon Client, but View Agent and Horizon Client enforce the local value
of Exclude All Devices.
These policies are included in the View Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm). For more
information, see “USB Settings in the View Agent Configuration ADM Template,” on page 181.

Disabling USB Redirection for Specific Devices
Some users might have to redirect specific locally-connected USB devices so that they can perform tasks on
their remote desktops or applications. For example, a doctor might have to use a Dictaphone USB device to
record patients' medical information. In these cases, you cannot disable access to all USB devices. You can
use group policy settings to enable or disable USB redirection for specific devices.
Before you enable USB redirection for specific devices, make sure that you trust the physical devices that are
connected to client machines in your enterprise. Be sure that you can trust your supply chain. If possible,
keep track of a chain of custody for the USB devices.
In addition, educate your employees to ensure that they do not connect devices from unknown sources. If
possible, restrict the devices in your environment to those that accept only signed firmware updates, are
FIPS 140-2 Level 3-certified, and do not support any kind of field-updatable firmware. These types of USB
devices are hard to source and, depending on your device requirements, might be impossible to find. These
choices might not be practical, but they are worth considering.
Each USB device has its own vendor and product ID that identifies it to the computer. By configuring View
Agent Configuration group policy settings, you can set an include policy for known device types. With this
approach, you remove the risk of allowing unknown devices to be inserted into your environment.
For example, you can prevent all devices except a known device vendor and product ID,

vid/pid=0123/abcd, from being redirected to the remote desktop or application:
ExcludeAllDevices

Enabled

IncludeVidPid

o:vid-0123_pid-abcd

NOTE This example configuration provides protection, but a compromised device can report any vid/pid,
so a possible attack could still occur.
By default, View blocks certain device families from being redirected to the remote desktop or application.
For example, HID (human interface devices) and keyboards are blocked from appearing in the guest. Some
released BadUSB code targets USB keyboard devices.

172

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

You can prevent specific device families from being redirected to the remote desktop or application. For
example, you can block all video, audio, and mass storage devices:
ExcludeDeviceFamily

o:video;audio;storage

Conversely, you can create a whitelist by preventing all devices from being redirected but allowing a
specific device family to be used. For example, you can block all devices except storage devices:
ExcludeAllDevices

Enabled

IncludeDeviceFamily

o:storage

Another risk can arise when a remote user logs into a desktop or application and infects it. You can prevent
USB access to any View connections that originate from outside the company firewall. The USB device can
be used internally but not externally.
To disable external access to USB devices, you can block TCP port 32111 from the security server to the
remote desktops and applications. For zero clients, the USB traffic is embedded inside a virtual channel on
UDP port 4172. Because port 4172 is used for the display protocol as well as for USB redirection, you cannot
block port 4172. If required, you can disable USB redirection on zero clients. For details, see the zero client
product literature or contact the zero client vendor.
Setting policies to block certain device families or specific devices can help to mitigate the risk of being
infected with BadUSB malware. These policies do not mitigate all risk, but they can be an effective part of an
overall security strategy.

Using Log Files for Troubleshooting and to Determine USB Device IDs
Useful log files for USB are located on both the client system and the remote desktop operating system or
RDS host. Use the log files in both locations for troubleshooting. To find product IDs for specific devices, use
the client-side logs.
If you are trying to configure USB device splitting or filtering, or if you are trying to determine why a
particular device does not appear in a Horizon Client menu, look in the client-side logs. Client logs are
produced for the USB arbitrator and the Horizon View USB Service. Logging on Windows and Linux clients
is enabled by default. On Mac OS X clients, logging is disabled by default. To enable logging on Mac OS X
clients, see Using VMware Horizon Client for Mac OS X.
When you configure policies for splitting and filtering out USB devices, some values you set require the VID
(vendor ID) and PID (product ID) for the USB device. To find the VID and PID, you can search on the
Internet for the product name combined with vid and pid. Alternatively, you can look in the client-side log
file after you plug in the USB device to the local system when Horizon Client is running. The following table
shows the default location of the log files.
Table 14‑2. Log File Locations
Client or Agent

Path to Log Files

Windows client

%PROGRAMDATA%\VMware\VDM\logs\debug-*.txt
C:\Windows\Temp\vmware-SYSTEM\vmware-usbarb-*.log

View Agent

%PROGRAMDATA%\VMware\VDM\logs\debug-*.txt

Mac OS X client

/var/root/Library/Logs/VMware/vmware-view-usbd-xxxx.log
/Library/Logs/VMware/vmware-usbarbitrator-xxxx.log

Linux client

(Default location) /tmp/vmware-root/vmware-view-usbd-*.log

If a problem with the device occurs after the device is redirected to the remote desktop or application,
examine both the client- and agent-side logs.

VMware, Inc.

173

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Using Policies to Control USB Redirection
You can configure USB policies for both the remote desktop or application (View Agent) and
Horizon Client. These policies specify whether the client device should split composite USB devices into
separate components for redirection. You can split devices to restrict the types of USB devices that the client
makes available for redirection, and to make View Agent prevent certain USB devices from being forwarded
from a client computer.
If you have older versions of View Agent or Horizon Client installed, not all the features of the USB
redirection policies are available. Table 14-3 shows how View applies the policies for different combinations
of View Agent and Horizon Client.
Table 14‑3. Compatibility of USB Policy Settings
View Agent
Version

Horizon
Client
Version

5.1 or later

USB policy settings are applicable to both View Agent and Horizon Client. You can
use View Agent USB policy settings to block USB devices from being forwarded to a
desktop. View Agent can send device splitting and filtering policy settings to
Horizon Client. You can use Horizon Client USB policy settings to prevent USB
devices from being redirected from a client computer to a desktop.
NOTE In View Agent 6.1 or later and Horizon Client 3.3 or later, these USB
redirection policy settings apply to RDS desktops and applications as well as to
remote desktops that run on single-user machines.

5.1 or later

5.0.x or earlier

USB policy settings apply only to View Agent. You can use View Agent USB policy
settings to block USB devices from being forwarded to a desktop. You cannot use
Horizon Client USB policy settings to control which devices can be redirected from a
client computer to a desktop. Horizon Client cannot receive device splitting and
filtering policy settings from View Agent. Existing registry settings for USB
redirection by Horizon Client remain valid.

5.0.x or earlier

5.1 or later

USB policy settings apply only to Horizon Client. You can use Horizon Client USB
policy settings to prevent USB devices from being redirected from a client computer
to a desktop. You cannot use View Agent USB policy settings to block USB devices
from being forwarded to a desktop. View Agent cannot send device splitting and
filtering policy settings to Horizon Client.

5.0.x or earlier

USB policy settings do not apply. Existing registry settings for USB redirection by
Horizon Client remain valid.

Effect of USB Policy Settings on USB Redirection

If you upgrade Horizon Client, any existing registry settings for USB redirection, such as
HardwareIdFilters, remain valid until you define USB policies for Horizon Client.
On client devices that do not support client-side USB policies, you can use the USB policies for View Agent
to control which USB devices are allowed to be forwarded from the client to a desktop or application.

Configuring Device Splitting Policy Settings for Composite USB Devices
Composite USB devices consist of a combination of two or more different devices, such as a video input
device and a storage device or a microphone and a mouse device. If you want to allow one or more of the
components to be available for redirection, you can split the composite device into its component interfaces,
exclude certain interfaces from redirection and include others.
You can set a policy that automatically splits composite devices. If automatic device splitting does not work
for a specific device, or if automatic splitting does not produce the results your application requires, you can
split composite devices manually.

174

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

Automatic Device Splitting
If you enable automatic device splitting View attempts to split the functions, or devices, in a composite
device according to the filter rules that are in effect. For example, a dictation microphone might be split
automatically so that the mouse device remains local to the client, but the rest of the devices are forwarded
to the remote desktop.
The following table shows how the value of the Allow Auto Device Splitting setting determines whether
Horizon Client attempts to split composite USB devices automatically. By default, automatic splitting is
disabled.
Table 14‑4. Effect of Combining Disable Automatic Splitting Policies
Allow Auto Device Splitting Policy
on View Agent

Allow Auto Device Splitting Policy
on Horizon Client

Combined Effective Allow Auto
Device Splitting Policy

Allow - Default Client Setting

false (automatic splitting disabled)

Automatic splitting disabled

Allow - Default Client Setting

true (automatic splitting enabled)

Automatic splitting enabled

Allow - Default Client Setting

Not defined

Automatic splitting enabled

Allow - Override Client Setting

Any or not defined

Automatic splitting enabled

Not defined

Automatic splitting disabled

NOTE These policies are included in the View Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm). For
more information, see “USB Settings in the View Agent Configuration ADM Template,” on page 181.
By default, View disables automatic splitting, and excludes any audio-output, keyboard, mouse, or smartcard components of a composite USB device from redirection.
View applies the device splitting policy settings before it applies any filter policy settings. If you have
enabled automatic splitting and do not explicitly exclude a composite USB device from being split by
specifying its vendor and product IDs, View examines each interface of the composite USB device to decide
which interfaces should be excluded or included according to the filter policy settings. If you have disabled
automatic device splitting and do not explicitly specify the vendor and product IDs of a composite USB
device that you want to split, View applies the filter policy settings to the entire device.
If you enable automatic splitting, you can use the Exclude Vid/Pid Device From Split policy to specify the
composite USB devices that you want to exclude from splitting.

Manual Device Splitting
You can use the Split Vid/Pid Device policy to specify the vendor and product IDs of a composite USB
device that you want to split. You can also specify the interfaces of the components of a composite USB
device that you want to exclude from redirection. View does not apply any filter policy settings to
components that you exclude in this way.
IMPORTANT If you use the Split Vid/Pid Device policy, View does not automatically include the
components that you have not explicitly excluded. You must specify a filter policy such as Include Vid/Pid
Device to include those components.
Table 14-5 shows the modifiers that specify how Horizon Client handles a View Agent device splitting
policy setting if there is an equivalent device splitting policy setting for Horizon Client. These modifiers
apply to all device-splitting policy settings.

VMware, Inc.

175

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 14‑5. Splitting Modifiers for Device-Splitting Policy Settings on View Agent
Modifier

Description

m (merge)

Horizon Client applies the View Agent device splitting policy setting in addition to the
Horizon Client device splitting policy setting.

o (override)

Horizon Client uses the View Agent device splitting policy setting instead of the
Horizon Client device splitting policy setting.

Table 14-6 shows examples of how Horizon Client processes the settings for Exclude Device From Split by
Vendor/Product ID when you specify different splitting modifiers.
Table 14‑6. Examples of Applying Splitting Modifiers to Device-Splitting Policy Settings
Exclude Device From Split by
Vendor/Product ID on View Agent

Exclude Device From Split by
Vendor/Product ID on
Horizon Client

Effective Exclude Device From Split
by Vendor/Product ID Policy Setting
Used by Horizon Client

m:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX

vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY

vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-YYYY_pidYYYY

o:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX

vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY

vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX

m:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vidYYYY_pid-YYYY

vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY

vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-YYYY_pidYYYY

o:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vidYYYY_pid-YYYY

vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY

vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-YYYY_pidYYYY

View Agent does not apply the device splitting policy settings on its side of the connection.
Horizon Client evaluates the device splitting policy settings in the following order of precedence.
n

Exclude Vid/Pid Device From Split

Split Vid/Pid Device

A device splitting policy setting that excludes a device from being split takes precedence over any policy
setting to split the device. If you define any interfaces or devices to be excluded from splitting,
Horizon Client excludes the matching component devices from being available for redirection.

Examples of Setting Policies to Split Composite USB Devices
Set splitting policies for desktops to exclude devices with specific vendor and product IDs from redirection
after automatic splitting and pass these policies to client computers:
n

For View Agent, set the Allow Auto Device Splitting policy to Allow - Override Client Setting.

For View Agent, se the Exclude VidPid From Split policy to o:vid-xxx_pid-yyyy, where xxx and yyyy
are the appropriate IDs.

Allow automatic device splitting for desktops and specify policies for splitting specific devices on client
computers:

176

For View Agent, set the Allow Auto Device Splitting policy to Allow - Override Client Setting.

For the client device, set the Include Vid/Pid Device filter policy to include the specific device that you
want to split; for example, vid-0781_pid-554c.

For the client device, set the Split Vid/Pid Device policy to vid-0781_pid-554c(exintf:00;exintf:01)
for example, to split a specified composite USB device so that interface 00 and interface 01 are excluded
from redirection.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

Configuring Filter Policy Settings for USB Devices
Filter policy settings that you configure for View Agent and Horizon Client establish which USB devices can
be redirected from a client computer to a remote desktop or application. USB device filtering is often used
by companies to disable the use of mass storage devices on remote desktops, or to block a specific type of
device from being forwarded, such as a USB-to-Ethernet adapter that connects the client device to the
remote desktop.
When you connect to a desktop or application, Horizon Client downloads the View Agent USB policy
settings and uses them in conjunction with the Horizon Client USB policy settings to decide which USB
devices it will allow you to redirect from the client computer.
View applies any device splitting policy settings before it applies the filter policy settings. If you have split a
composite USB device, View examines each of the device's interfaces to decide which should be excluded or
included according to the filter policy settings. If you have not split a composite USB device, View applies
the filter policy settings to the entire device.
The device splitting policies are included in the View Agent Configuration ADM template file
(vdm_agent.adm). For more information, see “USB Settings in the View Agent Configuration ADM
Template,” on page 181.

Interaction of Agent-Enforced USB Settings
The following table shows the modifiers that specify how Horizon Client handles a View Agent filter policy
setting for an agent-enforceable setting if an equivalent filter policy setting exists for Horizon Client.
Table 14‑7. Filter Modifiers for Agent-Enforceable Settings
Modifier

Description

m (merge)

Horizon Client applies the View Agent filter policy setting in addition to the Horizon Client
filter policy setting. In the case of Boolean, or true/false, settings, if the client policy is not
set, the agent settings are used. If the client policy is set, the agent settings are ignored,
except for the Exclude All Devices setting. If the Exclude All Devices policy is set on
the agent side, the policy overrides the client setting.

o (override)

Horizon Client uses the View Agent filter policy setting instead of the Horizon Client filter
policy setting.

For example, the following policy on the agent side overrides any include rules on the client side, and only
device VID-0911_PID-149a will have an include rule applied:
IncludeVidPid: o:VID-0911_PID-149a

You can also use asterisks as wildcard characters; for example: o:vid-0911_pid-****
IMPORTANT If you configure the agent side without the o or m modifier, the configuration rule is considered
invalid and will be ignored.

Interaction of Client-Interpreted USB Settings
The following table shows the modifiers that specify how Horizon Client handles a View Agent filter policy
setting for a client-interpreted setting.

VMware, Inc.

177

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 14‑8. Filter Modifiers for Client-Interpreted Settings
Modifier

Description

Default (d in the registry
setting)

If a Horizon Client filter policy setting does not exist, Horizon Client uses the View Agent
filter policy setting.
If a Horizon Client filter policy setting exists, Horizon Client applies that policy setting and
ignores the View Agent filter policy setting.

Override (o in the
registry setting)

Horizon Client uses the View Agent filter policy setting instead of any equivalent
Horizon Client filter policy setting.

View Agent does not apply the filter policy settings for client-interpreted settings on its side of the
connection.
The following table shows examples of how Horizon Client processes the settings for Allow Smart Cards
when you specify different filter modifiers.
Table 14‑9. Examples of Applying Filter Modifiers to Client-Interpreted Settings
Allow Smart Cards Setting on View
Agent

Allow Smart Cards Setting on
Horizon Client

Effective Allow Smart Cards Policy
Setting Used by Horizon Client

Disable - Default Client
Setting (d:false in the registry
setting)

true (Allow)

Disable - Override Client
Setting (o:false in the registry
setting)

true (Allow)

false (Disable)

If you set the Disable Remote Configuration Download policy to true, Horizon Client ignores any filter
policy settings that it receives from View Agent.
View Agent always applies the filter policy settings in agent-enforceable settings on its side of the
connection even if you configure Horizon Client to use a different filter policy setting or disable
Horizon Client from downloading filter policy settings from View Agent. Horizon Client does not report
that View Agent is blocking a device from being forwarded.

Precedence of Settings
Horizon Client evaluates the filter policy settings according to an order of precedence. A filter policy setting
that excludes a matching device from being redirected takes precedence over the equivalent filter policy
setting that includes the device. If Horizon Client does not encounter a filter policy setting to exclude a
device, Horizon Client allows the device to be redirected unless you have set the Exclude All Devices
policy to true. However, if you have configured a filter policy setting on View Agent to exclude the device,
the desktop or application blocks any attempt to redirect the device to it.
Horizon Client evaluates the filter policy settings in order of precedence, taking into account the
Horizon Client settings and the View Agent settings together with the modifier values that you apply to the
View Agent settings. The following list shows the order of precedence, with item 1 having the highest
precedence.

178

Exclude Path

Include Path

Exclude Vid/Pid Device

Include Vid/Pid Device

Exclude Device Family

Include Device Family

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

Allow Audio Input Devices, Allow Audio Output Devices, Allow HIDBootable, Allow HID (Non

Bootable and Not Mouse Keyboard), Allow Keyboard and Mouse Devices, Allow Smart Cards, and Allow
Video Devices

Combined effective Exclude All Devices policy evaluated to exclude or include all USB devices

You can set Exclude Path and Include Path filter policy settings only for Horizon Client. The Allow filter
policy settings that refer to separate device families have equal precedence.
If you configure a policy setting to exclude devices based on vendor and product ID values, Horizon Client
excludes a device whose vendor and product ID values match this policy setting even though you might
have configured an Allow policy setting for the family to which the device belongs.
The order of precedence for policy settings resolves conflicts between policy settings. If you configure Allow
Smart Cards to allow the redirection of smart cards, any higher precedence exclusion policy setting
overrides this policy. For example, you might have configured an Exclude Vid/Pid Device policy setting to
exclude smart-card devices with matching path or vendor and product ID values, or you might have
configured an Exclude Device Family policy setting that also excludes the smart-card device family
entirely.

If you have configured any View Agent filter policy settings, View Agent evaluates and enforces the filter
policy settings in the following order of precedence on the remote desktop or application, with item 1
having the highest precedence.
1

Exclude Vid/Pid Device

Include Vid/Pid Device

Exclude Device Family

Include Device Family

Agent-enforced Exclude All Devices policy set to exclude or include all USB devices

View Agent enforces this limited set of filter policy settings on its side of the connection.
By defining filter policy settings for View Agent, you can create a filtering policy for non-managed client
computers. The feature also allows you to block devices from being forwarded from client computers, even
if the filter policy settings for Horizon Client permit the redirection.
For example, if you configure a policy that permits Horizon Client to allow a device to be redirected, View
Agent blocks the device if you configure a policy for View Agent to exclude the device.

Examples of Setting Policies to Filter USB Devices
The vendor IDs and product IDs used in these examples are examples only. For information about
determining the vendor ID and product ID for a specify device, see “Using Log Files for Troubleshooting
and to Determine USB Device IDs,” on page 173.
n

On the client, exclude a particular device from being redirected:
Exclude Vid/Pid Device:

Block all storage devices from being redirected to this desktop or application pool. Use an agent-side
setting:
Exclude Device Family:

Vid-0341_Pid-1a11

o:storage

For all users in a desktop pool, block audio and video devices to ensure that these devices will always
be available for the Real-Time Audio-Video feature. Use an agent-side setting::
Exclude Device Family:

o:video;audio

Note that another strategy would be to exclude specific devices by vendor and product ID.

VMware, Inc.

179

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

On the client, block all devices from being redirected except one particular device:
Exclude All Devices:
Include Vid/Pid Device:

Exclude all devices made by a particular company because these devices cause problems for your end
users. Use an agent-side setting:
Exclude Vid/Pid Device:

true
Vid-0123_Pid-abcd

o:Vid-0341_Pid-*

On the client, include two specific devices but exclude all others:
Exclude All Devices:
Include Vid/Pid Device:

true
Vid-0123_Pid-abcd;Vid-1abc_Pid-0001

USB Device Families
You can specify a family when you are creating USB filtering rules for Horizon Client or View Agent.
NOTE Some devices do not report a device family.
Table 14‑10. USB Device Families

180

Device Family
Name

Description

audio

Any audio-input or audio-output device.

audio-in

Audio-input devices such as microphones.

audio-out

Audio-output devices such as loudspeakers and headphones.

bluetooth

Bluetooth-connected devices.

comm

Communications devices such as modems and wired networking adapters.

hid

Human interface devices excluding keyboards and pointing devices.

hid-bootable

Human interface devices that are available at boot time excluding keyboards and pointing devices.

imaging

Imaging devices such as scanners.

keyboard

Keyboard device.

mouse

Pointing device such as a mouse.

other

Family not specified.

pda

Personal digital assistants.

physical

Force feedback devices such as force feedback joysticks.

printer

Printing devices.

security

Security devices such as fingerprint readers.

smart-card

Smart-card devices.

storage

Mass storage devices such as flash drives and external hard disk drives.

unknown

Family not known.

vendor

Devices with vendor-specific functions.

video

Video-input devices.

wireless

Wireless networking adapters.

wusb

Wireless USB devices.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

USB Settings in the View Agent Configuration ADM Template
You can define USB policy settings for both View Agent and Horizon Client. On connection, Horizon Client
downloads the USB policy settings from View Agent and uses them in conjunction with the Horizon Client
USB policy settings to decide which devices it will allow to be available for redirection from the client
computer.
The View Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm) contains policy settings related to the
authentication and environmental components of View Agent, including USB redirection. The settings
apply at the computer level. View Agent preferentially reads the settings from the GPO at the computer
level, and otherwise from the registry at HKLM\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Agent\USB

Settings for Configuring USB Device Splitting
The following table describes each policy setting for splitting composite USB devices in the View Agent
Configuration ADM template file. View Agent does not enforce these settings. View Agent passes the
settings to Horizon Client for interpretation and enforcement according to whether you specify the merge
(m) or override (o) modifier. Horizon Client uses the settings to decide whether to split composite USB
devices into their component devices, and whether to exclude the component devices from being available
for redirection. For a description of how View applies the policies for splitting composite USB devices, see
“Configuring Device Splitting Policy Settings for Composite USB Devices,” on page 174.
Table 14‑11. View Agent Configuration Template: Device-Splitting Settings
Setting

Properties

Allow Auto Device
Splitting
Property:
AllowAutoDeviceSplitting

Allows the automatic splitting of composite USB devices.

Exclude Vid/Pid Device
From Split
Property: SplitExcludeVidPid

Excludes a composite USB device specified by vendor and product IDs from
splitting. The format of the setting is {m|o}:vid-xxx1_pid-yyy2[;vid-xxx2_pidyyy2]...

The default value is undefined, which equates to false.

You must specify ID numbers in hexadecimal. You can use the wildcard character (*)
in place of individual digits in an ID.
For example: o:vid-0781_pid-55**
The default value is undefined.

Split Vid/Pid Device
Property: SplitVidPid

Treats the components of a composite USB device specified by vendor and product
IDs as separate devices. The format of the setting is
{m|o}:vid-xxxx_pid-yyyy(exintf:zz[;exintf:ww])
or
{m|o}:vid-xxxx_pid-yyyy(exintf:zz[;exintf:ww])
You can use the exintf keyword to exclude components from redirection by
specifying their interface number. You must specify ID numbers in hexadecimal, and
interface numbers in decimal including any leading zero. You can use the wildcard
character (*) in place of individual digits in an ID.
For example: o:vid-0781_pid-554c(exintf:01;exintf:02)
NOTE View does not automatically include the components that you have not
explicitly excluded. You must specify a filter policy such as Include Vid/Pid
Device to include those components.
The default value is undefined.

VMware, Inc.

181

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

View Agent-Enforced USB Settings
The following table describes each agent-enforced policy setting for USB in the View Agent Configuration
ADM template file. View Agent uses the settings to decide if a USB device can be forwarded to the host
machine. View Agent also passes the settings to Horizon Client for interpretation and enforcement
according to whether you specify the merge (m) or override (o) modifier. Horizon Client uses the settings to
decide if a USB device is available for redirection. As View Agent always enforces an agent-enforced policy
setting that you specify, the effect might be to counteract the policy that you have set for Horizon Client. For
a description of how View applies the policies for filtering USB devices, see “Configuring Filter Policy
Settings for USB Devices,” on page 177.
Table 14‑12. View Agent Configuration Template: Agent-Enforced Settings
Setting

Properties

Exclude All Devices
Property: ExcludeAllDevices

Excludes all USB devices from being forwarded. If set to true, you can use other
policy settings to allow specific devices or families of devices to be forwarded. If set
to false, you can use other policy settings to prevent specific devices or families of
devices from being forwarded.
If set to true and passed to Horizon Client, this setting always overrides the setting
on Horizon Client. You cannot use the merge (m) or override (o) modifier with this
setting.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.

Exclude Device Family
Property: ExcludeFamily

Exclude Vid/Pid Device
Property: ExcludeVidPid

Excludes families of devices from being forwarded. The format of the setting is {m|
o}:family_name_1[;family_name_2]...
For example: o:bluetooth;smart-card
If you have enabled automatic device splitting, View examines the device family of
each interface of a composite USB device to decide which interfaces should be
excluded. If you have disabled automatic device splitting, View examines the device
family of the whole composite USB device.
The default value is undefined.
Excludes devices with specified vendor and product IDs from being forwarded. The
format of the setting is {m|o}:vid-xxx1_pid-yyy2[;vid-xxx2_pid-yyy2]...
You must specify ID numbers in hexadecimal. You can use the wildcard character (*)
in place of individual digits in an ID.
For example: m:vid-0781_pid-****;vid-0561_pid-554c
The default value is undefined.

Include Device Family
Property: IncludeFamily

Includes families of devices that can be forwarded. The format of the setting is {m|
o}:family_name_1[;family_name_2]...

Include Vid/Pid Device
Property: IncludeVidPid

Includes devices with specified vendor and product IDs that can be forwarded. The
format of the setting is {m|o}:vid-xxx1_pid-yyy2[;vid-xxx2_pid-yyy2]...

For example: m:storage
The default value is undefined.

You must specify ID numbers in hexadecimal. You can use the wildcard character (*)
in place of individual digits in an ID.
For example: o:vid-0561_pid-554c
The default value is undefined.

Client-Interpreted USB Settings
The following table describes each client-interpreted policy setting in the View Agent Configuration ADM
template file. View Agent does not enforce these settings. View Agent passes the settings to Horizon Client
for interpretation and enforcement. Horizon Client uses the settings to decide if a USB device is available for
redirection.

182

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 14 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications

Table 14‑13. View Agent Configuration Template: Client-Interpreted Settings
Setting

Properties

Allow Audio Input Devices
Property: AllowAudioIn

Allows audio input devices to be forwarded.

Allow Audio Output Devices
Property: AllowAudioOut

Allows audio output devices to be forwarded.

Allow HIDBootable
Property: AllowHIDBootable

Allows input devices other than keyboards or mice that are available at boot time
(also known as hid-bootable devices) to be forwarded.

Allow Other Input Devices

Allows input devices other than hid-bootable devices or keyboards with integrated
pointing devices to be forwarded.
The default value is undefined.

Allow Keyboard and Mouse
Devices
Property: AllowKeyboardMouse

Allows keyboards with integrated pointing devices (such as a mouse, trackball, or
touch pad) to be forwarded.

Allow Smart Cards
Property: AllowSmartcard

Allows smart-card devices to be forwarded.

Allow Video Devices
Property: AllowVideo

Allows video devices to be forwarded.

The default value is undefined, which equates to true.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.

The default value is undefined, which equates to true.

The default value is undefined, which equates to false.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.
The default value is undefined, which equates to true.

Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems
Various problems can arise with USB redirection in Horizon Client.
Problem
USB redirection in Horizon Client fails to make local devices available on the remote desktop, or some
devices do not appear to be available for redirection in Horizon Client.
Cause
The following are possible causes for USB redirection failing to function correctly or as expected.
n

The device is a composite USB device and one of the devices it includes is blocked by default. For
example, a dictation device that includes a mouse is blocked by default because mouse devices are
blocked by default. To work around this problem, see “Configuring Device Splitting Policy Settings for
Composite USB Devices,” on page 174.

USB redirection is not supported on Windows Server 2008 RDS hosts that deploy remote desktops and
applications. USB redirection is supported on Windows Server 2008 R2 systems that are used as singleuser desktops.

Only USB flash drives and hard disks are supported on RDS desktops and applications. You cannot
redirect other types of USB devices, and other types of USB storage devices such as security storage
drives and USB CD-ROM, to an RDS desktop or application.

Webcams are not supported for redirection.

The redirection of USB audio devices depends on the state of the network and is not reliable. Some
devices require a high data throughput even when they are idle.

USB redirection is not supported for boot devices. If you run Horizon Client on a Windows system that
boots from a USB device, and you redirect this device to the remote desktop, the local operating system
might become unresponsive or unusable. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021409.

By default, Horizon Client for Windows does not allow you to select keyboard, mouse, smart card and
audio-out devices for redirection. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011600.

VMware, Inc.

183

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

RDP does not support the redirection of USB HIDs for the console session, or of smart card readers. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011600.

Windows Mobile Device Center can prevent the redirection of USB devices for RDP sessions. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1019205.

For some USB HIDs, you must configure the virtual machine to update the position of the mouse
pointer. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022076.

Some audio devices might require changes to policy settings or to registry settings. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023868.

Network latency can cause slow device interaction or cause applications to appear frozen because they
are designed to interact with local devices. Very large USB disk drives might take several minutes to
appear in Windows Explorer.

USB flash cards formatted with the FAT32 file system are slow to load. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022836.

A process or service on the local system opened the device before you connected to the remote desktop
or application.

A redirected USB device stops working if you reconnect a desktop or application session even if the
desktop or application shows that the device is available.

USB redirection is disabled in View Administrator.

Missing or disabled USB redirection drivers on the guest.

Solution
n

If available, use PCoIP instead of RDP as the protocol.

If a redirected device remains unavailable or stops working after a temporary disconnection, remove
the device, plug it in again, and retry the redirection.

In View Administrator, go to Policies > Global Policies, and verify that USB access is set to Allow
under View Policies.

Examine the log on the guest for entries of class ws_vhub, and the log on the client for entries of class
vmware-view-usbd.
Entries with these classes are written to the logs if a user is not an administrator, or if the USB
redirection drivers are not installed or are not working. For the location of these log files, see “Using
Log Files for Troubleshooting and to Determine USB Device IDs,” on page 173.

184

Open the Device Manager on the guest, expand Universal Serial Bus controllers, and reinstall the
VMware View Virtual USB Host Controller and VMware View Virtual USB Hub drivers if these drivers
are missing or re-enable them if they are disabled.

VMware, Inc.

Reducing and Managing Storage
Requirements

Deploying desktops on virtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server provides all the storage
efficiencies that were previously available only for virtualized servers. Using View Composer increases the
storage savings because all virtual machines in a pool share a virtual disk with a base image.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Managing Storage with vSphere,” on page 185

“Reducing Storage Requirements with View Composer,” on page 190

“Storage Sizing for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 191

“Storage Overcommit for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 195

“Linked-Clone Data Disks,” on page 197

“Storing Linked Clones on Local Datastores,” on page 198

“Storing View Composer Replicas and Linked Clones on Separate Datastores,” on page 199

“Configure View Storage Accelerator for Desktop Pools,” on page 200

“Reclaim Disk Space on Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 201

“Using View Composer Array Integration with Native NFS Snapshot Technology (VAAI),” on
page 203

“Set Blackout Times for ESXi Operations on View Virtual Machines,” on page 204

Managing Storage with vSphere
vSphere lets you virtualize disk volumes and file systems so that you can manage and configure storage
without having to consider where the data is physically stored.
Fibre Channel SAN arrays, iSCSI SAN arrays, and NAS arrays are widely used storage technologies
supported by vSphere to meet different datacenter storage needs. The storage arrays are connected to and
shared between groups of servers through storage area networks. This arrangement allows aggregation of
the storage resources and provides more flexibility in provisioning them to virtual machines.

Compatible vSphere 5.0 and 5.1 or Later Features
With vSphere 5.0 or a later release, you can use the following features:
n

VMware, Inc.

With the View storage accelerator feature, you can configure ESXi hosts to cache virtual machine disk
data.

185

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Using this content-based read cache (CBRC) can reduce IOPS and improve performance during boot
storms, when many machines start up and run anti-virus scans at the same time. Instead of reading the
entire OS from the storage system over and over, a host can read common data blocks from cache.
n

If remote desktops use the space-efficient disk format available with vSphere 5.1 and later, stale or
deleted data within a guest operating system is automatically reclaimed with a wipe and shrink
process.

You can deploy a desktop pool on a cluster that contains up to 32 ESXi hosts, with certain restrictions.
Replica disks must be stored on VMFS5 or later datastores or NFS datastores. If you store replicas on a
VMFS version earlier than VMFS5, a cluster can have at most eight hosts. OS disks and persistent disks
can be stored on NFS or VMFS datastores.

Compatible vSphere 5.5 Update 1 or Later Features
With vSphere 5.5 Update 1 or a later release, you can use Virtual SAN, which virtualizes the local physical
solid-state disks and hard disk drives available on ESXi hosts into a single datastore shared by all hosts in a
cluster. Virtual SAN provides high-performance storage with policy-based management, so that you specify
only one datastore when creating a desktop pool, and the various components, such as virtual machine files,
replicas, user data, and operating system files, are placed on the appropriate solid-state drive (SSD) disks or
direct-attached hard disks (HDDs).
Virtual SAN also lets you manage virtual machine storage and performance by using storage policy profiles.
If the policy becomes noncompliant because of a host, disk, or network failure, or workload changes, Virtual
SAN reconfigures the data of the affected virtual machines and optimizes the use of resources across the
cluster. You can deploy a desktop pool on a cluster that contains up to 20 ESXi hosts.
IMPORTANT The Virtual SAN feature available with vSphere 6.0 and later releases contains many
performance improvements over the feature that was available with vSphere 5.5 Update 1. With vSphere 6.0
this feature also has broader HCL (hardware compatibility) support. For more information about Virtual
SAN in vSphere 6 or later, see the Administering VMware Virtual SAN document.
NOTE Virtual SAN is compatible with the View storage accelerator feature but not with the space-efficient
disk format feature, which reclaims disk space by wiping and shrinking disks.

Compatible vSphere 6.0 or Later Features
With vSphere 6.0 or a later release, you can use Virtual Volumes (VVols). This feature maps virtual disks
and their derivatives, clones, snapshots, and replicas, directly to objects, called virtual volumes, on a storage
system. This mapping allows vSphere to offload intensive storage operations such as snapshoting, cloning,
and replication to the storage system.
Virtual Volumes also lets you manage virtual machine storage and performance by using storage policy
profiles in vSphere. These storage policy profiles dictate storage services on a per-virtual-machine basis.
This type of granular provisioning increases capacity utilization. You can deploy a desktop pool on a cluster
that contains up to 32 ESXi hosts.
NOTE Virtual Volumes is compatible with the View storage accelerator feature but not with the spaceefficient disk format feature, which reclaims disk space by wiping and shrinking disks.

186

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

Using Virtual SAN for High-Performance Storage and Policy-Based
Management
VMware Virtual SAN is a software-defined storage tier, available with vSphere 5.5 Update 1 or a later
release, that virtualizes the local physical storage disks available on a cluster of vSphere hosts. You specify
only one datastore when creating a desktop pool, and the various components, such as virtual machine files,
replicas, user data, and operating system files, are placed on the appropriate solid-state drive (SSD) disks or
direct-attached hard disks (HDDs).
Virtual SAN implements a policy-based approach to storage management. When you use Virtual SAN,
View defines virtual machine storage requirements, such as capacity, performance, and availability, in the
form of default storage policy profiles, which you can modify. Storage is provisioned and automatically
configured according to the assigned policies. You can use Virtual SAN for either linked-clone desktop
pools or full-clone desktop pools.
Each virtual machine maintains its policy regardless of its physical location in the cluster. If the policy
becomes noncompliant because of a host, disk, or network failure, or workload changes, Virtual SAN
reconfigures the data of the affected virtual machines and load-balances to meet the policies of each virtual
machine.
While supporting VMware features that require shared storage, such as HA, vMotion, and DRS, Virtual
SAN eliminates the need for an external shared storage infrastructure and simplifies storage configuration
and virtual machine provisioning activities.
IMPORTANT The Virtual SAN feature available with vSphere 6.0 and later releases contains many
performance improvements over the feature that was available with vSphere 5.5 Update 1. With vSphere 6.0
this feature also has broader HCL (hardware compatibility) support.

Virtual SAN Workflow in View
1

Use vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1 or a later release to enable Virtual SAN. For more information about
Virtual SAN in vSphere 5.5 Update 1, see the vSphere Storage document. For more information about
Virtual SAN in vSphere 6 or later, see the Administering VMware Virtual SAN document.

When creating a desktop pool in View Administrator, under Storage Policy Management, select Use
VMware Virtual SAN, and select the Virtual SAN datastore to use.
After you select Use VMware Virtual SAN, only Virtual SAN datastores are displayed.
Default storage policy profiles are created according to the options you choose. For example, if you
create a linked-clone, floating desktop pool, a replica disk profile and an operating system disk profile
are automatically created. If you create a linked-clone, persistent desktop pool, a replica disk profile
and a persistent disk profile are created. For all desktop pools, a profile is created for virtual machine
files.

To move existing View Composer desktop pools from another type of datastore to a Virtual SAN
datastore, in View Administrator, edit the pool to deselect the old datastore and select the Virtual SAN
datastore instead, and use the Rebalance command .

(Optional) Use vCenter Server to modify the parameters of the storage policy profiles, which include
things like the number of failures to tolerate and the amount of SSD read cache to reserve.
The names of the policies are OS_DISK (for operating system files), PERSISTENT_DISK (for user data
files), REPLICA_DISK (for replicas), and VM_HOME (for virtual machine files such as .vmx and .vmsn
files). Changes to the policy are propagated to newly created virtual machines and to all existing virtual
machines in the desktop pool.

VMware, Inc.

187

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Use vCenter Server to monitor the Virtual SAN cluster and the disks that participate in the datastore.
For more information, see the vSphere Storage document and the vSphere Monitoring and Performance
documentation. For vSphere 6 or later, see the Administering VMware Virtual SAN document.

(Optional) For View Composer linked-clone desktop pools, use the Refresh and Recompose commands
as you normally would.

Requirements and Limitations
The Virtual SAN feature has the following limitations when used in a View deployment:
n

This release does not support using the View space-efficient disk format feature, which reclaims disk
space by wiping and shrinking disks.

Virtual SAN does not support the View Composer Array Integration (VAAI) feature because Virtual
SAN does not use NAS devices.

Virtual SAN datastores are not compatiblie with Virtual Volumes datastores for this release.

NOTE Virtual SAN is compatible with the View Storage Accelerator feature. Virtual SAN provides a
caching layer on SSD disks, and the View Storage Accelerator feature provides a content-based cache that
reduces IOPS and improves performance during boot storms.
The Virtual SAN feature has the following requirements:
n

vSphere 5.5 Update 1 or a later release.

Appropriate hardware. For example, VMware recommends a 10GB NIC and at least one SSD and one
HDD for each capacity-contributing node. For specifics, see the VMware Compatibility Guide.

A cluster of at least three ESXi hosts. You need enough ESXi hosts to accommodate your setup. For
more information, see the vSphere Configuration Maximums document, available from
https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-pubs.html.

SSD capacity that is at least 10 percent of HDD capacity.

Enough HDDs to accommodate your setup. Do not exceed more than 75% utilization on a magnetic
disk.

For more information about Virtual SAN requirements, see "Working with Virtual SAN" in the vSphere 5.5
Update 1 Storage document. For vSphere 6 or later, see the Administering VMware Virtual SAN document. For
guidance on sizing and designing the key components of View virtual desktop infrastructures for VMware
Virtual SAN, see the white paper at
http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/products/vsan/VMW-TMD-Virt-SAN-Dsn-Szing-Guid-HorizonView.pdf.

Default Storage Policy Profiles for Virtual SAN Datastores
When you use Virtual SAN, View defines virtual machine storage requirements, such as capacity,
performance, and availability, in the form of default storage policy profiles, which you can modify. Storage
is provisioned and automatically configured according to the assigned policies.
The default policies that are created during desktop pool creation depend on the type of pool you create.
The names of the policies are OS_DISK (for operating system files), PERSISTENT_DISK (for user data files),
REPLICA_DISK (for replicas), and VM_HOME (for virtual machine files such as .vmx and .vmsn files). For
example, a REPLICA_DISK policy is created only for linked-clone pools. Changes to the policy are
propagated to newly created virtual machines and to all existing virtual machines in the desktop pool.

188

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

Virtual SAN offers a storage policy framework so that you can control the behavior of various virtual
machine objects that reside on the Virtual SAN datastore. An example of an object in Virtual SAN is a
virtual disk (VMDK) file, and there are four characteristics of each object that are controlled through policy:
n

Stripes: Number of stripes of data. The number of disk stripes affects how many magnetic disks you
have (HDDs).

Resiliency: Number of failures to tolerate. The number of host failures to tolerate depends, of course,
on the number of hosts you have.

Storage Provisioning: Thick or Thin.

Cache Reservation: Read-cache reservation.

The stripes and cache reservation settings are used to control performance. The resiliency setting controls
availability. The storage provisioning setting control capacity. These settings, taken together, affect how
many vSphere hosts and magnetic disks are required.
For example, if you set the number of disk stripes per object to 2, Virtual SAN will stripe the object across at
least 2 HDDs. In conjunction with this setting, if you set the number of host failures to tolerate to 1, Virtual
SAN will create an additional copy for resiliency and therefore require 4 HDDs. Additionally, setting the
number of host failures to tolerate to 1 requires a minimum of 3 ESXi hosts, 2 for resiliency and the third to
break the tie in case of partitioning.
NOTE If you inadvertently attempt to use settings that contradict each other, when you attempt to apply the
settings, the operation will fail, and an error message will tell you, for example, that you do not have
enough hosts.
There is no requirement for any user action associated with these default policies. Policies are created for
both linked-clone desktop pools and full-clone desktop pools.
You can use either the vSphere Command-Line Interface (esxcli) or the vSphere Web Client to change the
default storage policy profiles. Each virtual machine maintains its policy regardless of its physical location
in the cluster. If the policy becomes noncompliant because of a host, disk, or network failure, or workload
changes, Virtual SAN reconfigures the data of the affected virtual machines and load-balances to meet the
policies of each virtual machine.

Using Virtual Volumes for Virtual-Machine-Centric Storage and Policy-Based
Management
With Virtual Volumes (VVols), available with vSphere 6.0 or a later release, an individual virtual machine,
not the datastore, becomes a unit of storage management. The storage hardware gains control over virtual
disk content, layout, and management.
With Virtual Volumes, abstract storage containers replace traditional storage volumes based on LUNs or
NFS shares. Virtual Volumes maps virtual disks and their derivatives, clones, snapshots, and replicas,
directly to objects, called virtual volumes, on a storage system. This mapping allows vSphere to offload
intensive storage operations such as snapshoting, cloning, and replication to the storage system. The result,
for example, is that a cloning operation that previously took an hour might now take just a few minutes
using Virtual Volumes.
IMPORTANT Although one of the key benefits of Virtual Volumes is the ability to use Software Policy-Based
Management (SPBM), for this release of View, no default granular storage policies are created by View, as
they are when you use the Virtual SAN feature. Instead, you can set a global default storage policy in
vCenter Server that will apply to all Virtual Volume datastores.
Virtual Volumes has the following benefits:
n

VMware, Inc.

Virtual Volumes supports offloading a number of operations to storage hardware. These operations
include snapshotting, cloning, and Storage DRS.

189

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

With Virtual Volumes, you can use advanced storage services that include replication, encryption,
deduplication, and compression on individual virtual disks.

Virtual Volumes supports such vSphere features as vMotion, Storage vMotion, snapshots, linked
clones, Flash Read Cache, and DRS.

You can use Virtual Volumes with storage arrays that support vSphere APIs for Array Integration
(VAAI).

Requirements and Limitations
The Virtual Volumes feature has the following limitations when used in a View deployment:
n

This release does not support using the View space-efficient disk format feature, which reclaims disk
space by wiping and shrinking disks.

Virtual Volumes does not support using View Composer Array Integration (VAAI).

Virtual Volumes datastores are not compatible with Virtual SAN datastores for this release.

NOTE Virtual Volumes is compatible with the View Storage Accelerator feature. Virtual SAN provides a
caching layer on SSD disks, and the View Storage Accelerator feature provides a content-based cache that
reduces IOPS and improves performance during boot storms.
The Virtual Volumes feature has the following requirements:
n

vSphere 6.0 or a later release.

Appropriate hardware. Certain storage vendors are responsible for supplying storage providers that
can integrate with vSphere and provide support for Virtual Volumes. Every storage provider must be
certified by VMware and properly deployed.

All virtual disks that you provision on a virtual datastore must be an even multiple of 1 MB.

Virtual Volumes is a vSphere 6.0 feature. For more information about the requirements, functionality,
background, and setup requirements, see the topics about Virtual Volumes in the vSphere Storage document.

Reducing Storage Requirements with View Composer
Because View Composer creates desktop images that share virtual disks with a base image, you can reduce
the required storage capacity by 50 to 90 percent.
View Composer uses a base image, or parent virtual machine, and creates a pool of up to 2,000 linked-clone
virtual machines. Each linked clone acts like an independent desktop, with a unique host name and IP
address, yet the linked clone requires significantly less storage.

Replica and Linked Clones on the Same Datastore
When you create a linked-clone desktop pool, a full clone is first made from the parent virtual machine. The
full clone, or replica, and the clones linked to it can be placed on the same data store, or LUN (logical unit
number). If necessary, you can use the rebalance feature to move the replica and linked clones from one
LUN to another or to move linked clones to a Virtual SAN datastore or from a Virtual SAN datastore to a
LUN.

Replica and Linked Clones on Different Datastores
Alternatively, you can place View Composer replicas and linked clones on separate datastores with different
performance characteristics. For example, you can store the replica virtual machines on a solid-state drive
(SSD). Solid-state drives have low storage capacity and high read performance, typically supporting tens of
thousands of I/Os per second (IOPS). You can store linked clones on traditional, spinning media-backed

190

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

datastores. These disks provide lower performance, but are less expensive and provide higher storage
capacity, which makes them suited for storing the many linked clones in a large pool. Tiered storage
configurations can be used to cost-effectively handle intensive I/O scenarios such as simultaneous rebooting
of many virtual machines or running scheduled antivirus scans.
For more information, see the best-practices guide called Storage Considerations for VMware View.
If you use Virtual SAN datastores or Virtual Volumes datastores, you cannot manually select different
datastores for replicas and linked clones. Because the Virtual SAN and Virtual Volumes features
automatically place objects on the appropriate type of disk and cache of all I/O operations, there is no need
to use replica tiering for Virtual SAN and Virtual Volumes datastores.

Disposable Disks for Paging and Temp Files
When you create a linked-clone pool, you can also optionally configure a separate, disposable virtual disk to
store the guest operating system's paging and temp files that are generated during user sessions. When the
virtual machine is powered off, the disposable disk is deleted. Using disposable disks can save storage space
by slowing the growth of linked clones and reducing the space used by powered off virtual machines.

Persistent Disks for Dedicated Desktops
When you create dedicated-assignment desktop pools, View Composer can also optionally create a separate
persistent virtual disk for each virtual desktop. The end user's Windows profile and application data are
saved on the persistent disk. When a linked clone is refreshed, recomposed, or rebalanced, the contents of
the persistent virtual disk are preserved. VMware recommends that you keep View Composer persistent
disks on a separate datastore. You can then back up the whole LUN that holds persistent disks.

Storage Sizing for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
View provides high-level guidelines that can help you determine how much storage a linked-clone desktop
pool requires. A table in the Add Desktop Pool wizard shows a general estimate of the linked-clone disks'
storage requirements when the pool is created and as the linked clones grow over time.
The storage-sizing table also displays the free space on the datastores that you select for storing OS disks,
View Composer persistent disks, and replicas. You can decide which datastores to use by comparing the
actual free space with the estimated requirements for the linked-clone disks.
The formulas that View uses can only provide a general estimate of storage use. Your linked clones' actual
storage growth depends on many factors:
n

Amount of memory assigned to the parent virtual machine

Frequency of refresh operations

Size of the guest operating system's paging file

Whether you redirect paging and temp files to a separate disk

Whether you configure separate View Composer persistent disks

Workload on the linked-clone machines, determined primarily by the types of applications that users
run in the guest operating system

NOTE In a deployment that includes hundreds or thousands of linked clones, configure your linked-clone
pools so that particular sets of datastores are dedicated to particular ESXi clusters. Do not configure pools
randomly across all the datastores so that most or all ESXi hosts must access most or all LUNs.
When too many ESXi hosts attempt to write to linked-clone OS disks on a particular LUN, contention
problems can occur, degrading performance and interfering with scalability. For more information about
datastore planning in large deployments, see the View Architecture Planning document.

VMware, Inc.

191

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Sizing Guidelines for Linked-Clone Pools
When you create or edit a linked-clone desktop pool, the Select Linked Clone Datastores page displays a
table that provides storage-sizing guidelines. The table can help you to decide which datastores to select for
the linked-clone disks. The guidelines calculate space needed for new linked clones.

Sizing Table for Linked-Clone Disks
Table 15-1 shows an example of storage-sizing recommendations that might be displayed for a pool of 10
virtual machines if the parent virtual machine has 1GB of memory and a 10GB replica. In this example,
different datastores are selected for OS disks and View Composer persistent disks.
Table 15‑1. Example Sizing Table for Linked-Clone Disks
Data Type

Selected Free
Space (GB)

Min Recommended
(GB)

50% Utilization (GB)

Max Recommended
(GB)

OS disks

184.23

40.00

80.00

130.00

Persistent disks

28.56

4.00

10.00

20.00

The Selected Free Space column shows the total available space on all of the datastores that you selected for
a disk type such as OS disks.
The Min Recommended column shows the minimum amount of recommended storage for a pool.
The 50% Utilization column shows the recommended storage when the linked-clone disks grow to 50% of
the parent virtual machine.
The Max Recommended column shows the recommended storage when the linked-clone disks approach
the full size of the parent virtual machine.
If you store OS disks and persistent disks on the same datastore, View calculates the storage requirements of
both disk types. The Data Type is shown as Linked clones instead of a particular disk type.
If you store View Composer replicas on a separate datastore, the table also shows storage recommendations
for the replicas and adjusts the recommendations for OS disks.

Sizing Guidelines
The table provides general guidelines. Your storage calculations must account for additional factors that can
affect actual storage growth in the linked-clone pool.
For OS disks, your sizing estimates depend on how frequently you refresh and recompose the pool.
If you refresh your linked-clone pool between once a day and once a week, make sure that the Selected Free
Space can accommodate storage use between the Min Recommended and 50% Utilization estimates.
If you rarely refresh or recompose the pool, the linked-clone disks continue to grow. Make sure that the
Selected Free Space can accommodate storage use between the 50 % Utilization and Max Recommended
estimates.
For persistent disks, your sizing estimates depend on the amount of Windows profile data that users
generate on their desktops. Refresh and recompose operations do not affect persistent disks.

Sizing Guidelines When You Edit an Existing Desktop Pool
View estimates the storage space that is needed for new linked clones. When you create a desktop pool, the
sizing guidelines encompass the entire pool. When you edit an existing desktop pool, the guidelines
encompass only the new linked clones that you add to the pool.
For example, if you add 100 linked clones to a desktop pool and select a new datastore, View estimates
space requirements for the 100 new clones.

192

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

If you select a new datastore but keep the desktop pool the same size, or reduce the number of linked clones,
the sizing guidelines show as 0. The values of 0 reflect that no new clones must be created on the selected
datastore. Space requirements for the existing clones are already accounted for.

How View Calculates the Minimum Sizing Recommendations
To arrive at a minimum recommendation for OS disks, View estimates that each clone consumes twice its
memory size when it is first created and started up. If no memory is reserved for a clone, an ESXi swap file
is created for a clone as soon as it is powered on. The size of the guest operating system's paging file also
affects the growth of a clone's OS disk.
In the minimum recommendation for OS disks, View also includes space for two replicas on each datastore.
View Composer creates one replica when a pool is created. When the pool is recomposed for the first time,
View Composer creates a second replica on the datastore, anchors the linked clones to the new replica, and
deletes the first replica if no other clones are using original snapshot. The datastore must have the capacity
to store two replicas during the recompose operation.
By default, replicas use vSphere thin provisioning, but to keep the guidelines simple, View accounts for two
replicas that use the same space as the parent virtual machine.
To arrive at a minimum recommendation for persistent disks, View calculates 20% of the disk size that you
specify on the View Composer Disks page of the Add Desktop Pool wizard.
NOTE The calculations for persistent disks are based on static threshold values, in gigabytes. For example, if
you specify a persistent disk size of any value between 1024MB and 2047MB, View calculates the persistent
disk size as 1GB. If you specify a disk size of 2048MB, View calculates the disk size as 2GB.
To arrive at a recommendation for storing replicas on a separate datastore, View allows space for two
replicas on the datastore. The same value is calculated for minimum and maximum usage.
For details, see “Sizing Formulas for Linked-Clone Pools,” on page 193.

Sizing Guidelines and Storage Overcommit
After you estimate storage requirements, select datastores, and deploy the pool, View provisions linkedclone virtual machines on different datastores based on the free space and the existing clones on each
datastore.
Based on the storage-overcommit option that you select on the Select Linked Clone Datastores page in the
Add Desktop Pool wizard, View stops provisioning new clones and reserves free space for the existing
clones. This behavior ensures that a growth buffer exists for each machine in the datastore.
If you select an aggressive storage-overcommit level, the estimated storage requirements might exceed the
capacity shown in the Selected Free Space column. The storage-overcommit level affects how many virtual
machines that View actually creates on a datastore.
For details, see “Set the Storage Overcommit Level for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 196.

Sizing Formulas for Linked-Clone Pools
Storage-sizing formulas can help you estimate the size of linked-clone disks relative to the free space on the
datastores that you select for OS disks, View Composer persistent disks, and replicas.

Storage Sizing Formulas
Table 15-2 shows the formulas that calculate the estimated sizes of linked-clone disks when you create a
pool and as the linked-clone machines grow over time. These formulas include the space for replica disks
that are stored with the clones on the datastore.

VMware, Inc.

193

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If you edit an existing pool or store replicas on a separate datastore, View uses a different sizing formula.
See “Sizing Formulas for Creating Linked Clones When You Edit a Pool or Store Replicas on a Separate
Datastore,” on page 194.
Table 15‑2. Storage Sizing Formulas for Linked-Clone Disks on Selected Datastores
Selected Free
Space (GB)

Min Recommended
(GB)

OS disks

Free space on the
selected datastores

Persistent disks

Free space on the
selected datastores

Data Type

50% Utilization (GB)

Max Recommended
(GB)

Number of VMs * (2
* memory of VM) +
(2 * replica disk)

Number of VMs *
(50% of replica disk +
memory of VM) + (2
* replica disk)

Number of VMs *
(100% of replica disk +
memory of VM) + (2 *
replica disk)

Number of VMs *
20% of persistent
disk

Number of VMs *
50% of persistent
disk

Number of VMs *
100% of persistent
disk

Example of a Storage Sizing Estimate
In this example, the parent virtual machine is configured with 1GB of memory. The parent virtual machine's
disk size is 10GB. A linked-clone pool is created with 10 machines. Persistent disks are configured as
2048MB in size.
The OS disks are configured on a datastore that currently has 184.23GB of available space. The persistent
disks are configured on a different datastore with 28.56GB of available space.
Table 15-3 shows how the sizing formulas calculate estimated storage requirements for the sample linkedclone desktop pool.
Table 15‑3. Example of a Sizing Estimate for Linked-Clone Disks Deployed on Selected Datastores
Data Type

Selected Free
Space (GB)

Min Recommended
(GB)

50% Utilization (GB)

Max Recommended
(GB)

OS disks

184.23

10 * (2*1GB) +
(2*10GB) =
40.00

10 * (50% of 10GB +
1GB) + (2*10GB) =
80.00

10 * (100% of 10GB +
1GB) + (2*10GB) =
130.00

Persistent disks

28.56

10 * (20% of 2GB) =
4.00

10 * (50% of 2GB) =
10.00

10 * (100% of 2GB) =
20.00

Sizing Formulas for Creating Linked Clones When You Edit a Pool or Store
Replicas on a Separate Datastore
View calculates different sizing formulas when you edit an existing linked-clone desktop pool, or store
replicas on a separate datastore, than when you first create a pool.
If you edit an existing pool and select datastores for the pool, View Composer creates new clones on the
selected datastores. The new clones are anchored to the existing snapshot and use the existing replica disk.
No new replicas are created.
View estimates the sizing requirements of new clones that are added to the desktop pool. View does not
include the existing clones in the calculation.
If you store replicas on a separate datastore, the other selected datastores are dedicated to linked-clone
disks.
In these cases, View does not include space for replicas when it calculates storage recommendations for
linked-clone disks.
Table 15-4 shows the formulas that calculate the estimated sizes of linked-clone disks when you edit a pool
or store replicas on a separate datastore.

194

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

Table 15‑4. Storage Sizing Formulas for Linked-Clone Disks When You Edit a Pool or Store Replicas on a
Separate Datastore
Selected Free
Space (GB)

Min Recommended
(GB)

OS disks

Free space on the
selected datastores

Persistent disks

Free space on the
selected datastores

Data Type

50% Utilization (GB)

Max Recommended
(GB)

Number of new VMs
* (2 * memory of VM)

Number of new VMs
* (50% of replica disk
+ memory of VM)

Number of new VMs *
(100% of replica disk +
memory of VM)

Number of new VMs
* 20% of persistent
disk

Number of new VMs
* 50% of persistent
disk

Number of new VMs *
100% of persistent
disk

Example of a Storage Sizing Estimate When You Edit a Pool or Store Replicas on
a Separate Datastore
In this example, the parent virtual machine is configured with 1GB of memory. The parent virtual machine's
disk size is 10GB. A linked-clone pool is created with 10 machines. Persistent disks are configured as
2048MB in size.
The OS disks are configured on a datastore that currently has 184.23GB of available space. The persistent
disks are configured on a different datastore with 28.56GB of available space.
Table 15-5 shows how the sizing formulas calculate estimated storage requirements for the sample linkedclone pool.
Table 15‑5. Example of a Sizing Estimate for Linked-Clone Disks When You Edit a Pool or Store Replicas
on a Separate Datastore
Data Type

Selected Free
Space (GB)

Min Recommended
(GB)

50% Utilization (GB)

Max Recommended
(GB)

OS disks

184.23

10 * (2*1GB) =
20.00

10 * (50% of 10GB +
1GB) =
60.00

10 * (100% of 10GB +
1GB) =
110.00

Persistent disks

28.56

10 * (20% of 2GB) =
4.00

10 * (50% of 2GB) =
10.00

10 * (100% of 2GB) =
20.00

Storage Overcommit for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines
With the storage overcommit feature, you can reduce storage costs by placing more linked-clone virtual
machines on a datastore than is possible with full virtual machines. The linked clones can use a logical
storage space several times greater than the physical capacity of the datastore.
This feature helps you choose a storage level that lets you overcommit the datastore's capacity and sets a
limit on the number of linked clones that View creates. You can avoid either wasting storage by
provisioning too conservatively or risking that the linked clones will run out of disk space and cause their
desktop applications to fail.
For example, you can create at most ten full virtual machines on a 100GB datastore, if each virtual machine
is 10GB. When you create linked clones from a 10GB parent virtual machine, each clone is a fraction of that
size.
If you set a conservative overcommit level, View allows the clones to use four times the physical size of the
datastore, measuring each clone as if it were the size of the parent virtual machine. On a 100GB datastore,
with a 10GB parent, View provisions approximately 40 linked clones. View does not provision more clones,
even if the datastore has free space. This limit keeps a growth buffer for the existing clones.
Table 15-6 shows the storage overcommit levels you can set.

VMware, Inc.

195

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 15‑6. Storage Overcommit Levels
Option

Storage Overcommit Level

None

Storage is not overcommitted.

Conservative

4 times the size of the datastore. This is the default level.

Moderate

7 times the size of the datastore.

Aggressive

15 times the size of the datastore.

Storage overcommit levels provide a high-level guide for determining storage capacity. To determine the
best level, monitor the growth of linked clones in your environment.
Set an aggressive level if your OS disks will never grow to their maximum possible size. An aggressive
overcommit level demands attention. To make sure that the linked clones do not run out of disk space, you
can periodically refresh or rebalance the desktop pool and reduce the linked clones' OS data to its original
size.
For example, it would make sense to set an aggressive overcommit level for a floating-assignment desktop
pool in which the virtual machines are set to delete or refresh after logoff.
You can vary storage overcommit levels among different types of datastores to address the different levels
of throughput in each datastore. For example, a NAS datastore can have a different setting than a SAN
datastore.

Set the Storage Overcommit Level for Linked-Clone Virtual Machines
You can control how aggressively View creates linked-clone virtual machines on a datastore by using the
storage overcommit feature. This feature lets you create linked clones that have a total logical size larger
than the physical storage limit of the datastore.
This feature works only with linked-clone pools.
The storage overcommit level calculates the amount of storage greater than the physical size of the datastore
that the clones would use if each clone were a full virtual machine. For details, see “Storage Overcommit for
Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 195.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

When you create a new desktop pool or edit an existing pool, navigate to the vCenter Settings page.
Option

Action

New desktop pool

a
b

Click Add.
Proceed through the Add Desktop Pool wizard until the vCenter
Settings page appears.

Existing desktop pool

a
b

Select the linked-clone pool and click Edit.
Click the vCenter Settings tab.

On the vCenter Settings page, click Browse next to Datastores.

Select the datastore on the Select Linked Clone Datastores page.
A drop-down menu appears in the Storage Overcommit column for the selected datastore.

196

Select the storage overcommit level from the drop-down menu.
Option

Description

None

Storage is not overcommitted.

Conservative

4 times the size of the datastore. This is the default level.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

Option

Description

Moderate

7 times the size of the datastore.

Aggressive

15 times the size of the datastore.

Unbounded

View does not limit the number of linked-clone machines that it creates
based on the physical capacity of the datastore. Select this level only if you
are certain that the datastore has enough storage capacity to accommodate
all of the machines and their future growth.

Click OK.

Linked-Clone Data Disks
View Composer creates more than one data disk to store the components of a linked-clone virtual machine.

OS Disk
View Composer creates an OS disk for each linked clone. This disk stores the system data that the clone
needs to remain linked to the base image and to function as a unique virtual machine.

QuickPrep Configuration-Data Disk
View Composer creates a second disk with the OS disk. The second disk stores QuickPrep configuration
data and other OS-related data that must be preserved during refresh and recompose operations. This disk
is small, typically about 20MB. This disk is created whether you use QuickPrep or Sysprep to customize the
virtual machine.
If you configure separate View Composer persistent disks to store user profiles, three disks are associated
with each linked clone: the OS disk, the second virtual machine disk, and the View Composer persistent
disk.
The second virtual machine disk is stored on the same datastore as the OS disk. You cannot configure this
disk.

View Composer Persistent Disk
In a dedicated-assignment pool, you can configure separate View Composer persistent disks to store
Windows user-profile data. This disk is optional.
Separate persistent disks let you preserve user data and settings. View Composer refresh, recompose, and
rebalance operations do not affect persistent disks. You can detach a persistent disk from a linked clone and
attach it to another linked clone.
If you do not configure separate persistent disks, the Windows profile is stored in the OS disk. User data
and settings are removed during refresh, recompose, and rebalance operations.
You can store persistent disks on the same datastore as the OS disk or on a different datastore.

Disposable-Data Disk
When you create a linked-clone pool, you can configure a separate, nonpersistent disk to store the guest
OS's paging and temp files that are generated during user sessions. You must specify the disk size in
megabytes.
This disk is optional.

VMware, Inc.

197

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

When the linked clone is powered off, View replaces the disposable-data disk with a copy of the original
disk that View Composer created with the linked-clone pool. Linked clones can increase in size as users
interact with their desktops. Using disposable-data disks can save storage space by slowing the growth of
linked clones.
The disposable-data disk is stored on the same datastore as the OS disk.

Storing Linked Clones on Local Datastores
Linked-clone virtual machines can be stored on local datastores, which are internal spare disks on ESXi
hosts. Local storage offers advantages such as inexpensive hardware, fast virtual-machine provisioning,
high performance power operations, and simple management. However, using local storage limits the
vSphere infrastructure configuration options that are available to you. Using local storage is beneficial in
certain View environments but not appropriate in others.
NOTE The limitations described in this topic do not apply to Virtual SAN datastores, which also use local
storage disks but require specific hardware.
Using local datastores is most likely to work well if the View desktops in your environment are stateless. For
example, you might use local datastores if you deploy stateless kiosks or classroom and training stations.
Consider using local datastores if your virtual machines have floating assignments, are not dedicated to
individual end users, do not require persistent disks for user data, and can be deleted or refreshed at regular
intervals such as on user logoff. This approach lets you control the disk usage on each local datastore
without having to move or load-balance the virtual machines across datastores.
However, you must consider the restrictions that using local datastores imposes on your View desktop
deployment:
n

You cannot use VMotion to manage volumes.

You cannot load-balance virtual machines across a resource pool. For example, you cannot use the View
Composer rebalance operation with linked-clones that are stored on local datastores.

You cannot use VMware High Availability.

You cannot use the vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS).

You cannot store a View Composer replica and linked clones on separate datastores if the replica is on a
local datastore.
When you store linked clones on local datastores, VMware strongly recommends that you store the
replica on the same volume as the linked clones. Although it is possible to store linked clones on local
datastores and the replica on a shared datastore if all ESXi hosts in the cluster can access the replica,
VMware does not recommend this configuration.

If you select local spinning-disk drives, performance might not match that of a commercially available
storage array. Local spinning-disk drives and a storage array might have similar capacity, but local
spinning-disk drives do not have the same throughput as a storage array. Throughput increases as the
number of spindles grows.

If you select direct attached solid-state disks (SSDs), performance is likely to exceed that of many storage
arrays.
You can store linked clones on a local datastore without constraints if you configure the desktop pool on a
single ESXi host or a cluster that contains a single ESXi host. However, using a single ESXi host limits the
size of the desktop pool that you can configure.
To configure a large desktop pool, you must select a cluster that contains multiple ESXi hosts with the
collective capacity to support a large number of virtual machines.

198

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

If you intend to take advantage of the benefits of local storage, you must carefully consider the
consequences of not having VMotion, HA, DRS, and other features available. If you manage local disk usage
by controlling the number and disk growth of the virtual machines, if you use floating assignments and
perform regular refresh and delete operations, you can successfully deploy linked clones to local datastores.

Storing View Composer Replicas and Linked Clones on Separate
Datastores
You can place View Composer replicas and linked clones on separate datastores with different performance
characteristics. This flexible configuration can speed up intensive operations such as provisioning many
linked clones at once or running antivirus scans.
For example, you can store the replica virtual machines on a solid-state disk-backed datastore. Solid-state
disks have low storage capacity and high read performance, typically supporting 20,000 I/Os per second
(IOPS). View Composer creates only one replica for each View Composer base-image snapshot on each ESXi
cluster, so replicas do not require much storage space. A solid-state disk can improve the speed at which
ESXi reads a replica's OS disk when a task is performed concurrently on many linked clones.
You can store linked clones on traditional, spinning media-backed datastores. These disks provide lower
performance, typically supporting 200 IOPS. They are cheap and provide high storage capacity, which
makes them suited for storing the many linked clones in a large pool. ESXi does not need to perform
intensive, simultaneous read operations on a linked clone.
Configuring replicas and linked clones in this way can reduce the impact of I/O storms that occur when
many linked clones are created at once. For example, if you deploy a floating-assignment pool with a deletemachine-on-logoff policy, and your users start work at the same time, View must concurrently provision
new machines for them.
IMPORTANT This feature is designed for specific storage configurations provided by vendors who offer highperformance disk solutions. Do not store replicas on a separate datastore if your storage hardware does not
support high-read performance.
You must follow certain requirements when you store the replica and linked clones in a pool on separate
datastores:
n

You can specify only one separate replica datastore for a pool.

If a replica datastore is shared, it must be accessible from all ESXi hosts in the cluster.

If the linked-clone datastores are shared, the replica datastore must be shared. The replica cannot reside
on a local datastore.
If the linked-clone datastores are local, VMware strongly recommends that you store the replica on the
same volume as the linked clones. Although it is possible to store linked clones on local datastores and
the replica on a shared datastore if all ESXi hosts in the cluster can access the replica, VMware does not
recommend this configuration.

This feature is not available you use Virtual SAN datastores or Virtual Volumes datastores. These types
of datastores use Software Policy-Based Management, so that storage profiles define which components
go on which types of disks.

VMware, Inc.

199

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Availability Considerations for Storing Replicas on a Separate Datastore or
Shared Datastores
You can store View Composer replicas on a separate datastore or on the same datastores as linked-clone
virtual machines. These configurations affect the availability of the pool in different ways.
When you store replicas on the same datastores as linked clones, to enhance availability, View Composer
creates a separate replica on each datastore. If a datastore becomes unavailable, only the linked clones on
that datastore are affected. Linked clones on other datastores continue to run.
When you store replicas on a separate datastore, all linked clones in the pool are anchored to the replicas on
that datastore. If the datastore becomes unavailable, the entire pool is unavailable.
To enhance the availability of the linked-clone virtual machines, you can configure a high-availability
solution for the datastore on which you store the replicas.

Configure View Storage Accelerator for Desktop Pools
You can configure desktop pools to enable ESXi hosts to cache virtual machine disk data. This feature, called
View Storage Accelerator, uses the Content Based Read Cache (CBRC) feature in ESXi hosts. View Storage
Accelerator can reduce IOPS and improve performance during boot storms, when many machines start up
or run anti-virus scans at once. The feature is also beneficial when administrators or users load applications
or data frequently. To use this feature, you must make sure that View Storage Accelerator is enabled for
individual desktop pools.
When a virtual machine is created, View indexes the contents of each virtual disk file. The indexes are stored
in a virtual machine digest file. At runtime, the ESXi host reads the digest files and caches common blocks of
data in memory. To keep the ESXi host cache up to date, View regenerates the digest files at specified
intervals and when the virtual machine is recomposed. You can modify the regeneration interval.
View Storage Accelerator is enabled for a pool by default. The feature can be disabled or enabled when you
create or edit a pool. The best approach is to enable this feature when you first create a desktop pool. If you
enable the feature by editing an existing pool, you must ensure that a new replica and its digest disks are
created before linked clones are provisioned. You can create a new replica by recomposing the pool to a new
snapshot or rebalancing the pool to a new datastore. Digest files can only be configured for the virtual
machines in a desktop pool when they are powered off.
You can enable View Storage Accelerator on pools that contain linked clones and pools that contain full
virtual machines.
View Storage Accelerator is now qualified to work in configurations that use View replica tiering, in which
replicas are stored on a separate datastore than linked clones. Although the performance benefits of using
View Storage Accelerator with View replica tiering are not materially significant, certain capacity-related
benefits might be realized by storing the replicas on a separate datastore. Hence, this combination is tested
and supported.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that your vCenter Server and ESXi hosts are version 5.0 or later.
In an ESXi cluster, verify that all the hosts are version 5.0 or later.

200

Verify that the vCenter Server user was assigned the Global > Act as vCenter Server privilege in
vCenter Server. See the topics in the View Installation documentation that describe View and View
Composer privileges required for the vCenter Server user.

Verify that View Storage Accelerator is enabled in vCenter Server. See the View Administration
document.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, display the Advanced Storage Options page.
Option

Description

New desktop pool (recommended)

Start the Add Desktop Pool wizard to begin creating an automated
desktop pool. Follow the wizard configuration prompts until you reach the
Advanced Storage page.

Existing desktop pool

Select the existing pool, click Edit, and click the Advanced Storage tab.
In an existing pool, View Storage Accelerator digest files are not
configured for virtual machines until they are powered off.

To enable View Storage Accelerator for the pool, make sure that the Use View Storage Accelerator
check box is selected.
This setting is selected by default. To disable the setting, uncheck the Use View Storage Accelerator
box.

(Optional) Specify which disk types to cache by selecting OS disks only or OS and persistent disks
from the Disk Types menu.
OS disks is selected by default.
If you configure View Storage Accelerator for full virtual machines, you cannot select a disk type. View
Storage Accelerator is performed on the whole virtual machine.

(Optional) In the Regenerate storage accelerator after text box, specify the interval, in days, after which
the regeneration for View Storage Accelerator digest files take place.
The default regeneration interval is seven days.

What to do next
You can configure blackout days and times during which disk space reclamation and View Storage
Accelerator regeneration do not take place. See “Set Blackout Times for ESXi Operations on View Virtual
Machines,” on page 204.
If you enable View Storage Accelerator by editing an existing pool, recompose the desktop pool to a new
snapshot or rebalance the pool to a new datastore before linked clones are provisioned.

Reclaim Disk Space on Linked-Clone Virtual Machines
In vSphere 5.1 and later, you can configure the disk space reclamation feature for linked-clone desktop
pools. Starting in vSphere 5.1, View creates linked-clone virtual machines in an efficient disk format that
allows ESXi hosts to reclaim unused disk space on the linked clones, reducing the total storage space
required for linked clones.
As users interact with their desktops, the linked clones' OS disks grow and can eventually use almost as
much disk space as full-clone virtual machines. Disk space reclamation reduces the size of the OS disks
without requiring you to refresh or recompose the linked clones. Space can be reclaimed while the virtual
machines are powered on and users are interacting with their desktops.
In View Administrator, you cannot directly initiate disk space reclamation for a pool. You determine when
View initiates disk space reclamation by specifying the minimum amount of unused disk space that must
accumulate on a linked-clone OS disk to trigger the operation. When the unused disk space exceeds the
specified threshold, View directs the ESXi host to reclaim space on that OS disk. View applies the threshold
to each virtual machine in the pool.
You can use the vdmadmin -M option to initiate disk space reclamation on a particular virtual machine for
demonstration or troubleshooting purposes. See the View Administration document.

VMware, Inc.

201

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

You can configure disk space reclamation on linked clones when you create a new pool or edit an existing
pool. For an existing pool, see "Tasks for Upgrading Pools to Use Space Reclamation" in the View Upgrades
document.
NOTE This feature is not available for virtual machines stored on a Virtual SAN datastore or a Virtual
Volumes datastore.
If a View Composer is refreshing, recomposing, or rebalancing linked clones, disk space reclamation does
not take place on those linked clones.
Disk space reclamation operates only on OS disks in linked clones. The feature does not affect View
Composer persistent disks and does not operate on full-clone virtual machines.
Native NFS snapshot technology (VAAI) is not supported in pools that contain virtual machines with spaceefficient disks.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that your vCenter Server and ESXi hosts, including all ESXi hosts in a cluster, are version 5.1
with ESXi 5.1 download patch ESXi510-201212001 or later.

Verify that VMware Tools that are provided with vSphere version 5.1 or later are installed on all the
linked-clone virtual machines in the pool.

Verify that all the linked-clone virtual machines in the pool are virtual hardware version 9 or later.

Verify that the virtual machines use SCSI controllers. Disk space reclamation is not supported on virtual
machines with IDE controllers.

For Windows 8 or 8.1 virtual machines, verify that the machines are running in vSphere 5.5 or later.
Disk space reclamation is supported on Windows 8 or 8.1 virtual machines in vSphere 5.5 or later.

For Windows 7 virtual machines, verify that the machines are running in vSphere 5.1 or later.

Verify that disk space reclamation is enabled in vCenter Server. This option ensures that the virtual
machines in the pool are created in the efficient disk format that is required to reclaim disk space. See
the View Administration document.

Procedure
1

In View Administrator, display the Advanced Storage page.
Option

Description

New desktop pool

Start the Add Desktop Pool wizard to begin creating an automated
desktop pool. Follow the wizard configuration prompts until you reach the
Advanced Storage page.

Existing desktop pool

Select the existing pool, click Edit, and click the Advanced Storage tab. To
upgrade a pool to support space reclamation, see "Upgrade Desktop Pools
for Space Reclamation" in the View Upgrades document.

Select the Reclaim VM disk space check box.

In the Initiate reclamation when unused space on VM exceeds text box, type the minimum amount of
unused disk space, in gigabytes, that must accumulate on a linked-clone OS disk before ESXi starts
reclaiming space on that disk.
For example: 2 GB.
The default value is 1 GB.

202

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 15 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements

What to do next
You can configure blackout days and times during which disk space reclamation and regeneration for View
Storage Accelerator do not take place. See “Set Blackout Times for ESXi Operations on View Virtual
Machines,” on page 204.
In View Administrator, you can select Catalog > Desktop Pools and select a machine to display the last time
space reclamation occurred and the last amount of space reclaimed on the machine.

Using View Composer Array Integration with Native NFS Snapshot
Technology (VAAI)
If your deployment includes NAS devices that support the vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI), you
can enable the View Composer Array Integration (VCAI) feature on linked-clone pools. This feature uses
native NFS snapshot technology to clone virtual machines.
With this technology, the NFS disk array clones the virtual machine files without having the ESXi host read
and write the data. This operation might reduce the time and network load when virtual machines are
cloned.
Apply these guidelines for using native NFS snapshot technology:
n

You can use this feature only if you configure desktop pools on datastores that reside on NAS devices
that support native cloning operations through VAAI.

You can use View Composer features to manage linked clones that are created by native NFS snapshot
technology. For example, you can refresh, recompose, rebalance, create persistent disks, and run
QuickPrep customization scripts on these clones.

You cannot use this feature if you store replicas and OS disks on separate datastores.

This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.

If you edit a pool and select or deselect the native NFS cloning feature, existing virtual machines are not
affected.
To change existing virtual machines from native NFS clones to traditional redo log clones, you must
deselect the native NFS cloning feature and recompose the pool to a new base image. To change the
cloning method for all virtual machines in a pool and use a different datastore, you must select the new
datastore, deselect the native NFS cloning feature, rebalance the pool to the new datastore, and
recompose the pool to a new base image.
Similarly, to change virtual machines from traditional redo log clones to native NFS clones, you must
select a NAS datastore that supports VAAI, select the native NFS cloning feature, rebalance the pool to
the NAS datastore, and recompose the pool.

On an ESXi cluster, to configure native cloning on a selected NFS datastore in View Administrator, you
might have to install vendor-specific NAS plug-ins that support native cloning operations on VAAI on
all ESXi hosts in the cluster. See your storage vendor documentation for guidance on configuration
requirements.

Native NFS snapshot technology (VAAI) is not supported on virtual machines with space-efficient
disks. VAAI is not supported on machines that are virtual hardware version 9 or later, because these OS
disks are always space-efficient, even when you disable the space reclamation operation.

This feature is not available if you use a Virtual SAN datastore or a Virtual Volumes datastore.

VMware, Inc.

203

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

See VMware Knowledge Base (KB) article 2061611 for answers to frequently asked questions about
VCAI support in View.

IMPORTANT NAS storage vendors might provide additional settings that can affect the performance and
operation of VAAI. You should follow the vendor's recommendations and configure the appropriate
settings on both the NAS storage array and ESXi. See your storage vendor documentation for guidance on
configuring vendor-recommended settings.

Set Blackout Times for ESXi Operations on View Virtual Machines
Regenerating digest files for View Storage Accelerator and reclaiming virtual machine disk space can use
ESXi resources. To ensure that ESXi resources are dedicated to foreground tasks when necessary, you can
prevent the ESXi hosts from performing these operations during specified periods of time on specified days.
For example, you can specify a blackout period during weekday morning hours when users start work, and
boot storms and anti-virus scanning I/O storms take place. You can specify different blackout times on
different days.
Disk space reclamation and View Storage Accelerator digest file regeneration do not occur during blackout
times that you set. You cannot set separate blackout times for each operation.
View allows View Storage Accelerator digest files to be created for new machines during the provisioning
stage, even when a blackout time is in effect.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that Enable View Storage Accelerator, Enable space reclamation, or both features are selected
for vCenter Server.

Verify that Use View Storage Accelerator, Reclaim VM disk space, or both features are selected for the
desktop pool.

Procedure
1

On the Advanced Storage page in the Add Desktop Pool wizard, go to Blackout Times and click Add.
If you are editing an existing pool, click the Advanced Storage tab.

Check the blackout days and specify the starting and ending times.
The time selector uses a 24-hour clock. For example, 10:00 is 10:00 a.m., and 22:00 is 10:00 p.m.

204

Click OK.

To add another blackout period, click Add and specify another period.

To modify or remove a blackout period, select the period from the Blackout times list and click Edit or
Remove.

VMware, Inc.

Configuring Policies for Desktop and
Application Pools

You can configure policies to control the behavior of desktop and application pools, machines, and users.
You use View Administrator to set policies for client sessions. You can use Active Directory group policy
settings to control the behavior of View Agent, Horizon Client for Windows, and features that affect singleuser machines, RDS hosts, or the PCoIP display protocol.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Setting Policies in View Administrator,” on page 205

“Using Active Directory Group Policies,” on page 207

“Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files,” on page 208

“View ADM and ADMX Template Files,” on page 209

“View Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings,” on page 210

“View PCoIP Session Variables ADM Template Settings,” on page 215

“Using Remote Desktop Services Group Policies,” on page 226

“Setting Up Location-Based Printing,” on page 234

“Active Directory Group Policy Example,” on page 239

Setting Policies in View Administrator
You use View Administrator to configure policies for client sessions.
You can set these policies to affect specific users, specific desktop pools, or all client sessions users. Policies
that affect specific users and desktop pools are called user-level policies and desktop pool-level policies.
Policies that affect all sessions and users are called global policies.
User-level policies inherit settings from the equivalent desktop pool-level policy settings. Similarly, desktop
pool-level policies inherit settings from the equivalent global policy settings. A desktop pool-level policy
setting takes precedence over the equivalent global policy setting. A user-level policy setting takes
precedence over the equivalent global and desktop pool-level policy settings.
Lower-level policy settings can be more or less restrictive than the equivalent higher-level settings. For
example, you can set a global policy to Deny and the equivalent desktop pool-level policy to Allow, or vice
versa.
NOTE Only global policies are available for RDS desktop and application pools. You cannot set user-level
policies or pool-level policies for RDS desktop and application pools.

VMware, Inc.

205

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Configure Global Policy Settings
You can configure global policies to control the behavior of all client sessions users.
Prerequisites
Familiarize yourself with the policy descriptions. See “View Policies,” on page 207.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Policies > Global Policies.

Click Edit policies in the View Policies pane.

Click OK to save your changes.

Configure Policies for Desktop Pools
You can configure desktop-level policies to affect specific desktop pools. Desktop-level policy settings take
precedence over their equivalent global policy settings.
Prerequisites
Familiarize yourself with the policy descriptions. See “View Policies,” on page 207.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Double-click the ID of the desktop pool and click the Policies tab.
The Policies tab shows the current policy settings. When a setting is inherited from the equivalent
global policy, Inherit appears in the Desktop Pool Policy column.

Click Edit Policies in the View Policies pane.

Click OK to save your changes.

Configure Policies for Users
You can configure user-level policies to affect specific users. User-level policy settings always take
precedence over their equivalent global and desktop pool-level policy settings.
Prerequisites
Familiarize yourself with the policy descriptions. See “View Policies,” on page 207.
Procedure
1

In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.

Click User Overrides and then click Add User.

To find a user, click Add, type the name or description of the user, and then click Find.

Select one or more users from the list, click OK, and then click Next.
The Add Individual Policy dialog box appears.

206

Configure the View policies and click Finish to save your changes.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

View Policies
You can configure View policies to affect all client sessions, or you can apply them to affect specific desktop
pools or users.
Table 16-1 describes each View policy setting.
Table 16‑1. View Policies
Policy

Description

Multimedia redirection (MMR)

Determines whether MMR is enabled for client systems.
MMR is a Microsoft DirectShow filter that forwards multimedia data from
specific codecs on remote desktops directly through a TCP socket to the client
system. The data is then decoded directly on the client system, where it is
played.
The default value is Deny.
If client systems have insufficient resources to handle local multimedia
decoding, leave the setting as Deny.
MMR does not work correctly if the client system's video display hardware
does not have overlay support.
Multimedia Redirection (MMR) data is sent across the network without
application-based encryption and might contain sensitive data, depending on
the content being redirected. To ensure that this data cannot be monitored on
the network, use MMR only on a secure network.

USB Access

Determines whether remote desktops can use USB devices connected to the
client system.
The default value is Allow. To prevent the use of external devices for security
reasons, change the setting to Deny.

PCoIP hardware acceleration

Determines whether to enable hardware acceleration of the PCoIP display
protocol and specifies the acceleration priority that is assigned to the PCoIP
user session.
This setting has an effect only if a PCoIP hardware acceleration device is
present on the physical computer that hosts the remote desktop.
The default value is Allow at Medium priority.

Using Active Directory Group Policies
You can use Microsoft Windows Group Policy to optimize and secure remote desktops, control the behavior
of View components, and to configure location-based printing.
Group Policy is a feature of Microsoft Windows operating systems that provides centralized management
and configuration of computers and remote users in an Active Directory environment.
Group policy settings are contained in entities called group policy objects (GPOs). GPOs are associated with
Active Directory objects. You can apply GPOs to View components at a domain-wide level to control
various areas of the View environment. After they are applied, GPO settings are stored in the local
Windows Registry of the specified component.
You use the Microsoft Windows Group Policy Object Editor to manage group policy settings. The Group
Policy Object Editor is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in. The MMC is part of the Microsoft
Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). See the Microsoft TechNet Web site for information on
installing and using the GPMC.

VMware, Inc.

207

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Creating an OU for Remote Desktops
You should create an organizational unit (OU) in Active Directory specifically for your remote desktops.
To prevent group policy settings from being applied to other Windows servers or workstations in the same
domain as your remote desktops, create a GPO for your View group policies and link it to the OU that
contains your remote desktops.
See the Microsoft Active Directory documentation on the Microsoft TechNet Web site for information on
creating OUs and GPOs.

Enabling Loopback Processing for Remote Desktops
By default, a user's policy settings come from the set of GPOs that are applied to the user object in Active
Directory. However, in the View environment, GPOs should apply to users based on the computer they log
in to.
When you enable loopback processing, a consistent set of policies applies to all users that log in to a
particular computer, regardless of their location in Active Directory.
See the Microsoft Active Directory documentation for information on enabling loopback processing.
NOTE Loopback processing is only one approach to handling GPOs in View. You might need to implement
a different approach.

Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files
View provides several component-specific Group Policy Administrative (ADM and ADMX) template files.
You can optimize and secure remote desktops and applications by adding the policy settings in these ADM
and ADMX template files to a new or existing GPO in Active Directory.
All ADM and ADMX files that provide group policy settings for View are available in a bundled .zip file
named VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip, where x.x.x is the version and yyyyyyy is
the build number. You can download the file from the VMware Horizon 6 download site at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
The View ADM and ADMX template files contain both Computer Configuration and User Configuration
group policies.
n

The Computer Configuration policies set policies that apply to all remote desktops, regardless of who
connects to the desktop.

The User Configuration policies set policies that apply to all users, regardless of the remote desktop or
application they connect to. User Configuration policies override equivalent Computer Configuration
policies.

Microsoft Windows applies policies at desktop startup and when users log in.

208

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

View ADM and ADMX Template Files
The View ADM and ADMX template files provide group policy settings that let you control and optimize
View components.
Table 16‑2. View ADM and ADMX Template Files
Template Name

Template File

Description

View Agent Configuration

vdm_agent.adm

Contains policy settings related to the
authentication and environmental components
of View Agent.
See “View Agent Configuration ADM Template
Settings,” on page 210.

Horizon Client Configuration

vdm_client.adm

Contains policy settings related to
Horizon Client for Windows.
Clients that connect from outside the View
Connection Server host domain are not affected
by policies applied to Horizon Client.
See the Using VMware Horizon Client for Windows
document.

View Server Configuration

vdm_server.adm

Contains policy settings related to View
Connection Server.
See the View Administration document.

View Common Configuration

vdm_common.adm

Contains policy settings that are common to all
View components.
See the View Administration document.

View PCoIP Session Variables

pcoip.adm

Contains policy settings related to the PCoIP
display protocol.
See “View PCoIP Session Variables ADM
Template Settings,” on page 215.

View PCoIP Client Session
Variables

pcoip.client.adm

Contains policy settings related to the PCoIP
display protocol that affect Horizon Client for
Windows.
See the Using VMware Horizon Client for Windows
document.

View Persona Management
Configuration

ViewPM.adm

Contains policy settings related to View Persona
Management.
See “View Persona Management Group Policy
Settings,” on page 260.

View Remote Desktop Services

vmware_rdsh.admx
vmware_rdsh_server.admx

Contains policy settings related to Remote
Desktop Services.
See “Using Remote Desktop Services Group
Policies,” on page 226.

Real-Time Audio-Video
Configuration

vdm_agent_rtav.adm

Contains policy settings related to webcams that
are used with the Real-Time Audio-Video
feature.
See “Real-Time Audio-Video Group Policy
Settings,” on page 158.

Scanner Redirection

vdm_agent_scanner.adm

Contains policy settings related to scanning
devices that are redirected for use in remote
desktops and applications.
See “Scanner Redirection Group Policy
Settings,” on page 163.

VMware, Inc.

209

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

View Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings
The View Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm) contains policy settings related to the
authentication and environmental components of View Agent.
This ADM file is available in a bundled .zip file named VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.xyyyyyyy.zip, which you can download from the VMware Horizon 6 download site at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
The following table describes policy settings in the View Agent Configuration ADM template file other than
those settings that are used with USB devices. The template contains both Computer Configuration and
User Configuration settings. The User Configuration setting overrides the equivalent Computer
Configuration setting.
Table 16‑3. View Agent Configuration Template Settings

210

Setting

Computer

User

Properties

AllowDirectRDP

Determines whether clients other than Horizon Client
devices can connect directly to View desktops with RDP.
When this setting is disabled, View Agent permits only
View-managed connections through Horizon Client.
When connecting to a remote desktop from
Horizon Client for Mac OS X, do not disable the
AllowDirectRDP setting. If this setting is disabled, the
connection fails with an Access is denied error.
By default, while a user is logged in to a View desktop
session, you can use RDP to connect to the virtual
machine from outside of View. The RDP connection
terminates the View desktop session, and the View user's
unsaved data and settings might be lost. The View user
cannot log in to the desktop until the external RDP
connection is closed. To avoid this situation, disable the
AllowDirectRDP setting.
This setting is enabled by default.

AllowSingleSignon

Determines whether single sign-on (SSO) is used to
connect users to View desktops. When this setting is
enabled, users are required to enter only their credentials
when connecting with Horizon Client. When it is
disabled, users must reauthenticate when the remote
connection is made.
This setting is enabled by default.

CommandsToRunOnConnect

Specifies a list of commands or command scripts to be
run when a session is connected for the first time.
See “Running Commands on View Desktops,”
on page 215 for more information.

CommandsToRunOnDisconnect

Specifies a list of commands or command scripts to be
run when a session is disconnected.
See “Running Commands on View Desktops,”
on page 215 for more information.

CommandsToRunOnReconnect

Specifies a list of commands or command scripts to be
run when a session is reconnected after a disconnect.
See “Running Commands on View Desktops,”
on page 215 for more information.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Table 16‑3. View Agent Configuration Template Settings (Continued)
Setting

Computer

ConnectionTicketTimeout

Specifies the amount of time in seconds that the View
connection ticket is valid.
Horizon Client devices use a connection ticket for
verification and single sign-on when connecting to View
Agent. For security reasons, a connection ticket is valid
for a limited amount of time. When a user connects to a
View desktop, authentication must take place within the
connection ticket timeout period or the session times out.
If this setting is not configured, the default timeout
period is 900 seconds.

CredentialFilterExceptions

Specifies the executable files that are not allowed to load
the agent CredentialFilter. Filenames must not include a
path or suffix. Use a semicolon to separate multiple
filenames.

Disable Time Zone
Synchronization

Enable multi-media
acceleration

Determines whether multimedia redirection (MMR) is
enabled on the View desktop.
MMR is a Microsoft DirectShow filter that forwards
multimedia data from specific codecs on the remote
system directly through a TCP socket to the client. The
data is then decoded directly on the client, where it is
played. You can disable MMR if the client has insufficient
resources to handle local multimedia decoding.
MMR does not work correctly if the Horizon Client video
display hardware does not have overlay support.
This setting is enabled by default.

Enable system tray
redirection for Hosted Apps

Determines whether system tray redirection is enabled
while a user is running remote applications.
This setting is located in the VMware View Agent
Configuration > Unity Touch and Hosted Apps folder in
the Group Policy Management Editor.
This setting is enabled by default.

Enable Unity Touch

Determines whether the Unity Touch functionality is
enabled on the View desktop. Unity Touch supports the
delivery of remote applications in View and allows
mobile device users to access applications in the Unity
Touch sidebar.
This setting is located in the VMware View Agent
Configuration > Unity Touch and Hosted Apps folder in
the Group Policy Management Editor.
This setting is enabled by default.

VMware, Inc.

User

Properties

Determines whether the time zone of the View desktop is
synchronized with the time zone of the connected client.
An enabled setting applies only if the Disable time
zone forwarding setting of the Horizon Client
Configuration policy is not set to disabled.
This setting is disabled by default.

211

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑3. View Agent Configuration Template Settings (Continued)
Setting

Computer

User

Properties

Force MMR to use software
overlay

Determines whether the multimedia redirection (MMR)
feature uses a software overlay instead of a hardware
overlay.
MMR uses video display hardware with overlay support
for better performance. Because hardware overlays
typically exist only on the primary monitor in a multimonitor system, video is not displayed when it is
dragged from the primary monitor to a secondary
monitor.
Enabling this setting forces MMR to use a software
overlay on all monitors.
This setting is disabled by default.

ShowDiskActivityIcon

This setting is not supported in this release.

Toggle Display Settings
Control

Determines whether to disable the Settings tab in the
Display control panel when a client session uses the
PCoIP display protocol.
This setting is enabled by default.

NOTE The Connect using DNS Name setting was removed in the Horizon 6 version 6.1 release. You can set
the View LDAP attribute, pae-PreferDNS, to tell View Connection Server to give preference to DNS names
when sending the addresses of desktop machines and RDS hosts to clients and gateways. See "Give
Preference to DNS Names When View Connection Server Returns Address Information" in the View
Installation document.

USB Settings for the View Agent
See “USB Settings in the View Agent Configuration ADM Template,” on page 181.

Client System Information Sent to View Desktops
When a user connects or reconnects to a View desktop, Horizon Client gathers information about the client
system and View Connection Server sends that information to the remote desktop.
View Agent writes the client computer information to the system registry path HKCU\Volatile Environment
on remote desktops that are deployed on single-user machines.
For remote desktops that are deployed in RDS sessions, View Agent writes the client computer information
to the system registry path HKCU\Volatile Environment\x, where x is the session ID, on the RDS host.
You can add commands to the View Agent CommandsToRunOnConnect, CommandsToRunOnReconnect, and
CommandsToRunOnDisconnect group policy settings to run commands or command scripts that read this
information from the system registry when users connect and reconnect to desktops. See “Running
Commands on View Desktops,” on page 215 for more information.

Table 16-4 describes the registry keys that contain client system information and lists the types of client
systems that support them.

212

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Table 16‑4. Client System Information
Supported Client
Systems

Registry Key

Description

Supported Desktops

ViewClient_IP_Address

The IP address of the client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_MAC_Address

The MAC address of the client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android

ViewClient_Machine_Nam
e

The machine name of the client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Machine_Dom
ain

The domain of the client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Metro

ViewClient_LoggedOn_Us
ername

The user name that was used to log in to the
client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac

ViewClient_LoggedOn_Do
mainname

The domain name that was used to log in to
the client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Metro
For Linux and Mac
clients, see
ViewClient_Machine_Do
main.ViewClient_Logge
dOn_Domainname is not
given by the Linux or Mac
client because Linux and
Mac accounts are not
bound to Windows
domains.

ViewClient_Type

The thin client name or operating system
type of the client system.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Broker_DNS_
Name

The DNS name of the View Connection
Server instance.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Broker_URL

The URL of the View Connection Server
instance.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Broker_Tunn
eled

The status of the tunnel connection for the
View Connection Server, which can be either
true (enabled) or false (disabled).

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Broker_Tunn
el_URL

The URL of the View Connection Server
tunnel connection, if the tunnel connection is
enabled.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Broker_Remo
te_IP_Address

The IP address of the client system that is
seen by the View Connection Server
instance.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

VMware, Inc.

213

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑4. Client System Information (Continued)
Supported Client
Systems

Registry Key

Description

Supported Desktops

ViewClient_TZID

The Olson time zone ID.
To disable time zone synchronization,
enable the View Agent Disable Time Zone
Synchronization group policy setting.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS

ViewClient_Windows_Tim
ezone

The GMT standard time.
To disable time zone synchronization,
enable the View Agent Disable Time Zone
Synchronization group policy setting.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Metro

ViewClient_Broker_Doma
inName

Domain name used to authenticate to View
Connection Server.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Broker_User
Name

Username used to authenticate to View
Connection Server.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Client_ID

Specifies the Unique Client HardwareId
used as a link to the license key.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Displays.Nu
mber

Specifies the number of monitors being used
on the client.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Displays.To
pology

Specifies the arrangement, resolution, and
dimensions of displays on the client.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Keyboard.Ty
pe

Specifies the type of keyboard being used on
the client. For example: Japanese, Korean.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows

ViewClient_Launch_Sess
ionType

Specifies the session type. The type can be
desktop or application.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Value is sent directly from
View Connection Server,
not gathered by
Horizon Client.

ViewClient_Mouse.Ident
ifier

Specifies the type of mouse.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows

ViewClient_Mouse.NumBu
ttons

Specifies the number of buttons supported
by the mouse.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows

ViewClient_Mouse.Sampl
eRate

Specifies the rate, in reports per second, at
which input from a PS/2 mouse is sampled.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows

ViewClient_Protocol

Specifies the protocol being used.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Language

Specifies the operating system language.

VDI (single-user
machine)
RDS

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

ViewClient_Launch_ID

Specifies the desktop pool Unique ID.

VDI (single-user
machine)

Windows, Linux, Mac,
Android, iOS, Metro

214

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

NOTE The definitions of ViewClient_LoggedOn_Username and ViewClient_LoggedOn_Domainname in Table 16-4
apply to Horizon Client 2.2 for Windows or later releases.
For Horizon Client 5.4 for Windows or earlier releases, ViewClient_LoggedOn_Username sends the user name
that was entered in Horizon Client, and ViewClient_LoggedOn_Domainname sends the domain name that was
entered in Horizon Client.
Horizon Client 2.2 for Windows is a later release than Horizon Client 5.4 for Windows. Starting with
Horizon Client 2.2, the release numbers for Windows are consistent with the Horizon Client releases on
other operating systems and devices.

Running Commands on View Desktops
You can use the View Agent CommandsToRunOnConnect, CommandsToRunOnReconnect, and
CommandsToRunOnDisconnect group policy settings to run commands and command scripts on View
desktops when users connect, reconnect, and disconnect.
To run a command or a command script, add the command name or the file path of the script to the group
policy setting's list of commands. For example:
date
C:\Scripts\myscript.cmd

To run scripts that require console access, prepend the -C or -c option followed by a space. For example:
-c C:\Scripts\Cli_clip.cmd
-C e:\procexp.exe

Supported file types include .CMD, .BAT, and .EXE. .VBS files will not run unless they are parsed with
cscript.exe or wscript.exe. For example:
-C C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscript.exe C:\Scripts\checking.vbs

The total length of the string, including the -C or -c option, should not exceed 260 characters.

View PCoIP Session Variables ADM Template Settings
The View PCoIP Session Variables ADM template file (pcoip.adm) contains policy settings related to the
PCoIP display protocol. You can configure settings to default values that can be overridden by an
administrator, or you can configure settings to non-overridable values.
This ADM file is available in a bundled .zip file named VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.xyyyyyyy.zip, which you can download from the VMware Horizon 6 download site at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.

The View PCoIP Session Variables ADM template file contains two subcategories:
Overridable
Administrator Defaults

Specifies PCoIP session variable default values. These settings can be
overridden by an administrator. These settings write registry keys values to
HKLM\Software\Policies\Teradici\PCoIP\pcoip_admin_defaults.

Not Overridable
Administrator Settings

Contains the same settings as Overridable Administrator Defaults, but these
settings cannot be overridden by an administrator. These settings write
registry key values to HKLM\Software\Policies\Teradici\PCoIP\pcoip_admin.

The template contains Computer Configuration settings only.

VMware, Inc.

215

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Non-Policy Registry Keys
If a local machine setting needs to be applied and cannot be placed under

HKLM\Software\Policies\Teradici, local machine settings can be placed in registry keys in
HKLM\Software\Teradici. The same registry keys can be placed in HKLM\Software\Teradici as in
HKLM\Software\Policies\Teradici. If the same registry key is present in both locations, the setting in
HKLM\Software\Policies\Teradici overrides the local machine value.

View PCoIP General Session Variables
The View PCoIP Session Variables ADM template file contains group policy settings that configure general
session characteristics such as PCoIP image quality, USB devices, and network ports.
Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables
Setting

Description

Configure clipboard redirection

Determines the direction in which clipboard redirection is allowed. You
can select one of these values:
n Enabled client to agent only (That is, allow copy and paste only
from the client system to the remote desktop.)
n Disabled in both directions
n Enabled in both directions
n Enabled agent to client only (That is, allow copy and paste only
from the remote desktop to the client system.)
Clipboard redirection is implemented as a virtual channel. If virtual
channels are disabled, clipboard redirection does not function.
This setting applies to View Agent only.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, the default value is
Enabled client to agent only.

Configure PCoIP client image cache
size policy

Controls the size of the PCoIP client image cache. The client uses image
caching to store portions of the display that were previously
transmitted. Image caching reduces the amount of data that is
retransmitted.
This setting applies only to Windows, Linux, and Mac clients when
Horizon Client, View Agent, and View Connection Server are a View 5.0
or later release.
When this setting is not configured or disabled, PCoIP uses a default
client image cache size of 250 MB.
In Horizon Client 3.1 or later releases, if you specify a number that is
smaller than the amount of available memory divided by 2, the cache
size is set using the following formula:
user-setting - 10 MB
In Horizon Client 3.1 or later releases, if you specify a number that is
larger than the available memory divided by 2, the cache size is set
using the following formula:
available-memory / 2 - 10 MB
For example, if you specify a maximum cache size of 1024 MB, and the
available memory is 1600 MB, the maximum cache size is set to 790 MB.
For all Horizon Client versions, the default size is 250 MB and the
minimum size is 50 MB.
In Horizon Client 1.6 or later releases, the maximum size is 1024 MB. In
Horizon Client 1.5 or earlier releases, the maximum size is 300 MB.

216

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables (Continued)
Setting

Description

Configure PCoIP event log cleanup by
size in MB

Enables the configuration of the PCoIP event log cleanup by size in MB.
When this policy is configured, the setting controls how large a log file
can grow before it is cleaned up. For a non-zero setting of m, log files
larger than m MB are automatically and silently deleted. A setting of 0
indicates that no file cleanup by size takes place.
When this policy is disabled or not configured, the default event log
cleanup by size is 100 MB.
The log file cleanup is performed once at session startup. A change to
the setting is not applied until the next session.

Configure PCoIP event log cleanup by
time in days

Enables the configuration of the PCoIP event log cleanup by time in
days.
When this policy is configured, the setting controls how many days can
pass before the log file is cleaned up. For a non-zero setting of n, log files
older than n days are automatically and silently deleted. A setting of 0
indicates that no file cleanup by time takes place.
When this policy is disabled or not configured, the default event log
cleanup is 7 days.
The log file cleanup is performed once at session startup. A change to
the setting is not applied until the next session.

Configure PCoIP event log verbosity

Sets the PCoIP event log verbosity. The values range from 0 (least
verbose) to 3 (most verbose).
When this setting is enabled, you can set the verbosity level from 0 to 3.
When the setting is not configured or disabled, the default event log
verbosity level is 2.
When this setting is modified during an active PCoIP session, the new
setting takes effect immediately.

VMware, Inc.

217

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables (Continued)

218

Setting

Description

Configure PCoIP image quality levels

Controls how PCoIP renders images during periods of network
congestion. The Minimum Image Quality, Maximum Initial Image
Quality, and Maximum Frame Rate values interoperate to provide fine
control in network-bandwidth constrained environments.
Use the Minimum Image Quality value to balance image quality and
frame rate for limited-bandwidth scenarios. You can specify a value
between 30 and 100. The default value is 40. A lower value allows
higher frame-rates, but with a potentially lower quality display. A
higher value provides higher image quality, but with potentially lower
frame rates when network bandwidth is constrained. When network
bandwidth is not constrained, PCoIP maintains maximum quality
regardless of this value.
Use the Maximum Initial Image Quality value to reduce the network
bandwidth peaks required by PCoIP by limiting the initial quality of the
changed regions of the display image. You can specify a value between
30 and 100. The default value is 80. A lower value reduces the image
quality of content changes and decreases peak bandwidth requirements.
A higher value increases the image quality of content changes and
increases peak bandwidth requirements. Unchanged regions of the
image progressively build to a lossless (perfect) quality regardless of this
value. A value of 80 or lower best utilizes the available bandwidth.
The Minimum Image Quality value cannot exceed the Maximum
Initial Image Quality value.
Use the Maximum Frame Rate value to manage the average bandwidth
consumed per user by limiting the number of screen updates per
second. You can specify a value between 1 and 120 frames per second.
The default value is 30. A higher value can use more bandwidth but
provides less jitter, which allows smoother transitions in changing
images such as video. A lower value uses less bandwidth but results in
more jitter.
These image quality values apply to the soft host only and have no
effect on a soft client.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, the default values are
used.
When this setting is modified during an active PCoIP session, the new
setting takes effect immediately.

Configure PCoIP session encryption
algorithms

Controls the encryption algorithms advertised by the PCoIP endpoint
during session negotiation.
Checking one of the check boxes disables the associated encryption
algorithm. You must enable at least one algorithm.
This setting applies to both agent and client. The endpoints negotiate the
actual session encryption algorithm that is used. If FIPS140-2 approved
mode is enabled, the Disable AES-128-GCM encryption value is always
overridden so that AES-128-GCM encryption is enabled.
Supported encryption algorithms, in order of preference, are
SALSA20/12-256, AES-GCM-128, and AES-GCM-256. By default, all
supported encryption algorithms are available for negotiation by this
endpoint.
If both endpoints are configured to support all three algorithms and the
connection does not use a Security Gateway (SG), the SALSA20
algorithm will be negotiated and used. However, if the connection uses
an SG, SALSA20 is automatically disabled and AES128 will be
negotiated and used. If either endpoint or the SG disables SALSA20 and
either endpoint disables AES128, then AES256 will be negotiated and
used.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables (Continued)
Setting

Description

Configure PCoIP USB allowed and
unallowed device rules

Specifies the USB devices that are authorized and not authorized for
PCoIP sessions that use a zero client that runs Teradici firmware. USB
devices that are used in PCoIP sessions must appear in the USB
authorization table. USB devices that appear in the USB unauthorization
table cannot be used in PCoIP sessions.
You can define a maximum of 10 USB authorization rules and a
maximum of 10 USB unauthorization rules. Separate multiple rules with
the vertical bar (|) character.
Each rule can be a combination of a Vendor ID (VID) and a Product ID
(PID), or a rule can describe a class of USB devices. A class rule can
allow or disallow an entire device class, a single subclass, or a protocol
within a subclass.
The format of a combination VID/PID rule is 1xxxxyyyy, where xxxx is
the VID in hexadecimal format and yyyy is the PID in hexadecimal
format. For example, the rule to authorize or block a device with VID
0x1a2b and PID 0x3c4d is 11a2b3c4d.
For class rules, use one of the following formats:
Allow all USB
devices

Format: 23XXXXXX

Allow USB
devices with a
specific class
ID

Format: 22classXXXX

Allow a specific
subclass

Format: 21class-subclassXX

Allow a specific
protocol

Format: 20class-subclass-protocol

Example: 23XXXXXX

Example: 22aaXXXX

Example: 21aabbXX

Example: 20aabbcc

For example, the USB authorization string to allow USB HID (mouse
and keyboard) devices (class ID 0x03) and webcams (class ID 0x0e) is
2203XXXX|220eXXXX. The USB unauthorization string to disallow USB
Mass Storage devices (class ID 0x08) is 2208XXXX.
An empty USB authorization string means that no USB devices are
authorized. An empty USB unauthorization string means that no USB
devices are banned.
This setting applies to View Agent only and only when the remote
desktop is in a session with a zero client that runs Teradici firmware.
Device use is negotiated between the endpoints.
By default, all devices are allowed and none are disallowed.

VMware, Inc.

219

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables (Continued)
Setting

Description

Configure PCoIP virtual channels

Specifies the virtual channels that can and cannot operate over PCoIP
sessions. This setting also determines whether to disable clipboard
processing on the PCoIP host.
Virtual channels that are used in PCoIP sessions must appear on the
virtual channel authorization list. Virtual channels that appear in the
unauthorized virtual channel list cannot be used in PCoIP sessions.
You can specify a maximum of 15 virtual channels for use in PCoIP
sessions.
Separate multiple channel names with the vertical bar (|) character. For
example, the virtual channel authorization string to allow the mksvchan
and vdp_rdpvcbridge virtual channels is mksvchan|vdp_vdpvcbridge.
If a channel name contains the vertical bar or backslash (\) character,
insert a backslash character before it. For example, type the channel
name awk|ward\channel as awk\|ward\\channel.
When the authorized virtual channel list is empty, all virtual channels
are disallowed. When the unauthorized virtual channel list is empty, all
virtual channels are allowed.
The virtual channels setting applies to both agent and client. Virtual
channels must be enabled on both agent and client for virtual channels
to be used.
The virtual channels setting provides a separate check box that allows
you to disable remote clipboard processing on the PCoIP host. This
value applies to the agent only.
By default, all virtual channels are enabled, including clipboard
processing.

Configure the PCoIP transport header

Configures the PCoIP transport header and sets the transport session
priority.
The PCoIP transport header is a 32-bit header that is added to all PCoIP
UDP packets (only if the transport header is enabled and supported by
both sides). The PCoIP transport header allows network devices to make
better prioritization/QoS decisions when dealing with network
congestion. The transport header is enabled by default.
The transport session priority determines the PCoIP session priority
reported in the PCoIP transport header. Network devices make better
prioritization/QoS decisions based on the specified transport session
priority.
When the Configure the PCoIP transport header setting is
enabled, the following transport session priorities are available:
n High
n Medium (default value)
n Low
n Undefined
The transport session priority value is negotiated by the PCoIP agent
and client. If the PCoIP agent specifies a transport session priority value,
the session uses the agent-specified session priority. If only the client has
specified a transport session priority, the session uses the clientspecified session priority. If neither agent nor client has specified a
transport session priority, or Undefined Priority is specified, the session
uses the default value, Medium priority.

220

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables (Continued)
Setting

Description

Configure the TCP port to which the
PCoIP host binds and listens

Specifies the TCP agent port bound to by software PCoIP hosts.
The TCP port value specifies the base TCP port that the agent attempts
to bind to. The TCP port range value determines how many additional
ports to try if the base port is not available. The port range must be
between 1 and 10.
The range spans from the base port to the sum of the base port and port
range. For example, if the base port is 4172 and the port range is 10, the
range spans from 4172 to 4182.
Do not set the size of the retry port range to 0. Setting this value to 0
causes a connection failure when users log in to the desktop with the
PCoIP display protocol. Horizon Client returns the error message, The
Display protocol for this desktop is currently not
available. Please contact your system administrator.
This setting applies to View Agent only.
On single-user machines, the default base TCP port is 4172 in View 4.5
and later. The default base port is 50002 in View 4.0.x and earlier. By
default, the port range is 1.
On RDS hosts, the default base TCP port is 4173. When PCoIP is used
with RDS hosts, a separate PCoIP port is used for each user connection.
The default port range that is set by the Remote Desktop Service is large
enough to accommodate the expected maximum of concurrent user
connections.
IMPORTANT As a best practice, do not use this policy setting to change
the default port range on RDS hosts, or change the TCP port value from
the default of 4173. Most important, do not set the TCP port value to
4172. Resetting this value to 4172 will adversely affect PCoIP
performance in RDS sessions.

Configure the UDP port to which the
PCoIP host binds and listens

Specifies the UDP agent port bound to by software PCoIP hosts.
The UDP port value specifies the base UDP port that the agent attempts
to bind to. The UDP port range value determines how many additional
ports to try if the base port is not available. The port range must be
between 1 and 10.
Do not set the size of the retry port range to 0. Setting this value to 0
causes a connection failure when users log in to the desktop with the
PCoIP display protocol. Horizon Client returns the error message, The
Display protocol for this desktop is currently not
available. Please contact your system administrator.
The range spans from the base port to the sum of the base port and port
range. For example, if the base port is 4172 and the port range is 10, the
range spans from 4172 to 4182.
This setting applies to View Agent only.
On single-user machines, the default base UDP port is 4172 for View 4.5
and later and 50002 for View 4.0.x and earlier. By default, the port range
is 10.
On RDS hosts, the default base UDP port is 4173. When PCoIP is used
with RDS hosts, a separate PCoIP port is used for each user connection.
The default port range that is set by the Remote Desktop Service is large
enough to accommodate the expected maximum of concurrent user
connections.
IMPORTANT As a best practice, do not use this policy setting to change
the default port range on RDS hosts, or change the UDP port value from
the default of 4173. Most important, do not set the UDP port value to
4172. Resetting this value to 4172 will adversely affect PCoIP
performance in RDS sessions.

VMware, Inc.

221

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑5. View PCoIP General Session Variables (Continued)

222

Setting

Description

Enable access to a PCoIP session from
a vSphere console

Determines whether to allow a vSphere Client console to display an
active PCoIP session and send input to the desktop.
By default, when a client is attached through PCoIP, the vSphere Client
console screen is blank and the console cannot send input. The default
setting ensures that a malicious user cannot view the user's desktop or
provide input to the host locally when a PCoIP remote session is active.
This setting applies to View Agent only.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, console access is not
allowed. When this setting is enabled, the console displays the PCoIP
session and console input is allowed.
When this setting is enabled, the console can display a PCoIP session
that is running on a Windows 7 system only when the Windows 7
virtual machine is hardware v8. Hardware v8 is available only on ESXi
5.0 and later. By contrast, console input to a Windows 7 system is
allowed when the virtual machine is any hardware version.

Enable the FIPS 140-2 approved mode
of operation

Determines whether to use only FIPS 140-2 approved cryptographic
algorithms and protocols to establish a remote PCoIP connection.
Enabling this setting overrides the disabling of AES128-GCM
encryption.
This setting applies to both agent and client. You can configure either
endpoint or both endpoints to operate in FIPS mode. Configuring a
single endpoint to operate in FIPS mode limits the encryption
algorithms that are available for session negotiation.
FIPS mode is available for View 4.5 and later. For View 4.0.x and earlier,
FIPS mode is not available, and configuring this setting has no effect.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, FIPS mode is not used.

Enable/disable audio in the PCoIP
session

Determines whether audio is enabled in PCoIP sessions. Both endpoints
must have audio enabled. When this setting is enabled, PCoIP audio is
allowed. When it is disabled, PCoIP audio is disabled. When this setting
is not configured, audio is enabled by default.

Enable/disable microphone noise and
DC offset filter in PCoIP session

Determines whether to enable the microphone noise and DC offset filter
for microphone input during PCoIP sessions.
This setting applies to View Agent and Teradici audio driver only.
When this setting is not configured, the Teradici audio driver uses the
microphone noise and DC offset filter by default.

Turn on PCoIP user default input
language synchronization

Determines whether the default input language for the user in the
PCoIP session is synchronized with the default input language of the
PCoIP client endpoint. When this setting is enabled, synchronization is
allowed. When this setting is disabled or not configured,
synchronization is disallowed.
This setting applies to View Agent only.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

View PCoIP Session Bandwidth Variables
The View PCoIP Session Variables ADM template file contains group policy settings that configure PCoIP
session bandwidth characteristics.
Table 16‑6. View PCoIP Session Bandwidth Variables
Setting

Description

Configure the maximum PCoIP session
bandwidth

Specifies the maximum bandwidth, in kilobits per second, in a PCoIP
session. The bandwidth includes all imaging, audio, virtual channel,
USB, and control PCoIP traffic.
Set this value to the overall capacity of the link to which your endpoint
is connected, taking into consideration the number of expected
concurrent PCoIP sessions. For example, with a single-user VDI
configuration (a single PCoIP session) that connects through a 4Mbit/s
Internet connection, set this value to 4Mbit, or 10% less than this value
to leave some allowance for other network traffic. When you expect
multiple concurrent PCoIP sessions to share a link, comprising either
multiple VDI users or an RDS configuration, you might want to adjust
the setting accordingly. However, lowering this value will restrict the
maximum bandwidth for each active session.
Setting this value prevents the agent from attempting to transmit at a
higher rate than the link capacity, which would cause excessive packet
loss and a poorer user experience. This value is symmetric. It forces the
client and agent to use the lower of the two values that are set on the
client and agent side. For example, setting a 4Mbit/s maximum
bandwidth forces the agent to transmit at a lower rate, even though the
setting is configured on the client.
When this setting is disabled or not configured on an endpoint, the
endpoint imposes no bandwidth constraints. When this setting is
configured, the setting is used as the endpoint's maximum bandwidth
constraint in kilobits per second.
The default value when this setting is not configured is 900000 kilobits
per second.
This setting applies to View Agent and the client. If the two endpoints
have different settings, the lower value is used.

Configure the PCoIP session bandwidth
floor

Specifies a lower limit, in kilobits per second, for the bandwidth that is
reserved by the PCoIP session.
This setting configures the minimum expected bandwidth transmission
rate for the endpoint. When you use this setting to reserve bandwidth
for an endpoint, the user does not have to wait for bandwidth to become
available, which improves session responsiveness.
Make sure that you do not over-subscribe the total reserved bandwidth
for all endpoints. Make sure that the sum of bandwidth floors for all
connections in your configuration does not exceed the network
capability.
The default value is 0, which means that no minimum bandwidth is
reserved. When this setting is disabled or not configured, no minimum
bandwidth is reserved.
This setting applies to View Agent and the client, but the setting only
affects the endpoint on which it is configured.
When this setting is modified during an active PCoIP session, the
change takes effect immediately.

VMware, Inc.

223

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑6. View PCoIP Session Bandwidth Variables (Continued)

224

Setting

Description

Configure the PCoIP session MTU

Specifies the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size for UDP packets
for a PCoIP session.
The MTU size includes IP and UDP packet headers. TCP uses the
standard MTU discovery mechanism to set MTU and is not affected by
this setting.
The maximum MTU size is 1500 bytes. The minimum MTU size is 500
bytes. The default value is 1300 bytes.
Typically, you do not have to change the MTU size. Change this value if
you have an unusual network setup that causes PCoIP packet
fragmentation.
This setting applies to View Agent and the client. If the two endpoints
have different MTU size settings, the lowest size is used.
If this setting is disabled or not configured, the client uses the default
value in the negotiation with View Agent.

Configure the PCoIP session audio
bandwidth limit

Specifies the maximum bandwidth that can be used for audio (sound
playback) in a PCoIP session.
The audio processing monitors the bandwidth used for audio. The
processing selects the audio compression algorithm that provides the
best audio possible, given the current bandwidth utilization. If a
bandwidth limit is set, the processing reduces quality by changing the
compression algorithm selection until the bandwidth limit is reached. If
minimum quality audio cannot be provided within the bandwidth limit
specified, audio is disabled.
To allow for uncompressed high quality stereo audio, set this value to
higher than 1600 kbit/s. A value of 450 kbit/s and higher allows for
stereo, high-quality, compressed audio. A value between 50 kbit/s and
450 kbit/s results in audio that ranges between FM radio and phone call
quality. A value below 50 kbit/s might result in no audio playback.
This setting applies to View Agent only. You must enable audio on both
endpoints before this setting has any effect.
In addition, this setting has no effect on USB audio.
If this setting is disabled or not configured, a default audio bandwidth
limit of 500 kilobits per second is configured to constrain the audio
compression algorithm selected. If the setting is configured, the value is
measured in kilobits per second, with a default audio bandwidth limit
of 500 kilobits per second.
This setting applies to View 4.6 and later. It has no effect on earlier
versions of View.
When this setting is modified during an active PCoIP session, the
change takes effect immediately.

Turn off Build-to-Lossless feature

Specifies whether to turn the build-to-lossless feature of the PCoIP
protocol off or on. This feature is turned off by default.
If this setting is enabled or not configured, the build-to-lossless feature is
turned off, and images and other desktop and application content are
never built to a lossless state. In network environments with constrained
bandwidth, turning off the build-to-lossless feature can provide
bandwidth savings.
If this setting is disabled, the build-to-lossless feature is turned on.
Turning on the build-to-lossless feature is recommended in
environments that require images and other desktop and application
content to be built to a lossless state.
When this setting is modified during an active PCoIP session, the
change takes effect immediately.
For more information about the PCoIP build-to-lossless feature, see
“View PCoIP Build-to-Lossless Feature,” on page 225.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

View PCoIP Session Variables for the Keyboard
The View PCoIP Session Variables ADM template file contains group policy settings that configure PCoIP
session characteristics that affect the use of the keyboard.
Table 16‑7. View PCoIP Session Variables for the Keyboard
Setting

Description

Disable sending CAD when users press
Ctrl+Alt+Del

When this policy is enabled, users must press Ctrl+Alt+Insert instead of
Ctrl+Alt+Del to send a Secure Attention Sequence (SAS) to the remote
desktop during a PCoIP session.
You might want to enable this setting if users become confused when
they press Ctrl+Alt+Del to lock the client endpoint and an SAS is sent to
both the host and the guest.
This setting applies to View Agent only and has no effect on a client.
When this policy is not configured or is disabled, users can press Ctrl
+Alt+Del or Ctrl+Alt+Insert to send an SAS to the remote desktop.

Use alternate key for sending Secure
Attention Sequence

Specifies an alternate key, instead of the Insert key, for sending a Secure
Attention Sequence (SAS).
You can use this setting to preserve the Ctrl+Alt+Ins key sequence in
virtual machines that are launched from inside a remote desktop during
a PCoIP session.
For example, a user can launch a vSphere Client from inside a PCoIP
desktop and open a console on a virtual machine in vCenter Server. If
the Ctrl+Alt+Ins sequence is used inside the guest operating system on
the vCenter Server virtual machine, a Ctrl+Alt+Del SAS is sent to the
virtual machine. This setting allows the Ctrl+Alt+Alternate Key sequence
to send a Ctrl+Alt+Del SAS to the PCoIP desktop.
When this setting is enabled, you must select an alternate key from a
drop-down menu. You cannot enable the setting and leave the value
unspecified.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, the Ctrl+Alt+Ins key
sequence is used as the SAS.
This setting applies to View Agent only and has no effect on a client.

View PCoIP Build-to-Lossless Feature
You can configure the PCoIP display protocol to use an encoding approach called progressive build, or
build-to-lossless, which works to provide the optimal overall user experience even under constrained
network conditions. This feature is turned off by default.
The build-to-lossless feature provides a highly compressed initial image, called a lossy image, that is then
progressively built to a full lossless state. A lossless state means that the image appears with the full fidelity
intended.
On a LAN, PCoIP always displays text using lossless compression. If the build-to-lossless feature is turned
on, and if available bandwidth per session drops below 1Mbs, PCoIP initially displays a lossy text image
and rapidly builds the image to a lossless state. This approach allows the desktop to remain responsive and
display the best possible image during varying network conditions, providing an optimal experience for
users.
The build-to-lossless feature provides the following characteristics:
n

Dynamically adjusts image quality

Reduces image quality on congested networks

Maintains responsiveness by reducing screen update latency

Resumes maximum image quality when the network is no longer congested

VMware, Inc.

225

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

You can turn on the build-to-lossless feature by disabling the Turn off Build-to-Lossless feature group
policy setting. See “View PCoIP Session Bandwidth Variables,” on page 223.

Using Remote Desktop Services Group Policies
You can use Remote Desktop Services (RDS) group policies to control the configuration and performance of
RDS hosts and RDS desktop and application sessions. View provides ADMX files that contain the Microsoft
RDS group policies that are supported in View.
As a best practice, configure the group policies that are provided in the View ADMX files rather than the
corresponding Microsoft group policies. The View group policies are certified to support your View
deployment.

Add the Remote Desktop Services ADMX Files to Active Directory
You can add the policy settings in the View RDS ADMX files to group policy objects (GPOs) in Active
Directory. You can also install the RDS ADMX files on individual RDS hosts.
Prerequisites
n

Create GPOs for the RDS group policy settings and link them to the OU that contains your RDS hosts.

Procedure
1

Unzip the VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip file and copy the RDS ADMX files
to your Active Directory or RDS host.
a

Copy the vmware_rdsh.admx and vmware_rdsh_server.admx files to the
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions folder on your Active Directory or RDS host.

Copy the language resource files vmware_rdsh.adml and vmware_rdsh_server.adml to the
appropriate subfolder in C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\ on your Active Directory or RDS host.

On the Active Directory host, open the Group Policy Management Editor.
On an individual RDS host, you can open the Local Group Policy Editor with the gpedit.msc utility.
The View RDS group policy settings are installed in the Computer Configuration > Policies >
Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Horizon View RDSH Services > Remote
Desktop Session Host folder.

226

(Optional) Configure the group policy settings in the Horizon View RDSH Services > Remote Desktop
Session Host folder.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

RDS Application Compatibility Settings
The RDS Application Compatibility group policy settings control Windows installer compatibility, remote
desktop IP virtualization, network adapter selection, and the use of the RDS host IP address.
Table 16‑8. RDS Application Compatibility Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Turn off Windows Installer RDS Compatibility

This policy setting specifies whether Windows Installer RDS
Compatibility runs on a per user basis for fully installed
applications. Windows Installer allows one instance of the
msiexec process to run at a time. By default, Windows
Installer RDS Compatibility is turned on.
If you enable this policy setting, Windows Installer RDS
Compatibility is turned off, and only one instance of the
msiexec process can run at a time.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Windows
Installer RDS Compatibility is turned on, and multiple per
user application installation requests are queued and handled
by the msiexec process in the order in which they are
received.

Turn on Remote Desktop IP Virtualization

This policy setting specifies whether Remote Desktop IP
Virtualization is turned on.
By default, Remote Desktop IP Virtualization is turned off.
If you enable this policy setting, Remote Desktop IP
Virtualization is turned on. You can select the mode in which
this setting is applied. If you are using Per Program mode,
you must enter a list of programs to use virtual IP addresses.
List each program on a separate line (do not enter any blank
lines between programs). For example:
explorer.exe
mstsc.exe
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Remote
Desktop IP Virtualization is turned off.

Select the network adapter to be used for
Remote Desktop IP Virtualization

This policy setting specifies the IP address and network mask
that corresponds to the network adapter used for virtual IP
addresses. The IP address and network mask should be
entered in Classless Inter-Domain Routing notation. For
example: 192.0.2.96/24.
If you enable this policy setting, the specified IP address and
network mask are used to select the network adapter used for
the virtual IP addresses.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Remote
Desktop IP Virtualization is turned off. A network adapter
must be configured for Remote Desktop IP Virtualization to
work.

Do not use Remote Desktop Session Host server
IP address when virtual IP address is not
available

This policy setting specifies whether a session uses the IP
address of the Remote Desktop Session Host server if a virtual
IP address is not available.
If you enable this policy setting, the IP address of the RD
Session Host server is not used if a virtual IP is not available.
The session will not have network connectivity.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the IP
address of the RD Session Host server is used if a virtual IP is
not available.

VMware, Inc.

227

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

RDS Connections Settings
The RDS Connections group policy setting lets you disable Fair Share CPU Scheduling.
Table 16‑9. RDS Connections Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Turn off Fair Share CPU Scheduling

Fair Share CPU Scheduling dynamically distributes processor
time across all Remote Desktop Services sessions on the same
RD Session Host server, based on the number of sessions and
the demand for processor time within each session.
If you enable this policy setting, Fair Share CPU Scheduling is
turned off.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, Fair
Share CPU Scheduling is turned on.

RDS Device and Resource Redirection Settings
The RDS device and resource redirection group policy settings control access to devices and resources on a
client computer in Remote Desktop Services sessions.
Table 16‑10. RDS Device and Resource Redirection Group Policy Settings

228

Setting

Description

Allow time zone redirection

This policy setting determines whether the client computer
redirects its time zone settings to the Remote Desktop Services
session.
If you enable this policy setting, clients that are capable of
time zone redirection send their time zone information to the
server. The server base time is then used to calculate the
current session time (current session time = server base time +
client time zone).
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the client
computer does not redirect its time zone information and the
session time zone is the same as the server time zone.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

RDS Licensing Settings
The RDS Licensing group policy settings control the order in which RDS license servers are located, whether
problem notifications are displayed, and whether Per User or Per Device licensing is used for RDS Client
Access Licenses (CALs).
Table 16‑11. RDS Licensing Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Use the specified Remote Desktop license
servers

This policy setting allows you to specify the order in which an
RD Session Host server attempts to locate Remote Desktop
license severs.
If you enable this policy setting, an RD Session Host server
first attempts to locate the license servers that you specify. If
the specified license servers cannot be located, the RD Session
Host server will attempt automatic license server discovery.
In the automatic license server discovery process, an RD
Session Host server in a Windows Server-based domain
attempts to contact a license server in the following order:
1 License servers that are specified in the Remote Desktop
Session Host Configuration tool
2 License servers that are published in Active Directory
Domain Services
3 License servers that are installed on domain controllers in
the same domain as the RD Session Host server
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the RD
Session Host server uses the license server discovery mode
specified in the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration
tool.

Hide notifications about RD Licensing
problems that affect the RD Session Host
server

This policy setting determines whether notifications are
displayed on an RD Session Host server when there are
problems with RD Licensing that affect the RD Session Host
server.
By default, notifications are displayed on an RD Session Host
server after you log on as a local administrator, if there are
problems with RD Licensing that affect the RD Session Host
server. If applicable, a notification will also be displayed that
notes the number of days until the licensing grace period for
the RD Session Host server will expire.
If you enable this policy setting, these notifications will not be
displayed on the RD Session Host server.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, these
notifications will be displayed on the RD Session Host server
after you log on as a local administrator.

Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode

This policy setting allows you to specify the type of Remote
Desktop Services client access license (RDS CAL) that is
required to connect to this RD Session Host server.
You can use this policy setting to select one of two licensing
modes: Per User or Per Device.
Per User licensing mode requires that each user account
connecting to this RD Session Host server have an RDS Per
User CAL.
Per Device licensing mode requires that each device
connecting to this RD Session Host server have an RDS Per
Device CAL.
If you enable this policy setting, the licensing mode that you
specify takes precedence over the licensing mode that is
specified during the installation of Remote Desktop Session
Host or specified in the Remote Desktop Session Host
Configuration tool.

VMware, Inc.

229

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑11. RDS Licensing Group Policy Settings (Continued)
Setting

Description
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, the
licensing mode that is specified during the installation of
Remote Desktop Session Host role service or specified in the
Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool is used.

230

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

RDS Profiles Settings
The RDS Profiles group policy settings control roaming profile and home directory settings for Remote
Desktop Services sessions.
Table 16‑12. RDS Profiles Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Limit the size of the entire roaming user
profile cache

This policy setting allows you to limit the size of the entire
roaming user profile cache on the local drive. This policy
setting only applies to a computer on which the Remote
Desktop Session Host role service is installed.
NOTE If you want to limit the size of an individual user
profile, use the Limit profile size policy setting located in
User Configuration\Policies\Administrative
Templates\System\User Profiles.
If you enable this policy setting, you must specify a
monitoring interval (in minutes) and a maximum size (in
gigabytes) for the entire roaming user profile cache. The
monitoring interval determines how often the size of the
entire roaming user profile cache is checked. When the size of
the entire roaming user profile cache exceeds the maximum
size that you have specified, the oldest (least recently used)
roaming user profiles will be deleted until the size of the
entire roaming user profile cache is less than the maximum
size specified.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, no
restriction is placed on the size of the entire roaming user
profile cache on the local drive.
Note: This policy setting is ignored if the Prevent Roaming
Profile changes from propagating to the server
policy setting located in Computer
Configuration\Policies\Administrative
Templates\System\User Profiles is enabled.

Set Remote Desktop Services User Home
Directory

VMware, Inc.

Specifies whether Remote Desktop Services uses the specified
network share or local directory path as the root of the user's
home directory for a Remote Desktop Services session.
To use this setting, select the location for the home directory
(network or local) from the Location drop-down list. If you
choose to place the directory on a network share, type the
Home Dir Root Path in the
form \\Computername\Sharename, and then select the drive
letter to which you want the network share to be mapped.
If you choose to keep the home directory on the local
computer, type the Home Dir Root Path in the form
Drive:\Path, without environment variables or ellipses. Do
not specify a placeholder for user alias, because Remote
Desktop Services automatically appends this at logon.
NOTE The Drive Letter field is ignored if you choose to
specify a local path. If you choose to specify a local path but
then type the name of a network share in Home Dir Root Path,
Remote Desktop Services places user home directories in the
network location.
If the status is set to Enabled, Remote Desktop Services creates
the user's home directory in the specified location on the local
computer or the network. The home directory path for each
user is the specified Home Dir Root Path and the user's alias.
If the status is set to Disabled or Not Configured, the user's
home directory is as specified at the server.

231

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑12. RDS Profiles Group Policy Settings (Continued)
Setting

Description

Use mandatory profiles on the RD Session Host
server

This policy setting allows you to specify whether Remote
Desktop Services uses a mandatory profile for all users
connecting remotely to the RD Session Host server.
If you enable this policy setting, Remote Desktop Services
uses the path specified in the Set path for Remote
Desktop Services Roaming User Profile policy setting
as the root folder for the mandatory user profile. All users
connecting remotely to the RD Session Host server use the
same user profile.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting,
mandatory user profiles are not used by users connecting
remotely to the RD Session Host server.
NOTE For this policy setting to take effect, you must also
enable and configure the Set path for Remote Desktop
Services Roaming User Profile policy setting.

Set path for Remote Desktop Services Roaming
User Profile

232

This policy setting allows you to specify the network path that
Remote Desktop Services uses for roaming user profiles.
By default, Remote Desktop Services stores all user profiles
locally on the RD Session Host server. You can use this policy
setting to specify a network share where user profiles can be
centrally stored, allowing a user to access the same profile for
sessions on all RD Session Host servers that are configured to
use the network share for user profiles.
If you enable this policy setting, Remote Desktop Services
uses the specified path as the root directory for all user
profiles. The profiles are contained in subfolders named for
the account name of each user.
To configure this policy setting, type the path to the network
share in the form of \\Computername\Sharename. Do not
specify a placeholder for the user account name, because
Remote Desktop Services automatically adds this when the
user logs on and the profile is created. If the specified network
share does not exist, Remote Desktop Services displays an
error message on the RD Session Host server and will store
the user profiles locally on the RD Session Host server.
If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, user
profiles are stored locally on the RD Session Host server. You
can configure a user's profile path on the Remote Desktop
Services Profile tab on the user's account Properties dialog
box.
Notes:
1 The roaming user profiles enabled by the policy setting
apply only to Remote Desktop Services connections. A
user might also have a Windows roaming user profile
configured. The Remote Desktop Services roaming user
profile always takes precedence in a Remote Desktop
Services session.
2 To configure a mandatory Remote Desktop Services
roaming user profile for all users connecting remotely to
the RD Session Host server, use this policy setting
together with the Use mandatory profiles on the RD
Session Host server policy setting located in
Computer Configuration\Administrative
Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop
Services\RD Session Host\Profiles. The path set in the
Set path for Remote Desktop Services Roaming
User Profile policy setting should contain the
mandatory profile.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

RDS Remote Session Environment Settings
he RDS Remote Session Environment group policy settings control configuration of the user interface in
Remote Desktop Services sessions.
Table 16‑13. RDS Remote Session Environment Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Remove Windows Security item from Start menu

Specifies whether to remove the Windows Security item from
the Settings menu on Remote Desktop clients. You can use
this setting to prevent inexperienced users from logging off
from Remote Desktop Services inadvertently.
If the status is set to Enabled, Windows Security does not
appear in Settings on the Start menu. As a result, users must
type a security attention sequence, such as CTRL+ALT+END,
to open the Windows Security dialog box on the client
computer.
If the status is set to Disabled or Not Configured, Windows
Security remains in the Settings menu.

RDS Security Settings
The RDS Security group policy setting controls whether to let local administrators customize permissions.
Table 16‑14. RDS Security Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Do not allow local administrators to
customize permissions

Specifies whether to disable the administrator rights to
customize security permissions in the Remote Desktop
Session Host Configuration tool.
You can use this setting to prevent administrators from
making changes to the user groups on the Permissions tab in
the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool. By
default, administrators are able to make such changes.
If the status is set to Enabled, the Permissions tab in the
Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool cannot be
used to customize per-connection security descriptors or to
change the default security descriptors for an existing group.
All of the security descriptors are Read Only.
If the status is set to Disabled or Not Configured, server
administrators have full Read/Write privileges to the user
security descriptors on the Permissions tab in the Remote
Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.
NOTE The preferred method of managing user access is by
adding a user to the Remote Desktop Users group.

VMware, Inc.

233

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

RDS Temporary Folders Settings
The RDS Connections group policy settings control the creation and deletion of temporary folders for
Remote Desktop Services sessions.
Table 16‑15. RDS Temporary Folders Group Policy Settings
Setting

Description

Do not delete temp folder upon exit

Specifies whether Remote Desktop Services retains a user's
per-session temporary folders at logoff.
You can use this setting to maintain a user's session-specific
temporary folders on a remote computer, even if the user logs
off from a session. By default, Remote Desktop Services
deletes a user's temporary folders when the user logs off.
If the status is set to Enabled, users' per-session temporary
folders are retained when the user logs off from a session.
If the status is set to Disabled, temporary folders are deleted
when a user logs off, even if the administrator specifies
otherwise in the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration
tool.
If the status is set to Not Configured, Remote Desktop
Services deletes the temporary folders from the remote
computer at logoff, unless specified otherwise by the server
administrator.
NOTE This setting only takes effect if per-session temporary
folders are in use on the server. That is, if you enable the "Do
not use temporary folders per session" setting, this setting has
no effect.

Do not use temporary folders per session

This policy setting allows you to prevent Remote Desktop
Services from creating session-specific temporary folders.
You can use this policy setting to disable the creation of
separate temporary folders on a remote computer for each
session. By default, Remote Desktop Services creates a
separate temporary folder for each active session that a user
maintains on a remote computer. These temporary folders are
created on the remote computer in a Temp folder under the
user's profile folder and are named with the sessionid.
If you enable this policy setting, per-session temporary folders
are not created. Instead, a user's temporary files for all
sessions on the remote computer are stored in a common
Temp folder under the user's profile folder on the remote
computer.
If you disable this policy setting, per-session temporary
folders are always created, even if you specify otherwise in
the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.
If you do not configure this policy setting, per-session
temporary folders are created unless you specify otherwise in
the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool.

Setting Up Location-Based Printing
The location-based printing feature maps printers that are physically near client systems to View desktops,
enabling users to print to their local and network printers from their View desktops.
Location-based printing allows IT organizations to map View desktops to the printer that is closest to the
endpoint client device. For example, as a doctor moves from room to room in a hospital, each time the
doctor prints a document, the print job is sent to the nearest printer.
The location-based printing feature is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and mobile client devices.

234

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

In Horizon 6.0.1 and later, location-based printing is supported on the following remote desktops and
applications:
n

Desktops that are deployed on single-user machines, including Windows Desktop and Windows Server
machines

Desktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the RDS hosts are virtual machines

Hosted Apps

Hosted Apps that are launched from Horizon Client inside remote desktops

In Horizon 6.0 and earlier, location-based printing is supported on desktops that are deployed on singleuser, Windows Desktop machines.
To use the location-based printing feature, you must install the Virtual Printing setup option with View
Agent and install the correct printer drivers on the desktop.
You set up location-based printing by configuring the Active Directory group policy setting AutoConnect

Map Additional Printers for VMware View, which is located in the Microsoft Group Policy Object Editor in

the Software Settings folder under Computer Configuration.

NOTE AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View is a computer-specific policy. Computerspecific policies apply to all View desktops, regardless of who connects to the desktop.
AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View is implemented as a name translation table. You

use each row in the table to identify a specific printer and define a set of translation rules for that printer.
The translation rules determine whether the printer is mapped to the View desktop for a particular client
system.

When a user connects to a View desktop, View compares the client system to the translation rules associated
with each printer in the table. If the client system meets all of the translation rules set for a printer, or if a
printer has no associated translation rules, View maps the printer to the View desktop during the user's
session.
You can define translation rules based on the client system's IP address, name, and MAC address, and on
the user's name and group. You can specify one translation rule, or a combination of several translation
rules, for a specific printer.
The information used to map the printer to the View desktop is stored in a registry entry on the View
desktop in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\thinprint\tpautoconnect.

Printer Settings for Location-Based Printing
In Horizon 6.0.2 and later, printer settings for location-based printers are retained after a user logs out or
disconnects from the desktop. For example, a user might set a location-based printer to use black and white
mode. After the user logs out and logs in to the desktop again, the location-based printer continues to use
black and white mode.
To save printer settings across sessions in a Hosted App, the user must select a location-based printer from
the application's print dialog box, right-click the selected printer, and select Printing Preferences. Printer
settings are not saved if the user selects a printer and clicks the Preferences button in the application's print
dialog box.
Persistent settings for location-based printers are not supported if the settings are saved in the printer
driver's private space and not in the DEVMODE extended part of the printer driver, as recommended by
Microsoft. To support persistent settings, deploy printers that have the settings saved in the DEVMODE
part of the printer driver.

VMware, Inc.

235

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Register the Location-Based Printing Group Policy DLL File
Before you can configure the group policy setting for location-based printing, you must register the DLL file
TPVMGPoACmap.dll.
In Horizon 6.0.1 or later, 32-bit and 64-bit versions of TPVMGPoACmap.dll are available in a bundled .zip file
named VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip, where x.x.x is the version and yyyyyyy is
the build number. You can download the file from the VMware Horizon 6 download site at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
Earlier View releases provide 32-bit and 64-bit versions of TPVMGPoACmap.dll in the directory
install_directory\VMware\VMware View\Server\extras\GroupPolicyFiles\ThinPrint on your View
Connection Server host.
Procedure
1

Copy the appropriate version of TPVMGPoACmap.dll to your Active Directory server or to the domain
computer that you use to configure group policies.

Use the regsvr32 utility to register the TPVMGPoACmap.dll file.
For example: regsvr32 "C:\TPVMGPoACmap.dll"

What to do next
Configure the group policy setting for location-based printing.

Configure the Location-Based Printing Group Policy
To set up location-based printing, you configure the AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware
View group policy setting. The group policy setting is a name translation table that maps printers to View
desktops.

Prerequisites

236

Verify that the Microsoft MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active
Directory server or on the domain computer that you use to configure group policies.

Register the DLL file TPVMGPoACmap.dll on your Active Directory server or on the domain computer that
you use to configure group policies. See “Register the Location-Based Printing Group Policy DLL File,”
on page 236.

Familiarize yourself with syntax of the AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View group
policy setting. See “Location-Based Printing Group Policy Setting Syntax,” on page 237.

Create a GPO for the location-based group policy setting and link it to the OU that contains your View
desktops. See “Create GPOs for View Group Policies,” on page 240 for an example of how to create
GPOs for View group policies.

Verify that the Virtual Printing setup option was installed with View Agent on your desktops. To
verify, check if the TP AutoConnect Service and TP VC Gateway Service are installed in the desktop
operating system.

Because print jobs are sent directly from the View desktop to the printer, verify that the required printer
drivers are installed on your desktops.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Procedure
1

On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO.
AD Version

Navigation Path

Windows 2003

a
b
c
d

Windows 2008

a
b

Select Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > Active Directory
Users and Computers.
Right-click the OU that contains your View desktops and select
Properties.
On the Group Policy tab, click Open to open the Group Policy
Management plug-in.
In the right pane, right-click the GPO that you created for the locationbased printing group policy setting and select Edit.
Select Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy Management.
Expand your domain, right-click the GPO that you created for the
location-based printing group policy setting and select Edit.

The Group Policy Object Editor window appears.
2

Expand Computer Configuration, open the Software Settings folder, and select AutoConnect Map
Additional Printers for VMware View.

In the Policy pane, double-click Configure AutoConnect Map Additional Printers.
The AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View window appears.

Select Enabled to enable the group policy setting.
The translation table headings and buttons appear in the group policy window.
IMPORTANT Clicking Disabled deletes all table entries. As a precaution, save your configuration so that
you can import it later.

Add the printers that you want to map to View desktops and define their associated translation rules.

Click OK to save your changes.

Location-Based Printing Group Policy Setting Syntax
You use the AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View group policy setting to map printers
to remote desktops.
AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View is a name translation table that identifies printers

and defines associated translation rules. Table 16-16 describes the syntax of the translation table.

Location-based printing maps local printers to remote desktops but does not support mapping network
printers that are configured by using UNC paths.

VMware, Inc.

237

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 16‑16. Translation Table Columns and Values
Column

Description

IP Range

A translation rule that specifies a range of IP addresses for client
systems.
To specify IP addresses in a specific range, use the following notation:
ip_address-ip_address
For example: 10.112.116.0-10.112.119.255
To specify all of the IP addresses in a specific subnet, use the following
notation:
ip_address/subnet_mask_bits
For example: 10.112.4.0/22
This notation specifies the usable IPv4 addresses from 10.112.4.1 to
10.112.7.254.
Type an asterisk to match any IP address.

Client Name

A translation rule that specifies a computer name.
For example: Mary's Computer
Type an asterisk to match any computer name.

Mac Address

A translation rule that specifies a MAC address. In the GPO editor, you
must use the same format that the client system uses. For example:
n

Windows clients use hyphens: 01-23-45-67-89-ab

Linux clients use colons: 01:23:45:67:89:ab
Type an asterisk to match any MAC address.

User/Group

A translation rule that specifies a user or group name.
To specify a particular user or group, use the following notation:
\\domain\user_or_group
For example: \\mydomain\Mary
The Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) is not supported notation
for the domain name. Type an asterisk to match any user or group
name.

Printer Name

The name of the printer when it is mapped to the remote desktop.
For example: PRINTER-2-CLR
The mapped name does not have to match the printer name on the
client system.
The printer must be local to the client device. Mapping a network
printer in a UNC path is not supported.

Printer Driver

The name of the driver that the printer uses.
For example: HP Color LaserJet 4700 PS
IMPORTANT Because print jobs are sent directly from the desktop to the
printer, the printer driver must be installed on the desktop.

IP Port/ThinPrint Port

For network printers, the IP address of the printer prepended with
IP_.
For example: IP_10.114.24.1
The default port is 9100. You can specify a non-default port by
appending the port number to the IP address.
For example: IP_10.114.24.1:9104

Default

Indicates whether the printer is the default printer.

You use the buttons that appear above the column headings to add, delete, and move rows and save and
import table entries. Each button has an equivalent keyboard shortcut. Mouse over each button to see a
description of the button and its equivalent keyboard shortcut. For example, to insert a row at the end of the
table, click the first table button or press Alt+A. Click the last two buttons to import and save table entries.
Table 16-17 shows an example of two translation table rows.

238

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

Table 16‑17. Location-Based Printing Group Policy Setting Example
IP Range

Client
Name

Mac
Address

User/
Group

Printer Name

Printer Driver

PRINTER-1-CLR

HP Color
LaserJet 4700 PS

IP_10.114.24.1

10.112.116.140-10.1
12.116.145

PRINTER-2-CLR

HP Color
LaserJet 4700 PS

IP_10.114.24.2

IP Port/ThinPrint
Port

Default

The network printer specified in the first row will be mapped to a remote desktop for any client system
because asterisks appear in all of the translation rule columns. The network printer specified in the second
row will be mapped to a remote desktop only if the client system has an IP address in the range
10.112.116.140 through 10.112.116.145.

Active Directory Group Policy Example
One way to implement Active Directory group policies in View is to create an OU for the View machines
that deliver remote desktop sessions and link one or more GPOs to that OU. You can use these GPOs to
apply group policy settings to your View machines.
You can link GPOs directly to a domain if the policy settings apply to all computers in the domain. As a best
practice, however, most deployments should link GPOs to individual OUs to avoid policy processing on all
computers in the domain.
You can configure policies on your Active Directory Server or on any computer in your domain. This
example shows how to configure policies directly on your Active Directory server.
NOTE Because every View environment is different, you might need to perform different steps to meet your
organization's specific needs.

Create an OU for View Machines
To apply group policies to the View machines that deliver remote desktop sessions without affecting other
Windows computers in the same Active Directory domain, create an OU specifically for your View
machines. You might create one OU for your entire View deployment or separate OUs for single-user
machines and RDS hosts.
Procedure
1

On your Active Directory server, select Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > Active Directory
Users and Computers.

Right-click the domain that contains your View machines and select New > Organizational Unit.

Type a name for the OU and click OK.
The new OU appears in the left pane.

To add View machines to the new OU:
a

Click Computers in the left pane.
All the computer objects in the domain appear in the right pane.

Right-click the name of the computer object that represents the View machine in the right panel
and select Move.

Select the OU and click OK.
The View machine appears in the right pane when you select the OU.

VMware, Inc.

239

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

What to do next
Create GPOs for View group policies.

Create GPOs for View Group Policies
Create GPOs to contain group policies for View components and location-based printing and link them to
the OU for your View machines.
Prerequisites
n

Create an OU for your View machines.

Verify that the Group Policy Management feature is available on your Active Directory server.

Procedure
1

On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
AD Version

Navigation Path

Windows 2012

Select Server Manager > Tools > Group Policy Management.

Windows 2008

Select Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy Management.

Windows 2003

a
b
c

Select Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > Active Directory
Users and Computers.
Right-click the OU that contains your View machines and select
Properties.
On the Group Policy tab, click Open to open the Group Policy
Management plug-in.

Expand your domain, right-click the OU that contains your View machines, and select Create a GPO in
this domain, and Link it here.
On Windows 2003 Active Directory, this option is named Create and Link a GPO Here.

Type a name for the GPO and click OK.
The new GPO appears under the OU in the left pane.

(Optional) To apply the GPO only to specific View machines in the OU:
a

Select the GPO in the left pane.

Select Security Filtering > Add.

Type the computer names of the View machines and click OK.
The View machines appear in the Security Filtering pane. The settings in the GPO apply only to
these machines.

What to do next
Add the View ADM templates to the GPO for group policies.

Add View ADM Templates to a GPO
To apply View component group policy settings to your remote desktops and applications, add their ADM
template files to GPOs.
Prerequisites

240

Create GPOs for the View component group policy settings and link them to the OU that contains your
View machines.

Verify that the Group Policy Management feature is available on your Active Directory server.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 16 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools

The steps for opening the Group Policy Management Console differ in the Windows 2012, Windows
2008, and Windows 2003 Active Directory versions. See “Create GPOs for View Group Policies,” on
page 240.
Procedure
1

Copy the file to your Active Directory server and unzip the file.

On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.

Expand your domain, right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings, and select Edit.

In the Group Policy Management Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Policies >
Administrative Templates: Policy definitions folder and select Add/Remove Templates.

Click Add, browse to the ADM Template file, and click Open.

Click Close to apply the policy settings in the ADM Template file to the GPO.
In Windows Server 2012 or 2008 Active Directory, the template name appears in the left pane under
Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates (ADM). In Windows Server 2003
Active Directory, the template appears under Administrative Templates.

Configure the group policy settings.

What to do next
Enable loopback processing for your View machines.

Enable Loopback Processing for Remote Desktops
To make User Configuration settings that usually apply to a computer apply to all of the users that log in to
that computer, enable loopback processing.
Prerequisites
n

Create GPOs for the View component group policy settings and link them to the OU that contains your
View machines.

Procedure
1

On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.

Expand your domain, right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings, and select Edit.

In the Group Policy Management Editor, expand the Computer Configuration, Policies,
Administrative Templates: Policy definitions, and System folders.

Double-click the Group Policy folder.

In the right pane, double-click Configure user Group Policy loopback processing mode.

VMware, Inc.

241

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

242

Select Enabled and then select a loopback processing mode from the Mode drop-down menu.
Option

Action

Merge

The user policy settings applied are the combination of those included in
both the computer and user GPOs. Where conflicts exist, the computer
GPOs take precedence.

Replace

The user policy is defined entirely from the GPOs associated with the
computer. Any GPOs associated with the user are ignored.

Click OK to save your changes.

VMware, Inc.

Configuring User Profiles with View
Persona Management

With View Persona Management, you can configure user profiles that are dynamically synchronized with a
remote profile repository. This feature gives users access to a personalized desktop experience whenever
they log in to a desktop. View Persona Management expands the functionality and improves the
performance of Windows roaming profiles, but does not require Windows roaming profiles to operate.
You configure group policy settings to enable View Persona Management and control various aspects of
your View Persona Management deployment.
To enable and use View Persona Management, you must have the appropriate VMware Horizon license. See
the VMware End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) at http://www.vmware.com/download/eula .
This chapter includes the following topics:
n

“Providing User Personas in View,” on page 243

“Using View Persona Management with Standalone Systems,” on page 244

“Migrating User Profiles with View Persona Management,” on page 245

“Persona Management and Windows Roaming Profiles,” on page 247

“Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment,” on page 247

“Best Practices for Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment,” on page 256

“View Persona Management Group Policy Settings,” on page 260

Providing User Personas in View
With the View Persona Management feature, a user's remote profile is dynamically downloaded when the
user logs in to a View desktop. You can configure View to store user profiles in a secure, centralized
repository. View downloads persona information as the user needs it.
View Persona Management is an alternative to Windows roaming profiles. View Persona Management
expands functionality and improves performance compared to Windows roaming profiles.
You can configure and manage personas entirely within View. You do not have to configure Windows
roaming profiles. If you have a Windows roaming profiles configuration, you can use your existing
repository configuration with View.
A user profile is independent of the View desktop. When a user logs in to any desktop, the same profile
appears.
For example, a user might log in to a floating-assignment, linked-clone desktop pool and change the
desktop background and Microsoft Word settings. When the user starts the next session, the virtual machine
is different, but the user sees the same settings.

VMware, Inc.

243

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

A user profile comprises a variety of user-generated information:
n

User-specific data and desktop settings

Application data and settings

Windows registry entries configured by user applications

Also, if you provision desktops with ThinApp applications, the ThinApp sandbox data can be stored in the
user profile and roamed with the user.
View Persona Management minimizes the time it takes to log in to and log off of desktops. Login and logoff
time can be a problem with Windows roaming profiles.
n

During login, View downloads only the files that Windows requires, such as user registry files. Other
files are copied to the local desktop when the user or an application opens them from the local profile
folder.

View copies recent changes in the local profile to the remote repository, typically once every few
minutes. The default is every 10 minutes. You can specify how often to upload the local profile.

During logoff, only files that were updated since the last replication are copied to the remote repository.

Using View Persona Management with Standalone Systems
You can install a standalone version of View Persona Management on physical computers and virtual
machines that are not managed by View. With this software, you can manage user profiles across View
desktops and standalone systems.
The standalone View Persona Management software operates on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server
2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012 R2 operating systems.
You can use the standalone View Persona Management software to accomplish these goals:
n

Share user profiles across standalone systems and View desktops.
Your users can continue to use standalone systems as well as View desktops with View Persona
Management. If you use the same View Persona Management group policy settings to control View
desktops and physical systems, users can receive their up-to-date profiles each time they log in,
whether they use their legacy computers or View desktops.
NOTE View Persona Management does not support concurrent active sessions. A user must log out of
one session before logging in to another.

Migrate user profiles from physical systems to View desktops
If you intend to re-purpose legacy physical computers for use in a View deployment, you can install
standalone View Persona Management on the legacy systems before you roll out View desktops to your
users. When users log in to their legacy systems, their profiles are stored on the View remote profile
repository. When users log in to their View desktops for the first time, their existing profiles are
downloaded to their View desktops.

Perform a staged migration from physical systems to View desktops
If you migrate your deployment in stages, users who do not yet have access to View desktops can use
standalone View Persona Management. As each set of View desktops is deployed, users can access their
profiles on their View desktops, and the legacy systems can be phased out. This scenario is a hybrid of
the previous scenarios.

244

Support up-to-date profiles when users go offline.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Users of standalone laptops can disconnect from the network. When a user reconnects, View Persona
Management uploads the latest changes in the user's local profile to the remote profile repository.
NOTE Before a user can go offline, the user profile must be completely downloaded to the local system.

Migrating User Profiles with View Persona Management
With View Persona Management, you can migrate existing user profiles in a variety of settings to View
desktops. When users log in to their View desktops after a profile migration is complete, they are presented
with the personal settings and data that they used on their legacy systems.
By migrating user profiles, you can accomplish the following desktop migration goals:
n

You can upgrade your users' systems from legacy Windows XP to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows
Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 R2 and migrate your users from physical computers to View
for the first time.

You can upgrade from a legacy Windows XP View desktop deployment to a Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktop deployment.

You can migrate from physical computers to View desktops without upgrading the operating systems.

To support these scenarios, View Persona Management provides a profile migration utility and a standalone
View Persona Management installer for physical or virtual machines that do not have View Agent 5.x
installed.
IMPORTANT View Agent 6.1 and later releases do not support Windows XP and Windows Vista desktops.
View Agent 6.0.2 is the last View release that supports these guest operating systems. Customers who have
an extended support agreement with Microsoft for Windows XP and Vista, and an extended support
agreement with VMware for these guest operating systems, can deploy the View Agent 6.0.2 version of their
Windows XP and Vista desktops with View Connection Server 6.1.
With the View user profile migration utility, you can perform an important task in a migration from a legacy
Windows XP desktop deployment to a desktop deployment that will continue to be supported in future
View releases.
Table 17-1 shows various migration scenarios and outlines the tasks you should perform in each scenario.

VMware, Inc.

245

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Table 17‑1. User Profile Migration Scenarios
If This Is Your Original
Deployment...

And This Is Your Destination
Deployment...

Windows XP physical computers

Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops

Perform These Tasks:
1

Windows XP physical computers
or virtual machines that use a
roaming user profile solution.
For example, your deployment
might use one of these solutions:
n View Persona Management
n RTO Virtual Profiles
n Windows roaming profiles
In this scenario, the original user
profiles must be maintained in a
remote profile repository.

Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops

Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2
physical computers or virtual
machines.
The legacy systems cannot have
View Agent 5.x installed.

246

Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops

Configure Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows
Server 2012 R2 View desktops with View
Persona Management for your users. See
“Configuring a View Persona Management
Deployment,” on page 247.
NOTE Do not roll out the Windows 7,
Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktops to
your users until you complete step 2.
Run the View V1 to V2 profile migration
utility.
n For the source profiles, specify the local
profiles on the Windows XP physical
computers.
n For the destination profiles, specify the
remote profile repository that you
configured for the View deployment.
For details, see the View User Profile Migration
document.
Allow your users to log in to their Windows
7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktops.
Configure Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows
Server 2012 R2 View desktops with View
Persona Management for your users. See
“Configuring a View Persona Management
Deployment,” on page 247.
NOTE Do not roll out the Windows 7,
Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktops to
your users until you complete step 2.
Run the View V1 to V2 profile migration
utility.
n For the source profiles, specify the
remote profile repository for the
Windows XP systems.
n For the destination profiles, specify the
remote profile repository that you
configured for the View deployment.
For details, see the View User Profile Migration
document.
Allow your users to log in to their Windows
7, Winidows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktops.
Configure Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows
Server 2012 R2 View desktops with View
Persona Management for your users. See
“Configuring a View Persona Management
Deployment,” on page 247.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Table 17‑1. User Profile Migration Scenarios (Continued)
If This Is Your Original
Deployment...

And This Is Your Destination
Deployment...

Perform These Tasks:
2

Install the standalone View Persona
Management software on the Windows 7,
Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 systems. See
“Install Standalone View Persona
Management,” on page 251.

Configure the legacy Windows 7, Windows
8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows
Server 2012 R2 systems to use the same
remote profile repository as the View
desktops. See “Configure a User Profile
Repository,” on page 248.

The easiest approach is to use the same View
Persona Management group policy settings
in Active Directory to control both the legacy
systems and the View desktops. See “Add
the View Persona Management ADM
Template File,” on page 252.
Roll out your Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows
Server 2012 R2 View desktops to your users.

Persona Management and Windows Roaming Profiles
When Persona Management is enabled, you cannot manage View users' personas by using the Windows
roaming profiles functions.
For example, if you log in to a desktop's guest operating system, navigate to the Advanced tab in the System
Properties dialog box, and change the User Profiles settings from Roaming profile to Local profile, View
Persona Management continues to synchronize the user's persona between the local desktop and the remote
persona repository.
However, you can specify files and folders within users' personas that are managed by Windows roaming
profiles functionality instead of View Persona Management. You use the Windows Roaming Profiles
Synchronization policy to specify these files and folders.

Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment
To configure View Persona Management, you set up a remote repository that stores user profiles, install
View Agent with the View Persona Management setup option on virtual machines that deliver remote
desktop sessions, add and configure View Persona Management group policy settings, and deploy desktop
pools.
You can also configure View Persona Management for a non-View deployment. You install the standalone
version of View Persona Management on your users' non-View laptops, desktops, or virtual machines. You
must also set up a remote repository and configure View Persona Management group policy settings.

VMware, Inc.

247

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Overview of Setting Up a View Persona Management Deployment
To set up a View desktop deployment or standalone computers with View Persona Management, you must
perform several high-level tasks.
This sequence is recommended, although you can perform these tasks in a different sequence. For example,
you can configure or reconfigure group policy settings in Active Directory after you deploy desktop pools.
1

Configure a remote repository to store user profiles.
You can configure a network share or use an existing Active Directory user profile path that you
configured for Windows roaming profiles.

Install View Agent with the View Persona Management setup option on the virtual machines that you
use to create desktop pools.
To configure View Persona Management for non-View laptops, desktops, or virtual machines, install
the standalone View Persona Management software on each computer in your targeted deployment.

Add the View Persona Management Administrative (ADM) Template file to your Active Directory
server or the Local Computer Policy configuration on the parent virtual machine.
To configure View Persona Management for your whole View or non-View deployment, add the ADM
Template file to Active Directory.
To configure View Persona Management for one desktop pool, you can take these approaches:
n

Add the ADM Template file to the virtual machine that you use to create the pool.

Add the ADM Template file to Active Directory and apply the group policy settings to the OU that
contains the machines in the pool.

Enable View Persona Management by enabling the Manage user persona group policy setting.

If you configured a network share for the remote profile repository, enable the Persona repository
location group policy setting and specify the network share path.

(Optional) Configure other group policy settings in Active Directory or the Local Computer Policy
configuration.

Create desktop pools from the virtual machines on which you installed View Agent with the View
Persona Management setup option.

Configure a User Profile Repository
You can configure a remote repository to store the user data and settings, application-specific data, and
other user-generated information in user profiles. If Windows roaming profiles are configured in your
deployment, you can use an existing Active Directory user profile path instead.
NOTE You can configure View Persona Management without having to configure Windows roaming
profiles.
Prerequisites

248

Familiarize yourself with the minimum access permissions that are required to configure a shared
folder. See “Setting Access Permissions on Shared Folders for View Persona Management,” on
page 249.

Familiarize yourself with the guidelines for creating a user profile repository. See “Creating a Network
Share for View Persona Management,” on page 250

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Procedure
1

Determine whether to use an existing Active Directory user profile path or configure a user profile
repository on a network share.
Option

Action

Use an existing Active Directory
user profile path

If you have an existing Windows roaming profiles configuration, you can
use the user profile path in Active Directory that supports roaming
profiles. You can skip the remaining steps in this procedure.

Configure a network share to store
the user profile repository

If you do not have an existing Windows roaming profiles configuration,
you must configure a network share for the user profile repository. Follow
the remaining steps in this procedure.

Create a shared folder on a computer that your users can access from the guest operating systems on
their desktops.
If %username% is not part of the folder path that you configure, View Persona Management appends
%username%.%userdomain% to the path.
For example: \\server.domain.com\VPRepository\%username%.%userdomain%

Set access permissions for the shared folders that contain user profiles.
CAUTION Make sure that access permissions are configured correctly. The incorrect configuration of
access permissions on the shared folder is the most common cause of problems with View Persona
Management.

Setting Access Permissions on Shared Folders for View Persona Management
View Persona Management and Windows roaming profiles require a specific minimum level of permissions
on the user profile repository. View Persona Management also requires that the security group of the users
who put data on the shared folder must have read attributes on the share.
Set the required access permissions on your user profile repository and redirected folder share.
Table 17‑2. Minimum NTFS Permissions Required for the User Profile Repository and Redirected Folder
Share
User Account

Minimum Permissions Required

Creator Owner

Full Control, Subfolders and Files Only

Administrator

None. Instead, enable the Windows group policy setting, Add the Administrators
security group to the roaming user profiles. In the Group Policy Object Editor, this
policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Administrative
Templates\System\User Profiles\.

Security group of users
needing to put data on share

List Folder/Read Data, Create Folders/Append Data, Read Attributes - This Folder
Only

Everyone

No permissions

Local System

Full Control, This Folder, Subfolders and Files

Table 17‑3. Share Level (SMB) Permissions Required for User Profile Repository and Redirected Folder
Share
User Account

Default Permissions

Minimum Permissions Required

Everyone

Read only

No permissions

Security group of users needing to put data
on share

N/A

Full Control

VMware, Inc.

249

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

For information about roaming user profiles security, see the Microsoft TechNet topic, Security
Recommendations for Roaming User Profiles Shared Folders.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc757013(WS.10).aspx

Creating a Network Share for View Persona Management
You must follow certain guidelines when you create a shared folder to use as a profile repository.
n

If you use Windows 8 desktops and your network share uses a OneFS file system on an EMC Isilon
NAS device, the OneFS file system must be version 6.5.5.11 or later.

You can create the shared folder on a server, a network-attached storage (NAS) device, or a network
server.

The shared folder does not have to be in the same domain as View Connection Server.

The shared folder must be in the same Active Directory forest as the users who store profiles in the
shared folder.

You must use a shared drive that is large enough to store the user profile information for your users. To
support a large View deployment, you can configure separate repositories for different desktop pools.
If users are entitled to more than one pool, the pools that share users must be configured with the same
profile repository. If you entitle a user to two pools with two different profile repositories, the user
cannot access the same version of the profile from desktops in each pool.

You must create the full profile path under which the user profile folders will be created. If part of the
path does not exist, Windows creates the missing folders when the first user logs in and assigns the
user's security restrictions to those folders. Windows assigns the same security restrictions to every
folder it creates under that path.
For example, for user1 you might configure the View Persona Management
path \\server\VPRepository\profiles\user1. If you create the network share \\server\VPRepository,
and the profiles folder does not exist, Windows creates the path \profiles\user1 when user1 logs in.
Windows restricts access to the \profiles\user1 folders to the user1 account. If another user logs in
with a profile path in \\server\VPRepository\profiles, the second user cannot access the repository
and the user's profile fails to be replicated.

Install View Agent with the View Persona Management Option
To use View Persona Management with View desktops, you must install View Agent with the View
Persona Management setup option on the virtual machines that you use to create desktop pools.
For an automated pool, you install View Agent with the View Persona Management setup option on the
virtual machine that you use as a parent or template. When you create a desktop pool from the virtual
machine, the View Persona Management software is deployed on your View desktops.
For a manual pool, you must install View Agent with the View Persona Management setup option on each
virtual machine that is used as a desktop in the pool. Use Active Directory to configure View Persona
Management group policies for a manual pool. The alternative is to add the ADM Template file and
configure group policies on each individual machine.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that you are performing the installation on a Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2,
or Windows Server 2012 R2 virtual machine. View Persona Management does not operate on Microsoft
RDS hosts.
Installing View Agent with the View Persona Management setup option does not work on physical
computers. You can install the standalone View Persona Management software on physical computers.
See “Install Standalone View Persona Management,” on page 251.

250

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Verify that you can log in as an administrator on the virtual machine.

Verify that a native RTO Virtual Profiles 2.0 is not installed on the virtual machine. If a native RTO
Virtual Profile 2.0 is present, uninstall it before you install View Agent with the View Persona
Management setup option.

Familiarize yourself with installing View Agent. See “Install View Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on
page 27 or “Install View Agent on an Unmanaged Machine,” on page 15.

Procedure
u

When you install View Agent on a virtual machine, select the View Persona Management setup option.

What to do next
Add the View Persona Management ADM Template file to your Active Directory server or the Local
Computer Policy configuration on the virtual machine itself. See “Add the View Persona Management ADM
Template File,” on page 252.

Install Standalone View Persona Management
To use View Persona Management with non-View physical computers or virtual machines, install the
standalone version of View Persona Management. You can run an interactive installation or a silent
installation at the command line.
Install the standalone View Persona Management software on each individual computer or virtual machine
in your targeted deployment.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that you are performing the installation on a Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2,
or Windows Server 2012 R2 physical computer or virtual machine. View Persona Management does not
operate on Windows Servers or Microsoft RDS hosts. Verify that the system satisfies the requirements
described in "Supported Operating Systems for Standalone View Persona Management" in the View
Installation document.

Verify that you can log in as an administrator on the system.

Verify that View Agent 5.x or later is not installed on the computer.

Verify that a native RTO Virtual Profiles 2.0 is not installed on the virtual machine.

If you intend to perform a silent installation, familiarize yourself with the MSI installer command-line
options. See “Microsoft Windows Installer Command-Line Options,” on page 32.

Procedure
1

Download the standalone View Persona Management installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/products/.
The installer filename is VMware-personamanagement-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe or VMware-personamanagementx86_64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.

VMware, Inc.

251

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Run the installation program interactively or perform a silent installation.
Option

Description

Interactive installation

a
b
c

To start the installation program, double-click the installer file.
Accept the VMware license terms.
Click Install.

By default, View Persona Management is installed in the C:\Program
Files\VMware\VMware View Persona Management directory.
Click Finish.

Silent installation

Open a Windows command prompt on the machine and type the
installation command on one line.
For example: VMware-personamanagement-y.y.yxxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn /l*v ""c:\persona.log"" ALLUSERS=1"
IMPORTANT You must include the ALLUSERS=1 property in the command
line.

Restart your system to allow the installation changes to take effect.

What to do next
Add the View Persona Management ADM Template file to your Active Directory or local group policy
configuration.

Add the View Persona Management ADM Template File
The View Persona Management Administrative (ADM) Template file contains group policy settings that
allow you to configure View Persona Management. Before you can configure the policies, you must add the
ADM Template file to the local systems or Active Directory server.
To configure View Persona Management on a single system, you can add the group policy settings to the
Local Computer Policy configuration on that local system.
To configure View Persona Management for a desktop pool, you can add the group policy settings to the
Local Computer Policy configuration on the virtual machine that you use as a parent or template for
deploying the desktop pool.
To configure View Persona Management at the domain-wide level and apply the configuration to many
View machines or your whole deployment, you can add the group policy settings to Group Policy Objects
(GPOs) on your Active Directory server. In Active Directory, you can create an OU for the View machines
that use View Persona Management, create one or more GPOs, and link the GPOs to the OU. To configure
separate View Persona Management policies for different types of users, you can create OUs for particular
sets of View machines and apply different GPOs to the OUs.
For example, you might create one OU for View machines with View Persona Management and another OU
for physical computers on which the standalone View Persona Management software is installed.
For an example of implementing Active Directory group policies in View, see “Active Directory Group
Policy Example,” on page 239.

252

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Add the Persona Management ADM Template to a Single System
To configure View Persona Management for a single desktop pool, you must add the Persona Management
ADM Template file to the Local Computer Policy on the virtual machine that you use to create the pool. To
configure View Persona Management on a single system, you must add the Persona Management ADM
Template file to that system.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that View Agent is installed with the View Persona Management setup option on the system. See
“Install View Agent with the View Persona Management Option,” on page 250.

Verify that you can log in as an administrator on the system.

Procedure
1

Unzip the file and copy the the ADM file, ViewPM.adm, to the local system.

On the local system, click Start > Run.

Type gpedit.msc and click OK.

In the Local Computer Policy window, navigate to Computer Configuration and right-click
Administrative Templates.
NOTE Do not select Administrative Templates under User Configuration.

Click Add/Remove Templates and click Add.

Browse to the directory that contains the ViewPM.adm file.

Select the ViewPM.adm file and click Add.

Close the Add/Remove Templates window.

The View Persona Management group policy settings are added to the Local Computer Policy configuration
on the local system. You must use gpedit.msc to display this configuration.
What to do next
Configure the View Persona Management group policy settings on the local system. See “Configure View
Persona Management Policies,” on page 254.

Add the Persona Management ADM Template to Active Directory
To configure View Persona Management for your deployment, you can add the Persona Management ADM
Template file to a Group Policy Object (GPO) in your Active Directory server.
Prerequisites
n

Create GPOs for your View Persona Management deployment and link them to the OU that contains
the View machines that use View Persona Management. See “Active Directory Group Policy Example,”
on page 239.

Verify that the Microsoft MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active
Directory server.

VMware, Inc.

253

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Verify that View Agent is installed with the View Persona Management setup option on a system that is
accessible to your Active Directory server. See “Install View Agent with the View Persona Management
Option,” on page 250.

Procedure
1

Unzip the file and copy the View Persona Management ADM Template file, ViewPM.adm, to your Active
Directory server.

On your Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
For example, start the Run dialog box, type gpmc.msc, and click OK.

In the left pane, select the domain or OU that contains your View machines.

In the right pane, right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.
The Group Policy Object Editor window appears.

In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click Administrative Templates under Computer
Configuration and select Add/Remove Templates.

Click Add, browse to the ViewPM.adm file, and click Open.

Click Close to apply the policy settings in the ADM Template file to the GPO.
The name of the template appears in the left pane under Administrative Templates.

What to do next
Configure the View Persona Management group policy settings on your Active Directory server.

Configure View Persona Management Policies
To use View Persona Management, you must enable the Manage user persona group policy setting, which
activates the View Persona Management software. To set up a user profile repository without using an
Active Directory user profile path, you must configure the Persona repository location group policy setting.
You can configure the optional group policy settings to configure other aspects of your View Persona
Management deployment.
If Windows roaming profiles are already configured in your deployment, you can use an existing Active
Directory user profile path. You can leave the Persona repository location setting disabled or not
configured.
Prerequisites

254

Familiarize yourself with the Manage user persona and Persona repository location group policy
settings. See “Roaming and Synchronization Group Policy Settings,” on page 261.

If you are setting group policies on a local system, familiarize yourself with opening the Group Policy
window. See steps Step 3 and Step 4 in “Add the Persona Management ADM Template to a Single
System,” on page 253.

If you are setting group policies on your Active Directory server, familiarize yourself with starting the
Group Policy Object Editor. See steps Step 3 through Step 5 in “Add the Persona Management ADM
Template to Active Directory,” on page 253.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Procedure
1

Open the Group Policy window.
Option

Description

Local system

Open the Local Computer Policy window.

Active Directory server

Open the Group Policy Object Editor window.

Expand the Computer Configuration folder and navigate to the Persona Management folder.
Option

Description

Windows 7 and later or Windows
Server 2008 and later

Expand the following folders: Administrative Templates, Classic
Administrative Templates (ADM), VMware View Agent Configuration,
Persona Management

Windows Server 2003

Expand the following folders: Administrative Templates, VMware View
Agent Configuration, Persona Management

Open the Roaming & Synchronization folder.

Double-click Manage user persona and click Enabled.
This setting activates View Persona Management. When this setting is disabled or not configured, View
Persona Management does not function.

Type the profile upload interval, in minutes, and click OK.
The profile upload interval determines how often View Persona Management copies user profile
changes to the remote repository. The default upload interval is 10 minutes.

Double-click Persona repository location and click Enabled.
If you have an existing Windows roaming profiles deployment, you can use an Active Directory user
profile path for the remote profile repository. You do not have to configure a Persona repository
location.

Type the UNC path to a network file server share that stores the user profiles.
For example: \\server.domain.com\UserProfilesRepository\%username%
The network share must be accessible to the virtual machines in your deployment.
If you intend to use an Active Directory user profile path, you do not have to specify a UNC path.

If an Active Directory user profile path is configured in your deployment, determine whether to use or
override this path.
Option

Action

Use the network share.

Check the Override Active Directory user profile path if it is configured
check box.

Use an Active Directory user profile
path, if one exists.

Do not check the Override Active Directory user profile path if it is
configured check box.

Click OK.

(Optional) Configure other View Persona Management group policy settings.

VMware, Inc.

255

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Create Desktop Pools That Use Persona Management
To use View Persona Management with View desktops, you must create desktop pools with a View Persona
Management agent installed on each machine.
You cannot use View Persona Management on RDS desktop pools, which run on Remote Desktop Services
(RDS) hosts.
Prerequisites
n

Verify that View Agent with the View Persona Management setup option is installed on the virtual
machine that you use to create the desktop pool. See “Install View Agent with the View Persona
Management Option,” on page 250.

If you intend to configure View Persona Management policies for this desktop pool only, verify that
you added the View Persona Management ADM Template file to the virtual machine and configured
group policy settings in the Local Computer Policy configuration. See “Add the Persona Management
ADM Template to a Single System,” on page 253 and “Configure View Persona Management Policies,”
on page 254.

Procedure
n

Generate a snapshot or template from the virtual machine and create an automated desktop pool.
You can configure View Persona Management with pools that contain full virtual machines or linked
clones. The pools can use dedicated or floating assignments.

(Optional) To use View Persona Management with manual desktop pools, select machines on which
View Agent with the View Persona Management option is installed.

NOTE After you deploy View Persona Management on your View desktop pools, if you remove the View
Persona Management setup option on the View machines, or uninstall View Agent altogether, the local user
profiles are removed from the machines of users who are not currently logged in. For users who are
currently logged in, the user profiles are downloaded from the remote profile repository during the
uninstall process.

Best Practices for Configuring a View Persona Management
Deployment
You should follow best practices for configuring View Persona Management to enhance your users' desktop
experience, improve desktop performance, and ensure that View Persona Management operates efficiently
with other View features.

Determining Whether to Remove Local User Profiles at Logoff
By default, View Persona Management does not delete user profiles from the local machines when users log
off. The Remove local persona at log off policy is disabled. In many cases, the default setting is a best
practice because it reduces I/O operations and avoids redundant behavior.
For example, keep this policy disabled if you deploy floating-assignment pools and either refresh or delete
the machines on logoff. The local profile is deleted when the virtual machine is refreshed or deleted. In a
floating-assignment, automated pool, full virtual machines can be deleted after logoff. In a floatingassignment, linked-clone pool, the clones can be refreshed or deleted on logoff.

256

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

If you deploy dedicated-assignment pools, you can keep the policy disabled because users return to the
same machines at each session. With the policy disabled, when a user logs in, View Persona Management
does not have to download files that are present in the local profile. If you configure dedicated-assignment,
linked-clone pools with persistent disks, keep the policy disabled to avoid deleting user data from the
persistent disks.
In some cases, you might want to enable the Remove local persona at log off policy.

Handling Deployments That Include View Persona Management and Windows
Roaming Profiles
In deployments in which Windows roaming profiles are configured, and users access View desktops with
View Persona Management and standard desktops with Windows roaming profiles, the best practice is to
use different profiles for the two desktop environments. If a View desktop and the client computer from
which the desktop is launched are in the same domain, and you use an Active Directory GPO to configure
both Windows roaming profiles and View Persona Management, enable the Persona repository location
policy and select Override Active Directory user profile path if it is configured.
This approach prevents Windows roaming profiles from overwriting a View Persona Management profile
when the user logs off from the client computer.
If users intend to share data between existing Windows roaming profiles and View Persona Management
profiles, you can configure Windows folder redirection.

Configuring Paths for Redirected Folders
When you use the Folder Redirection group policy setting, configure the folder path to include %username%,
but make sure that the last subfolder in the path uses the name of the redirected folder, such as My Videos.
The last folder in the path is displayed as the folder name on the user's desktop.
For example, if you configure a path such as \\myserver\videos\%username%\My Videos, the folder name
that appears on the user's desktop is My Videos.
If %username% is the last subfolder in the path, the user's name appears as the folder name. For example,
instead of seeing a My Videos folder on the desktop, the user JDoe sees a folder named JDoe and cannot
easily identify the folder.

Using the Windows Event Log to Monitor the View Persona Management
Deployment
To help you manage your deployment, View Persona Management provides improved log messages and
profile size and file and folder count tracking. View Persona Management uses the file and folder counts to
suggest folders for redirection in the Windows event log and provides statistics for these folders. For
example, when a user logs in, the Windows event log might display the following suggestions to redirect
folders:
Profile path: \\server.domain.com\persona\user1V2
...
Folders to redirect:
\\server.domain.com\persona\user1V2 Reason: Folder size larger than 1GB
\\server.domain.com\persona\user1V2\Documents Reason: More than 10000 files and folders

VMware, Inc.

257

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Additional Best Practices
You can also follow these recommendations:
n

By default, many antivirus products do not scan offline files. For example, when a user logs in to a
desktop, these anti-virus products do not scan user profile files that are not specified in the Files and
folders to preload or Windows roaming profiles synchronization group policy setting. For many
deployments, the default behavior is the best practice because it reduces the I/O required to download
files during on-demand scans.
If you do want to retrieve files from the remote repository and enable scanning of offline files, see the
documentation for your antivirus product.

It is highly recommended that you use standard practices to back up network shares on which View
Persona Management stores the profile repository.
NOTE Do not use backup software such as MozyPro or Windows Volume backup services with View
Persona Management to back up user profiles on View desktops.
View Persona Management ensures that user profiles are backed up to the remote profile repository,
eliminating the need for additional tools to back up user data on the desktops. In certain cases, tools
such as MozyPro or Windows Volume backup services can interfere with View Persona Management
and cause data loss or corruption.

You can set View Persona Management policies to enhance performance when users start ThinApp
applications. See “Configuring User Profiles to Include ThinApp Sandbox Folders,” on page 259.

If your users generate substantial persona data, and you plan to use refresh and recompose to manage
dedicated-assignment, linked-clone desktops, configure your desktop pool to use separate View
Composer persistent disks. Persistent disks can enhance the performance of View Persona
Management. See “Configuring View Composer Persistent Disks with View Persona Management,” on
page 259.

If you configure View Persona Management for standalone laptops, make sure that the profiles are kept
synchronized when users go offline. See “Manage User Profiles on Standalone Laptops,” on page 259.

Do not use Windows Client-Side Caching with View Persona Management. The Windows Client-Side
Caching system is a mechanism that supports the Windows Offline Files feature. If this system is in
effect on the local system, View Persona Management features such as folder redirection, offline file
population during logon, background download, and replication of local profile files to the remote
profile repository do not work properly.
As a best practice, disable the Windows Offline Files feature before you begin using View Persona
Management. If you encounter issues with View Persona Management because Windows Client-Side
Caching is in effect on your desktops, you can resolve these issues by synchronizing the profile data
that currently resides in the local Client-Side Caching database and disabling the Windows Offline Files
feature. For instructions, see KB 2016416: View Persona Management features do not function when
Windows Client-Side Caching is in effect.

258

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Configuring User Profiles to Include ThinApp Sandbox Folders
View Persona Management maintains user settings that are associated with ThinApp applications by
including ThinApp sandbox folders in user profiles. You can set View Persona Management policies to
enhance performance when users start ThinApp applications.
View Persona Management preloads ThinApp sandbox folders and files in the local user profile when a user
logs in. The ThinApp sandbox folders are created before a user can complete the log on. To enhance
performance, View Persona Management does not download the ThinApp sandbox data during the login,
although files are created on the local desktop with the same basic attributes and sizes as the ThinApp
sandbox files in the user's remote profile.
As a best practice, download the actual ThinApp sandbox data in the background. Enable the Folders to
background download group policy setting and add the ThinApp sandbox folders. See “Roaming and
Synchronization Group Policy Settings,” on page 261.
The actual ThinApp sandbox files can be large. With the Folders to background download setting, users do
not have to wait for large files to download when they start an application. Also, users do not have to wait
for the files to preload when they log in, as they might if you use the Files and folders to preload setting
with large files.

Configuring View Composer Persistent Disks with View Persona Management
With View Composer persistent disks, you can preserve user data and settings while you manage linkedclone OS disks with refresh, recompose, and rebalance operations. Configuring persistent disks can enhance
the performance of View Persona Management when users generate a large amount of persona information.
You can configure persistent disks only with dedicated-assignment, linked-clone desktops.
View Persona Management maintains each user profile on a remote repository that is configured on a
network share. After a user logs into a desktop, the persona files are dynamically downloaded as the user
needs them.
If you configure persistent disks with View Persona Management, you can refresh and recompose the
linked-clone OS disks and keep a local copy of the each user profile on the persistent disks.
The persistent disks can act as a cache for the user profiles. When a user requires persona files, View
Persona Management does not need to download data that is the same on the local persistent disk and the
remote repository. Only unsynchronized persona data needs to be downloaded.
If you configure persistent disks, do not enable the Remove local persona at log off policy. Enabling this
policy deletes the user data from the persistent disks when users log off.

Manage User Profiles on Standalone Laptops
If you install View Persona Management on standalone (non-View) laptops, make sure that the user profiles
are kept synchronized when users take their standalone laptops offline.
To ensure that a standalone laptop user has an up-to-date local profile, you can configure the View Persona
Management group policy setting, Enable background download for laptops. This setting downloads the
entire user profile to the standalone laptop in the background.
As a best practice, notify your users to make sure that their user profiles are completely downloaded before
they disconnect from the network. Tell users to wait for the Background download complete notice to appear
on their laptop screens before they disconnect.
To allow the Background download complete notice to be displayed on user laptops, configure the View
Persona Management group policy setting, Show critical errors to users via tray icon alerts.

VMware, Inc.

259

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If a user disconnects from the network before the profile download is complete, the local profile and remote
profile might become unsynchronized. While the user is offline, the user might update a local file that was
not fully downloaded. When the user reconnects to the network, the local profile is uploaded, overwriting
the remote profile. Data that was in the original remote profile might be lost.
The following steps provide an example you might follow.
Prerequisites
Verify that View Persona Management is configured for your users' standalone laptops. See “Configuring a
View Persona Management Deployment,” on page 247.
Procedure
1

In the Active Directory OU that controls your standalone laptops, enable the Enable background

download for laptops setting.

In the Group Policy Object Editor, expand the following folders: Computer Configuration,
Administrative Templates, Classic Administrative Templates (ADM), VMware View Agent
Configuration, Persona Management, Roaming & Synchronization.
The Classic Administrative Templates (ADM) folder appears only in Windows 7 or later and
Windows Server 2008 or later releases.
2

For standalone laptops, you must use a non-View method to notify users when they log in.
For example, you might distribute this message:
Your personal data is dynamically downloaded to your laptop after you log in. Make sure your
personal data has finished downloading before you disconnect your laptop from the network. A
"Background download complete" notice pops up when your personal data finishes downloading.

View Persona Management Group Policy Settings
The View Persona Management ADM Template file contains group policy settings that you add to the
Group Policy configuration on individual systems or on an Active Directory server. You must configure the
group policy settings to set up and control various aspects of View Persona Management.
The ADM Template file is named ViewPM.adm.
This ADM file is available in a bundled .zip file named VMware-Horizon-View-Extras-Bundle-x.x.xyyyyyyy.zip, which you can download from the VMware Horizon 6 download site at

http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.

After you add the ViewPM.adm file to your Group Policy configuration, the policy settings are located in the
Persona Management folder in the Group Policy window.
Table 17‑4. Location of View Persona Management Settings in the Group Policy Window
Operating System

Location

Windows 7 and later or Windows Server
2008 and later

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Classic
Administrative Templates (ADM) > VMware View Agent
Configuration > Persona Management

Windows Server 2003

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > VMware View
Agent Configuration > Persona Management

The group policy settings are contained in these folders:

260

Roaming & Synchronization

Folder Redirection

Desktop UI

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Logging

Roaming and Synchronization Group Policy Settings
The roaming and synchronization group policy settings turn View Persona Management on and off, set the
location of the remote profile repository, determine which folders and files belong to the user profile, and
control how to synchronize folders and files.
Group Policy
Setting

Description

Manage user
persona

Determines whether to manage user profiles dynamically with View Persona Management or with
Windows roaming profiles. This setting turns View Persona Management on and off.
When this setting is enabled, View Persona Management manages user profiles.
When the setting is enabled, you can specify a profile upload interval in minutes. This value
determines how often changes in the user profile are copied to the remote repository. The default
value is 10 minutes.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, user profiles are managed by Windows.

Persona
repository
location

Specifies the location of the user profile repository. This setting also determines whether to use a
network share that is specified in View Persona Management or a path that is configured in Active
Directory to support Windows roaming profiles.
When this setting is enabled, you can use the Share path to determine the location of the user profile
repository.
In the Share path text box, you specify a UNC path to a network share that is accessible to View
Persona Management desktops. This setting lets View Persona Management control the location of
the user profile repository.
For example: \\server.domain.com\VPRepository
If %username% is not part of the folder path that you configure, View Persona Management appends
%username%.%userdomain% to the path.
For example: \\server.domain.com\VPRepository\%username%.%userdomain%
If you specify a location in the Share path, you do not have to set up roaming profiles in Windows
or configure a user profile path in Active Directory to support Windows roaming profiles.
For details about configuring a UNC network share for View Persona Management, see “Configure
a User Profile Repository,” on page 248.
By default, the Active Directory user profile path is used.
Specifically, when the Share path is left blank, the Active Directory user profile path is used. The
Share path is blank and inactive when this setting is disabled or not configured. You can also leave
the path blank when this setting is enabled.
When this setting is enabled, you can select the Override Active Directory user profile path if it is
configured check box to make sure that View Persona Management uses the path specified in the
Share path. By default, this check box is unchecked, and View Persona Management uses the Active
Directory user profile path when both locations are configured.

Remove local
persona at log off

Deletes each user's locally stored profile from the View machine when the user logs off.
You can also check a box to delete each user's local settings folders when the user profile is removed.
Checking this box removes the AppData\Local folder.
For guidelines for using this setting, see “Best Practices for Configuring a View Persona
Management Deployment,” on page 256.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, the locally stored user profiles, including local
settings folders, are not deleted when users log off.

Roam local
settings folders

VMware, Inc.

Roams the local settings folders with the rest of each user profile.
This policy affects the AppData\Local folder.
By default, local settings are not roamed.

261

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

Group Policy
Setting
Files and folders
to preload

Description
Specifies a list of files and folders that are downloaded to the local user profile when the user logs in.
Changes in the files are copied to the remote repository as they occur.
In some situations, you might want to preload specific files and folders into the locally stored user
profile. Use this setting to specify these files and folders.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.
For example: Application Data\Microsoft\Certificates
After the specified files and folders are preloaded, View Persona Management manages the files and
folders in the same way that it manages other profile data. When a user updates preloaded files or
folders, View Persona Management copies the updated data to the remote profile repository during
the session, at the next profile upload interval.

262

Files and folders
to preload
(exceptions)

Prevents the specified files and folders from being preloaded.
The selected folder paths must reside within the folders that you specify in the Files and folders to
preload setting.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.

Windows
roaming profiles
synchronization

Specifies a list of files and folders that are managed by standard Windows roaming profiles. The files
and folders are retrieved from the remote repository when the user logs in. The files are not copied
to the remote repository until the user logs off.
For the specified files and folders, View Persona Management ignores the profile replication interval
that is configured by the Profile upload interval in the Manage user persona setting.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.

Windows
roaming profiles
synchronization
(exceptions)

The selected files and folders are exceptions to the paths that are specified in the Windows roaming
profiles synchronization setting.
The selected folder paths must reside within the folders that you specify in the Windows roaming
profiles synchronization setting.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.

Files and folders
excluded from
roaming

Specifies a list of files and folders that are not roamed with the rest of the user profile. The specified
files and folders exist only on the local system.
Some situations require specific files and folders to reside only in the locally stored user profile. For
example, you can exclude temporary and cached files from roaming. These files do not need to be
replicated to the remote repository.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.
By default, the user profile's temp folder, ThinApp cache folder, and cache folders for Internet
Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Opera are excluded from roaming.

Files and folders
excluded from
roaming
(exceptions)

The selected files and folders are exceptions to the paths that are specified in the Files and folders
excluded from roaming setting.
The selected folder paths must reside within the folders that you specify in the Files and folders
excluded from roaming setting.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.

Enable
background
download for
laptops

Downloads all files in the user profile when a user logs in to a laptop on which the View Persona
Management software is installed. Files are downloaded in the background.
When the operation is complete, a pop-up notification appears on the user's screen: Background
download complete. To allow this notification to appear on the user's laptop, you must enable the
Show critical errors to users via tray icon alerts setting.
NOTE If you enable this setting, as a best practice, notify your users to make sure that the profile is
completely downloaded before the users disconnect from the network.
If a user takes a standalone laptop offline before the profile download is complete, the user might
not have access to local profile files. While the user is offline, the user will be unable to open a local
file that was not fully downloaded.
See “Manage User Profiles on Standalone Laptops,” on page 259.

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Group Policy
Setting

Description

Folders to
background
download

The selected folders are downloaded in the background after a user logs in to the desktop.
In certain cases, you can optimize View Persona Management by downloading the contents of
specific folders in the background. With this setting, users do not have to wait for large files to
download when they start an application. Also, users do not have to wait for the files to preload
when they log in, as they might if you use the Files and folders to preload setting with very large
files.
For example, you can include VMware ThinApp sandbox folders in the Folders to background
download setting. The background download does not affect performance when a user logs in or
uses other applications on the desktop. When the user starts the ThinApp application, the required
ThinApp sandbox files are likely to be downloaded from the remote repository, improving the
application startup time.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.

Folders to
background
download
(exceptions)

The selected folders are exceptions to the paths that are specified in the Folders to background
download setting.
The selected folder paths must reside within the folders that you specify in the Folders to
background download setting.
Specify paths that are relative to the root of the local profile. Do not specify a drive in a pathname.

Excluded
processes

The I/O of the specified processes are ignored by View Persona Management.
You might have to add certain anti-virus applications to the Excluded processes list to prevent
performance problems. If an anti-virus application does not have a feature to disable offline file
retrieval during its on-demand scans, the Excluded processes setting prevents the application from
retrieving files unnecessarily. However, View Persona Management does replicate changes to files
and settings in the users' profiles that are made by excluded processes.
To add processes to the Excluded processes list, enable this setting, click Show, type the process
name, and click OK. For example: process.exe.

Cleanup CLFS
files

Deletes the files that are generated by Common Log File System (CLFS) for ntuser.dat and
usrclass.dat from the roaming profile on logon.
Enable this setting only if you have to repair user profiles that are experiencing a problem with these
files. Otherwise, leave the setting disabled or not configured.

Folder Redirection Group Policy Settings
With folder redirection group policy settings, you can redirect user profile folders to a network share. When
a folder is redirected, all data is stored directly on the network share during the user session.
You can use these settings to redirect folders that must be highly available. View Persona Management
copies updates from the local user profile to the remote profile as often as once a minute, depending on the
value you set for the profile upload interval. However, if a network outage or failure on the local system
occurs, a user's updates since the last replication might not be saved in the remote profile. In situations
where users cannot afford a temporary loss of a few minutes of recent work, you can redirect those folders
that store this critical data.
The following rules and guidelines apply to folder redirection:
n

When you enable this setting for a folder, you must type the UNC path of the network share to which
the folder is redirected.

If %username% is not part of the folder path that you configure, View Persona Management appends
%username% to the UNC path.

As a best practice, configure the folder path to include %username%, but make sure that the last subfolder
in the path uses the name of the redirected folder, such as My Videos. The last folder in the path is
displayed as the folder name on the user's desktop. For details, see “Configuring Paths for Redirected
Folders,” on page 257.

You configure a separate setting for each folder. You can select particular folders for redirection and
leave others on the local View desktop. You can also redirect different folders to different UNC paths.

VMware, Inc.

263

Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View

If a folder redirection setting is disabled or not configured, the folder is stored on the local View
desktop and managed according to the View Persona Management group policy settings.

If View Persona Management and Windows roaming profiles are configured to redirect the same
folder, View Persona Management's folder redirection takes precedence over Windows roaming
profiles.

Folder redirection applies only to applications that use the Windows shell APIs to redirect common
folder paths. For example, if an application writes a file to %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming, the file is
written to the local profile and not redirected to the network location.

By default, Windows folder redirection gives users exclusive rights to redirected folders. To grant
domain administrators access to newly redirected folders, you can use a View Persona Management
group policy setting.
Windows folder redirection has a check box called Grant user exclusive rights to folder-name, which
gives the specified user exclusive rights to the redirected folder. As a security measure, this check box is
selected by default. When this check box is selected, administrators do not have access to the redirected
folder. If an administrator attempts to force change the access rights for a user's redirected folder, View
Persona Management no longer works for that user.
You can make newly redirected folders accessible to domain administrators by using the Add the
administrators group to redirected folders group policy setting. This setting lets you grant the domain
administrators group full control over each redirected folder. See Table 17-5.
For existing redirected folders, see “Granting Domain Administrators Access to Existing Redirected
Folders,” on page 265.

You can specify folder paths that are excluded from folder redirection. See Table 17-5.
CAUTION View does not support enabling folder redirection to a folder that is already in a profile managed
by View Persona Management. This configuration can cause failures in View Persona Management and loss
of user data.
For example, if the root folder in the remote profile repository is \\Server\%username%\, and you redirect
folders to \\Server\%username%\Desktop, these settings would cause a failure of folder redirection in View
Persona Management and the loss of any contents that were previously in the \\Server\%username%\Desktop
folder.
You can redirect the following folders to a network share:

264

Application Data (roaming)

Contacts

Desktop

Downloads

Favorites

History

Links

My Documents

My Music

My Pictures

My Videos

Network Neighborhood

VMware, Inc.

Chapter 17 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management

Printer Neighborhood

Vmware Setting Up Desktop And Application Pools In View OpenTopic Horizon 6.1 61 Setup Desktops En

Navigation menu

Versions of this User Manual:

Views

Navigation