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Setting Up Desktop and Application
Pools in View
VMware Horizon 7
Version 7.0
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-001999-00
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
2 VMware, Inc.
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Contents
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View 7
1Introduction 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
2Preparing Unmanaged Machines 15
Prepare an Unmanaged Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment 15
Install Horizon Agent on an Unmanaged Machine 16
3Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning 19
Creating a Virtual Machine for Cloning 19
Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine 26
Install Horizon Agent Silently 30
Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for Horizon Agent 36
Optimize Guest Operating System Performance 37
Disable the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program 38
Optimizing Windows for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines 39
Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine 45
Creating Virtual Machine Templates 49
Creating Customization Specifications 50
4Creating Automated Desktop Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines 51
Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines 51
Worksheet for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines 51
Create an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines 55
Clone an Automated Desktop Pool 56
Desktop Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines 57
5Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 59
Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 59
Worksheet for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool 59
Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool 67
Clone an Automated Desktop Pool 69
Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 70
View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party Applications 71
Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned for Use in Remote Desktop Sessions During View
Composer Operations 75
Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for Linked Clones 76
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6Creating Instant-Clone Desktop Pools 79
Instant-Clone Desktop Pools 79
Add an Instant Clone Domain Administrator 81
Worksheet for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool 81
Create an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool 85
ClonePrep Guest Customization 86
Instant Clone Maintenance Utilities 87
7Creating Manual Desktop Pools 89
Manual Desktop Pools 89
Worksheet for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool 89
Create a Manual Desktop Pool 91
Create a Manual Pool That Contains One Machine 92
Desktop Pool Settings for Manual Pools 93
8Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts 95
Remote Desktop Services Hosts 95
Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2008 R2 97
Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 97
Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2 98
Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 98
Restrict Users to a Single Session 99
Install Horizon Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host 99
Enable Time Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application Sessions 102
Enable Windows Basic Theme for Applications 102
Configure Group Policy to Start Runonce.exe 103
RDS Host Performance Options 103
Configuring 3D Graphics for RDS Hosts 104
9Creating Farms 107
Farms 107
Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for an Automated Farm 108
Worksheet for Creating a Manual Farm 111
Worksheet for Creating an Automated Farm 112
Create a Manual Farm 116
Create an Automated Farm 117
10 Creating Application Pools 119
Application Pools 119
Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually 120
Create an Application Pool 120
11 Creating RDS Desktop Pools 123
Understanding RDS Desktop Pools 123
Create an RDS Desktop Pool 124
Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools 124
Configure Adobe Flash Throttling with Internet Explorer for RDS Desktop Pools 125
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
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12 Provisioning Desktop Pools 127
User Assignment in Desktop Pools 127
Naming Machines Manually or Providing a Naming Pattern 128
Manually Customizing Machines 133
Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types 135
Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling 139
Setting Power Policies for Desktop Pools 140
Configuring 3D Rendering for Desktops 145
Prevent Access to View Desktops Through RDP 156
Deploying Large Desktop Pools 157
13 Entitling Users and Groups 159
Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool 159
Remove Entitlements from a Desktop or Application Pool 160
Review Desktop or Application Pool Entitlements 160
Restricting Remote Desktop Access 160
14 Configuring Remote Desktop Features 165
Configuring Unity Touch 165
Configuring Flash URL Redirection for Multicast or Unicast Streaming 168
Configuring Flash Redirection 172
Configuring URL Content Redirection 177
Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video 183
Configuring Scanner Redirection 197
Configuring Serial Port Redirection 202
Managing Access to Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR) 209
Managing Access to Client Drive Redirection 211
15 Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and Applications 213
Limitations Regarding USB Device Types 214
Overview of Setting Up USB Redirection 215
Network Traffic and USB Redirection 216
Automatic Connections to USB Devices 216
Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View Environment 217
Using Log Files for Troubleshooting and to Determine USB Device IDs 219
Using Policies to Control USB Redirection 220
Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems 230
16 Reducing and Managing Storage Requirements 233
Managing Storage with vSphere 233
Reducing Storage Requirements with Instant Clones 239
Reducing Storage Requirements with View Composer 240
Storage Sizing for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 241
Storage Overcommit for View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines 245
View Composer Linked-Clone Data Disks 247
Storing View Composer Linked Clones on Local Datastores 248
Contents
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Storing Replicas and Clones on Separate Datastores for Instant Clones and View Composer Linked
Clones 249
Configure View Storage Accelerator for View Composer Linked Clones 250
Reclaim Disk Space on View Composer Linked Clones 251
Using VAAI Storage for View Composer Linked Clones 253
Set Storage Accelerator and Space Reclamation Blackout Times for View Composer Linked Clones 254
17 Configuring Policies for Desktop and Application Pools 255
Setting Policies in View Administrator 255
Using Smart Policies 257
Using Active Directory Group Policies 263
Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files 264
View ADM and ADMX Template Files 264
Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings 266
PCoIP Policy Settings 271
VMware Blast Policy Settings 282
Using Remote Desktop Services Group Policies 283
Setting Up Location-Based Printing 292
Active Directory Group Policy Example 297
18 Configuring User Profiles with View Persona Management 301
Providing User Personas in View 301
Using View Persona Management with Standalone Systems 302
Migrating User Profiles with View Persona Management 303
Persona Management and Windows Roaming Profiles 306
Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment 306
Best Practices for Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment 315
View Persona Management Group Policy Settings 318
19 Troubleshooting Machines and Desktop Pools 327
Display Problem Machines 327
Send Messages to Desktop Users 328
Problems Provisoning or Recreating a Desktop Pool 328
Troubleshooting Network Connection Problems 339
Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems 342
Manage Machines and Policies for Unentitled Users 344
Resolving Database Inconsistencies with the ViewDbChk Command 344
Further Troubleshooting Information 347
Index 349
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
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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.
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Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
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Introduction to Desktop and
Application Pools 1
With Horizon 7, you can create desktop pools that include thousands of virtual desktops. You can deploy
desktops that run on virtual machines (VMs), physical machines, and Windows Remote Desktop Services
(RDS) hosts. Create one VM as a base image, and Horizon 7 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
n“Advantages of Desktop Pools,” on page 10
n“Desktop Pools for Specific Types of Workers,” on page 11
n“Advantages of Application Pools,” on page 14
Farms, RDS Hosts, and Desktop and Application Pools
You can create desktop and application pools to give users remote access to virtual machine-based desktops,
session-based desktops, physical computers, and applications. You can also choose Microsoft Remote
Desktop Services (RDS), VMware PC-over-IP (PCoIP), or VMware Blast to provide remote access to users.
RDS Hosts
RDS hosts are server computers that have Windows Remote Desktop Services and Horizon Agent installed.
These servers host applications and desktop sessions that users can access remotely. To access RDS desktop
pools or applications, Horizon Client 3.0 or later is required.
Desktop Pools
There are three main 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 third-
party virtual machines. In automated or manual pools, each machine is available for one user to access
remotely at a time. RDS desktop pools are not a collection of 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.
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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
Horizon 7 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:
nA physical system such as a physical desktop PC or an RDS host
nA virtual machine that is hosted on an ESXi host and managed by vCenter Server
nA virtual machine that runs on a virtualization platform other than vCenter Server that supports
Horizon 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:
nSpecify which remote display protocol to use as the default for the remote desktop and whether to let
end users override the default.
nFor View Composer linked-clone virtual machines or full clone virtual machines, specify whether to
power off the virtual machine when it is not in use and whether to delete it altogether. Instant clone
virtual machines are always powered on.
nFor View Composer linked-clone virtual machines, you can 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. Instant clones require a different customization specification, called
ClonePrep, from VMware.
You can also specify how users are assigned desktops in a pool.
Dedicated-assignment
pools
Each user is assigned a particular remote desktop and returns to the same
desktop at each login. Dedicated assignment pools require a one-to-one
desktop-to-user relationship. For example, a pool of 100 desktops are needed
for a group of 100 users.
Floating-assignment
pools
The remote desktop is optionally deleted and re-created after each use,
offering a highly controlled environment.
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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
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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
Also known as nonpersistent desktops, 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 virtual machines and
easier, less expensive disaster recovery and business continuity options.
Stateful desktop images Also known as persistent desktops, 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.
There are two ways to create stateless desktop images in View:
nYou can create floating assignment pools of instant clone virtual machines. Folder redirection and
roaming profiles can optionally be used to store user data.
nYou can use View Composer to create floating assignment pools of linked clone virtual machines.
Folder redirection and roaming profiles can optionally be used to store user data.
There are several ways to create stateful desktop images in View:
nYou can create floating assignment pools of instant clone virtual machines and use App Volumes to
attach user data and user-installed apps. Folder redirection and roaming profile can optionally be used
to store user data.
nYou can use View Composer to create dedicated assignment pools of linked clone virtual machines.
You can configure View Composer persistent disks.
nYou can create full clones or full virtual machines. Some storage vendors have cost-effective storage
solutions for full clones. 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.
Whether you use stateless or stateful desktops depends on the specific type of worker.
Pools for Task Workers
You can standardize on stateless desktop images for task workers so that the image is always in a well-
known, 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:
nCreate an automated pool so that desktops can be created when the pool is created or can be generated
on demand based on pool usage.
nFor instant clone pools, to optimize resource utilization, use on demand provisioning to grow or shrink
the pool based on usage. Be sure to specify enough spare desktops to satisfy the login rate.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Desktop and Application Pools
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nUse 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.
nCreate instant-clone or 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.
nFor View Composer desktop pools, 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.
nFor instant clone desktop pools, View automatically deletes the instant clone whenever a user logs out.
A new instant clone is created and ready for the next user to log in, thus effectively refreshing the
desktop on every log out.
nIf applicable, and if you use View Composer linked-clone pools, consider storing desktops on local ESXi
data stores. 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 View Composer Linked Clones on Local Datastores,” on page 248. Instant clone pools are
not supported on local data stores.
NOTE For information about other types of storage options, see Chapter 16, “Reducing and Managing
Storage Requirements,” on page 233.
nUse 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 dedicated-
assignment 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.
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:
nSome power users and knowledge workers, such as accountants, sales managers, marketing research
analysts, might need to log into the same desktop every time. Create dedicated assignment pools for
them.
nUse the Persona Management feature so that users always have their preferred desktop appearance and
application settings, as with Windows user profiles.
nUse vStorage thin provisioning so that at first, each desktop uses only as much storage space as the disk
needs for its initial operation.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
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nFor power users and knowledge workers who must install their own applications, which adds data to
the operating system disk, there are two options. One option is to create full virtual machine desktops,
and use Mirage to deploy and update applications without overwriting user-installed applications.
The other option is to create a pool of linked clones or instant clones, and use App Volumes to persist
user-installed applications and user data across logins.
nIf knowledge workers do not require user-installed applications except for temporary use, you can
create View Composer linked-clone desktops or instant clone desktops. The desktop images share the
same base image and use less storage space than full virtual machines.
nIf 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.
nIf you use View Composer linked-clone desktops, implement View Persona Management, roaming
profiles, or another profile management solution. You can also 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.
nIf you use instant clone desktops, implement roaming profiles or another profile management solution.
You do not need to configure persistent disks. You can use App Volumes to retain a copy of the user
data and profile.
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.
nCreate an automated pool so that desktops can be created when the pool is created or can be generated
on demand based on pool usage.
nUse floating assignment so that users can access any available desktop in the pool.
nCreate instant-clone or 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.
nIf you are using View Composer linked-clone desktops, institute a refresh policy so that the desktop is
refreshed frequently, such as at every user logoff.
nIf you are using instant clone desktop pools, View automatically deletes the instant clone whenever a
user logs out. A new instant clone is created and ready for the next user to log in, thus effectively
refreshing the desktop on every log out.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Desktop and Application Pools
VMware, Inc. 13
nIf 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 View Composer Linked Clones on
Local Datastores,” on page 248. Instant clone pools are not supported on local data stores.
NOTE For information about other types of storage options, see Chapter 16, “Reducing and Managing
Storage Requirements,” on page 233.
nUse 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 17, “Configuring Policies for Desktop and
Application Pools,” on page 255.
nUse a GPO or Smart Policies to control whether local USB devices are connected to the desktop when
the desktop is launched or when USB devices are plugged in to the client computer.
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:
nAccessibility
Users can access applications from anywhere on the network. You can also configure secure network
access.
nDevice 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.
nAccess control
You can easily and quickly grant or remove access to applications for one user or a group of users.
nAccelerated 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.
nManageability
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.
nSecurity 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.
nReduced cost
Depending on software license agreements, hosting applications in a data center can be more cost-
effective. Other factors, including accelerated deployment and improved manageability, can also reduce
the cost of software in an enterprise.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
14 VMware, Inc.
Preparing Unmanaged Machines 2
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 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 95.
For information about preparing Linux virtual machines for remote desktop deployment, see the Setting Up
Horizon 7 for Linux Desktops guide.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Prepare an Unmanaged Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 15
n“Install Horizon Agent on an Unmanaged Machine,” on page 16
Prepare an Unmanaged Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment
You must perform certain tasks to prepare an unmanaged machine for remote desktop deployment.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you have administrative rights on the unmanaged machine.
nTo 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.
2 Join the unmanaged machine to the Active Directory domain for your remote desktops.
3 Configure the Windows firewall to allow Remote Desktop connections to the unmanaged machine.
What to do next
Install Horizon Agent on the unmanaged machine. See “Install Horizon Agent on an Unmanaged Machine,”
on page 16.
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Install Horizon Agent on an Unmanaged Machine
You must install Horizon Agent on an all unmanaged machines. View cannot manage an unmanaged
machine unless Horizon Agent is installed.
To install Horizon Agent on multiple Windows physical computers without having to respond to wizard
prompts, you can install Horizon Agent silently. See “Install Horizon Agent Silently,” on page 30.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you have administrative rights on the unmanaged machine.
nTo 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.
nFamiliarize yourself with the Horizon Agent custom setup options for unmanaged machines. See
“Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options for Unmanaged Machines,” on page 17.
nFamiliarize yourself with the TCP ports that the Horizon Agent installation program opens on the
firewall. See the View Architecture Planning document for more information.
nIf 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.
nDownload the Horizon Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
Procedure
1 To start the Horizon 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.y-
xxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.
2 Accept the VMware license terms.
3 Select the Internet Protocol (IP) version, IPv4 or IPv6.
You must install all View components with the same IP version.
4 Select whether to enable or disable FIPS mode.
This option is available only if FIPS mode is enabled in Windows.
5 Select your custom setup options.
6 Accept or change the destination folder.
7 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
16 VMware, Inc.
8 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.
9 Follow the prompts in the Horizon Agent installation program and finish the installation.
10 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.
The VMware Horizon Horizon 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 89.
Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options for Unmanaged Machines
When you install Horizon Agent on an unmanaged machine, you can select or deselect certain custom setup
options. In addition, Horizon Agent installs certain features automatically on all guest operating systems on
which they are supported. These features are not optional.
To change custom setup options after you install the latest Horizon Agent version, you must uninstall and
reinstall Horizon Agent. For patches and upgrades, you can run the new Horizon Agent installer and select
a new set of options without uninstalling the previous version.
Table 2‑1. Horizon 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.
Client Drive Redirection Allows Horizon Client users to share local drives with their
remote desktops.
After this setup option is installed, no further configuration
is required on the remote desktop.
Client Drive Redirection is also supported on VDI desktops
that run on managed, single-user virtual machines and on
RDS desktops and applications.
Chapter 2 Preparing Unmanaged Machines
VMware, Inc. 17
Table 2‑1. Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options for Unmanaged Machines in an IPv4 Environment
(Optional) (Continued)
Option Description
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.
Smartcard Redirection Lets users authenticate with smart cards when they use the
PCoIP or Blast Extreme display protocol.
Smartcard Redirection 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 Smartcard Redirection.
Table 2‑2. Horizon 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
18 VMware, Inc.
Creating and Preparing a Parent
Virtual Machine for Cloning 3
You can create a pool of desktop machines by cloning a vCenter Server virtual machine (VM). Before you
create the desktop pool, you need to prepare and configure this VM, which will be the parent of the clones.
For information about preparing machines that are used as Remote Desktop Services (RDS) hosts, see
Chapter 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 95.
For information about preparing Linux VMs for remote desktop deployment, see the Setting Up Horizon 7 for
Linux Desktops guide.
NOTE
nStarting with version 7.0, View Agent is renamed Horizon Agent and View Administrator is renamed
Horizon Administrator.
nVMware Blast, the display protocol that is available starting with Horizon 7.0, is also known as
VMware Blast Extreme.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Creating a Virtual Machine for Cloning,” on page 19
n“Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 26
n“Install Horizon Agent Silently,” on page 30
n“Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for Horizon Agent,” on page 36
n“Optimize Guest Operating System Performance,” on page 37
n“Disable the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program,” on page 38
n“Optimizing Windows for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on
page 39
n“Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine,” on page 45
n“Creating Virtual Machine Templates,” on page 49
n“Creating Customization Specifications,” on page 50
Creating a Virtual Machine for Cloning
The first step in the process of deploying a pool of cloned desktops is to create a virtual machine in vSphere,
install and configure the operating system.
1Create a Virtual Machine in vSphere on page 20
You can create a virtual machine in vSphere from scratch or by cloning an existing VM. This
procedure describes creating a VM from scratch.
VMware, Inc. 19
2Install a Guest Operating System on page 22
After you create a virtual machine, you must install a guest operating system.
3Prepare 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.
4Prepare 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
Horizon Agent in the virtual machine. You must also configure View Administrator to treat Windows
Servers as supported operating systems for View desktop use.
5Install 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.
6Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 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.
7Configure the Windows Firewall Service to Restart After Failures on page 26
Some Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 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 in vSphere
You can create a virtual machine in vSphere from scratch or by cloning an existing VM. This procedure
describes creating a VM from scratch.
Prerequisites
nFamiliarize yourself with the custom configuration parameters for virtual machines. See “Virtual
Machine Custom Configuration Parameters,” on page 21.
Procedure
1 Log in to vSphere Client.
2 Select File > New > Virtual Machine to start the New Virtual Machine wizard.
3 Select Custom and configure custom configuration parameters.
4 Select Edit the virtual machine settings before completion and click Continue to configure hardware
settings.
a Add a CD/DVD drive, set the media type to use an ISO image file, select the ISO image file of an
appropriate operating system, and select Connect at power on.
b Set Power-on Boot Delay to 10,000 milliseconds.
5 Click Finish to create the virtual machine.
What to do next
Install the operating system.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
20 VMware, Inc.
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.
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 Horizon Agent on a virtual machine that has more than one
NIC, you must configure the subnet that Horizon Agent uses. See “Configure a
Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for Horizon Agent,” on page 36 for more
information.
IMPORTANT For Windows 7, Windows 8.*, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2,
and Windows Server 2012 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:
nFor Windows 7 SP1: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2550978
Install the hotfix before installing Horizon Agent. When installing the hotfix,
if you encounter Windows Update error 0x80070424, see
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/968002.
Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning
VMware, Inc. 21
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
nVerify that an ISO image file of the guest operating system is on a datastore on your ESXi server.
nVerify 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.
2 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.
3 Click the Console tab and follow the installation instructions provided by the operating system vendor.
4 Activate Windows.
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
nCreate a virtual machine and install a guest operating system.
nConfigure an Active Directory domain controller for your remote desktops. See the View Installation
document for more information.
nTo 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
22 VMware, Inc.
nVerify that Remote Desktop Services are started on the virtual machine. Remote Desktop Services are
required for Horizon 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 156.
nVerify that you have administrative rights on the guest operating system.
nOn Windows Server operating systems, prepare the operating system for desktop use. See “Prepare
Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use,” on page 24.
nIf 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.
2 Right-click the virtual machine, select Power, and select Power On to start the virtual machine.
3 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 Horizon Agent. Virtual
printing is not supported if you install it with VMware Tools.
4 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.
5 Install service packs and updates.
6 Install antivirus software.
7 Install other applications and software, such as smart card drivers if you are using smart card
authentication.
If you plan to use VMware Identity Manager to offer a catalog that includes ThinApp applications, you
must install VMware Identity Manager for Windows.
IMPORTANT If you are installing Microsoft .NET Framework, you must install it after you install
Horizon Agent.
8 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.
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VMware, Inc. 23
9 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.
10 If a proxy server is used in your network environment, configure network proxy settings.
11 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 Set the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses to your Active Directory server address.
12 (Optional) Join the virtual machine to the Active Directory domain for your remote desktops.
A parent virtual machine for creating instant clones or View Composer linked clones must either
belong to the same Active Directory domain as the domain that the desktop machines will join or be a
member of a workgroup.
13 Configure Windows Firewall to allow Remote Desktop connections to the virtual machine.
14 (Optional) Disable Hot Plug PCI devices.
This step prevents users from accidentally disconnecting the virtual network device (vNIC) from the
virtual machine.
15 (Optional) Configure user customization scripts.
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 Horizon Agent in
the virtual machine. You must also configure View Administrator to treat Windows Servers as supported
operating systems for View desktop use.
Prerequisites
nFamiliarize 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 25
nOn 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 Horizon Agent installer prompts you to
confirm that you want to install Horizon Agent in desktop mode. If the Remote Desktop Services role is
present, the Horizon 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.
2 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
Horizon Agent.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
24 VMware, Inc.
3 (Optional) Install the Desktop Experience feature if you plan to use the following features.
nHTML Access
nScanner redirection
nWindows Aero
4 (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.
5 On Windows Server 2012 R2 machines, configure the Windows Firewall service to restart after failures
occur.
6 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.
b In the General pane, click Edit.
c 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 Horizon 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 Log in as an administrator.
2 Start Server Manager.
3 Click Features.
4 Click Add Features.
5 On the Select Features page, select the Desktop Experience checkbox.
6 Review the information about other features that are required by the Desktop Experience feature, and
click Add Required Features.
7 Follow the prompts and finish the installation.
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.
Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning
VMware, Inc. 25
Procedure
1 Log in as an administrator.
2 Start Server Manager.
3 Select Add roles and features.
4 On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation.
5 On the Select Destination Server page, select a server.
6 On the Select Server Roles page, accept the default selection and click Next.
7 On the Select Features page, under User Interfaces and Infrastructure, select Desktop Experience.
8 Follow the prompts and finish the installation.
Configure the Windows Firewall Service to Restart After Failures
Some Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 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, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 machines. Other guest
operating systems are not affected.
Procedure
1 On the Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 parent or template virtual machine from
which you will deploy a desktop pool, select Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
2 In the Services dialog box, right-click the Windows Firewall service and select Properties.
3 In the Windows Firewall Properties dialog box, click the Recovery tab.
4 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
5 Select the Enable actions for stops with errors check box and click OK.
6 Deploy or redeploy the desktop pool from the parent or template virtual machine.
Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine
You must install Horizon Agent on virtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server so that Connection
Server can communicate with them. Install Horizon Agent on all virtual machines that you use as templates
for full-clone desktop pools, parents for linked-clone desktop pools, parents for instant-clone desktop pools,
and machines in manual desktop pools.
To install Horizon Agent on multiple Windows virtual machines without having to respond to wizard
prompts, you can install Horizon Agent silently. See “Install Horizon Agent Silently,” on page 30.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
26 VMware, Inc.
The Horizon Agent software cannot coexist on the same virtual or physical machine with any other Horizon
software component, including security server, Connection Server, View Composer, or Horizon Client.
Prerequisites
nPrepare the guest operating system for remote desktop deployment. See “Prepare a Guest Operating
System for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 22.
nTo 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.
nIf 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.
nDownload the Horizon Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
nVerify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine.
nFamiliarize yourself with the Horizon Agent custom setup options. See “Horizon Agent Custom Setup
Options,” on page 28.
nFamiliarize yourself with the TCP ports that the Horizon Agent installation program opens on the
firewall. See the View Architecture Planning document for more information.
Procedure
1 To start the Horizon 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.y-
xxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.
2 Accept the VMware license terms.
3 If you install Horizon Agent on a Windows Server machine on which the Remote Desktop Services
(RDS) role is not installed, select Install VMware Horizon 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 Horizon Agent
installation, install the RDS role on the machine, and restart the Horizon Agent installation.
4 Select the Internet Protocol (IP) version, IPv4 or IPv6.
You must install all View components with the same IP version.
5 Select whether to enable or disable FIPS mode.
This option is available only if FIPS mode is enabled in Windows.
6 Select your custom setup options.
To deploy View Composer linked-clone desktops, select the VMware Horizon View Composer Agent
option. To deploy instant-clone desktops, select the VMware Horizon Instant Clone Agent option. You
cannot select both of these options.
7 Accept or change the destination folder.
8 Follow the prompts in the Horizon Agent installation program and finish the installation.
NOTE If you did not enable Remote Desktop support during guest operating system preparation, the
Horizon Agent installation program prompts you to enable it. If you do not enable Remote Desktop
support during Horizon Agent installation, you must enable it manually after the installation is
finished.
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VMware, Inc. 27
9 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.
What to do next
If the virtual machine has multiple NICs, configure the subnet that Horizon Agent uses. See “Configure a
Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for Horizon Agent,” on page 36.
Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options
When you install Horizon Agent on a virtual machine, you can select or deselect custom setup options. In
addition, Horizon 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
Horizon Agent" in the View Architecture Planning document.
To change custom setup options after you install the latest Horizon Agent version, you must uninstall and
reinstall Horizon Agent. For patches and upgrades, you can run the new Horizon Agent installer and select
a new set of options without uninstalling the previous version.
All custom setup options are selected by default except Serial Port Redirection, Scanner Redirection, USB
Redirection, Flash Redirection, Smartcard Redirection, and VMware Horizon Instant Clone Agent.
Table 3‑2. Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options in an IPv4 Environment
Option Description
Core Installs the core functionality.
Serial Port Redirection Redirects serial COM ports that are connected to the client system so that they can be used on
the remote desktop.
This option is not selected by default. You must select the option to install it.
Serial port redirection is supported on remote desktops that are deployed on single-user
machines.
Serial port redirection is available in Horizon 6 version 6.1.1 and later releases.
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 option is not selected by default. You must select the option to install it.
Scanner redirection is available in Horizon 6.0.2 and later releases.
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 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.
VMware Horizon View
Composer Agent
Lets this virtual machine be the parent VM of a View Composer linked-clone desktop pool. If
you select this option, you cannot select the VMware Horizon Instant Clone Agent option.
VMware Horizon Instant
Clone Agent
Lets this virtual machine be the parent VM of an instant-clone desktop pool. This option is
not selected by default. If you select this option, you cannot select the VMware Horizon
View Composer Agent option.
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.
Client Drive Redirection Allows Horizon Client users to share local drives with their remote desktops.
After this option is installed, no further configuration is required on the remote desktop.
Client Drive Redirection is also supported on RDS desktops and applications and on VDI
desktops that run on unmanaged machines.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
28 VMware, Inc.
Table 3‑2. Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options 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:
nDesktops that are deployed on single-user machines, including Windows Desktop and
Windows Server machines
nDesktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the RDS hosts are virtual machines
nHosted Apps
nHosted 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 Horizon 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.
Smartcard Redirection Lets users authenticate with smart cards when they use the PCoIP or Blast Extreme display
protocol. This option is not selected by default.
Smartcard Redirection is supported on remote desktops that are deployed on single-user
machines.
VMware Audio Provides a virtual audio driver on the remote desktop.
Flash Redirection
(experimental)
Redirects Flash multimedia content in an Internet Explorer 9, 10, or 11 browser to the client,
for performance optimization. This is a Tech Preview feature.
This option is not selected by default. You must select the option to install it.
Flash Redirection is available in Horizon 7.0 and later releases.
In an IPv6 environment, the only optional features are VMware Horizon View Composer Agent, VMware
Horizon Instant Clone Agent, and VMware Audio.
Table 3‑3. Horizon 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 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.
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Table 3‑3. Horizon Agent Features That Are Installed Automatically (Not Optional) (Continued)
Feature Description
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.
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 Horizon Agent Silently
You can use the silent installation feature of the Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) to install Horizon 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
nPrepare the guest operating system for desktop deployment. See “Prepare a Guest Operating System
for Remote Desktop Deployment,” on page 22.
nTo 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.
nIf 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.
nDownload the Horizon 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.y-
xxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.
nVerify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine or physical PC.
nFamiliarize yourself with the Horizon Agent custom setup options. See “Horizon Agent Custom Setup
Options,” on page 28.
nFamiliarize yourself with the MSI installer command-line options. See “Microsoft Windows Installer
Command-Line Options,” on page 31.
nFamiliarize yourself with the silent installation properties available with Horizon Agent. See “Silent
Installation Properties for Horizon Agent,” on page 33.
nFamiliarize yourself with the TCP ports that the Horizon Agent installation program opens on the
firewall. See the View Architecture Planning document for more information.
nVerify that the latest Windows Update patches are installed on the guest operating systems on which
you plan to install Horizon 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
30 VMware, Inc.
Procedure
1 Open a Windows command prompt on the virtual machine or physical PC.
2 Type the installation command on one line.
The following example installs Horizon Agent in a virtual machine that is managed by vCenter Server.
In addition, the installer installs the VMware Blast, PCoIP, View Composer Agent, Virtual Printing,
USB redirection, and Real-Time Audio-Video components.
VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=1
ADDLOCAL=Core,BlastProtocol,PCoIP,SVIAgent,ThinPrint,USB,RTAV"
The following example installs Horizon Agent on an unmanaged computer and registers the desktop
with the specified View Connection Server, cs1.companydomain.com. In addition, the installer installs the
VMware Blast, PCoIP, Virtual Printing, and USB redirection components.
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,BlastProtocol,PCoIP,ThinPrint,USB"
If you install Horizon 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.
What to do next
If the virtual machine has multiple NICs, configure the subnet that Horizon Agent uses. See “Configure a
Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for Horizon Agent,” on page 36.
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.
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Table 3‑4. Command-Line Options for a View Component's Bootstrap Program
Option Description
/s 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.y-
xxxxxx.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 Horizon 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
32 VMware, Inc.
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 non-optional
features.
Type ADDLOCAL=ALL to install all custom setup options that can be installed during an interactive
installation, including those that are installed by default and those that you must select to install,
except NGVC. NGVC and SVIAgent are mutually exclusive. To install NGVC, you must specify it
explicitly.
The following example installs Core, BlastProtocol, PCoIP, UnityTouch, VmVideo, PSG, and all
features that are supported on the guest operating system: VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-
xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn ADDLOCAL=ALL"
If you do not use the ADDLOCAL property, the custom setup options that are installed by default
and the automatically installed features are installed. Custom setup options that are off
(unselected) by default are not installed.
The following example installs Core, BlastProtocol, PCoIP, UnityTouch, VmVideo, PSG, and the
on-by-default custom setup options that are supported on the guest operating system: VMware-
viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn"
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....
You must include Core when you use the ADDLOCAL=value,value,value... property.
The following example installs Horizon Agent with the Core, BlastProtocol, PCoIP, UnityTouch,
Instant Clone Agent, and Virtual Printing features:
VMware-viewagent-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn
ADDLOCAL=Core,BlastProtocol,PCoIP,UnityTouch,NGVC,ThinPrint"
The preceding example does not install other components, even those that are installed by default
interactively.
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 Horizon Agent
You can include specific properties when you silently install Horizon 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 Horizon Agent silent installation properties that you can use at the command-line.
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Table 3‑6. MSI Properties for Silently Installing Horizon Agent
MSI Property Description Default Value
INSTALLDIR The path and folder in which the Horizon Agent software is
installed.
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.
%ProgramFiles
%\VMware\VMware
View\Agent
RDP_CHOICE 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.
1
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 166.
This MSI property is optional.
URL_FILTERING_ENABLED Specifies whether the URL Content Redirection feature is installed.
A value of 1 installs the feature. You must then use group policy
settings to configure which URLs to redirect. See “Configuring
URL Content Redirection,” on page 177.
This MSI property is optional.
0
VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT Determines whether vCenter Server manages the virtual machine
on which Horizon 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 Horizon Agent installer registers an
unmanaged desktop. This property applies to unmanaged
desktops only.
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.
None
VDM_SERVER_USERNAME The user name of the administrator on the View Connection Server
computer. This MSI property applies to unmanaged desktops only.
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.
None
VDM_SERVER_PASSWORD The View Connection Server administrator user password.
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.
None
VDM_IP_PROTOCOL_USAGE Specifies the IP version that Horizon Agent uses. The possible
values are IPv4 and IPv6.
IPv4
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
34 VMware, Inc.
Table 3‑6. MSI Properties for Silently Installing Horizon Agent (Continued)
MSI Property Description Default Value
VDM_FIPS_ENABLED Specifies whether to enable or disable FIPS mode. A value of 1
enables FIPS mode. A value of 0 disables FIPS mode. If this
property is set to 1 and Windows is not in FIPS mode, the installer
will abort.
0
VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION Determines whether Horizon Agent can install the Flash URL
redirection feature. Specify 1 to enable installation or 0 to disable
installation.
This MSI property is optional.
0
In a silent installation command, you can use the MSI property, ADDLOCAL=, to specify options that the
Horizon Agent installer configures.
Table 3-7 shows the Horizon 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 “Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options,” on page 28.
When you do not use the ADDLOCAL property at the command line, Horizon Agent installs all options that
are installed by default during an interactive installation, if they are supported on the guest operating
system. When you use ADDLOCAL=ALL, Horizon Agent installs all of the following options, both on-by-
default and off-by-default, if they are supported on the guest operating system, except NGVC. NGVC and
SVIAgent are mutually exclusive. To install NGVC, you must specify it explicitly. For details, see the
ADDLOCAL table entry in “Microsoft Windows Installer Command-Line Options,” on page 31.
Table 3‑7. Horizon Agent Silent Installation Options and Interactive Custom Setup Options
Silent Installation
Option
Custom Setup Option in an Interactive
Installation
Installed by Default Interactively or When
ADDLOCAL Is Not Used
Core Core Yes
USB USB Redirection No
SVIAgent View Composer Agent Yes
NGVC Instant Clone Agent No
RTAV Real-Time Audio-Video Yes
ClientDriveRedirection Client Drive Redirection Yes
SerialPortRedirection Serial Port Redirection No
ScannerRedirection Scanner Redirection No
FlashURLRedirection Flash URL Redirection
This feature is hidden unless you use the
VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION=1 property
on the command line.
No
ThinPrint Virtual Printing Yes
V4V vRealize Operations Desktop Agent Yes
VPA View Persona Management Yes
SmartCard PCoIP Smartcard. This feature is not installed
by default in an interactive installation.
No
VmwVaudio VMware Audio (virtual audio driver) Yes
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Table 3‑7. Horizon Agent Silent Installation Options and Interactive Custom Setup Options (Continued)
Silent Installation
Option
Custom Setup Option in an Interactive
Installation
Installed by Default Interactively or When
ADDLOCAL Is Not Used
TSMMR Windows Media Multimedia Redirection
(MMR)
Yes
RDP This feature enables RDP in the registry if
you use the RDP_CHOICE=1 property on the
command line or select RDP as the default
display protocol when you create or edit a
desktop pool in View Administrator.
This feature is hidden during interactive
installations.
Yes
If you use ADDLOCAL to specify features individually, that is, you do not specify ADDLOCAL=ALL, you must
specify the following features explicitly. You must always specify Core.
Silent Installation Feature Description
Core The core Horizon Agent functions.
BlastProtocol VMware Blast
PCoIP PCoIP Protocol Agent
VmVideo Virtual video driver
UnityTouch Unity Touch
PSG This features sets a registry entry that tells Connection Server whether
Horizon Agent is using IPv4 or IPv6.
You install the Flash URL Redirection feature by using the VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION=1 property 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
VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION=1
ADDLOCAL=Core,BlastProtocol,PCoIP,SVIAgent,ThinPrint,USB,FlashURLRedirection,RTAV"
Configure a Virtual Machine with Multiple NICs for Horizon Agent
When you install Horizon Agent on a virtual machine that has more than one NIC, you must configure the
subnet that Horizon Agent uses. The subnet determines which network address Horizon Agent provides to
the Connection Server instance for client protocol connections.
Procedure
uOn the virtual machine on which Horizon 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
36 VMware, Inc.
Optimize Guest Operating System Performance
You can perform certain steps to optimize guest operating system performance for remote desktop
deployment. 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
nPrepare a guest operating system for remote desktop deployment.
nFamiliarize yourself with the procedure for disabling the Windows Customer Experience Improvement
Program. See “Disable the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program,” on page 38.
Procedure
nDisable any unused ports, such as COM1, COM2, and LPT.
nAdjust display properties.
a Choose a basic theme.
b Set the background to a solid color.
c Set the screen saver to None.
d Verify that hardware acceleration is enabled.
nSelect a high-performance power option and do not specify a sleep timer.
nDisable the Indexing Service component.
NOTE Indexing improves searches by cataloging files. Do not disable this feature for users who search
often.
nRemove or minimize System Restore points.
nTurn off system protection on C:\.
nDisable any unnecessary services.
nSet the sound scheme to No Sounds.
nSet visual effects to Adjust for best performance.
nOpen Windows Media Player and use the default settings.
nTurn off automatic computer maintenance.
nAdjust performance settings for best performance.
nDelete any hidden uninstall folders in C:\Windows, such $NtUninstallKB893756$.
nDelete all event logs.
nRun Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files, empty the Recycle Bin, and remove system files and other
items that are no longer needed.
nRun Disk Defragmenter to rearrange fragmented data.
nUninstall Tablet PC Components, unless this feature is needed.
nDisable IPv6, unless it is needed.
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nUse 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
nStart the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and change the TimeOutValue REG_DWORD in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Disk to 0x000000be(190).
nTurn off the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program and disable related tasks from the
Task Scheduler.
nRestart Windows after you make the above changes.
What to do next
See “Optimizing Windows for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on
page 39 for information on disabling certain Windows services and tasks to reduce the growth of instant
clones and View Composer linked clones. 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, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 10 system performance in
large desktop pools.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Procedure
1 In the Windows 7 or Windows 8 guest operating system, start the control panel and click Action Center
> Change Action Center settings.
2 Click Customer Experience Improvement Program settings.
3 Select No, I don't want to participate in the program and click Save changes.
4 Start the control panel and click Administrative Tools > Task Scheduler.
5 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.
6 Disable the AITAgent, ProgramDataUpdater, and if available, Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser
tasks.
7 In the Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows node, open the Customer Experience
Improvement Program folder.
8 Disable the Consolidator, KernelCEIPTask, and UsbCEIP tasks.
9 In the Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows node, open the Autochk folder.
10 Disable the Proxy task.
What to do next
Perform other Windows optimization tasks. See “Optimize Guest Operating System Performance,” on
page 37.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
38 VMware, Inc.
Optimizing Windows for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-
Clone Virtual Machines
By disabling certain Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 10 services and tasks, you can reduce the
growth in disk usage of instant clones and View Composer linked clones. Disabling certain services and
tasks can also result in performance benefits for full virtual machines.
Benefits of Disabling Windows Services and Tasks
Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 10 schedule services and tasks that can cause instant clones and
View Composer linked clones to grow, even when the machines are idle. The incremental growth of the OS
disk can undo the storage savings that you achieve when you first create the clones. You can reduce growth
in disk size by disabling these Windows services.
Windows guest operating systems schedule services such as disk defragmentation to run by default. These
services run in the background if you do not disable them.
Services that affect OS disk growth also generate input/output operations. Disabling these services can
reduce IOPS (input/output operations per second) and improve performance for any type of desktop
machines.
These best practices for optimizing Windows 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 for instant clones because the OS is refreshed
each time a user logs off, and for View Composer linked clones if you refresh or recompose regularly.
Windows Services and Tasks That Cause Disk Growth in Instant Clones and
Linked Clones
Certain services and tasks in Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, and Windows 10 can cause the OS disk of an
instant clone or a View Composer linked clone to grow incrementally, even when the machine is idle. If you
disable these services and tasks, you can control the OS disk growth.
Services that affect OS disk growth also generate I/O operations. You can evaluate the benefits of disabling
these services for full clones as well.
Before you disable the Windows services that are shown in Table 3-8, verify that you took the optimization
steps in “Optimize Guest Operating System Performance,” on page 37.
Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning
VMware, Inc. 39
Table 3‑8. Impact of Windows Services and Tasks on OS Disk Growth and IOPS
Service or Task Description
Default
Occurrence or
Startup
Impact on OS
Disk Impact on IOPS
Turn Off This
Service or Task?
Windows
Hibernation
Provides a power-
saving 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 power-
plan 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 47.
Windows
Scheduled Disk
Defragmentation
Disk
defragmentation is
scheduled as a
background
process.
Once a week High.
Repeated
defragmentation
operations can
increase the size of
the OS disk by
several GB and do
little to make disk
access more
efficient .
High Yes
Windows Update
Service
Detects,
downloads, and
installs updates for
Windows and
other programs.
Automatic startup Medium to high.
Causes frequent
writes to the OS
disk because
update checks
occur often. The
impact depends on
the updates that
are downloaded.
Medium to high Yes, for instant
clones, and for View
Composer linked
clones that you
refresh or
recompose
regularly.
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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
40 VMware, Inc.
Table 3‑8. Impact of Windows Services and Tasks on OS Disk Growth and IOPS (Continued)
Service or Task Description
Default
Occurrence or
Startup
Impact on OS
Disk Impact on IOPS
Turn Off This
Service or Task?
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. Both instant
clones and View
Composer linked
clones let you revert
to a snapshot and
achieve the goal of
restoring the
registry.
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.
No major impact. Yes. Both instant
clones and View
Composer linked
clones let you revert
to a healthy state.
Windows Defender Provides anti-
spyware 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 anti-
spyware 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 a Windows Parent Virtual Machine
When you prepare a parent virtual machine for instant clones or View Composer linked clones, it is
recommended that you disable scheduled defragmentation. Windows schedule weekly disk
defragmentations by default. Defragmentation significantly increase the size of a clone's virtual disk and
does not make disk access more efficient for instant clones or View Composer linked clones.
The clones share the parent virtual machine's OS disk but each clone maintains changes to the file system in
its own virtual disk. Any activity, including defragmentation, will increase the size of each clone's
individual virtual disk and therefore increase storage consumption. As a best practice, defragment the
parent virtual machine before you take a snapshot and create the pool.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Chapter 3 Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning
VMware, Inc. 41
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start and type defrag in the Search programs and files box.
4 In the Programs pane, click Disk Defragmenter.
5 In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click Defragment disk.
The Disk Defragmenter consolidates defragmented files on the virtual machine's hard disk.
6 In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click Configure schedule.
7 Deselect Run on a schedule (recommended) and click OK.
Disable Windows Update
Disabling the Windows Update feature avoids some I/O operations to the file system and can reduce the
growth of an instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
Evaluate the needs of your environment before disabling Windows Update. If you disable this feature, you
can manually download the updates to the parent virtual machine and then use the push-image operation
for instant clones or recompose for View Composer linked clones to apply the updates to all the clones.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Turn automatic updating on or off.
4 In the Important updates menu, select Never check for updates.
5 Deselect Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.
6 Deselect Allow all users to install updates on this computer and click OK.
Disable the Diagnostic Policy Service on Windows Virtual Machines
Disabling the Windows Diagnostic Policy Service avoids some I/O operations to the file system and can
reduce the growth of an instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
Do no disable the Windows Diagnostic Policy Service if your users require the diagnostic tools on their
desktops.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.
4 Select Services and click Open.
5 Double-click Diagnostic Policy Service.
6 In the Diagnostic Policy Service Properties (Local Computer) dialog, click Stop.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
42 VMware, Inc.
7 In the Startup type menu, select Disabled.
8 Click OK.
Disable the Prefetch and Superfetch Features on Windows Virtual Machines
Disabling the Windows avoids some I/O operations to the file system and can reduce the growth of an
instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
To disable the prefetch and superfetch features, you must edit a Windows registry key and disable the
Prefetch service on the virtual machine.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Prerequisites
See the Microsoft TechNet Web site for information on how to use the Windows Registry Editor.
Procedure
1 Start the Windows Registry Editor on the local Windows virtual machine.
2 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.
3 Set the EnablePrefetcher and EnableSuperfetch values to 0.
4 Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.
5 Select Services and click Open.
6 Double-click the Superfetch service.
7 In the Superfetch Properties (Local Computer) dialog, click Stop.
8 In the Startup type menu, select Disabled.
9 Click OK.
Disable Windows Registry Backup on Windows Virtual Machines
Disabling the Windows registry backup feature, RegIdleBackup, avoids some I/O operations to the file
system and can reduce the growth of an instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.
4 Select Task Scheduler and click Open.
5 In the left pane, expand Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, Windows.
6 Double-click Registry and select RegIdleBackup.
7 In the Actions pane, click Disable.
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Disable the System Restore on Windows Virtual Machines
Disabling the Windows System Restore feature avoids some I/O operations to the file system and can reduce
the growth of an instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
With System Restore, you can revert a machine's state to a previous point in time. You can achieve the same
result with the push image operation for instant clones and the recompose or refresh operation for View
Composer linked clones. Furthermore, with instant clones, when a user logs off, the machine is recreated,
making a system restore unnecessary
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.
4 Select Task Scheduler and click Open.
5 In the left pane, expand Task Scheduler Library, Microsoft, Windows.
6 Double-click SystemRestore and select SR.
7 In the Actions pane, click Disable.
Disable Windows Defender on Windows Virtual Machines
Disabling Windows Defender avoids some I/O operations to the file system and can reduce the growth of an
instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
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.
The following steps apply to Windows 7 and Windows 8. The steps might vary on different Windows
operating systems.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start and type Windows Defender in the Search programs and files box.
4 Click Tools > Options > Administrator.
5 Deselect Use this program and click Save.
Disable Microsoft Feeds Synchronization on Windows Virtual Machines
Windows Internet Explorer uses the Microsoft Feeds Synchronization task to update RSS feeds in users'
Web browsers. Disabling this task avoids some I/O operations to the file system and can reduce the growth
of an instant clone's or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
44 VMware, Inc.
4 Click the Content tab.
5 Under Feeds and Web Slices, click Settings.
6 Deselect Automatically check feeds and Web Slices for updates and click OK.
7 In the Internet Properties dialog, click OK.
Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine
To deploy an instant-clone or a View Composer linked-clone desktop pool, you must first prepare a parent
virtual machine.
nConfigure a Parent Virtual Machine on page 45
After creating a virtual machine that you plan to use as a parent, configure the Windows environment.
nActivating Windows on Instant Clones and View Composer Linked Clones on page 47
To make sure that Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server clones are properly
activated when the clones are created, you must use Microsoft volume activation on the parent virtual
machine. The volume-activation technology requires a volume license key.
nDisable Windows Hibernation in the Parent Virtual Machine on page 47
The Windows hibernation feature creates a hidden system file, Hiberfil.sys and uses this file to store
information that is needed for hybrid sleep. Disabling hibernation reduces the size of an instant clone's
or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
nConfigure Local Storage for View Composer Linked Clones on page 48
For a View Composer linked-clone desktop pool, you can configure the parent virtual machine to store
virtual-machine swap files on a local datastore. The linked clones' swap files will reside on local
storage. This feature is not available to instant clones.
nRecord the Paging File Size of a View Composer Parent Virtual Machine on page 48
When you create a View Composer linked-clone desktop pool, you can redirect the clones' paging and
temp files to a separate disk. You must configure this disk to be larger than the size of the paging file
on the parent virtual machine.
nIncrease the Timeout Limit for ClonePrep and QuickPrep Customization Scripts on page 49
ClonePrep and QuickPrep post-synchronization or power-off scripts have a timeout limit of 20
seconds. You can increase this limit by changing the ExecScriptTimeout Windows registry value on
the parent virtual machine.
Configure a Parent Virtual Machine
After creating a virtual machine that you plan to use as a parent, configure the Windows environment.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you prepared a virtual machine to use for deploying remote desktops. See “Creating a
Virtual Machine for Cloning,” on page 19.
The parent virtual machine can either belong to the same Active Directory domain as the domain that
the desktop machines will join or be a member of a workgroup.
nVerify that the virtual machine was not converted from an instant clone or a View Composer linked
clone.
IMPORTANT You also cannot use an instant clone or a View Composer linked clones as a parent virtual
machine.
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nWhen you install Horizon Agent on the parent virtual machine, select the VMware Horizon Instant
Clone Agent option for instant clones or the VMware Horizon View Composer Agent option. See
“Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 26.
To update Horizon 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 push
image or the recompose operation to update Horizon Agent.
NOTE For View Composer linked clones, 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 will not start.
nTo deploy Windows machines, configure a volume license key and activate the parent virtual machine's
operating system with volume activation. See “Activating Windows on Instant Clones and View
Composer Linked Clones,” on page 47.
nVerify that you followed the best practices for optimizing the operating system. See “Optimizing
Windows for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 39.
nFamiliarize 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
nRemove 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.
b Type the ipconfig /release command.
nVerify that the system disk contains a single volume.
You cannot deploy linked clones from a parent virtual machine that contains more than one volume.
Multiple virtual disks are supported.
NOTE For View Composer linked clones, 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 network-mounted drive.
nVerify that the virtual machine does not contain an independent disk.
An independent disk is excluded when you take a snapshot of the virtual machine. Clones are based on
a snapshot and therefore will not contain the independent disk.
nFor View Composer linked clones, 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.
nDisable the hibernation option to reduce the size of each clone's virtual disk.
nBefore you take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine, disable searching Windows Update for device
drivers.
This Windows feature can interfere with the customization process. As each clone is customized,
Windows might search for the best drivers on the Internet for that clone, resulting in delays.
nIn vSphere Client, disable the vApp Options setting on the parent virtual machine.
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46 VMware, Inc.
nOn 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\Pre-
staged app cleanup"
For example, in the case of View Composer linked clones, 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.
What to do next
Use vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client to take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine in its powered-
down state. This snapshot is provides the base image for the clones.
IMPORTANT Before you take a snapshot, shut down the parent virtual machine.
Activating Windows on Instant Clones and View Composer Linked Clones
To make sure that Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server clones are properly
activated when the clones are created, you must use Microsoft volume activation on the parent virtual
machine. The volume-activation technology requires a volume license key.
To activate Windows 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 Multiple Activation Key (MAK) licensing is not supported.
Before you create an instant-clone or View Composer linked-clone desktop pool, you must use volume
activation to activate Windows on the parent virtual machine.
The following steps describe how activation takes place:
1 Invoke a script to remove the existing license.
2 Restart Windows.
3 Invoke a script that uses KMS licensing to activate Windows.
KMS treats each activated clone as a computer with a newly issued license.
Disable Windows Hibernation in the Parent Virtual Machine
The Windows hibernation feature creates a hidden system file, Hiberfil.sys and uses this file to store
information that is needed for hybrid sleep. Disabling hibernation reduces the size of an instant clone's or a
View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
CAUTION When you make hibernation unavailable, hybrid sleep does not work. Users can lose data if a
power loss occurs.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Disable the hibernation option.
a Click Start and type cmd in the Start Search box.
b In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt and click Run as Administrator.
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VMware, Inc. 47
c At the User Account Control prompt, click Continue.
d At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off and press Enter.
e Type exit and press Enter.
Configure Local Storage for View Composer Linked Clones
For a View Composer linked-clone desktop pool, you can configure the parent virtual machine to store
virtual-machine swap files on a local datastore. The linked clones' swap files will reside on local storage.
This feature is not available to instant clones.
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 59.
Procedure
1 Configure a swapfile datastore on the ESXi host or cluster on which you will deploy the linked-clone
pool.
2 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.
b Click Edit Settings and click the Options tab.
c Click Swapfile location and click Store in the host's swapfile datastore.
For detailed instructions, see the VMware vSphere documentation.
Record the Paging File Size of a View Composer Parent Virtual Machine
When you create a View Composer linked-clone desktop pool, you can redirect the clones' paging and temp
files to a separate disk. You must configure this disk to be larger than the size of the paging file on the
parent virtual machine.
When a linked clone that is configured with a separate disk for the disposable files is powered off, the disk
is recreated. This feature can slow the growth in the size of a linked clone. However, this feature can work
only if you configure the disposable-file disk to be large enough to hold the clone's paging file.
Before you can configure the disposable-file disk, record the maximum paging-file size in the parent virtual
machine. The linked clones have the same paging-file size as the parent virtual machine.
As a best practice, 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 “Configure 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 Local Storage for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 48.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, right-click the parent virtual machine and click Open Console.
2 Select Start > Settings > Control Panel > System.
3 Click the Advanced tab.
4 In the Performance pane, click Settings.
5 Click the Advanced tab.
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48 VMware, Inc.
6 In the Virtual memory pane, click Change.
The Virtual Memory page appears.
7 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.
8 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 for ClonePrep and QuickPrep Customization Scripts
ClonePrep and QuickPrep post-synchronization or power-off scripts have a timeout limit of 20 seconds. You
can increase this limit by changing the ExecScriptTimeout Windows registry value on the parent virtual
machine.
Instead of increasing the timeout limit you can also 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.
Procedure
1 On the parent virtual machine, start the Windows Registry Editor.
a Select Start > Command Prompt.
b At the command prompt, type regedit.
2 In the Windows registry, locate the vmware-viewcomposer-ga registry key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\vmware-viewcomposer-ga
3 Click Edit and modify the registry value.
Value Name: ExecScriptTimeout
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value unit: milliseconds
The default value is 20000 milliseconds.
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.
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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 51 for
information on creating automated pools.
NOTE A virtual machine template is not for creating an instant-clone or a View Composer linked-clone
desktop pool.
Creating Customization Specifications
When you customize a clone using Sysprep, you need to provide a customization specification.
Sysprep is available for View Composer linked-clone desktop pools and automated full-clone desktop pools,
but not instant-clone desktop pools. You create customization specifications by using the Customization
Specification wizard in vSphere. See the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration document for information on
using the Customization Specification wizard.
It is recommended that you test a customization specification in vSphere before you use it to create a
desktop pool. When you use a Sysprep customization specification to join a Windows desktop to a domain,
you must use the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the Active Directory domain. You cannot use the
NetBIOS name.
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50 VMware, Inc.
Creating Automated Desktop Pools
That Contain Full Virtual Machines 4
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 51
n“Worksheet for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 51
n“Create an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 55
n“Clone an Automated Desktop Pool,” on page 56
n“Desktop Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines,” on page 57
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.
VMware, Inc. 51
Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
User assignment Choose the type of user assignment:
nIn a dedicated-assignment pool, each user is
assigned to a machine. Users receive the
same machine each time they log in to the
pool.
nIn a floating-assignment pool, users receive
different machines each time they log in.
For details, see “User Assignment in Desktop
Pools,” on page 127.
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.
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.
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52 VMware, Inc.
Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 135.
For a list of the settings that apply to automated
pools, see “Desktop Settings for Automated
Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines,” on
page 57.
For more information about power policies and
automated pools, see “Setting Power Policies for
Desktop Pools,” on page 140.
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 128.
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 130.
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 128.
When you specify names manually, this option is
called # Unassigned machines kept powered on.
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Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 High-
Performance Storage and Policy-Based
Management,” on page 235.
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 View Composer Linked Clones,”
on page 250.
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54 VMware, Inc.
Table 4‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual
Machines (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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.
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.
Prerequisites
nPrepare a virtual machine template that View will use to create the machines. Horizon Agent must be
installed on the template. See Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for
Cloning,” on page 19.
nIf 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.
nVerify 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.
nGather the configuration information you must provide to create the pool. See “Worksheet for Creating
an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 51.
nDecide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 135.
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nIf you intend to provide access to your desktops and applications through VMware Identity Manager,
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, VMware Identity Manager will not recognize the SAML
authenticator you configure in View, and you cannot configure the pool in VMware Identity Manager.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Click Add.
3 Select Automated Desktop Pool.
4 On the vCenter Server page, choose Full virtual machines.
5 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 159.
Clone an Automated Desktop Pool
You can clone an automated desktop pool from an existing pool. When you clone a pool, the existing
desktop pool's settings are copied into the Add Desktop Pool wizard, allowing you to create a new pool
without having to fill in each setting manually.
With this feature, you can streamline pool creation because you do not have to type every option in the Add
Desktop Pool wizard. You can ensure that desktop pool attributes are standardized by using the pre-filled
values in the wizard.
You can clone automated desktop pools that contain full virtual machines or View Composer linked clones.
You cannot clone automated desktop pools of instant clones, manual desktop pools, or RDS desktop pools.
When you clone a desktop pool, you cannot change certain settings:
nDesktop pool type
nClone type, either linked clone or full virtual machine
nUser assignment, either dedicated or floating
nvCenter Server instance
Prerequisites
nVerify that the prerequisites for creating the original desktop pool are still valid.
For example, for a pool that contains full virtual machines, verify that a virtual machine template was
prepared.
For a linked-clone pool, verify that a parent virtual machine was prepared and a snapshot was taken
after the virtual machine was powered off.
When you clone a pool, you can use the same virtual machine template or parent virtual machine, or
you can select another one.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
56 VMware, Inc.
nFor prerequisites for cloning an automated, full-clone pool, see “Create an Automated Pool That
Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 55.
nFor prerequisites for cloning a linked-cone pool, see “Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on
page 67.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Select the desktop pool that you want to clone and click Clone.
The Add Desktop Pool wizard appears.
3 On the Add Desktop Pool page, type a unique pool ID.
4 On the Provisioning Settings page, provide unique names for the virtual machines.
Option Description
Use a naming pattern Type a virtual machine naming pattern.
Specify names manually Provide a list of unique names for the virtual machines.
5 Follow the other prompts in the wizard to create the pool.
Change desktop pool settings and values as needed.
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 159.
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 135.
Table 4‑2. Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines
Setting
Automated Pool, Dedicated
Assignment
Automated Pool, Floating
Assignment
State Yes Yes
Connection Server restrictions Yes Yes
Remote machine power policy Yes Yes
Automatic logoff after disconnect Yes Yes
Allow users to reset their machines Yes Yes
Allow user to initiate separate sessions
from different client devices
Yes
Delete machine after logoff Yes
Default display protocol Yes Yes
Chapter 4 Creating Automated Desktop Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines
VMware, Inc. 57
Table 4‑2. Settings for Automated Pools That Contain Full Virtual Machines (Continued)
Setting
Automated Pool, Dedicated
Assignment
Automated Pool, Floating
Assignment
Allow users to choose protocol Yes Yes
3D Renderer Yes Yes
Max number of monitors Yes Yes
Max resolution of any one monitor Yes Yes
Adobe Flash quality Yes Yes
Adobe Flash throttling Yes Yes
Override global Mirage settings Yes Yes
Mirage Server configuration Yes Yes
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
58 VMware, Inc.
Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools 5
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 59
n“Worksheet for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 59
n“Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 67
n“Clone an Automated Desktop Pool,” on page 69
n“Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 70
n“View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party Applications,” on page 71
n“Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned for Use in Remote Desktop Sessions During View
Composer Operations,” on page 75
n“Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for Linked Clones,” on page 76
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. 59
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
User assignment Choose the type of user assignment:
nIn a dedicated-assignment pool, each user is
assigned to a machine. Users receive the same
machine each time they log in.
nIn a floating-assignment pool, users receive
different machines each time they log in.
For details, see “User Assignment in Desktop Pools,”
on page 127.
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 135.
For a list of the settings that apply to linked-clone
pools, see “Desktop Pool Settings for Linked-Clone
Desktop Pools,” on page 70.
For more information about power policies and
automated pools, see “Setting Power Policies for
Desktop Pools,” on page 140.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
60 VMware, Inc.
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 128.
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 130.
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 128.
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 provisioned for use in remote desktop sessions
while View Composer maintenance operations take
place.
This setting allows users to maintain existing
connections or make new connection requests while
View Composer refreshes, recomposes, or rebalances
the machines in the pool. The setting does not
distinguish between spare machines that are ready to
accept new connections and machines that are already
connected in existing desktop sessions.
This value must be smaller than the Max number of
machines, which you specify if you provision
machines on demand.
See “Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned for
Use in Remote Desktop Sessions During View
Composer Operations,” on page 75.
Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
VMware, Inc. 61
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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.
nProvision all machines up front. When the pool is
created, the system provisions the number of
machines you specify in Max number of
machines.
nProvision 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
62 VMware, Inc.
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 “Record
the Paging File Size of a View Composer Parent Virtual
Machine,” on page 48.
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 High-
Performance Storage and Policy-Based Management,”
on page 235.
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 Replicas and Clones on
Separate Datastores for Instant Clones and View
Composer Linked Clones,” on page 249.
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.
Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
VMware, Inc. 63
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 157.
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 Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone
Desktop Pools,” on page 241.
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 View
Composer Linked Clones on Local Datastores,” on
page 248.
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 157.
For more information about the disks that are created
for linked clones, see “View Composer Linked-Clone
Data Disks,” on page 247.
NOTE If you use Virtual SAN, select only one
datastore.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
64 VMware, Inc.
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 246.
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.
This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.
This feature is enabled by default.
For details, see “Configure View Storage Accelerator
for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 250.
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.
This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.
For details, see “Using VAAI Storage for View
Composer Linked Clones,” on page 253.
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 View
Composer Linked Clones,” on page 251.
Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
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Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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.
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 Storage Accelerator and Space
Reclamation Blackout Times for View Composer
Linked Clones,” on page 254.
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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
66 VMware, Inc.
Table 5‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
AD container Provide the Active Directory container relative
distinguished name.
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 76.
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 72.
Power-off script QuickPrep can run a customization script on linked-
clone 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 linked-
clone 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 51.
Chapter 5 Creating Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
VMware, Inc. 67
Prerequisites
nVerify 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.
nVerify that View Composer settings for vCenter Server are configured in View Administrator. See the
View Administration document.
nVerify 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.
nVerify that you prepared a parent virtual machine. Horizon Agent must be installed on the parent
virtual machine. See Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning,” on
page 19.
nTake 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.
nGather the configuration information you must provide to create the pool. See “Worksheet for Creating
a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 59.
nDecide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 135.
nIf you intend to provide access to your desktops and applications through VMware Identity Manager,
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, VMware Identity Manager will not recognize the SAML
authenticator you configure in View, and you cannot configure the pool in VMware Identity Manager.
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.
2 Click Add.
3 Select Automated Desktop Pool.
4 On the vCenter Server page, choose View Composer linked clones.
5 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:
a Parent VM
b Snapshot
c VM folder location
d Host or cluster
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
68 VMware, Inc.
e Resource pool
f 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 159.
Clone an Automated Desktop Pool
You can clone an automated desktop pool from an existing pool. When you clone a pool, the existing
desktop pool's settings are copied into the Add Desktop Pool wizard, allowing you to create a new pool
without having to fill in each setting manually.
With this feature, you can streamline pool creation because you do not have to type every option in the Add
Desktop Pool wizard. You can ensure that desktop pool attributes are standardized by using the pre-filled
values in the wizard.
You can clone automated desktop pools that contain full virtual machines or View Composer linked clones.
You cannot clone automated desktop pools of instant clones, manual desktop pools, or RDS desktop pools.
When you clone a desktop pool, you cannot change certain settings:
nDesktop pool type
nClone type, either linked clone or full virtual machine
nUser assignment, either dedicated or floating
nvCenter Server instance
Prerequisites
nVerify that the prerequisites for creating the original desktop pool are still valid.
For example, for a pool that contains full virtual machines, verify that a virtual machine template was
prepared.
For a linked-clone pool, verify that a parent virtual machine was prepared and a snapshot was taken
after the virtual machine was powered off.
When you clone a pool, you can use the same virtual machine template or parent virtual machine, or
you can select another one.
nFor prerequisites for cloning an automated, full-clone pool, see “Create an Automated Pool That
Contains Full Virtual Machines,” on page 55.
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nFor prerequisites for cloning a linked-cone pool, see “Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 67.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Select the desktop pool that you want to clone and click Clone.
The Add Desktop Pool wizard appears.
3 On the Add Desktop Pool page, type a unique pool ID.
4 On the Provisioning Settings page, provide unique names for the virtual machines.
Option Description
Use a naming pattern Type a virtual machine naming pattern.
Specify names manually Provide a list of unique names for the virtual machines.
5 Follow the other prompts in the wizard to create the pool.
Change desktop pool settings and values as needed.
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 159.
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 135.
Table 5‑2. Settings for Automated, Linked-Clone Desktop Pools
Setting
Linked-Clone Pool, Dedicated
Assignment
Linked-Clone Pool, Floating
Assignment
State Yes Yes
Connection Server restrictions Yes Yes
Remote machine power policy Yes Yes
Automatically logoff after disconnect Yes Yes
Allow users to reset their machines Yes 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 Yes
Allow users to choose protocol Yes Yes
3D Renderer Yes Yes
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Table 5‑2. Settings for Automated, Linked-Clone Desktop Pools (Continued)
Setting
Linked-Clone Pool, Dedicated
Assignment
Linked-Clone Pool, Floating
Assignment
Max number of monitors Yes Yes
Max resolution of any one monitor Yes Yes
Adobe Flash quality Yes Yes
Adobe Flash throttling Yes Yes
Override global Mirage settings Yes Yes
Mirage Server configuration Yes 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 third-
party 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.
b Creates the linked clone to refer to the replica as its parent disk.
2 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.
nIf you use Sysprep, a unique SID is generated for each clone.
nIf 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.
nSome applications generate a GUID during customization.
3 View creates a snapshot of the linked clone.
The snapshot contains the unique SID generated with Sysprep or common SID generated with
QuickPrep.
4 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 72.
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 75.
Table 5-3 shows the effect of View Composer operations on linked-clone SIDs and third-party application
GUIDs.
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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. 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 linked-
clone 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 73.
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.
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.
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72 VMware, Inc.
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 75.
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:
nGives the computer a name that you specify when you create the linked-clone pool.
nCreates a computer account in Active Directory, joining the computer to the appropriate domain.
nMounts the View Composer persistent disk. The Windows user profile is redirected to this disk.
nRedirects 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 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:
nAfter linked clones are created or recomposed
nImmediately before linked clones are powered off
For guidelines and rules for using QuickPrep customization scripts, see “Running QuickPrep Customization
Scripts,” on page 73.
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.
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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 for ClonePrep and QuickPrep Customization Scripts,” on page 49.
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
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
74 VMware, Inc.
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 third-
party software installed in the system drive. View must run the Sysprep customization specification after
the linked clone is recomposed.
Keeping Linked-Clone Machines Provisioned for Use in Remote
Desktop Sessions 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 are provisioned for use in remote desktop sessions even when View Composer maintenance
operations take place. You can set a minimum number of machines that are not placed in maintenance mode
while View Composer refreshes, recomposes, or rebalances the linked-clone virtual machines in a pool.
When you set a Minimum number of ready (provisioned) machines during View Composer maintenance
operations, View ensures that the specified number of machines stay provisioned, and are not placed in
maintenance mode, while View Composer proceeds through the maintenance operation.
This setting lets users maintain existing connections or make new connection requests during the View
Composer maintenance operation. The setting does not distinguish between spare machines that are ready
to accept new connections and machines that are already connected in existing desktop sessions.
You can specify this setting when you create or edit a linked-clone pool.
The following guidelines apply to this setting:
nTo allow a number of users to maintain their existing desktop connections and keep a minimum
number of spare (powered on) machines that can accept new connection requests, set the Minimum
number of ready (provisioned) machines during View Composer maintenance operations to a large
enough value to include both sets of machines.
nIf you use a naming pattern to provision machines and provision machines on demand, set the number
of provisioned 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 during View Composer operations.
In this case, View Composer maintenance operations could not take place.
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nIf 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 provisioned
machines. In this case, View Composer maintenance operations could not take place.
nIf you set a large minimum number of provisioned machines in relation to the pool size, View
Composer maintenance operations might take longer to complete. While View maintains the minimum
number of provisioned 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.
For example, if a pool contains 20 machines and the minimum number of provisioned 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.
nIn this setting name, 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, and still be considered "ready".
Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for Linked Clones
When you create or edit a desktop pool or an automated farm, 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 or edit a desktop
pool or an automated farm. If you edit a pool or a farm 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 or farm. Only the
following Active Directory permissions are required:
nList Contents
nRead All Properties
nRead Permissions
nReset 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.
The following procedure applies to linked-clone desktop pools. The steps are similar for automated farms.
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76 VMware, Inc.
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.
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.
2 In View Administrator, create a pool by using the Add Desktop Pool wizard or edit the pool in the Edit
dialog box.
3 On the Provisioning Settings page or tab, select Use a naming pattern.
4 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
5 On the Guest Customization page or tab, select the Allow reuse of pre-existing computer accounts
option.
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Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
78 VMware, Inc.
Creating Instant-Clone Desktop Pools 6
To provide users access to instant-clone desktops. you must first create an instant-clone desktop pool.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Instant-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 79
n“Add an Instant Clone Domain Administrator,” on page 81
n“Worksheet for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 81
n“Create an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 85
n“ClonePrep Guest Customization,” on page 86
n“Instant Clone Maintenance Utilities,” on page 87
Instant-Clone Desktop Pools
An instant-clone desktop pool is an automated desktop pool. vCenter Server creates the desktop virtual
machines based on the settings that you specify when you create the pool.
Similar to View Composer linked clones, instant clones share a virtual disk of a parent virtual machine and
therefore consume less storage than full virtual machines. In addition, instant clones also share the memory
of a parent virtual machine. Instant clones are created using the vmFork technology. An instant-clone
desktop pool has the following key properties:
nThe provisioning of instant clones is significantly faster than View Composer linked clones.
nInstant clones are always created in a powered-on state, ready for user to log in. Guest customization
and AD domain join are completed as part of the initial power-on workflow.
nWhen a user logs off, the desktop virtual machine is deleted. New clones are created according to the
provisioning policy, which can be on demand or up-front.
nWith the push image operation, you can recreate the pool from any snapshot of any parent virtual
machine. You can use push image to roll out OS and application patches.
nClones are automatically rebalanced over available datastores when clones are created.
nView storage accelerator is automatically enabled.
nTransparent page sharing is automatically enabled.
Because View can create instant clones very quickly, you typically do not need to provision a large number
of desktops up front or to have a large number of ready desktops. For this reason, when compared with
View Composer linked clones, instant clones can make the task of managing a large number of desktops
easier and also reduce the amount of hardware resources that is required.
VMware, Inc. 79
Instant clones have the following compatibility requirements:
nvSphere 6.0 Update 1 or later.
nVirtual machine version 11 or later.
It is recommended that you configure distributed virtual switches in the vSphere environment.
In Horizon 7.0, instant clones have certain restrictions:
nSingle-user desktops only. RDS hosts are not supported.
nFloating user assignment only. Users are assigned random desktops from the pool.
nInstant-clone desktops cannot have persistent disks. Users can use VMware App Volumes to store
persistent data. For more information about App Volumes, see
https://www.vmware.com/products/appvolumes.
nVirtual Volumes and VAAI (vStorage APIs for Array Integration) native NFS snapshots are not
supported.
nSysprep is not available for desktop customization.
nWindows 7 and Windows 10 are supported but not Windows 8 or Windows 8.1.
nPowerCLI is not supported.
nLocal datastores are not supported.
nIPv6 is not supported.
nInstant clones cannot reuse pre-existing computer accounts in Active Directory.
nPersona Management is not available.
n3D rendering is not available.
nYou cannot specify a minimum number of ready (provisioned) machines during instant clone
maintenance operations. This feature is not needed because the high speed of creating instant clones
means that some machines are always available even during maintenance operations.
The disk space reclamation feature that is available to View Composer linked clones is not needed because
instant clones are recreated when users log off, so that reclaiming unused disk space in a VM no longer has
a significant impact on storage consumption.
Each instant-clone desktop pool is associated with an image. An image is the snapshot of a parent VM.
Creating an instant-clone desktop pool involves two operations:
1 View publishes the image that you selected. In vCenter Server, four folders
(ClonePrepInternalTemplateFolder, ClonePrepParentVmFolder, ClonePrepReplicaVmFolder, and
ClonePrepResyncVmFolder) are created if they do not exist, and a number of internal VMs that are
required for cloning are created. In View Administrator, you can see the progress of this operation on
the summary page of the desktop pool. During publishing, the Pending Image pane shows the image
and its state.
NOTE Do not tamper with the four folders or the internal VMs that are in them. Otherwise, errors
might occur. The internal VMs are automatically removed when they are no longer needed. Normally
the VMs are removed within 5 minutes of pool deletion or a push image operation. However,
sometimes the removal can take up to 30 minutes.
2 The clones are created. This process is very fast. Typically, a clone can be created in less than two
seconds. During this process, the Current Image pane shows the image and its state.
After the pool is created, you can change the image through the push image operation. See "Change the
Image of an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool" in the View Administration document. Again, the new image is first
published. Then the clones are recreated.
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80 VMware, Inc.
If you edit a pool to add or remove datastores, rebalancing of the VMs happens automatically when a new
clone must be created, for example, when a user logs off or when you increase the size of the pool. If you
want rebalancing to happen faster, take the following actions:
nIf you remove a datastore, manually remove the desktops on that datastore so that the new desktops
will be created on the remaining datastores.
nIf you add a datastore, manually remove some desktops from the original datastores so that the new
desktops will be created on the new datastore. You can also remove all desktops or simply do a push
image with the same image so that when the desktops are recreated, they will be evenly distributed
across the datastores.
For details about all the settings that are available to an instant-clone pool, see “Worksheet for Creating an
Instant-Clone Desktop Pool,” on page 81.
Add an Instant Clone Domain Administrator
Before you can create an instant-clone desktop pool, you must add an instant clone domain administrator to
View.
The instant clone domain administrator must have certain Active Directory domain privileges. For more
information, see "Create a User Account for Instant Clone Operations" in the View Installation document.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select View Configuration > Instant Clone Domain Admins.
2 Click Add.
3 Enter the administrator's login name and password
Worksheet for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool
When you create an instant-clone desktop pool, the Horizon Administrator's Add Desktop Pool wizard
prompts you to configure certain options. Use this worksheet to prepare your configuration options before
you create the pool.
Before you create a instant-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. Horizon 7 uses the snapshot as the base image to create the clones.
NOTE You cannot create a instant-clone pool from a virtual machine template.
Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
User assignment Select Floating. Users are assigned random desktops from the
pool.
vCenter Server Select Instant clones and select the vCenter Server that
manages the virtual machines in the pool.
Desktop Pool ID The unique name that identifies the pool in Horizon
Administrator.
If multiple Connection Server configurations are running in
your environment, make sure that another Connection Server
configuration is not using the same pool ID.
A Connection Server configuration can be a standalone View
Connection Server instance or a pod of replicated instances.
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.
Chapter 6 Creating Instant-Clone Desktop Pools
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Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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.
State If set to Enabled, the pool is ready for use after provisioning.
If set to Disabled, the pool is not available to users. During
provisioning, if you disable the pool, provisioning will stop.
Connection Server
restrictions
You can restrict access to the pool to certain Connection
Servers by clicking the Browse button and selecting one or
more Connection Servers.
If you intend to provide access to the desktops through
VMware Identity Manager, and you configure Connection
Server restrictions, the VMware Identity Manager app might
display desktops to users when those desktops are actually
restricted. VMware Identity Manager users will be unable to
launch these desktops.
Automatically logoff after
disconnect
nImmediately. Users are logged off when they disconnect.
nNever. Users are never logged off.
nAfter. 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 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.
Default display protocol Select the default display protocol. The choices are Microsoft
RDP, PCoIP, and VMware Blast.
Allow users to choose
protocol
Specify whether users can choose display protocols other than
the default.
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Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 VMware Identity Manager app 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/viewclien
ts_pubs.html.
To use HTML Access with VMware Identity Manager, you
must pair View Connection Server with a SAML
Authentication server, as described in the View Administration
document. VMware Identity Manager 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.
nDo not control. Quality is determined by Web page
settings.
nLow. This setting results in the most bandwidth savings.
If no quality level is specified, the system defaults to Low.
nMedium. This setting results in moderate bandwidth
savings.
nHigh. This setting results in the least bandwidth savings.
For more information, see “Adobe Flash Quality and
Throttling,” on page 139.
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.
nDisabled. No throttling is performed. The timer interval
is not modified.
nConservative. Timer interval is 100 milliseconds. This
setting results in the lowest number of dropped frames.
nModerate. Timer interval is 500 milliseconds.
nAggressive. 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 139.
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.
Naming 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 130.
Max number of machines Specify the total number of machines in the pool.
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Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
Number of spare (powered
on) machines
Specify the number of machines to keep available for users.
For details, see “Naming Machines Manually or Providing a
Naming Pattern,” on page 128.
Provision machines on
demand
Min number of machines
Provision all machines up
front
Specify whether to provision all machines when the pool is
created or provision machines as they are needed.
nProvision all machines up front. When the pool is
created, the system provisions the number of machines
you specify in Max number of machines.
nProvision machines on demand. When the pool is
created, the system creates the number of machines based
on the Min number of machines value or the Number of
spare (powered on) machines value, whichever is higher.
Additional machines are created to maintain this
minimum number of available machines as users connect
to desktops.
Select separate datastores for
replica and OS disks
You can store the replica (master) virtual machine disk on a
high performance datastore and the instant clones on separate
datastores.
For details, see “Storing Replicas and Clones on Separate
Datastores for Instant Clones and View Composer Linked
Clones,” on page 249.
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 as long as the pool exists.
VM folder location Select the folder in vCenter Server in which the desktop pool
resides.
Cluster Select the vCenter Server cluster on which the desktop virtual
machines run. You can not specify an ESXi host.
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 Instant 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 clones. The Storage Overcommit parameter is always
set to Unbounded and is not configurable.
Domain Select a Active Directory domain. The drop-down list shows
the domains that are added when you configure instant clone
domain administrators. See “Add an Instant Clone Domain
Administrator,” on page 81
AD container Provide the Active Directory container relative distinguished
name.
For example: CN=Computers
When you run the Add Desktop Pool wizard, you can browse
your Active Directory tree for the container.
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Table 6‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
Power-off script Specify a script to run on the machines before they are
powered off.
Provide the path to the script on the parent virtual machine
and the script parameters.
Post-synchronization script Specify a script to run on the machines after they are created.
Provide the path to the script on the parent virtual machine
and the script parameters.
Create an Instant-Clone Desktop Pool
The Horizon Administrator's Add Desktop Pool wizards guides you through the steps of creating an
instant-clone desktop pool.
Prerequisites
nVerify 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.
nVerify that you prepared a parent virtual machine. Horizon Agent must be installed on the parent
virtual machine. See Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning,” on
page 19.
nTake a snapshot of the parent virtual machine in vCenter Server. You must shut down the parent
virtual machine before you take the snapshot. Horizon 7 uses the snapshot as the base image to create
the clones.
nGather the configuration information for the pool. See “Worksheet for Creating an Instant-Clone
Desktop Pool,” on page 81.
nVerify that you added an instant clone domain administrator in View Administrator.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Click Add.
3 Select Automated Desktop Pool.
4 On the vCenter Server page, choose Instant clones.
5 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.
In Horizon Administrator, you can view the machines as they are added to the pool by selecting Catalog >
Desktop Pools.
After you create the pool, do not delete the parent VM or remove it from vCenter Server's inventory as long
as the pool exists because various pool operations need this VM to be present. If you remove the VM from
vCenter Server's inventory by mistake, you must add it back and then do a push image using the same
image that the pool currently has.
What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See “Add Entitlements to a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 159.
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ClonePrep Guest Customization
ClonePrep customizes instant clones when they are created and works similarly as QuickPrep.
ClonePrep joins all instant clones to the Active Directory domain. The clones have the same computer
security identifiers (SIDs) as their parent VM. ClonePrep also preserves the globally unique identifiers
(GUIDs) of applications, although some applications might generate a new GUID during customization.
When you add an instant-clone desktop pool, you can specify a script to run immediately after a clone is
created and another script to run before the clone is powered off.
How ClonePrep Executes Scripts
ClonePrep 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.
Specifically, ClonePrep 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 call to CreateProcess is CreateProcess(NULL,c:\myscript.cmd,...).
Providing Paths to ClonePrep Scripts
You can specify the scripts to run when you create or edit the desktop pool. 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 executable. For example, instead of specifying C:\script\myvb.vbs, you need to specify
C:\windows\system32\cscript.exe c:\script\myvb.vbs.
IMPORTANT Protect ClonePrep customization scripts from access by ordinary users. Place the scripts in a
secure folder.
ClonePrep Script Timeout Limit
By default, ClonePrep terminates the scripts if their execution takes longer than 20 seconds. You can
increase the timeout limit. For details, see “Increase the Timeout Limit for ClonePrep and QuickPrep
Customization Scripts,” on page 49.
Alternatively, you can use your script to launch another script or process that performs the long-running
task.
ClonePrep Script Account
ClonePrep runs the scripts using the account under which the VMware Horizon Instant Clone Agent service
is configured to run. By default, this account is Local System.
Do not change this log on account. If you do, the clones will fail to start.
ClonePrep Process Privileges
For security reasons, certain Windows operating system privileges are removed from the VMware Horizon
Instant Clone Agent process that runs ClonePrep customization scripts. Therefore, the scripts cannot
perform actions that require those privileges.
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86 VMware, Inc.
The following privileges are removed from the process that runs ClonePrep scripts:
SeCreateTokenPrivilege
SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege
SeSecurityPrivilege
SeSystemEnvironmentPrivilege
SeLoadDriverPrivilege
SeSystemtimePrivilege
SeUndockPrivilege
SeManageVolumePrivilege
SeLockMemoryPrivilege
SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege
SeCreatePermanentPrivilege
SeDebugPrivilege
SeAuditPrivilege
ClonePrep Script Logs
The ClonePrep script 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
Instant Clone Maintenance Utilities
On the Connection Server are two utilities that you can use for the maintenance of instant clone VMs in
vCenter Server and the clusters that the VMs are in.
The utilities are IcMaint.cmd and IcUnprotect.cmd and are located in C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware
View\Server\tools\bin.
IcMaint.cmd
This command deletes the parent VMs and optionally puts a host in maintenance mode. After performing
maintenance, you can run this command to take a host out of maintenance mode.
Syntax:
IcMaint.cmd -vc hostname_or_IP_address -uid user_ID -password password -hostName ESXi_hostname -
maintenance ON|OFF
Parameters:
n-vc host name or IP address of vCenter Server
n-uid vCenter Server user ID
n-password vCenter Server user password
n-hostname ESXi host name
n-maintenance ON|OFF
This parameter specifies whether or not to enter maintenance mode after the parent VMs are deleted. If
the host is already in maintenance mode, setting this parameter to OFF takes the host out of
maintenance mode.
All the parameters are required.
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IcUnprotect.cmd
This utility unprotects the folders and VMs that ClonePrep creates. ClonePrep is the mechanism that
customizes instant clones during the creation process.
Syntax:
IcUnprotect.cmd -vc hostname_or_IP_address -uid user_ID -password password [-clusterId
cluster_ID] [-includeFolders]
Parameters:
n-vc host name or IP address of vCenter Server
n-uid vCenter Server user ID
n-password vCenter Server user password
n-clusterId cluster ID
n-includeFolders
Specifying this parameter unprotects the folders in addition to the VMs.
All the parameters are required except clusterId and includeFolders. If clusterId is not specified,
protection is removed from all ClonePrep VMs in all data centers.
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Creating Manual Desktop Pools 7
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 89
n“Worksheet for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 89
n“Create a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 91
n“Create a Manual Pool That Contains One Machine,” on page 92
n“Desktop Pool Settings for Manual Pools,” on page 93
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:
nVirtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server
nVirtual machines that run on a virtualization platform other than vCenter Server
nPhysical computers
For information about creating a manual desktop pool that uses Linux virtual machines, see the Setting Up
Horizon 7 for Linux Desktops guide.
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. Horizon Agent
must be installed and running on each machine.
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Table 7‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
User assignment Choose the type of user assignment:
nIn a dedicated-assignment pool, each user is
assigned to a machine. Users receive the
same machine each time they log in.
nIn a floating-assignment pool, users receive
different machines each time they log in.
For details, see “User Assignment in Desktop
Pools,” on page 127.
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 Horizon 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. Horizon 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.
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Table 7‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Options for Creating a Manual Desktop Pool (Continued)
Option Description Fill In Your Value Here
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 135.
For a list of the settings that apply to manual
pools, see “Desktop Pool Settings for Manual
Pools,” on page 93.
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.
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
nPrepare the machines to deliver remote desktop access. In a manual pool, you must prepare each
machine individually. Horizon Agent must be installed and running on each machine.
To prepare virtual machines managed by vCenter Server, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing a
Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning,” on page 19.
To prepare unmanaged virtual machines and physical computers, see Chapter 2, “Preparing
Unmanaged Machines,” on page 15.
nGather the configuration information that you must provide to create the pool. See “Worksheet for
Creating a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 89.
nDecide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 135.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
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2 Click Add.
3 Select Manual Desktop Pool.
4 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 159.
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
nPrepare the machine to deliver remote desktop access. Horizon Agent must be installed and running on
the machine.
To prepare a virtual machine managed by vCenter Server, see Chapter 3, “Creating and Preparing a
Parent Virtual Machine for Cloning,” on page 19.
To prepare an unmanaged virtual machine or physical computer, see Chapter 2, “Preparing
Unmanaged Machines,” on page 15.
nGather the configuration information you must provide to create the manual pool. See “Worksheet for
Creating a Manual Desktop Pool,” on page 89.
nDecide how to configure power settings, display protocol, Adobe Flash quality, and other settings. See
“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 135.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Click Add.
3 Select Manual Desktop Pool.
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4 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.
5 On the Machine Source page, select the machine to be included in the desktop pool.
6 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.
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 159.
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 7-2 lists the settings that apply to manual desktop pools that are configured with these properties:
nDedicated user assignments
nFloating user assignments
nManaged machines (vCenter Server virtual machines)
nUnmanaged 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 135.
Table 7‑2. 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 Yes Yes Yes
Connection
Server
restrictions
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Remote machine
power policy
Yes Yes
Automatically
logoff after
disconnect
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Allow users to
reset their
machines
Yes Yes
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Table 7‑2. Settings for Manual Desktop Pools (Continued)
Setting
Manual
Managed Pool,
Dedicated
Assignment
Manual Managed Pool,
Floating Assignment
Manual Unmanaged
Pool, Dedicated
Assignment
Manual Unmanaged
Pool, Floating
Assignment
Allow user to
initiate separate
sessions from
different client
devices
Yes Yes
Default display
protocol
Yes Yes Yes
To use PCoIP with a
machine that is not
managed by vCenter
Server, you must install
Teradici hardware on the
machine.
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 Yes Yes Yes
3D Renderer Yes Yes
Max number of
monitors
Yes Yes
Max resolution
of any one
monitor
Yes Yes
Adobe Flash
quality
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Adobe Flash
throttling
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Override global
Mirage settings
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mirage Server
configuration
Yes Yes Yes Yes
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Setting Up Remote Desktop Services
Hosts 8
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 95
n“Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2008 R2,” on page 97
n“Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,” on page 97
n“Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2008 R2,” on page 98
n“Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,” on page 98
n“Restrict Users to a Single Session,” on page 99
n“Install Horizon Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host,” on page 99
n“Enable Time Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application Sessions,” on page 102
n“Enable Windows Basic Theme for Applications,” on page 102
n“Configure Group Policy to Start Runonce.exe,” on page 103
n“RDS Host Performance Options,” on page 103
n“Configuring 3D Graphics for RDS Hosts,” on page 104
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.
An RDS host has the Microsoft Remote Desktop Services role, the Microsoft Remote Desktop Session Host
service, and Horizon 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 Horizon Agent installed on an RDS host, users can connect to applications and desktop sessions by
using the display protocol PCoIP or Blast Extreme. Both protocols provide 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.
Horizon 7 supports at most one desktop session and one application session per user on an RDS host.
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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.
2 Create a farm. See Chapter 9, “Creating Farms,” on page 107.
3 Create an application pool or an RDS desktop pool. See Chapter 10, “Creating Application Pools,” on
page 119 or Chapter 11, “Creating RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 123.
4 Entitle users and groups. See Chapter 13, “Entitling Users and Groups,” on page 159.
5 (Optional) Enable time zone redirection for RDS desktop and application sessions. See “Enable Time
Zone Redirection for RDS Desktop and Application Sessions,” on page 102.
NOTE If smart card authentication is enabled, make sure that the Smart Card service is disabled on RDS
hosts. Otherwise, authentication might fail. By default, this service is disabled.
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
Horizon 7 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, Horizon 7 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.
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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
nVerify that the RDS host is running Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1).
nVerify that the RDS host is part of the Active Directory domain for the Horizon 7 deployment.
nInstall the Microsoft hotfix rollup that is documented in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2775511.
nInstall the Microsoft update https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2973201.
Procedure
1 Log in to the RDS host as an administrator.
2 Start Server Manager.
3 Select Roles in the navigation tree.
4 Click Add Roles to start the Add Role wizard.
5 Select the role Remote Desktop Services.
6 On the Select Role Services page, select Remote Desktop Session Host.
7 On the Specify Authentication Method page, select either Require Network Level Authentication or
Do not require Network Level Authentication, whichever is appropriate.
8 On the Configure Client Experience page, select the functionality that you want to provide to users.
9 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 99.
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
nVerify that the RDS host is running Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2.
nVerify that the RDS host is part of the Active Directory domain for the Horizon 7 deployment.
Procedure
1 Log in to the RDS host as an administrator.
2 Start Server Manager.
3 Select Add roles and features.
4 On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation.
5 On the Select Destination Server page, select a server.
6 On the Select Server Roles page, select Remote Desktop Services.
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7 On the Select Features page, accept the defaults.
8 On the Select Role Services page, select Remote Desktop Session Host.
9 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 99.
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 Log in as an administrator.
2 Start Server Manager.
3 Click Features.
4 Click Add Features.
5 On the Select Features page, select the Desktop Experience checkbox.
6 Review the information about other features that are required by the Desktop Experience feature, and
click Add Required Features.
7 Follow the prompts and finish the installation.
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 Log in as an administrator.
2 Start Server Manager.
3 Select Add roles and features.
4 On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation.
5 On the Select Destination Server page, select a server.
6 On the Select Server Roles page, accept the default selection and click Next.
7 On the Select Features page, under User Interfaces and Infrastructure, select Desktop Experience.
8 Follow the prompts and finish the installation.
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Restrict Users to a Single Session
Horizon 7 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
nInstall the Remote Desktop Services role as described in “Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows
Server 2008 R2,” on page 97.
Procedure
1 Click Start > Administrative Tools > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host
Configuration.
2 On the Edit Settings pane, under General, double-click Restrict each user to a single session.
3 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 Horizon Agent on the RDS host. See “Install Horizon Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host,” on
page 99.
Install Horizon Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host
Horizon Agent communicates with Connection Server and supports the display protocols PCoIP and Blast
Extreme. You must install Horizon Agent on an RDS Host.
Prerequisites
nInstall the Remote Desktop Services role as described in “Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows
Server 2008 R2,” on page 97 or “Install Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2,”
on page 97.
nRestrict users to a single desktop session. See “Restrict Users to a Single Session,” on page 99.
nFamiliarize yourself with the Horizon Agent custom setup options. See “Horizon Agent Custom Setup
Options for an RDS Host,” on page 100.
nIf 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.
nDownload the Horizon Agent installer file from the VMware product page at
http://www.vmware.com/go/downloadview.
Procedure
1 Log in as an administrator.
2 To start the Horizon 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.
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3 Select the Internet Protocol (IP) version, IPv4 or IPv6.
You must install all View components with the same IP version.
4 Select your custom setup options.
Do not select the View Composer Agent option if you are installing Horizon Agent on an RDS host that
will be in a manual farm.
5 In the Server text box, type the host name or IP address of a Connection Server host.
During installation, the installer registers the RDS host with this Connection Server instance. After
registration, the specified Connection Server instance, and any additional instances in the same
Connection Server group, can communicate with the RDS host.
6 Select an authentication method to register the RDS host with the 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 Connection Server instance with your current username and
password.
Specify administrator credentials You must provide the username and password of a 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 9, “Creating Farms,” on page 107.
Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options for an RDS Host
When you install Horizon Agent on an RDS host, you can select custom setup options. In addition, Horizon
Agent installs certain features automatically on all guest operating systems on which they are supported.
These features are not optional.
To change custom setup options after you install the latest Horizon Agent version, you must uninstall and
reinstall Horizon Agent. For patches and upgrades, you can run the new Horizon Agent installer and select
a new set of options without uninstalling the previous version.
Table 8‑1. Horizon 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 RDS desktops and applications by using HTML Access. The
HTML Access Agent is installed when this setup option is selected. This agent must be
installed on RDS hosts to allow users to make connections with HTML Access
3D RDSH Provides 3D graphics support to applications that run on this RDS host.
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Table 8‑1. Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options for an RDS Host in an IPv4 Environment (Continued)
Option Description
View Composer Agent Select this option if this machine is a parent virtual machine for the creation of an automated
farm. Do not select this option if this machine is an RDS host in a manual farm.
Client Drive Redirection Allows Horizon Client users to share local drives with their RDS desktops and applications.
After this setup option is installed, no further configuration is required on the RDS host.
Client Drive Redirection is also supported on VDI desktops that run on single-user virtual
machines and unmanaged machines.
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:
nDesktops that are deployed on single-user machines, including Windows Desktop and
Windows Server machines
nDesktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the RDS hosts are virtual machines
nHosted Apps
nHosted 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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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 8‑2. Horizon 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.
Windows Media
Multimedia Redirection
(MMR)
Provides multimedia redirection for RDS desktops. 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.
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 Horizon Agent" in
the View Architecture Planning document.
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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
nVerify 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 298.
nVerify that the Horizon 7 RDS ADMX files are added to Active Directory. See “Add the Remote
Desktop Services ADMX Files to Active Directory,” on page 284.
nFamiliarize yourself with the group policy settings. See “RDS Device and Resource Redirection
Settings,” on page 286.
Procedure
1 On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
2 Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.
3 Right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.
4 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.
5 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. Horizon 7 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
nVerify 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 298.
Procedure
1 On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
2 Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.
3 Right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.
4 In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to User Configuration > Policies > Administrative
Templates > Control Panel > Personalization.
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5 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
nVerify 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 298.
Procedure
1 On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
2 Expand your domain and Group Policy Objects.
3 Right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings and select Edit.
4 In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to User Configuration > Policies > Windows
Settings > Scripts (Logon/Logoff).
5 Double-click Logon and click Add.
6 In the Script Name box, type runonce.exe.
7 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, Horizon 7 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 Horizon 7.
Table 8‑3. Performance Options Disabled by Horizon 7
Performance Options Disabled by Horizon 7
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 Horizon 7 correspond to four Horizon 7 settings in the
registry. The following table shows the Horizon 7 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 Horizon
7 registry values to false.
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Table 8‑4. Horizon 7 Settings Related to Windows Performance Options
Horizon 7 Setting Registry Value
Disable cursor shadow DisableMouseShadows
Disable full window drag DisableFullWindowDrag
Disable ListView shadow DisableListViewShadow
Disable Window Animation DisableWindowAnimation
Configuring 3D Graphics for RDS Hosts
With 3D graphics configured for RDS hosts, both applications in application pools and applications running
on RDS desktops can display 3D graphics.
The following 3D graphics options are available:
NVIDIA GRID vGPU
(shared GPU hardware
acceleration)
A physical GPU on an ESXi host is shared among multiple virtual machines.
Requires ESXi 6.0 or later.
AMD Multiuser GPU
using vDGA
A physical GPU on an ESXi host is shared among multiple virtual machines.
Requires ESXi 6.0 or later.
Virtual Dedicated
Graphics Acceleration
(vDGA)
A physical GPU on an ESXi host is dedicated to a single virtual machine.
Requires ESXi 5.5 or later.
NOTE Some Intel vDGA cards require a certain vSphere 6 version. See the
VMware Hardware Compatibility List at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php. Also, for Intel
vDGA, the Intel integrated GPU is used rather than discrete GPUs, as is the
case with other vendors.
With vDGA, you allocate an entire GPU to a single machine for maximum performance. The RDS host must
be in a manual farm.
With AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA, you can share an AMD GPU between multiple RDS hosts by
making it appear as multiple PCI passthrough devices. The RDS host must be in a manual farm.
With NVIDIA GRID vGPU, each graphics card can support multiple RDS hosts and the RDS hosts must be
in a manual farm. If an ESXi host has multiple physical GPUs, you can also configure the way the ESXi host
assigns virtual machines to the GPUs. By default, the ESXi host assigns virtual machines to the physical
GPU with the fewest virtual machines already assigned. This is called performance mode. You can also
choose consolidation mode, where 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.
To configure consolidation mode, edit the /etc/vmware/config file on the ESXi host and add the following
entry:
vGPU.consolidation = "true"
3D graphics is only supported when you use the PCoIP or VMware Blast protocol. Therefore, the farm must
use PCoIP or VMware Blast as the default protocol and users must not be allowed to choose the protocol.
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Overview of Steps for Configuring 3D Graphics
This overview describes tasks that you must perform in vSphere and Horizon 7 to configure 3D graphics.
For more information about setting up NVIDIA GRID vGPU, see the document NVIDIA GRID vGPU
Deployment Guide for VMware Horizon 6.1. For more information about setting up vDGA, see the
document Graphics Acceleration in View Virtual Desktops. For more information about setting up AMD
Multiuser GPU using vDGA, see “Preparing to Use the Capabilities of AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA,”
on page 154.
1 Set up an RDS host virtual machine. For more information, see Chapter 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop
Services Hosts,” on page 95.
2 Add the graphics PCI device to the virtual machine. See "Other Virtual Machine Device Configuration"
in the chapter "Configuring Virtual machine Hardware" in the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
document. Be sure to click Reserve all memory when adding the device.
3 On the virtual machine, install the device driver for the graphics card.
4 Add the RDS host to a manual farm, create an RDS desktop pool, connect to the desktop using PCoIP,
and activate the display adapter.
You do not need to configure 3D graphics for RDS hosts in View Administrator. Selecting the option 3D
RDSH when you install Horizon Agent is sufficient. By default, this option is not selected and 3D graphics
is disabled.
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Creating Farms 9
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 107
n“Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for an Automated Farm,” on page 108
n“Worksheet for Creating a Manual Farm,” on page 111
n“Worksheet for Creating an Automated Farm,” on page 112
n“Create a Manual Farm,” on page 116
n“Create an Automated Farm,” on page 117
Farms
Farms simplify the task of managing RDS hosts, RDS desktops, and applications in an enterprise. You can
create manual or automated farms to serve groups of users that vary in size or have different desktop or
application requirements.
A manual farm consists of RDS hosts that already exist. The RDS hosts can be physical or virtual machines.
You manually add the RDS hosts when you create the farm.
An automated farm consists of RDS host that are linked-clone virtual machines in vCenter Server. View
Composer creates the virtual machines based on the parameters that you specify when you create the farm.
The virtual machines are cloned from a single parent virtual machine and are linked to the parent in a
mechanism that reduces the amount of storage that the virtual machines require.
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:
nLoad balancing
By default, Horizon 7 balances the load of the RDS desktop sessions and the application sessions across
all the RDS hosts in the farm. You can control the placement of new application sessions by writing and
configuring load balancing scripts. For more information, see "Configuring Load Balancing for RDS
Hosts" in the View Administration document.
nRedundancy
If one RDS host in a farm is offline, the other RDS hosts in the farm continue to provide applications
and desktops to users.
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nScalability
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:
nA Horizon 7 pod can have a maximum of 200 farms.
nA farm can have a maximum of 200 RDS hosts.
nThe 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.
nAutomated farms support the View Composer recompose operation but do not support the refresh or
rebalance operation. You can recompose an automated farm but not a subset of the RDS hosts in the
farm.
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.
Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for an Automated Farm
To create an automated farm, you must first prepare a parent virtual machine. View Composer uses this
parent virtual machine to create linked-clone virtual machines, which are the RDS hosts in the farm.
nPrepare an RDS Host Parent Virtual Machine on page 108
The View Composer service requires a parent virtual machine from which you generate a base image
for creating linked clones.
nActivating Windows on Linked-Clone RDS Hosts on page 110
To make sure that View Composer properly activates Windows Server operating systems on linked-
clone RDS hosts, you must use Microsoft volume activation on the parent virtual machine. The
volume-activation technology requires a volume license key.
nDisable Windows Hibernation in the Parent Virtual Machine on page 110
The Windows hibernation feature creates a hidden system file, Hiberfil.sys and uses this file to store
information that is needed for hybrid sleep. Disabling hibernation reduces the size of an instant clone's
or a View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
Prepare an RDS Host Parent Virtual Machine
The View Composer service requires a parent virtual machine from which you generate a base image for
creating linked clones.
Prerequisites
nVerify that an RDS host virtual machine is set up. See Chapter 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services
Hosts,” on page 95. To set up the RDS host, be sure not to use a virtual machine that was previously
registered to View Connection Server.
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.
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nVerify 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.
nWhen you install Horizon Agent on the parent virtual machine, select the View Composer Agent
option. See “Install Horizon Agent on a Remote Desktop Services Host,” on page 99.
To update Horizon 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 Horizon 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.
nTo deploy Windows machines, configure a volume license key and activate the parent virtual machine's
operating system with volume activation. See “Activating Windows on Instant Clones and View
Composer Linked Clones,” on page 47.
nFamiliarize 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.
nTo implement the RDS host load balancing feature, modify the RDS host parent virtual machine as
described in "Configuring Load Balancing for RDS Hosts" in the View Administration document.
Procedure
nRemove the DHCP lease on the parent virtual machine to avoid copying a leased IP address to the
linked clones in the farm.
a On the parent virtual machine, open a command prompt.
b Type the ipconfig /release command.
nVerify 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.
nVerify 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.
nDisable the hibernation option to reduce the size of linked-clone OS disks that are created from the
parent virtual machine.
nBefore 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.
nIn vSphere Client, disable the vApp Options setting on the parent virtual machine.
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nOn 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\Pre-
staged 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.
nOn Windows Server 2012 machines, apply the Microsoft hotfix available at
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020396.
This hotfix allows Sysprep to customize a Windows Server 2012 virtual machine that has the RDS role
enabled. Without the hotfix, Sysprep customization will fail on the Windows Server 2012 linked-clone
machines that are deployed in an automated farm.
What to do next
Use vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client to take a snapshot of the parent virtual machine in its powered-
down 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 RDS Hosts
To make sure that View Composer properly activates Windows Server operating systems on linked-clone
RDS hosts, you must use Microsoft volume activation on the parent virtual machine. The volume-activation
technology requires a volume license key.
To activate Windows 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.
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.
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 feature creates a hidden system file, Hiberfil.sys and uses this file to store
information that is needed for hybrid sleep. Disabling hibernation reduces the size of an instant clone's or a
View Composer linked clone's virtual disk.
CAUTION When you make hibernation unavailable, hybrid sleep does not work. Users can lose data if a
power loss occurs.
Procedure
1 In vSphere Client, select the parent virtual machine and select Open Console.
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2 Log in as an administrator.
3 Disable the hibernation option.
a Click Start and type cmd in the Start Search box.
b In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt and click Run as Administrator.
c At the User Account Control prompt, click Continue.
d At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off and press Enter.
e Type exit and press Enter.
Worksheet for Creating a Manual Farm
When you create a manual farm, the Add Farm wizard prompts you to configure certain settings.
You can print this worksheet and write down the values you want to specify when you run the Add Farm
wizard.
Table 9‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating a Manual Farm
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
ID 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.
For more information about access groups, see the role-based
delegated administration chapter in the View Administration
document.
Default display
protocol
Select VMware Blast, PCoIP or RDP. RDP applies to desktop pools
only. The display protocol for application pools is always VMware
Blast or PCoIP. If you select RDP and you plan to use this farm to
host application pools, you must set Allow users to choose protocol
to Yes. The default is PCoIP.
Allow users to choose
protocol
Select Yes or No. This setting applies to RDS desktop pools only. If
you select Yes, users can 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.
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.
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Table 9‑1. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating a Manual Farm (Continued)
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
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 and
applications on this
farm
Determines whether HTML Access to RDS desktops and applications
is allowed. Check the Enabled box to allow HTML Access to RDS
desktops and applications. When you edit this setting after a farm is
created, the new value applies to existing desktops and applications
as well as new ones.
NOTE Unlike an automated farm, a manual farm does not have the setting Max sessions per RDS server,
because a manual farm can have RDS hosts that are not identical. For RDS hosts in a manual farm, you can
edit individual RDS hosts and change the equivalent setting Number of connections.
Worksheet for Creating an Automated Farm
When you create an automated farm, the Add Farm wizard prompts you to configure certain settings.
You can print this worksheet and write down the values you want to specify when you run the Add Farm
wizard.
Table 9‑2. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating an Automated Farm
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
ID 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.
For more information about access groups, see the role-based
delegated administration chapter in the View Administration
document.
Default display
protocol
Select VMware Blast, PCoIP or RDP. RDP applies to desktop pools
only. The display protocol for application pools is always VMware
Blast or PCoIP. If you select RDP and you plan to use this farm to
host application pools, you must set Allow users to choose protocol
to Yes. The default is PCoIP.
Allow users to choose
protocol
Select Yes or No. This setting applies to RDS desktop pools only. If
you select Yes, users can 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.
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.
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Table 9‑2. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating an Automated Farm (Continued)
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
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 and
applications on this
farm
Determines whether HTML Access to RDS desktops and applications
is allowed. Check the Enabled box to allow HTML Access to RDS
desktops and applications. When you edit this setting after a farm is
created, the new value applies to existing desktops and applications
as well as new ones.
Max sessions per RDS
server
Determines the maximum number of sessions that an RDS host can
support. Select Unlimited or No More Than .... The default is
Unlimited.
Enable provisioning Select this checkbox to enable provisioning after you finish this
wizard. This box is checked by default.
Stop provisioning on
error
Select this checkbox to stop provisioning when a provisioning error
occurs. This box is checked by default.
Naming pattern Specify a prefix or a name format. View will append or insert an
automatically generated number starting with 1 to form the machine
name. If you want the number at the end, simply specify a prefix.
Otherwise, specify {n} anywhere in a character string and {n} will be
replaced by the number. You can also specify {n:fixed=<number of
digits>}, where fixed=<number of digits> indicates the number of
digits to be used for the number. For example, specify vm-{n:fixed=3}-
sales and the machine names will be vm-001-sales, vm-002-sales, and
so on.
NOTE Each machine name, including the automatically generated
number, has a 15-character limit.
Max number of
machines
The number of machines to be provisioned.
Minimum number of
ready (provisioned)
machines during View
Composer maintenance
operations
This setting lets you keep the specified number of machines available
to accept connection requests while View Composer recomposes the
machines in the farm.
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 High-Performance Storage
and Policy-Based Management,” on page 235
Select separate
datastores for replica
and OS disks
(Available only if you do not use Virtual SAN) You can place replica
and OS disks on different datastores for performance or other reasons.
Parent VM Select a parent virtual machine from the list. Be aware that the list
includes virtual machines that do not have View Composer Agent
installed. You must not select any of those machines because View
Composer Agent is required. A good practice is to use a naming
convention that indicates whether a virtual machine has View
Composer Agent installed.
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Table 9‑2. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating an Automated Farm (Continued)
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
Snapshot Select the snapshot of the parent virtual machine to use as the base
image for the farm.
Do not delete the snapshot and parent virtual machine from vCenter
Server, unless no linked clones in the farm 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 farm, according to farm 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 farm resides.
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.
Resource pool Select the vCenter Server resource pool in which the farm resides.
Datastores Select one or more datastores on which to store the farm.
A table on the Select Linked Clone Datastores page of the Add Farm
wizard provides high-level guidelines for estimating the farm'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 Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-
Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 241.
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 View Composer Linked
Clones on Local Datastores,” on page 248.
NOTE If you use Virtual SAN, select only one datastore.
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 “Storage Overcommit for View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual
Machines,” on page 245.
NOTE This setting has no effect if you use Virtual SAN.
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Table 9‑2. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating an Automated Farm (Continued)
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
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.
This feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.
For details, see “Using VAAI Storage for View Composer Linked
Clones,” on page 253.
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 View Composer Linked
Clones,” on page 251.
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.
For example: 2 GB.
The default value is 1 GB.
Blackout Times Configure days and times during which 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 Storage Accelerator and Space Reclamation
Blackout Times for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 254.
Transparent Page
Sharing Scope
Select the level at which to allow transparent page sharing (TPS). The
choices are Virtual Machine (the default), Farm, Pod, or Global. If
you turn on TPS for all the machines in the farm, 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 farm level but the farm is spread across multiple ESXi
hosts, only virtual machines on the same host and within the same
farm will share pages. At the global level, all machines managed by
View on the same ESXi host can share memory pages, regardless of
which farm 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.
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Table 9‑2. Worksheet: Configuration Settings for Creating an Automated Farm (Continued)
Setting Description
Fill in Your Value
Here
Domain Select the Active Directory domain and user name.
View Composer requires certain user privileges to farm. The domain
and user account are used by 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 Farm
wizard to create a farm, you must select one domain and user from
the list.
For information about configuring View Composer, see the View
Administration document.
AD container Provide the Active Directory container relative distinguished name.
For example: CN=Computers
When you run the Add Farm wizard, you can browse your Active
Directory tree for the container.
Allow reuse of pre-
existing computer
accounts
Select this setting to use existing computer accounts in Active
Directory for linked clones that are provisioned by View Composer.
This setting 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 setting is disabled, a new AD computer account is created
when View Composer provisions a linked clone. This setting is
disabled by default.
For details, see “Use Existing Active Directory Computer Accounts for
Linked Clones,” on page 76.
Use a customization
specification (Sysprep)
Provide a Sysprep customization specification to customize the virtual
machines.
Create a Manual Farm
You create a manual farm as part of the process to give users access to applications or RDS desktops.
Prerequisites
nSet up the RDS hosts that belong to the farm. See Chapter 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services
Hosts,” on page 95.
nVerify 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.
nGather the configuration information you must provide to create the farm. See “Worksheet for Creating
a Manual Farm,” on page 111.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, click Resources > Farms.
2 Click Add to enter the configuration information that you gathered in the worksheet.
3 Select Manual Farm.
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4 Follow the prompts in the wizard to create the farm.
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.
5 Select the RDS hosts to add to the farm and click Next.
6 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 10, “Creating Application Pools,”
on page 119 or Chapter 11, “Creating RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 123.
Create an Automated Farm
You create an automated farm as part of the process to give users access to applications or RDS desktops.
Prerequisites
nVerify that the View Composer service is installed. See the View Installation document.
nVerify that View Composer settings for vCenter Server are configured in View Administrator. See the
View Administration document.
nVerify 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.
nVerify that you prepared a parent virtual machine. Both Horizon Agent and View Composer Agent
must be installed on the parent virtual machine. See “Preparing a Parent Virtual Machine for an
Automated Farm,” on page 108.
nTake 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.
nGather the configuration information you must provide to create the farm. See “Worksheet for Creating
an Automated Farm,” on page 112.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, click Resources > Farms.
2 Click Add to enter the configuration information that you gathered in the worksheet.
3 Select Automated Farm.
4 Follow the prompts in the wizard to create the farm.
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 now view the farm by clicking Resources > Farms.
What to do next
Create an application pool or an RDS desktop pool. See Chapter 10, “Creating Application Pools,”
on page 119 or Chapter 11, “Creating RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 123.
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Creating Application Pools 10
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 119
n“Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually,” on page 120
n“Create an Application Pool,” on page 120
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.
An application supports the PCoIP and VMware Blast display protocols. To enable HTML Access, see
"Prepare Desktops, Pools, and Farms for HTML Access," in the "Setup and Installation" chapter in the Using
HTML Access document, available from
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
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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.
Table 10‑1. Worksheet: Application Properties for Creating an Application Pool Manually
Property Description Fill in Your Value Here
ID 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.
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
nSet up RDS hosts. See Chapter 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 95.
nCreate a farm that contains the RDS hosts. See Chapter 9, “Creating Farms,” on page 107.
nIf you plan to add the application pool manually, gather information about the application. See
“Worksheet for Creating an Application Pool Manually,” on page 120.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, click Catalog > Application Pools.
2 Click Add.
3 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.
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What to do next
Entitle users to access the pool. See Chapter 13, “Entitling Users and Groups,” on page 159.
Make sure that your end users have access to Horizon Client 3.0 or later software, which is required to
support RDS applications.
If you need to ensure that View Connection Server launches the application only on RDS hosts that have
sufficient resources to run the application, configure an anti-affinity rule for the application pool. For more
information, see "Configure an Anti-Affinity Rule for an Application Pool" in the View Administration
document.
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Creating RDS Desktop Pools 11
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 123
n“Create an RDS Desktop Pool,” on page 124
n“Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 124
n“Configure Adobe Flash Throttling with Internet Explorer for RDS Desktop Pools,” on page 125
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:
nAn 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.
nAn 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.
nAn RDS desktop supports the RDP, PCoIP, and VMware Blast display protocols. To enable HTML
Access, see "Prepare Desktops, Pools, and Farms for HTML Access," in the "Setup and Installation"
chapter in the Using HTML Access document, available from
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
nAn 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.
nView 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.
nBecause 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.
nIf 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.
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nRDS desktops do not support View Persona Management.
nThe 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
nSet up RDS hosts. See Chapter 8, “Setting Up Remote Desktop Services Hosts,” on page 95.
nCreate a farm that contains the RDS hosts. See Chapter 9, “Creating Farms,” on page 107.
nDecide how to configure the pool settings. See “Desktop Pool Settings for RDS Desktop Pools,” on
page 124.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Click Add.
3 Select RDS Desktop Pool.
4 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.
5 Select pool settings.
6 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 159.
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 135.
The following pool settings apply to an RDS desktop pool.
Table 11‑1. Settings for an RDS Desktop Pool
Setting Default Value
State Enabled
Connection Server restrictions None
Adobe Flash quality Do not control
Adobe Flash throttling Disabled
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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.
2 In Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options.
3 Click the Advanced tab, select Enable third-party browser extensions, and click OK.
4 Restart Internet Explorer.
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Provisioning Desktop Pools 12
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 127
n“Naming Machines Manually or Providing a Naming Pattern,” on page 128
n“Manually Customizing Machines,” on page 133
n“Desktop Pool Settings for All Desktop Pool Types,” on page 135
n“Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling,” on page 139
n“Setting Power Policies for Desktop Pools,” on page 140
n“Configuring 3D Rendering for Desktops,” on page 145
n“Prevent Access to View Desktops Through RDP,” on page 156
n“Deploying Large Desktop Pools,” on page 157
User Assignment in Desktop Pools
For manual desktop pools and automated desktop pools of full virtual machines or View Composer linked
clones, you can choose floating or dedicated user assignment for the desktops. For instant-clone desktop
pools, you can choose only floating user assignment.
With a dedicated assignment, each desktop is assigned to a specific user. A user logging in for the first time
gets a desktop that is not assigned to another user. Thereafter, this user will always get this desktop after
logging in, and this desktop is not available to any other user.
With a floating assignment, users get a random desktop every time they log in. When a user logs off, the
desktop is returned to the pool.
With instant clones, the desktop is always deleted and recreated from the current image when a user logs
out. With View Composer linked clones, you can configure floating-assignment machines to be deleted
when users log out. Automatic deletion lets you keep only as many virtual machines as you need at one
time.
With floating-assignment, you might be able to reduce software licensing costs.
VMware, Inc. 127
Naming Machines Manually or Providing a Naming Pattern
With an automated desktop pool of full virtual machines or View Composer linked clones, you can specify a
list of names for the desktop machines or provide a naming pattern. With an instant-clone desktop pool, you
can only specify a naming pattern when provisioning the pool.
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.
Table 12-1 compares the two naming methods, showing how each method affects the way you create and
administer a desktop pool.
Table 12‑1. Naming machines Manually or Providing a machine-Naming Pattern
Feature Using a Machine-Naming Pattern Naming Machines Manually
Machine names The machine names are generated by
appending a number to the naming
pattern.
For details, see “Using a Naming Pattern
for Automated Desktop Pools,” on
page 130.
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 129.
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 132.
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
Not available to instant clones.
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 133.
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Table 12‑1. Naming machines Manually or Providing a machine-Naming Pattern (Continued)
Feature Using 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.
NOTE Instant-clone pools can only be
floating-assignment pools. The machines
are always deleted on logoff.
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.
NOTE Instant-clone pools do not have 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 floating-
assignment pools.
NOTE Instant-clone pools can only be
floating-assignment pools.
You can specify machine names for
dedicated-assignment and floating-
assignment 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:
nType each machine name on a separate line.
nA machine name can have up to 15 alphanumeric characters.
nYou can add a user name to each machine entry. Use a comma to separate the user name from the
machine name.
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In this example, two machines are specified. 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
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.
2 In View Administrator start the Add Desktop Pool wizard to begin creating an automated desktop
pool.
3 On the Provisioning Settings page, select Specify names manually and click Enter names.
4 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 !.
5 Correct invalid machine names.
a Place your cursor over an invalid name to display the related error message at the bottom of the
page.
b Click Back.
c Edit the incorrect names and click Next.
6 Click Finish.
7 (Optional) Select Start machines in maintenance mode.
This option lets you customize the machines before users can log in and use them.
8 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.
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Table 12‑2. 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 131.
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 a machine is created, 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 12‑3. 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.
nTo create fixed sets of machines at one time, specify machine names manually.
nTo 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 Prepare a text file for the first pool that contains a list of machine names from VDIABC-01 through
VDIABC-10.
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2 In View Administrator, create the pool and specify machine names manually.
3 Click Enter Names and copy your list into the Enter Machine Names list box.
4 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 129.
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 132.
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.
2 In the naming-pattern text box, type VDIABC-0{n}.
3 Limit the pool's maximum size to 9.
4 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:
nFor the first pool, type VDIABC-0{n:fixed=2}.
nFor 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 130.
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.
In Horizon 7.0, this feature is not supported for instant clones.
Follow these guidelines for manually adding machine names:
nType each machine name on a separate line.
nA machine name can have up to 15 alphanumeric characters.
nYou can add a user name to each machine entry. Use a comma to separate the user name from the
machine name.
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132 VMware, Inc.
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.
2 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
3 Select the desktop pool to be expanded.
4 Click Edit.
5 Click the Provisioning Settings tab.
6 Click Add Machines.
7 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.
8 Correct invalid machine names.
a Place your cursor over an invalid name to display the related error message at the bottom of the
page.
b Click Back.
c Edit the incorrect names and click Next.
9 Click Finish.
10 Click OK.
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 users.
NOTE This feature is not available to an instant-clone desktop pool.
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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.
2 On the Provisioning Settings page, select Specify names manually.
3 Select Start machines in maintenance mode.
4 Complete the Add Desktop Pool wizard to finish creating the desktop pool.
5 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.
6 In View Administrator, select the desktop pool.
7 Use the filter tool to select specific machines to release to your users.
8 Click More Commands > Exit Maintenance Mode.
What to do next
Notify your users that they can log in to their desktops.
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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, instant-clone desktop pools, and RDS
desktop pools. Not all settings apply to all types of desktop pools.
Table 12‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions
Setting Options
State nEnabled. After being created, the desktop pool is enabled and ready for immediate use.
nDisabled. 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
nNone. The desktop pool can be accessed by any Connection Server instance.
nWith tags. Select one or more Connection Server tags to make the desktop pool accessible
only to 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 VMware Identity Manager, and you
configure Connection Server restrictions, the VMware Identity Manager app might display
desktops to users when those desktops are actually restricted. VMware Identity Manager users
will be unable to launch these desktops.
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 140.
For more information about how power policies affect automated pools, see “Setting Power
Policies for Desktop Pools,” on page 140.
Not applicable to instant-clone desktop pools. Instant clones are always powered on.
Automatically logoff
after disconnect
nImmediately. Users are logged off as soon as they disconnect.
nNever. Users are never logged off.
nAfter. 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.
Not applicable to instant-clone desktop pools.
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.
nNo. Virtual machines remain in the desktop pool after users log off.
nYes. Virtual machines are powered off and deleted as soon as users log off.
For instant-clone desktops, the machine is always deleted and recreated after logoff.
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Table 12‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions (Continued)
Setting Options
Delete or refresh
machine on logoff
Select whether to delete, refresh, or leave alone floating-assignment, linked-clone virtual
machines.
nNever. Virtual machines remain in the pool and are not refreshed after users log off.
nDelete 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.
nRefresh 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.
For instant-clone desktops, the machine is always deleted and recreated after logoff.
Refresh OS disk
after logoff
Select whether and when to refresh the OS disks for dedicated-assignment, linked-clone virtual
machines.
nNever. The OS disk is never refreshed.
nAlways. The OS disk is refreshed every time the user logs off.
nEvery. 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.
nAt. 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.
For instant-clone desktops, the machine is always deleted and recreated after logoff.
Default display
protocol
Select the display protocol that you want Connection Server to use to communicate with clients.
VMware Blast The VMware Blast Extreme protocol is built on the H.264 protocol
and supports the broadest range of client devices, including smart
phones, tablets, ultra-low-cost PCs, and Macs, across any network.
This protocol consumes the least CPU resources and so provides
longer battery life on mobile devices.
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.
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Table 12‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions (Continued)
Setting Options
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 or VMware Blast 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 145.
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, if you select the Automatic, Software, or Hardware option, you can
configure the amount of VRAM that is assigned to machines in the pool. The maximum number
of monitors is 2 and the maximum resolution is 1920 x 1200.
If you select Manage using vSphere Client, or NVIDIA GRID vGPU, you must configure the
amount of 3D memory and the number of monitors in vCenter Server. You can select at most four
monitors for your machines that are used as remote desktops, depending on the monitor
resolution.
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 145, “3D Renderer
Options,” on page 148. and “Best Practices for Configuring 3D Rendering,” on page 150.
Not available to instant-clone desktop pools.
Max number of
monitors
If you select PCoIP or VMware Blast as the display protocol, you can select the Maximum number
of monitors on which users can display the desktop.
You can select up to four monitors.
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 not selected, up to three monitors are supported at 3840 x 2160
resolution on a Windows 7 guest operating system with Aero disabled. For other operating
systems, or for Windows 7 with Aero enabled, one monitor is supported at 3840 x 2160 resolution.
When the 3D Renderer setting is selected, one monitor is supported at 3840 x 2160 resolution.
Multiple monitors are best supported at a lower resolution. Select fewer monitors if you select a
higher resolution.
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.
Not available to instant-clone desktop pools. In Horizon 7.0 the maximum number of monitors for
instant clones is 2.
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Table 12‑4. Desktop Pool Setting Descriptions (Continued)
Setting Options
Max resolution of
any one monitor
If you select PCoIP or VMware Blast as the display protocol, you should specify the Maximum
resolution of any one monitor.
The Maximum resolution of any one monitor is set to 1920 x 1200 pixels by default, but you can
configure this value.
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 not selected, up to three monitors are supported at 3840 x 2160
resolution on a Windows 7 guest operating system with Aero disabled. For other operating
systems, or for Windows 7 with Aero enabled, one monitor is supported at 3840 x 2160 resolution.
When the 3D Renderer setting is selected, one monitor is supported at 3840 x 2160 resolution.
Multiple monitors are best supported at a lower resolution. Select fewer monitors if you select a
higher resolution.
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.
Not available to instant-clone desktop pools. In Horizon 7.0, the maximum resolution of any
monitor is 2560 x 1600.
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
VMware Identity Manager app 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 VMware Identity Manager, you must pair Connection Server with a
SAML Authentication server, as described in the View Administration document.
VMware Identity Manager must be installed and configured for use with Connection Server.
Adobe Flash quality Determines the quality of Adobe Flash content that is displayed on Web pages.
nDo not control. Quality is determined by Web page settings.
nLow. This setting results in the most bandwidth savings. If no quality level is specified, the
system defaults to Low.
nMedium. This setting results in moderate bandwidth savings.
nHigh. This setting results in the least bandwidth savings.
For more information, see “Adobe Flash Quality and Throttling,” on page 139.
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.
nDisabled. No throttling is performed. The timer interval is not modified.
nConservative. Timer interval is 100 milliseconds. This setting results in the lowest number of
dropped frames.
nModerate. Timer interval is 500 milliseconds.
nAggressive. 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 139.
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Table 12‑4. 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.
Not available to instant-clone desktop pools.
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.
Not available to instant-clone desktop pools.
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 12-5 shows the available Adobe Flash render-quality settings.
Table 12‑5. 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 12-6 shows the available Adobe Flash throttling settings.
Table 12‑6. 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.
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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 except instant clones. Instant clones are always powered on.
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 12-7 describes the available power
policies.
Table 12‑7. 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.
nView 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.
nView 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 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.
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Table 12‑7. 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 142.
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
Horizon 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 12-8 describes when View applies the configured power policy.
Table 12‑8. When View Applies the Power Policy
Desktop Pool Type The power policy is applied ...
Manual pool that contains one machine (vCenter Server-
managed 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.
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Table 12‑8. When View Applies the Power Policy (Continued)
Desktop Pool Type The power policy is applied ...
Manual 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.
Manual 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.
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 142 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.
2 In the console tree, select Connect to.
3 In the Select or type a domain or server field, type the server name as localhost:389
4 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.
5 Expand the ADAM ADSI tree and expand OU=Properties.
6 Select OU=Global and select CN=Common in the right pane
7 Select Action > Properties, and under the pae-NameValuePair attribute, add the new entry
suspendOnDisconnect=1.
8 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:
nIs active
nDoes not contain a user session
nIs not assigned to a user
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The Horizon 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 12-9 describes the floating-assignment, automated pool in this example. The pool uses a machine-
naming pattern to provision and name the machines.
Table 12‑9. Desktop Pool Settings for Automated Pool with Floating Assignment Example 1
Desktop Pool Setting Value
Number of machines (minimum) 10
Number of machines (maximum) 20
Number of spare, powered-on machines 2
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 12-10 describes the floating-assignment, automated pool in this example. The pool uses a machine-
naming pattern to provision and name the machines.
Table 12‑10. Desktop Pool Settings for Automated Pool with Floating Assignments Example 2
Desktop Pool Setting Value
Number of machines (minimum) 5
Number of machines (maximum) 5
Number of spare, powered-on machines 2
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.
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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 12-11 describes the dedicated-assignment, automated pool in this example.
Table 12‑11. Desktop Pool Settings for Automated Pool with Dedicated Assignments Example
Desktop Pool Setting Value
Number of machines (minimum) 3
Number of machines (maximum) 5
Number of spare, powered-on machines 2
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:
nIn 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.
nIn 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.
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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.
NOTE This feature is not available to instant clones in Horizon 7.0.
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.
AMD Multiuser GPU
using vDGA
Available with vSphere 6.0 and later, this feature allows multiple virtual
machines to share an AMD GPU by making the GPU appear as multiple PCI
passthrough devices. 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.
NOTE Some Intel vDGA cards require a certain vSphere 6 version. See the
VMware Hardware Compatibility List at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php. Also, for Intel
vDGA, the Intel integrated GPU is used rather than discrete GPUs, as is the
case with other vendors.
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, AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA, and all vDGA solutions 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.
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Requirements for All Types of 3D Rendering
To enable 3D graphics rendering, your pool deployment must meet the following requirements:
nThe virtual machines must be Windows 7 or later.
nThe pool must use PCoIP or VMware Blast Extreme as the default display protocol.
nUsers 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.
Additional Requirements for 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:
nThe 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. For detailed instructions, see the NVIDIA GRID
vGPU Deployment Guide for VMware Horizon 6.1.
nYou 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.
nYou must set the 3D Renderer option in View Administrator to NVIDIA GRID vGPU.
Additional Requirements for AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA
With AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA, multiple virtual machines to share an AMD GPU by making the
GPU appear as multiple PCI passthrough devices. To support this type of shared GPU hardware
acceleration, a pool must meet these additional requirements:
nThe 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.
nYou must enable GPU pass-through on the ESXi hosts, configure AMD SR-IOV (Single Root I/O
Virtualization), and configure the individual virtual machines to use dedicated PCI devices. See
“Preparing to Use the Capabilities of AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA,” on page 154.
NOTE Only manual desktop pools are supported for this release.
nYou 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.
nYou must set the 3D Renderer option in View Administrator to Manage using vSphere Client.
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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:
nThe 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.
nYou 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.
nYou 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:
nThe virtual machines must run on ESXi 5.1 or later hosts and be managed by vCenter Server 5.1 or later
software.
nGPU 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.
nWindows 7 machines must be virtual hardware version 8 or later. Windows 8 machines must be virtual
hardware version 9 or later. Windows 10 machines must be virtual hardware version 10 or later.
nYou 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 148.
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:
nThe virtual machines must run on ESXi 5.0 or later hosts and be managed by vCenter Server 5.0 or later
software.
nThe machines must be virtual hardware version 8 or later.
nYou must set the 3D Renderer option to Software. See also “Video RAM Configuration Options for the
3D Renderer,” on page 148.
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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:
nFor virtual hardware version 8 (vSphere 5.0) virtual machines, the default VRAM size is 64MB, and you
can configure a maximum size of 128MB.
nFor 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.
nFor 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 148.
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),
AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA, and NVIDIA GRID vGPU. These tasks must be done with vSphere Web
Client before you attempt to create desktop pools in View Administrator. For instructions about these tasks
for vSGA and vDGA, see the VMware white paper about graphics acceleration. For instructions about
NVIDIA GRID vGPU, see the NVIDIA GRID vGPU Deployment Guide for VMware Horizon 6.1. For
instructions about AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA, see the “Preparing to Use the Capabilities of AMD
Multiuser GPU Using vDGA,” on page 154.
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Table 12‑12. 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 and AMD Multiuser GPU Using 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, first-
served 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:
nIf 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.
nIf 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 156.
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Table 12‑12. 3D Renderer Options for Pools Running on vSphere 5.1 or Later (Continued)
Option Description
NVIDIA GRID
vGPU
3D rendering is enabled for NVIDIA GRID vGPU . The ESXi host reserves GPU hardware
resources on a first-come, first-served 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:
nThe virtual machine cannot be suspended or resumed. Therefore the Remote Machine Power
Policy option for suspending the virtual machine is not available.
nIf 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.
nAll ESXi hosts in the cluster must be version 6.0 or later, and the virtual machines must be
hardware version 11 or later.
nIf 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 12‑13. 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.
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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.
nFor vSGA (Virtual Shared Graphics Acceleration), you can support a mixed configuration of 3D
rendering and VRAM sizes for virtual machines in a pool.
nFor 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. For more
information, see “Preparing for vDGA Capabilities,” on page 153.
All ESXi hosts must be version 5.5 or later and must have GPU graphics cards installed.
NOTE Some Intel vDGA cards require a certain vSphere 6 version. See the VMware Hardware
Compatibility List at http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php. Also, for Intel
vDGA, the Intel integrated GPU is used rather than discrete GPUs, as is the case with other vendors.
nFor AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA, each virtual machine must be individually configured to share a
specific PCI device with the ESXi host and all memory must be reserved. This feature allows a PCI
device to appear to be multiple separate physical PCI devices so that the GPU can be shared between 2
to 15 users. For more information, see “Preparing to Use the Capabilities of AMD Multiuser GPU Using
vDGA,” on page 154.
All ESXi hosts must be version 6.0 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.
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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 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.
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.
For more information, see “Preparing for NVIDIA GRID vGPU Capabilities,” on page 153.
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.
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Preparing for vDGA Capabilities
Virtual Dedicated Graphics Acceleration (vDGA) provides direct pass-through to a physical GPU, providing
a user with unrestricted, dedicated access to a single vGPU. Before you attempt to create a desktop pool that
has vDGA capabilities, you must perform certain configuration tasks on the virtual machines and ESXi
hosts.
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.
NOTE Some Intel vDGA cards require a certain vSphere 6 version. See the VMware Hardware
Compatibility List at http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php. Also, for Intel vDGA,
the Intel integrated GPU is used rather than discrete GPUs, as is the case with other vendors.
1 Install the graphics card on the ESXi host.
2 Install the GPU vSphere Installation Bundle (VIB).
3 Verify that VT-d or AMD IOMMU is enabled on the ESXi host.
4 Add a PCI device to the virtual machine and select the appropriate PCI device to enable GPU pass-
through on the virtual machine.
5 Reserve all memory when creating the virtual machine.
6 Configure virtual machine video card 3D capabilities.
7 Obtain the GPU drivers from the GPU vendor and install the GPU device drivers in the guest operating
system of the virtual machine.
8 Install VMware Tools and Horizon Agent in the guest operating system and reboot.
After you perform these tasks, you must add the virtual machine to a manual desktop pool so that you can
access the guest operating system using PCoIP or VMware Blast Extreme. In a PCoIP or VMware Blast
session, you can then activate the NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel display adapter in the guest operating system.
Preparing for NVIDIA GRID vGPU Capabilities
NVIDIA GRID vGPU provides direct access to the physical GPU on an ESXi host—so multiple users can
share a single GPU—using native graphics card drivers. Before you attempt to create a desktop pool that
has NVIDIA GRID vGPU capabilities, you must perform certain configuration tasks on the virtual machines
and ESXi hosts.
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 NVIDIA
GRID vGPU Deployment Guide for VMware Horizon 6.1.
1 Install the graphics card on the ESXi host.
2 Install the GPU vSphere Installation Bundle (VIB).
3 Verify that VT-d or AMD IOMMU is enabled on the ESXi host.
4 Enable GPU device pass-through on the ESXi host.
5 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.
6 Reserve all memory when creating the virtual machine.
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7 Configure virtual machine video card 3D capabilities.
8 Obtain the GPU drivers from the GPU vendor and install the GPU device drivers in the guest operating
system of the virtual machine.
9 Install VMware Tools and Horizon 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.
Preparing to Use the Capabilities of AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA
AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA provides direct pass-through to a physical GPU, providing a user with
unrestricted, dedicated access to a single GPU. Before you attempt to create a desktop pool that has
capabilities to use AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA, you must perform certain configuration tasks on the
virtual machines and ESXi hosts.
This overview is an outline of tasks you must perform in vSphere before you can create or configure
desktop pools in View Administrator. For information about enabling GPU device pass-through and adding
a PCI device to a virtual machine, see the VMware white paper about graphics acceleration.
1 Install the graphics card on the ESXi host.
2 Install the GPU vSphere Installation Bundle (VIB).
3 Verify that VT-d or AMD IOMMU is enabled on the ESXi host.
4 Use the esxcfg-module command to configure the graphics card for SR-IOV (Single Root I/O
Virtualization) .
See “Configuring AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA,” on page 155.
5 Reboot the ESXi host.
6 Add a PCI device to the virtual machine and select the appropriate PCI device to enable GPU pass-
through on the virtual machine.
7 Reserve all memory when creating the virtual machine.
8 Configure virtual machine video card 3D capabilities.
9 Obtain the GPU drivers from the GPU vendor and install the GPU device drivers in the guest operating
system of the virtual machine.
10 Install VMware Tools and Horizon Agent in the guest operating system and reboot.
After you perform these tasks, you must add the virtual machine to a manual desktop pool so that you can
access the guest operating system using PCoIP or VMware Blast Extreme. If you attempt to access the
virtual machine using a vSphere, the display will show a black screen.
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Configuring AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA
You use the esxcfg-module command-line command to configure such parameters as the number of users
who can share the GPU, the amount of frame buffer allocated to each user, and some performance control.
Syntax
esxcfg-module -s "adapter1_conf=bus#,device#,function#,number_of_VFs,FB_size,time_slice,mode"
amdgpuv
Usage Notes
The vicfg-module command supports setting and retrieving VMkernel module options on an ESXi host. For
general reference information about this command, go to
http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-60/topic/com.vmware.vcli.ref.doc/vicfg-module.html.
Required Flags
You must specify several flags when configuring AMD Multiuser GPU Using vDGA. If the command does
not include all the required flags, no error message is provided, but the configuration defaults to a simple 4
SR-IOV device configuration.
Table 12‑14. Flags for Configuring AMD SR-IOV
Flag Description
bus# Bus number in decimal format.
device# PCIe device ID for the supported AMD card, in decimal format. To see a list, use the command lspci
| grep -i display.
For example, for a system that has two AMD GPU cards, you might see the following output when
you run this command:
[root@host:~] lspci | grep -i display
0000:04:00.0 Display controller:
0000:82:00.0 Display controller:
In this example, the PCIe device IDs are 04 and 82. Note that these IDs are listed in hexadecimal
format and must be converted to decimal format for use in the vicfg-module command .
AMD S7150 cards support only a single GPU per card, and so the device ID and function ID are 0 for
these cards.
function# Function number in decimal format.
number_of_VFs Number of VFs (virtual functions), from 2 to 15. This number represents the number users who will
share the GPU.
FB_size Amount of fame buffer memory, in MB, allocated to each VF. To determine the size, take the overall
amount of video memory on the card and divide that amount by the number of VFs. Then round that
number to the nearest number that is a multiple of 8. For example, for an AMD S7150 card, which has
8000 MB, you could use the following settings;
nFor 2 VFs, use 4096.
nFor 4 VFs, use 2048.
nFor 8 VFs, use 1024.
nFor 15 VFs, use 544.
time_slice Interval between VF switches, in microseconds. This setting adjusts the delay in queuing and
processing commands between the SR-IOV devices. Use a value between 3000 and 40000. Adjust this
value if you see significant stuttering when multiple SR-IOV desktops are active.
mode Following are the valid values: 0 = reclaimed performance; 1 = fixed percentage performance.
IMPORTANT After you run the esxcfg-module command, you must reboot the ESXi host for the settings to
take effect.
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Examples
1 For a single AMD S7150 card on PCI ID 4 shared between 8 users:
esxcfg-module -s "adapter1_conf=4,0,0,8,1024,4000" amdgpuv
2 For a single server with two AMD S7150 cards on PCI ID 4 and PCI ID 82 shared between 4 power
users:
esxcfg-module -s "adapter1_conf=3,0,0,2,4096,4000 adapter2_conf=130,0,0,2,4096,4000" amdgpuv
3 For a single server with two AMD S7150 cards, you can set each card with different parameters. For
instance if your View environment needs to support 2 power users and 16 task workers:
esxcfg-module -s "adapter1_conf=3,0,0,2,4096,4000 adapter2_conf=130,0,0,15,544,7000" amdgpuv
4 Enable the SR-IOV option on the ESXi host.
Some hosts have SR-IOV as a configurable option in the BIOS.
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 vGPU-
enabled 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
Horizon Agent installation, SSO, and other View session-management operations.
Prerequisites
Verify that the Horizon Agent Configuration Administrative Template (ADM) file is installed in Active
Directory. See “Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files,” on page 264.
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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 In View Administrator, start the Add Desktop Pool wizard.
b On the Desktop Pool Settings page, select VMware Blast or PCoIP as
the default display protocol.
Edit an existing desktop pool a In View Administrator, select the desktop pool and click Edit.
b On the Desktop Pool Settings tab, select VMware Blast or PCoIP as
the default display protocol.
2 For the Allow users to choose protocol setting, select No.
3 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 Horizon Agent Configuration.
b 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
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.
NOTE The multiple network label feature is not available to instant clones.
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:
nIf you store replica disks on the same datastores as OS disks, you must store the replica and OS disks on
NFS datastores.
nIf 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.
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nIf 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.
NOTE The multiple network label feature is not available to instant clones.
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.
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Entitling Users and Groups 13
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 159
n“Remove Entitlements from a Desktop or Application Pool,” on page 160
n“Review Desktop or Application Pool Entitlements,” on page 160
n“Restricting Remote Desktop Access,” on page 160
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 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.
2 Select Add entitlement from the Entitlements drop-down menu.
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3 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.
4 Select the users or groups you want to entitle to the desktops or applications in the pool and click OK.
5 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.
2 Select Remove entitlement from the Entitlements drop-down menu.
3 Select the user or group whose entitlement you want to remove and click Remove.
4 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.
2 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.
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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.
nRestricted Entitlement Example on page 161
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.
nTag Matching on page 162
The restricted entitlements feature uses tag matching to determine whether a View Connection Server
instance can access a particular desktop pool.
nConsiderations and Limitations for Restricted Entitlements on page 163
Before implementing restricted entitlements, you must be aware of certain considerations and
limitations.
nAssign a Tag to a View Connection Server Instance on page 163
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.
nAssign a Tag to a Desktop Pool on page 163
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:
nAssign the tag "Internal" to the View Connection Server instance that supports your internal users.
nAssign the tag "External" to the View Connection Server instance that is paired with the security server
and supports your external users.
nAssign the "Internal" tag to the desktop pools that should be accessible only to internal users.
nAssign 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 13-1 illustrates this
configuration.
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Figure 13‑1. Restricted Entitlement Configuration
DMZ
client device
View
Connection
Server
Tag: “External”
desktop pool A
Tag: “External”
View
Security
Server
VM VM
VM VM
client device
View
Connection
Server
Tag: “Internal”
desktop pool B
Tag: “Internal”
VM VM
VM VM
external
network
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 13-1 shows how the restricted entitlement feature determines when a View Connection Server can
access a desktop pool.
Table 13‑1. Tag Matching Rules
View Connection Server Desktop Pool Access Permitted?
No tags No tags Yes
No tags One or more tags No
One or more tags No tags Yes
One or more tags 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.
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Considerations and Limitations for Restricted Entitlements
Before implementing restricted entitlements, you must be aware of certain considerations and limitations.
nA single View Connection Server instance or desktop pool can have multiple tags.
nMultiple View Connection Server instances and desktop pools can have the same tag.
nDesktop pools that do not have any tags can be accessed by any View Connection Server instance.
nView Connection Server instances that do not have any tags can only access desktop pools that also do
not have any tags.
nIf 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.
nYou 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.
nRestricted 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.
nIf you intend to provide access to your desktops through VMware Identity Manager and you configure
View Connection Server restrictions, the VMware Identity Manager app might display desktops to
users when those desktops are actually restricted. When a VMware Identity Manager user attempts to
log in to a desktop, the desktop does not launch if the desktop pool's tag does not match the tag
assigned to the View Connection Server instance to which the user is connected.
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.
2 Click the Connection Servers tab, select the View Connection Server instance, and click Edit.
3 Type one or more tags in the Tags text box.
Separate multiple tags with a comma or semicolon.
4 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.
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Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 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.
3 Go to the Desktop Pool Settings page.
Option 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.
4 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.
5 Click OK to save your changes.
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Configuring Remote Desktop
Features 14
Certain remote desktop features that are installed with Horizon 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), USB Redirection, Scanner Redirection, and Serial Port
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 15, “Using USB Devices with Remote Desktops and
Applications,” on page 213.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Configuring Unity Touch,” on page 165
n“Configuring Flash URL Redirection for Multicast or Unicast Streaming,” on page 168
n“Configuring Flash Redirection,” on page 172
n“Configuring URL Content Redirection,” on page 177
n“Configuring Real-Time Audio-Video,” on page 183
n“Configuring Scanner Redirection,” on page 197
n“Configuring Serial Port Redirection,” on page 202
n“Managing Access to Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR),” on page 209
n“Managing Access to Client Drive Redirection,” on page 211
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 “Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings,” on page 266.
The VMware Horizon Client documents for iOS and Android devices provide more information about end
user features provided by Unity Touch.
VMware, Inc. 165
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 To support Unity Touch, the following software must be installed in the
virtual machine that the end user will access:
nYou install the Unity Touch feature by installing View Agent 6.0 or later.
See “Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 26.
nOperating 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, Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit)
Horizon Client software Unity Touch is supported on the following Horizon Client versions:
nHorizon Client 2.0 for iOS or later
nHorizon Client 2.0 for Android or later
Mobile device operating
systems
Unity Touch is supported on the following mobile device operating systems:
niOS 5.0 and later
nAndroid 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:
nAdd a value to the Windows registry on the virtual machines in the desktop pool
nCreate an administrative installation package from the Horizon Agent installer and distribute the
package to the virtual machines
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nRun the Horizon 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
nVerify that Horizon Agent is installed on the virtual machine.
nVerify that you have administrative rights on the virtual machine. For this procedure, you might need
to edit a registry setting.
nIf 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.
b Create a string value called FavAppList.
c 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
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n(Optional) Create a default list of favorite applications by creating an administrative installation
package from the Horizon 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-installer-
share\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|"""
b 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.
n(Optional) Create a default list of favorite applications by running the Horizon 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 Horizon Agent with specifying the default list of
favorite applications. You do not have to install Horizon 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
Horizon 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.
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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
1System Requirements for Flash URL Redirection on page 169
To support Flash URL Redirection, your View deployment must meet certain software and hardware
requirements.
2Verify that the Flash URL Redirection Feature Is Installed on page 170
Before you use this feature, verify that the Flash URL Redirection feature is installed and running on
your virtual desktops.
3Set Up the Web Pages That Provide Multicast or Unicast Streams on page 171
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.
4Set Up Client Devices for Flash URL Redirection on page 171
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.
5Disable or Enable Flash URL Redirection on page 172
Flash URL Redirection is enabled when you perform a silent installation of Horizon Agent with the
VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION=1 property. 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 nYou install Flash URL Redirection by typing the
VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION property on the command line during a
silent installation of View Agent 6.0 or later. See “Silent Installation
Properties for Horizon Agent,” on page 33.
nThe desktops must run Windows 7 64-bit or 32-bit operating systems.
nSupported desktop browsers include Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10,
Chrome 29.x, and Firefox 20.x.
Flash media player and
ShockWave Flash
(SWF)
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.
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Horizon Client software The following Horizon Client releases support multicast and unicast:
nHorizon Client 2.2 for Linux or a later release
nHorizon Client 2.2 for Windows or a later release
The following Horizon Client releases support multicast only (they do not
support unicast):
nHorizon Client 2.0 or 2.1 for Linux
nHorizon Client 5.4 for Windows
Horizon Client computer
or client access device
nFlash 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.
nFlash 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.
nOn Windows client devices, you must install Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or
later for Internet Explorer.
nOn 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 171.
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 Horizon Agent installation instructions, see “Silent Installation Properties for
Horizon Agent,” on page 33.
Procedure
1 Start a remote desktop session that uses PCoIP.
2 Open the Task Manager.
3 Verify that the ViewMPServer.exe process is running on the desktop.
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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: <script type="text/javascript" src="http://localhost:33333/viewmp.js"></script>
2 (Optional) Customize the Flash URL redirection error message that is sent to end users.
For example: "var vmwareScriptErroMessage=localized error message"
3 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.
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Procedure
uInstall Adobe Flash Player on your client devices.
Operating System Action
Windows Install Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or later for Internet Explorer.
Linux aInstall 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.
bInstall 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.
cInstall 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 Horizon Agent with the
VDM_FLASH_URL_REDIRECTION=1 property. 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.
2 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
3 Set the value to disable or enable Flash URL Redirection.
Option Value
Disabled 0
Enabled 1
By default, the value is set to 1.
Configuring Flash Redirection
With the Flash Redirection feature, Flash content is sent to the client system and played in a Flash container
window using the Flash Player ActiveX version.
NOTE In this release, the Flash Redirection feature is available as a Tech Preview only.
Although the name of this feature is similar to the feature called Flash URL Redirection, there are important
differences, as described in the following table.
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Table 14‑1. Comparison of the Flash Redirection Feature and Flash URL Redirection
Item of Differentiation Flash Redirection Flash URL Redirection
Support level As a Tech Preview feature, no
technical support is offered
Fully supported
Horizon Client types that
support this feature
Windows client only Windows client and Linux client
Display protocol required PCoIP PCoIP
Browsers Internet Explorer 9, 10, or 11 for the
agent (remote desktop)
All browsers that are currently supported on
Horizon Client and Horizon Agent
Configuration mechanism Use an agent-side GPO to specify a
white list of Web sites that will use
Flash Redirection
Modify the source code on the Web page to
embed the required JavaScript
Feature Limitations
The Flash Redirection feature has the following limitations:
nClicking a URL link inside the Flash Player window opens a browser on the client rather than in the
remote desktop (agent side).
nThe following Flash functionality does not work with Flash Redirection: Autoplay, the Next and
Previous buttons, and Theater mode.
nSome Web sites do not work with Flash Redirection on some browser versions. For example, the
vimeo.com Web site does not work if you use Internet Explorer 11.
nFlash and Java scripting might not work as expected.
nThe Flash Player window might not resize correctly if you resize the browser window or the Horizon
Client window.
nThe Horizon Client window might freeze while playing Flash content, although you can set a Windows
Registry key to work around this issue.
On a 32-bit client, set HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Client\EnableD3DRenderer value to
"FALSE" and on a 64-bit client, set HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc.\VMware
VDM\Client\EnableD3DRenderer to "FALSE".
Requirements for Flash Redirection (Tech Preview)
With Flash Redirection, If you use an Internet Explorer 9, 10, or 11 browser, Flash content is sent to the client
system. The client system plays the media content, thereby offloading the demand on the ESXi host.
Flash Redirection is available as a Tech Preview feature with Horizon 7 and Horizon Client 4.0.
Remote desktop nHorizon Agent 7.0 or later must be installed in a single-user (VDI)
remote desktop, with the Flash Redirection option (this option is not
selected by default).
See“Horizon Agent Custom Setup Options,” on page 28.
nThe appropriate group policy settings must be configured. See “Install
and Configure Flash Redirection,” on page 174.
nFlash Redirection is supported on Windows 7, Windows 8, and
Windows 8.1 operating systems installed on single-user remote
desktops.
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nInternet Explorer 9, 10, or 11 must be installed with the corresponding
Flash ActiveX plug-in.
nAfter installation, in Internet Explorer, the VMware View FlashMMR
Server add-on must be enabled.
Horizon Client computer
or client access device
nHorizon Client 4.0 or later must be installed. (The Flash Redirection
option is enabled by default.)
See the topic about installing Horizon Client, in Using VMware Horizon
Client for Windows document.
nFlash Redirection is supported on Windows 7, Windows 8, and
Windows 8.1 client operating systems.
nThe Flash ActiveX plug-in must be installed and enabled
Display protocol for the
remote session
PCoIP
Install and Configure Flash Redirection
Redirecting Flash content from a remote desktop to a Flash Player window on the local client system
requires installing the Flash Redirection feature and Internet Explorer on the remote desktop and the client
system and specifying which Web sites will use this feature.
To install this feature on the client system, you must use a Horizon Client 4.0 or later installer. To install this
feature on a remote desktop, you must use a Horizon Agent 7.0 or later installer and select the correct
installation option, which is not selected by default. To enable this feature and to specify which Web sites
will use this feature, you use a group policy.
NOTE You can alternatively use Windows Registry settings on the remote desktop to configure a white list
of Web sites to use for Flash Redirection. See “Use Windows Registry Settings to Configure Flash
Redirection,” on page 176.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you can log in as an Administrator domain user on the machine that hosts your Active
Directory server.
nVerify that the MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active Directory
server.
nVerify that the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template (vdm_agent.adm file) has been added to the
OU for the remote desktop. See “Add View ADM Templates to a GPO,” on page 298.
nCompile a list of the Web sites that will use this feature to redirect Flash content. This list is a white list,
meaning that only the URLs specified in this list will be able to use this feature.
Procedure
1 On a Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 client system, install the required version of Horizon
Client and Flash Player ActiveX version.
nInstall Horizon Client 4.0 or later. See the topic about installing Horizon Client, in Using VMware
Horizon Client for Windows document.
nIf necessary, install the ActiveX version of Flash Player (rather than the NPAPI version). Flash
Player is installed by default in Internet Explorer 10 and 11. For Internet Explorer 9, you might
need to go to the following site to download and install Flash Player:
https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/.
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2 On a Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 remote desktop, install the required version of Horizon
Agent and Internet Explorer, with Flash Player.
nInstall Horizon Agent 7.0 or later and be sure to select the option for Flash Redirection
(experimental). This option is not selected by default.
nInstall Internet Explorer 9, 10, or 11.
nIf necessary, install the ActiveX version of Flash Player (rather than the NPAPI version). Flash
Player is installed by default in Internet Explorer 10 and 11. For Internet Explorer 9, you might
need to go to the following site to download and install Flash Player:
https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/.
3 On the remote desktop, in Internet Explorer, select Tools > Manage add-ons from the menu bar and
verify that VMware View FlashMMR Server is listed and enabled.
4 On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Editor and edit the Flash
Redirection policy settings under Computer Configuration.
The settings are located in the Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates >
Classic Administrative Templates > VMware Horizon Agent Configuration > VMware FlashMMR
folder.
Setting Description
Enable Flash Multimedia
Redirection
Specifies whether Flash Redirection (FlashMMR) is enabled on the remote
desktop (agent-side). When enabled, this feature forwards Flash multi-
media data from the designated URLs through a TCP channel to the client,
and invokes the local Flash Player on the client system. This feature greatly
reduces demand on the agent-side CPU and network bandwidth.
Minimum Rectangle Size Specifies the minimum width and height, in pixels, of the rectangle in
which the Flash content is played. For example, 400,300 specifies a width
of 400 pixels and a height of 300 pixels. Flash Redirection will be used only
if the Flash content is equal to or greater than the values specified in this
policy. If this GPO is not configured, the default value used is 320,200.
5 In the Group Policy Management Editor, edit the Flash Redirection policy settings under User
Configuration.
The settings are located in the User Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Classic
Administrative Templates > VMware Horizon Agent Configuration > VMware FlashMMR folder.
a Open the setting for making a list of host URLs that you want to use with Flash redirection and
select the Enabled radio button.
b Click the Show button.
c Enter the complete URLs in the Name column, and leave the Value column blank.
Be sure to include http:// or https://. You can use regular expressions. For example, you can specify
https://*.google.com and http://www.cnn.com.
6 On the agent machine, open a command prompt as an Administrator and change directories to the
following directory:
%Program Files%\Common Files\VMware\Remote Experience
The mergeflashmmrwhitelist.vbs file is located in this directory.
7 Run the following command to ensure that the white list you configured is added to Internet Explorer's
trusted sites and compatibility view.
cscript mergeflashmmrwhitelist.vbs
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8 Restart Internet Explorer.
The site or sites are added. You can verify the trusted sites by selecting Tools > Internet Options from
the Internet Explorer menu bar, and on the Security tab, click the Sites button. You can verify
compatibility settings by selecting Tools > Compatibility View Settings from the menu bar.
Use Windows Registry Settings to Configure Flash Redirection
If you are a domain user who does not have Administrator privileges on the Active Directory server, you
can alternatively configure Flash Redirection by setting the appropriate values in Windows Registry keys on
the remote desktop.
You can use this procedure as an alternative to using GPO settings to configure Flash Redirection.
Prerequisites
nCompile a list of the Web sites that will use this feature to redirect Flash content. This list is a white list,
meaning that only the URLs specified in this list will be able to use this feature.
nVerify that Horizon Agent 7.0 or later is installed in the remote desktop, along with Flash Player and
Internet Explorer 9, 10, or 11. See “Install and Configure Flash Redirection,” on page 174.
nVerify that you are using Horizon Client 4.0 or later, along with Flash Player ActiveX version.
Procedure
1 Use Horizon Client to access the remote desktop (agent machine).
2 Open the Windows Registry Editor (regedit.exe) on the agent machine, navigate to the following
folder, and set FlashRedirection to 1:
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware FlashMMR
NOTE This setting enables the Flash Redirection feature, but if this setting is disabled (set to 0) in
HKLM\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware FlashMMR, it means Flash Redirection is disabled
domain-wide, and requires a domain administrator to enable it.
3 Navigate to the following folder:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.\VMware FlashMMR
If this folder does not already exist, create it.
4 In the VMware FlashMMR folder, create a sub-key named UrlWhiteList.
5 Right-click the UrlWhiteList key, select New > String Value, and for the name, enter the URL of a Web
site that will use the Flash Redirection feature.
You can use regular expressions. For example, you could specify https://*.google.com. Be sure to
leave the Data value empty.
6 Repeat the previous step to add additional URLs, and when you are finished, close the Registry Editor.
7 On the agent machine, open a command prompt as an Administrator and change directories to the
following directory:
%Program Files%\Common Files\VMware\Remote Experience
The mergeflashmmrwhitelist.vbs file is located in this directory.
8 Run the following command to ensure that the white list you configured is added to Internet Explorer's
trusted sites and compatibility view.
cscript mergeflashmmrwhitelist.vbs
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9 Restart Internet Explorer.
The site or sites are added. You can verify the trusted sites by selecting Tools > Internet Options from
the Internet Explorer menu bar, and on the Security tab, click the Sites button. You can verify
compatibility settings by selecting Tools > Compatibility View Settings from the menu bar.
Configuring URL Content Redirection
With URL Content Redirection, you can configure specific URLs to always open on the client or in a remote
desktop or application.
You can redirect two types of URLs:
nURLs that users type in Internet Explorer's address bar.
nLinks in an application such as Outlook or Word that users can click.
You can configure any number of protocols, such as HTTP, mailto, and callto, for redirection. This feature
supports redirection in both directions:
nFrom a client to a remote desktop or application (client to agent)
Based on the rules that you set up, Horizon Client launches either a remote desktop or a remote
application to handle the URL. If a desktop is launched, the default application for the URL's protocol
processes the URL.
nFrom a remote desktop or application to a client (agent to client)
Horizon Agent sends the URL to Horizon Client, which launches the default application for the
protocol that is specified in the URL.
You can redirect some URLs from the remote desktop or application to the client and other URLs from the
client to the remote desktop or application.
NOTE You can have an environment where Horizon Client is installed on a remote desktop, which means
that both Horizon Agent and Horizon Client are installed on the same machine. For example, a user logs in
to a thin client device and is connected to a remote desktop. From the desktop, the user runs Horizon Client
to access remote applications. On this desktop machine, you can install Horizon Agent with the URL
Content Redirection feature or install Horizon Client with the feature, but not both. Therefore, on this
machine, you can set up either client-to-agent redirection or agent-to-client redirection, but not both.
To set up this feature, you must perform the following tasks:
nFor client-to-agent redirection, install Horizon Client with the URL Content Redirection feature. See
“Installing the URL Content Redirection Feature,” on page 179.
nFor agent-to-client redirection, install Horizon Agent with the URL Content Redirection feature. See
“Installing the URL Content Redirection Feature,” on page 179.
nConfigure GPO settings to indicate, for each protocol, how Horizon Agent or Horizon Client should
redirect the URL. See “VMware Horizon URL Content Redirection Template Settings,” on page 180.
Feature Requirements
This feature has the following requirements:
nHorizon Client 4.0 or later.
nThe supported browsers in which you can type or click a URL and have that URL redirected are
Internet Explorer 9,10, and 11.
nThe display protocol for the remote session must be VMware Blast or PCoIP.
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Feature Limitations
The behavior of this feature might have the following unexpected results:
nIf the URL opens a country-specific page based on the locale, the locale page that is opened is
determined by the source of the link. For example, if the remote desktop (agent source) resides in a data
center in Japan and the user's computer resides in the U.S., if the URL is redirected from the agent to the
client machine, the page that opens on the U.S. client is the Japanese page.
nIf users create favorites from Web pages, the favorites get created after redirection. For example, say a
user clicks a link on the client machine and the URL is redirected to a remote desktop (agent). If the user
creates a favorite for that page, the favorite gets created on the agent. The next time the user opens the
browser on the client machine, the user might expect to find the favorite on the client machine, but the
favorite was stored on the agent (remote desktop).
nFiles that users download are downloaded to the machine whose browser was used to open the URL.
For example, say a user clicks a link on the client machine, and the URL is redirected to a remote
desktop. If the link was for downloading a file, or if the link is for a Web page where the user
downloads a file, the file is downloaded to the remote desktop rather than the client machine.
The URL Content Redirection feature does not work in the following circumstances:
nShortened URLs such as https://goo.gl/abc can be redirected based on filtering rules, but the filtering
mechanism does not look at the original un-shortened URL. For example, if you have a rule that
redirects URLs containing acme.com, an original URL such as http://www.acme.com/some-really-long-
path, and a shortened URL of the original URL such as https://goo.gl/xyz, the original URL is
redirected but not the shortened URL.
Workaround: Create rules to block or redirect URLs from the Web sites most often used for shortening
URLs.
nEmbedded HTML pages will bypass URL redirection. For example, say a user goes to a URL that does
not match a URL redirection rule. If page contains an embedded HTML page (an iFrame or inline
frame) whose URL does match a redirection rule, the URL redirection rule does not work. The rule
works only on the top-level URL.
nURL Content Redirection does not work in situations where Internet Explorer plug-ins are disabled, for
example, when the user switches to InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer. (People use private
browsing so that Web pages and files downloaded from Web pages will not be logged in to the
browsing and download history on their computer.) This limitation arises because the URL Redirection
feature requires a certain Internet Explorer plug-in to be enabled, and private browsing disables these
plug-ins.
Workaround: Use the GPO setting to prevent users from disabling plug-ins. These settings include the
following: "Do not allow users to enable or disable add-ons" and "Automatically enable newly installed
add-ons." In the Group Policy Management Editor, these settings can be found under Computer
Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer.
Workaround specifically for Internet Explorer: Use the GPO setting to disable InPrivate mode. This
setting is called "Turn off InPrivate Browsing." In the Group Policy Management Editor, these settings
can be found under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components >
Internet Explorer > Privacy.
These two workarounds are recommended best practices and can prevent issues with redirection that
situations other than private browsing can cause.
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nURL Redirection does not work if a Windows 10 Universal app is the default handler for a protocol
specified in a link. Universal applications, which are built on the Universal Windows Platform so that
they can be downloaded to PCs, tablets, and phones, include the Microsoft Edge browser, Mail, Maps,
Photos, Grove Music and others. Therefore, if you click a link for which one of these applications is the
default handler, the URL will not be redirected. For example, if a user clicks an email link in an
application and the default email application is the Mail universal app, the URL specified in the link
will not be redirected.
Workaround: Make a different application the default handler of the protocol of URLs that you want to
redirect. For example, if Edge is the default browser, make Internet Explorer the default browser.
nMachines that have secure boot enabled will leave the URL Content Redirection feature disabled. URLs
cannot be redirected from these machines. URLs can, however, be redirected to these machines.
Installing the URL Content Redirection Feature
Neither the Horizon Agent, nor the Horizon Client, installation wizard lists URL Content Redirection as a
feature that you can select. You must install this feature by running the installer with a command-line
option.
To support URL Content Redirection from a remote desktop or application to a client, you must install
Horizon Agent with the URL Content Redirection feature. To support URL Content Redirection from a
client to a remote desktop, you must install Horizon Client with the URL Content Redirection feature.
Installing Horizon Agent with the URL Content Redirection Feature
Start the installation by running the following command in a command prompt window instead of double-
clicking the installer file. For example:
VMware-viewagent-x86_64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /v URL_FILTERING_ENABLED=1
After you follow the prompts and complete the installation, you can verify that this feature is installed by
checking that the vmware-url-protocol-launch-helper.exe file and the vmware-url-filtering-plugin.dll
file are installed in the directory %PROGRAMFILES%\VMware\VMware View\Agent\bin\UrlRedirection\. Also
verify that the following Internet Explorer add-on is enabled: VMware Horizon View URL Filtering Plugin.
Installing Horizon Client with the URL Content Redirection Feature
Start the installation by running the following command in a command prompt window instead of double-
clicking the installer file. For example:
VMware-Horizon-Client-x86-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe /v URL_FILTERING_ENABLED=1
After you follow the prompts and complete the installation, you can verify that this feature is installed by
checking that the vmware-url-protocol-launch-helper.exe file and the vmware-url-filtering-plugin.dll
file are installed in the directory %PROGRAMFILES%\VMware\VMware Horizon View Client\. Also verify that the
following Internet Explorer add-on is installed: VMware Horizon View URL Filtering Plugin.
Add the URL Content Redirection ADM Template in Active Directory
You can add the policy settings in the URL Content Redirection ADM file, urlRedirection-enUS.adm, to
group policy objects (GPOs) in Active Directory and configure the settings in the Group Policy Object
Editor.
Prerequisites
nIf you plan to set policies for links clicked in remote desktops or applications, verify that the URL
Content Redirection feature is included when you install Horizon Agent. See “Configuring URL
Content Redirection,” on page 177.
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nIf you plan to set policies for links clicked in client browsers or applications, verify that the URL
Content Redirection feature is included when you install Horizon Client. See “Configuring URL
Content Redirection,” on page 177.
nVerify that Active Directory GPOs are created for the URL Content Redirection group policy settings.
For rules regarding links clicked from a remote desktop or application, the GPOs must be linked to the
OU that contains your desktops and RDS hosts. For links clicked from inside the client system, GPOs
must be linked to the OU that contains the client computers.
See “Active Directory Group Policy Example,” on page 297.
nVerify that the MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active Directory
server.
nFamiliarize yourself with the URL Content Redirection group policy settings. See “VMware Horizon
URL Content Redirection Template Settings,” on page 180.
Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 Unzip the VMware-Horizon-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip file and copy the URL Content
Redirection ADM file, urlRedirection-enUS.adm, to your Active Directory server.
3 On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO by selecting Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy
Management, right-clicking the GPO, and selecting Edit.
4 In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative
Templates folder and select Add/Remove Templates.
5 Click Add, browse to the urlRedirection-enUS.adm file, and click Open.
6 Click Close to add 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 Horizon URL Redirection folder.
7 Configure the URL Content Redirection group policy settings.
The group policies are configured for the group of client computers or remote desktops for RDS hosts
included in the OU.
VMware Horizon URL Content Redirection Template Settings
The Horizon URL Content Redirection ADM template file (urlRedirection-enUS.adm) contains policy
settings related to controlling whether a URL link is opened on the client or on the agent side, in a remote
desktop or application. For example, for added security, administrators can set a policy so that, for all
employees working inside the company network, all URL links that point outside the company network are
opened in a remote desktop or application.
This ADM file is available in a bundled .zip file named VMware-Horizon-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip,
which you can download from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads. Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the
VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the bundled .zip file.
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URL Content Redirection can occur when end users click a URL link in a browser or an application, such as
a Microsoft Word document or an email, or if a user clicks or types a URL into an Internet Explorer 9, 10, or
11 browser. URL links can be links to Web pages, telephone numbers, email addresses, and more.
Syntax for URL Content Redirection Rules
When specifying which URLs to open on the client or agent, you can use regular expressions. Separate
multiple entries with semicolons. Spaces are not allowed between entries.
Following are some examples.
Entry Description
.* (Dot-star) Specifies that all URLs should be redirected. If you use this setting for the
agentRules option, all URLs are redirected to the agent side, which means URLs are
opened in a remote desktop or application. If you use this setting for the clientRules
option, the specified URLs are redirected to the client.
.*.acme.com;.*.example.com Specifies that all URLs that have the text .acme.com or example.com in them should
be redirected.
[space or leave empty] To specify that no URLs should be directed, use a space or leave the setting empty. For
example, leaving clientRules empty specifies that no URLs should be redirected to the
client.
For agentRules you must also use the brokerHostname option to specify the IP address or fully qualified
domain name of the connection server, and you must use the remoteItem option to specify the display name
of the desktop or application pool, as shown in View Administrator.
Agent-to-Client Redirection
Add this template to the GPO for a remote desktop or application pool if you want certain URLs to be
redirected to the Windows client.
For example, agent-to-client redirection might be used to conserve resources or as an added security layer. If
employees are working in a remote desktop or application and they want to watch videos, for example, you
might redirect those URLs to the client machine so that no extra load is put on the data center. Or for
security purposes, for employees working outside the company network, you might want all URLs that
point to external locations outside the company network to be opened on an employee's own client machine.
You could, for example, configure rules so that any content that is not company-related, that is, any URLs
that do not point to the company network, are redirected to open on the client machine. In this case you
could use the following settings, which include regular expressions:
nFor agentRules: .*.mycompany.com
This rule means that any URL that contains the text mycompany.com should be opened on the agent.
nFor clientRules: .*
This rule means that all URLs should be opened on the client, with the default client browser.
The feature uses the following process for applying the rules:
1 When a user clicks a link in a remote application or desktop, the client rules are checked first.
2 If a pattern in the URL matches a client rule, the agent rules are checked next.
3 If there is a conflict between the agent rules and the client rules, the link is opened locally, which means
in this case, on the agent machine.
4 If there is no conflict, the URL is redirected to the client.
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In the example above, there is a rules conflict because URLs with mycompany.com are a subset of all
URLs. Because of this conflict, URLs with mycompany.com in them are opened locally. If you click a link
with mycompany.com in the URL while in a remote desktop, the URL will be opened on that remote
desktop. If you click a link with mycompany.com in the URL in it from a client system, the URL will be
opened on the client.
Client-to-Agent Redirection
Add this template to the GPO for a group of client computers if you want certain URLs to be redirected to a
remote desktop or application. For example, for security purposes you might want all URLs that point to the
company network to be opened in a remote desktop or application. In that case you could set agentRules to:
.*.mycompany.com
To redirect URLs to a remote desktop or application pool, you must also specify which pool to use. Use the
brokerHostname option to specify the IP address or fully qualified domain name of the connection server,
and use the remoteItem option to specify the display name of the desktop or application pool, as shown in
View Administrator.
If the URL is redirected to a remote desktop, the link is opened in the default browser for that desktop. If the
URL is redirected to a remote application, the link is opened using the specified application pool. The end
user must be entitled to the desktop or application pool specified.
You can add this template to GPOs for both agent and client, but if you do so, ensure that the rules do not
conflict, or that any conflicts are intentional.
Template Setting Details
The following table describes policy settings in the Horizon URL Content Redirection ADM template file.
The template contains Computer Configuration settings only.
Table 14‑2. Horizon URL Content Redirection Template Settings
Setting Properties
IE Policy: Users can't disable URL
Redirection plugin
Determines whether users can disable URL Content Redirection.
This setting is disabled by default.
IE Policy: Automatically activate
newly installed plugins
Determines whether newly installed Internet Explorer plug-ins are
automatically activated.
This setting is disabled by default.
Url Redirection Enabled Determines whether this feature is turned on.
This setting is enabled by default. You can use this setting to disable the
feature even if the component has been installed.
Url Redirection Protocol 'http' For all URLs that use the HTTP protocol, specifies the URLs that should
be redirected.
For example, if you set agentRules to .*.mycompany.com then all URLs
that have "mycompany.com" in them are redirected to a remote desktop
or remote application. You can further specify which connection server
to use by setting brokerHostname, and you can specify which desktop
or application pool to use by setting remoteItem to the display name of
the pool, as shown in View Administrator.
If you set clientRules to .*.mycompany.com then all URLs that have
"mycompany.com" in them are redirected to the Windows-based client
and opened in the default browser on the client.
NOTE As a best practice, set the same rules for the HTTP protocol and
the HTTPS protocol. That way, if a user types a partial URL, such as
mycompany.com into Internet Explorer, if that site automatically
redirects from HTTP to HTTPS, the URL Content Redirection feature
will work as desired. In this case, if you set a rule for HTTPS but not
HTTP, the partial URL that the user types would not be redirected.
This setting is disabled by default.
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Table 14‑2. Horizon URL Content Redirection Template Settings (Continued)
Setting Properties
Url Redirection Protocol 'https' For all URLs that use the HTTPS protocol, specifies the URLs that
should be redirected.
The options are the same as for Url Redirection Protocol 'http'.
NOTE As a best practice, set the same rules for the HTTPS protocol and
the HTTP protocol.
This setting is disabled by default.
Url Redirection Protocol 'callto' For all URLs that use the callto protocol, specifies the URLs that should
be redirected.
The options are the same as for Url Redirection Protocol 'http'.
This setting is disabled by default.
Url Redirection Protocol 'email' For all URLs that use the email or mailto protocol, specifies the URLs
that should be redirected.
The options are the same as for Url Redirection Protocol 'http'.
This setting is disabled by default.
Url Redirection Protocol '[...]' This is a template that you can modify for any additional protocol. If
you do not need to configure any additional protocol, you can delete or
comment out this entry before adding the ADM template to Active
Directory.
NOTE For client-to-agent redirection, if you configure a protocol that does not have a default handler, after
you configure a GPO setting for this protocol, you must launch Horizon Client once before URLs that
specify this protocol are redirected.
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.
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.
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Configuration Choices for Real-Time Audio-Video
After you install Horizon 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 194.
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 186.
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 Audio-
Video, 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, or Horizon Agent 7.0 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 Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 26.
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 4.0 for iOS or a later release.
Horizon Client 4.0 for Android or a later release.
Horizon Client computer
or client access device
nAll operating systems that run Horizon Client for Windows.
nAll operating systems that run Horizon Client for Linux on x86 devices.
This feature is not supported on ARM processors.
nMac OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) and later. It is disabled on all earlier Mac
OS X operating systems.
nAll operating systems that run Horizon Client for iOS.
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nAll operating systems than run Horizon Client for Android.
nFor details about supported client operating systems, see the Using
VMware Horizon Client document for the appropriate system or device.
nThe 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 the agent is installed.
Display protocol for
View
nPCoIP
nVMware Blast (requires Horizon Client 4.0 or later and Horizon Agent
7.0 or later)
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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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 220.
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.
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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.
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 Real-
Time Audio-Video feature.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.
nVerify that you are using the VMware Blast display protocol or the PCoIP display protocol for your
remote desktop.
Procedure
1 If you are currently on a call, stop the call.
2 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.
3 In the Recording tab of the Sound dialog box, right-click the microphone you prefer to use.
4 Select Set as Default Device and click OK.
5 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
nVerify that you have a USB webcam installed and operational on your client system.
nVerify that you are using the VMware Blast display protocol or the PCoIP display protocol for your
remote desktop.
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Procedure
1 Attach the webcam you want to use.
2 Start a call and then stop a call.
This process creates a log file.
3 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-DD-
XXXXXX.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#
5 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.
6 Start the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware,
Inc.\VMware VDM\RTAV.
7 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.
8 Save your changes and exit the registry.
9 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.
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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 189.
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.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.
nVerify that you are using the VMware Blast display protocol or the PCoIP display protocol for your
remote desktop.
Procedure
1 On your client system, select Apple menu > System Preferences and click Sound.
2 Open the Input pane of Sound preferences.
3 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 14‑3. Command Syntax for Real-Time Audio-Video Configuration
Command Description
defaults write com.vmware.rtav scrWCamId "webcam-
userid"
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 "audio-
device-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.
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Table 14‑3. Command Syntax for Real-Time Audio-Video Configuration (Continued)
Command Description
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.
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 187. If you do not
configure a preferred webcam, the remote desktop selects the webcam by enumeration.
Prerequisites
nIf you are configuring a preferred USB webcam, verify that the webcam is installed and operational on
your client system.
nIf you are configuring a preferred USB microphone or other type of microphone, verify that the
microphone is installed and operational on your client system.
nVerify that you are using the VMware Blast display protocol or the PCoIP display protocol for your
remote desktop.
Procedure
1 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.
b 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.
c Start a call and then stop the call.
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2 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.
b 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 (Built-
in)#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
3 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.
4 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-device-
userid", 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"
5 (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.
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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 191.
Prerequisites
nVerify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.
nVerify that you are using the VMware Blast display protocol or 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.
2 Click the Input tab in the Sound Preferences dialog box.
3 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.
nFor 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.
nFor 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:
nVerify that you have a USB webcam installed and operational on your client system.
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nVerify that you have a USB microphone or another type of microphone installed and operational on
your client system.
nVerify that you are using the VMware Blast display protocol or 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.
b Use the command vmware-view to start Horizon Client.
c Start a call and then stop the call.
This process creates a log file.
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2 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-<username>/vmware-
RTAV-<pid>.log. The client log is located at /tmp/vmware-<username>/vmware-view-<pid>.log.
b 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.usb-
Logitech_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.usb-
Logitech_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.usb-
Microsoft_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
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3 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"
4 Save your changes and close the /etc/vmware/config configuration file.
5 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 196.
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
nVerify 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 Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine,” on page 26.
nVerify 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 297.
nVerify that the Microsoft MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active
Directory server.
nFamiliarize yourself with RTAV group policy settings. See “Real-Time Audio-Video Group Policy
Settings,” on page 195.
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Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 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.
3 On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO by selecting Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy
Management, right-clicking the GPO, and selecting Edit.
4 In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Administrative
Templates folder and select Add/Remove Templates.
5 Click Add, browse to the vdm_agent_rtav.adm file, and click Open.
6 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 Horizon Agent Configuration > View RTAV
Configuration folder.
7 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 Horizon 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.
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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 Audio-
Video 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 14-4 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 Horizon 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.
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Table 14‑4. Sample Bandwidth Results for Sending Real-Time Audio-Video Data from Horizon Client to
Horizon 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 Horizon 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 199.
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
Horizon 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:
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8.x
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10
nWindows Server 2008 R2 configured as a desktop or RDS host
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nWindows 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 Horizon 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:
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8.x
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10
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.
nAfter the Scanner Redirection option is installed with Horizon Agent, a scanner tool tray icon 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.
nWhen 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.
nBy 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.
nIf more than one locally connected scanner is configured, you can select a different scanner than the one
that is selected by default.
nWIA scanners are displayed in the remote desktop's Device Manager menu, under Imaging devices.
The WIA scanner is named VMware Virtual WIA Scanner.
nIn 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.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
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You can also control these features by configuring scanner redirection group policy settings in Active
Directory. See “Scanner Redirection Group Policy Settings,” on page 200.
nWhen 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.
nTo 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 Client for 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
nVerify 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 Horizon Agent on
a Virtual Machine,” on page 26.
nVerify 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 297.
nVerify that the MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active Directory
server.
nFamiliarize yourself with scanner redirection group policy settings. See “Scanner Redirection Group
Policy Settings,” on page 200.
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Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 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.
3 On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO by selecting Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy
Management, right-clicking the GPO, and selecting Edit.
4 In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Administrative
Templates folder and select Add/Remove Templates.
5 Click Add, browse to the vdm_agent_scanner.adm file, and click Open.
6 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.
7 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.
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Group Policy
Setting Description
Compression Sets the image compression rate during the image transfer to the remote desktop or application.
You can choose from the following compression modes:
nDisable. Image compression is disabled.
nLossless. Lossless (zlib) compression is used without loss of image quality.
nJPEG. 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.
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:
nNone. Do not select scanners automatically.
nAutoselect Automatically select the locally connected scanner.
nLast used Automatically select the last-used scanner.
nSpecified 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.
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Configuring Serial Port Redirection
With serial port redirection, users can redirect locally connected, serial (COM) ports such as built-in RS232
ports or USB to Serial adapters. Devices such as printers, bar code readers, and other serial devices can be
connected to these ports and used in the remote desktops.
Serial port redirection is available in Horizon 6 version 6.1.1 and later releases with Horizon Client for
Windows 3.4 and later releases.
After you install Horizon Agent and set up the serial port redirection feature, the feature can work on your
remote desktops without further configuration. For example, COM1 on the local client system is redirected
as COM1 on the remote desktop, and COM2 is redirected as COM2, unless a COM port already exists on the
remote desktop. If so, the COM port is mapped to avoid conflicts. For example, if COM1 and COM2 already
exist on the remote desktop, COM1 on the client is mapped to COM3 by default. You do not have to
configure the COM ports or install device drivers on the remote desktops.
To make a redirected COM port active, a user selects the Connect option from the menu on the serial port
tool tray icon during a desktop session. A user can also set a COM port device to connect automatically
whenever the user logs in to the remote desktop. See “User Operation of Serial Port Redirection,” on
page 203.
You can configure group policy settings to change the default configuration. For example, you can lock the
settings so that users cannot change the COM port mappings or properties. You can also set a policy to
disable or enable the feature altogether. With an ADM template file, you can install serial port redirection
group policy settings in Active Directory or on individual desktops. See “Configuring Serial Port
Redirection Group Policy Settings,” on page 205.
When a redirected COM port is opened and in use on a remote desktop, you cannot access the port on the
local computer. Conversely, when a COM port is in use on the local computer, you cannot access the port on
the remote desktop.
Requirements for Serial Port Redirection
With this feature, users can redirect locally connected, serial (COM) ports, such as built-in RS232 ports or
USB to Serial adapters, to their remote desktops. To support serial port redirection, your View deployment
must meet certain software and hardware requirements.
View remote desktop The remote desktops must have View Agent 6.1.1 or later, or Horizon Agent
7.0 or later, installed with the Serial Port Redirection setup option, on the
parent or template virtual machines. This setup option is deselected by
default.
The following guest operating systems are supported on single-user virtual
machines:
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8.x
n32-bit or 64-bit Windows 10
nWindows Server 2008 R2 configured as a desktop
nWindows Server 2012 R2 configured as a desktop
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This feature is not currently supported for Windows Server RDS hosts.
Serial port device drivers do not have to be installed on the desktop
operating system where the agent is installed.
Horizon Client computer
or client access device
nThe client system must have Horizon Client for Windows 3.4 or later
installed.
nSerial port redirection is supported on 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 client
systems, 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8.x client systems, and 32-bit or 64-bit
Windows 10 client systems.
nAny required serial port device drivers must be installed, and the serial
port must be operable, on the client computer. You do not need to install
the device drivers on the remote desktop operating system where the
agent is installed.
Display protocol for
View
nPCoIP
nVMware Blast Extreme (requires Horizon Client 4.0 or later and
Horizon Agent 7.0 or later)
VMware Horizon serial port redirection is not supported in RDP desktop
sessions.
User Operation of Serial Port Redirection
Users can operate physical COM port devices that are connected to their client computers and use serial port
virtualization to connect the devices to their remote desktops, where the devices are accessible to 3rd party
applications.
nAfter the Serial Port Redirection option is installed with Horizon Agent, a serial port tool tray icon ( )
is added to the remote desktop.
The icon appears only if you use the required versions of Horizon Agent and Horizon Client for
Windows, and you connect over PCoIP. The icon does not appear if you connect to a remote desktop
from a Mac, Linux, or mobile client.
You can use the icon to configure options to connect, disconnect, and customize the mapped COM
ports.
nWhen you click the serial port icon, the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu appears.
nBy default, the locally connected COM ports are mapped to corresponding COM ports on the remote
desktop. For example: COM1 mapped to COM3. The mapped ports are not connected by default.
nTo use a mapped COM port, you must manually select the Connect option in the Serial COM
Redirection for VMware Horizon menu, or the Autoconnect option must be set during a previous
desktop session or by configuring a group policy setting. Autoconnect configures a mapped port to
connect automatically when a remote desktop session is started.
nWhen you select the Connect option, the redirected port is active. In the Device Manager in the guest
operating system on the remote desktop, the redirected port is shown as Serial Port Redirector for
VMware Horizon (COMn).
When the COM port is connected, you can open the port in a 3rd-party application, which can exchange
data with the COM port device that is connected to the client machine. While a port is open in an
application, you cannot disconnect the port in the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon
menu.
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Before you can disconnect the COM port, you must close the port in the application or close the
application. You can then select the Disconnect option to disconnect the port and make the physical
COM port available for use on the client machine.
nIn the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu, you can right-click a redirected port to
select the Port Properties command.
In the COM Properties dialog box, you can configure a port to connect automatically when a remote
desktop session is started, ignore the Data Set Ready (DSR) signal, and map the local port on the client
to a different COM port on the remote desktop by selecting a port in the Custom port name drop-down
list.
A remote desktop port might be shown as overlapped. For example, you might see COM1
(Overlapped). In this case, the virtual machine is configured with a COM port in the virtual hardware
on the ESXi host. You can use a redirected port even when it is mapped to an overlapped port on the
virtual machine. The virtual machine receives serial data through the port from the ESXi host or from
the client system.
nIn the Device Manager in the guest operating system, you can use the Properties > Port Settings tab to
configure settings for a redirected COM port. For example, you can set the default baud rate and data
bits. However, the settings you configure in Device Manager are ignored if the application specifies the
port settings.
For end-user instructions for operating redirected serial COM ports, see the Using VMware Horizon Client for
Windows document.
Guidelines for Configuring Serial Port Redirection
Through the group policy settings, you can configure serial port redirection and control the extent to which
users can customize redirected COM ports. Your choices depend on the user roles and 3rd-party
applications in your organization.
For details about the group policy settings, see “Serial Port Redirection Group Policy Settings,” on page 206.
nIf your users run the same 3rd-party applications and COM port devices, make sure that the redirected
ports are configured in the same way. For example, in a bank or retail store that uses point-of-sale
devices, make sure that all COM port devices are connected to the same ports on the client endpoints,
and all ports are mapped to the same redirected COM ports on the remote desktops.
Set the PortSettings policy setting to map client ports to redirected ports. Select the Autoconnect item
in PortSettings to ensure that the redirected ports are connected at the start of each desktop session.
Enable the Lock Configuration policy setting to prevent users from changing the port mappings or
customizing the port configurations. In this scenario, users never have to connect or disconnect
manually and cannot accidentally make a redirected COM port inaccessible to a 3rd-party application.
nIf your users are knowledge workers who use a variety of 3rd-party applications and might also use
their COM ports locally on their client machines, make sure that users can connect and disconnect from
the redirected COM ports.
You might set the PortSettings policy setting if the default port mappings are incorrect. You might or
might not set the Autoconnect item, depending on your users' requirements. Do not enable the Lock
Configuration policy setting.
nMake sure that your 3rd-party applications open the COM port that is mapped to the remote desktop.
nMake sure that the baud rate that is in use for a device matches the baud rate that the 3rd-party
application is attempting to use.
nYou can redirect up to five COM ports from a client system to a remote desktop.
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Configuring Serial Port Redirection Group Policy Settings
You can configure group policy settings that control the behavior of serial port redirection on your remote
desktops. With these policy settings, you can control centrally, from Active Directory, the options that are
available in the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu on users' desktops.
You do not have to configure these policy settings. Serial port redirection works with the default settings
that are configured for redirected COM ports on remote desktops and client systems.
These policy settings affect your remote desktops, not the client systems where the physical COM port
devices are connected. To configure these settings on your desktops, add the Serial Port Redirection Group
Policy Administrative Template (ADM) file in Active Directory.
Add the Serial Port Redirection ADM Template in Active Directory
You can add the policy settings in the serial port redirection ADM file, vdm_agent_serialport.adm, to group
policy objects (GPOs) in Active Directory and configure the settings in the Group Policy Object Editor.
Prerequisites
nVerify that the Serial Port Redirection setup option is installed on your desktops. The group policy
settings have no effect if serial port redirection is not installed. See “Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual
Machine,” on page 26.
nVerify that Active Directory GPOs are created for the serial port redirection group policy settings. The
GPOs must be linked to the OU that contains your desktops. See “Active Directory Group Policy
Example,” on page 297.
nVerify that the MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active Directory
server.
nFamiliarize yourself with serial port redirection group policy settings. See “Serial Port Redirection
Group Policy Settings,” on page 206.
Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 Unzip the VMware-Horizon-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip file and copy the serial port redirection
ADM file, vdm_agent_serialport.adm, to your Active Directory server.
3 On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO by selecting Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy
Management, right-clicking the GPO, and selecting Edit.
4 In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Administrative
Templates folder and select Add/Remove Templates.
5 Click Add, browse to the vdm_agent_serialport.adm file, and click Open.
6 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 > Serial COM folder.
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Most settings are also added to the User Configuration folder, located in User Configuration > Policies
> Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates > VMware View Agent
Configuration > Serial COM.
7 Configure the serial port redirection group policy settings.
Serial Port Redirection Group Policy Settings
The serial port redirection group policy settings control the redirected COM port configuration, including
the options that are available in the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu on remote
desktops.
The serial port redirection ADM file contains both Computer Configuration and User Configuration
policies. The User Configuration policies allow you to set different configurations for specified users of VDI
desktops. Policy settings that are configured in Computer Configuration take precedence over the
corresponding settings that are configured in User Configuration.
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Group Policy
Setting Description
PortSettings Determines the mapping between the COM port on the client system and the redirected COM port on
the remote desktop and determines other settings that affect the redirected COM port.
You configure each redirected COM port individually. Five PortSettings policy settings are available,
PortSettings1 through PortSettings5, allowing up to five COM ports to be mapped from the client to
the remote desktop. Select one PortSettings policy setting for each COM port that you intend to
configure.
When you enable the PortSettings policy setting, you can configure the following items that affect the
redirected COM port:
nThe Source port number setting specifies the number of the physical COM port that is connected
to the client system.
nThe Destination virtual port number setting specifies the number of the redirected virtual COM
port on the remote desktop.
nThe Autoconnect setting automatically connects the COM port to the redirected COM port at the
start of each desktop session.
nWith the IgnoreDSR setting, the redirected COM port device ignores the Data Set Ready (DSR)
signal.
nThe Pause before close port (in milliseconds) setting specifies the time to wait (in milliseconds)
after a user closes the redirected port and before the port is actually closed. Certain USB to Serial
adapters require this delay to ensure that transmitted data is preserved. This setting is intended for
troubleshooting purposes.
nThe Serial2USBModeChangeEnabled setting resolves issues that apply to USB to Serial adapters
that use the Prolific chipset, including the GlobalSat BU353 GPS adapter. If you do not enable this
setting for Prolific chipset adapters, connected devices can transmit data but not receive data.
nThe Disable errors in wait mask setting disables the error value in the COM port mask. This
troubleshooting setting is required for certain applications. For details, see the Microsoft
documentation of the WaitCommEvent function at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa363479(v=vs.85).aspx.
nThe HandleBtDisappear setting supports BlueTooth COM port behavior. This setting is intended
for troubleshooting purposes.
nThe UsbToComTroubleShooting setting resolves some issues that apply to USB to Serial port
adapters. This setting is intended for troubleshooting purposes.
When you enable the PortSettings setting for a particular COM port, users can connect and disconnect
the redirected port, but users cannot configure properties of the port on the remote desktop. For
example, users cannot set the port to be redirected automatically when they log in to the desktop, and
they cannot ignore the DSR signal. These properties are controlled by the group policy setting.
NOTE A redirected COM port is connected and active only if the physical COM port is connected
locally to the client system. If you map a COM port that does not exist on the client, the redirected port
appears as inactive and not available in the tool tray menu on the remote desktop.
When the PortSettings setting is disabled or not configured, the redirected COM port uses the settings
that users configure on the remote desktop. The Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu
options are active and available to users.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration and User Configuration policy.
Local settings
priority
Gives priority to the settings that are configured on the remote desktop.
When you enable this policy, the serial port redirection settings that a user configures on the remote
desktop take precedence over the group policy settings. A group policy setting takes effect only if a
setting is not configured on the remote desktop.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, group policy settings take precedence over the settings
that are configured on the remote desktop.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration and User Configuration policy.
Disable
functionality
Disables the serial port redirection feature.
When you enable this setting, COM ports are not redirected to the remote desktop. The serial port tool
tray icon on the remote desktop is not displayed.
When this setting is disabled, serial port redirection works, the serial port tool tray icon is displayed,
and COM ports appear in the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu.
When this setting is not configured, settings that are local to the remote desktop determine whether
serial port redirection is disabled or enabled.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration policy only.
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Group Policy
Setting Description
Lock
configuration
Locks the serial port redirection user interface and prevents users from changing configuration options
on the remote desktop.
When you enable this setting, users cannot configure the options that are available from the tool tray
menu on their desktops. Users can display the Serial COM Redirection for VMware Horizon menu,
but the options are inactive and cannot be changed.
When this setting is disabled, users can configure the options in the Serial COM Redirection for
VMware Horizon menu.
When this setting is not configured, local program settings on the remote desktop determine whether
users can configure the COM port redirection settings.
Bandwidth
limit
Sets a limit on the data transfer speed, in kilobytes per second, between the redirected serial port and
client systems.
When you enable this setting, you can set a value in the Bandwidth limit (in kilobytes per second)
box that determines the maximum data transfer speed between the redirected serial port and the
client. A value of 0 disables the bandwidth limit.
When this setting is disabled, no bandwidth limit is set.
When this setting is not configured, local program settings on the remote desktop determine whether a
bandwidth limit is set.
This setting is available as a Computer Configuration policy only.
Configure USB to Serial Adapters
You can configure USB to Serial adapters that use a Prolific chipset to be redirected to remote desktops by
the serial port redirection feature.
To ensure that data is transmitted properly on Prolific chipset adapters, you can enable a serial port
redirection group policy setting in Active Directory or on an individual desktop virtual machine.
If you do not configure the group policy setting to resolve issues for Prolific chipset adapters, connected
devices can transmit data but not receive data.
You do not have to configure a policy setting or registry key on client systems.
Prerequisites
nVerify that the Serial Port Redirection setup option is installed on your desktops. The group policy
settings have no effect if serial port redirection is not installed. See “Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual
Machine,” on page 26.
nVerify that the Serial Port Redirection ADM file is added in Active Directory or on the desktop virtual
machine. See “Add the Serial Port Redirection ADM Template in Active Directory,” on page 205.
nFamiliarize yourself with the Serial2USBModeChangeEnabled item in the PortSettings group policy
setting. See “Serial Port Redirection Group Policy Settings,” on page 206.
Procedure
1 In Active Directory or on the virtual machine, open the Group Policy Object Editor.
2 Navigate to the Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Classic
Administrative Templates > VMware View Agent Configuration > Serial COM folder.
3 Select the PortSettings folder.
4 Select and enable a PortSettings group policy setting.
5 Specify the source and destination COM port numbers to map the COM port.
6 Select the Serial2USBModeChangeEnabled check box.
7 Configure other items in the PortSettings policy setting as needed.
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8 Click OK and close the Group Policy Object Editor.
USB to Serial adapters can be redirected to remote desktops, and can receive data successfully, when users
start their next desktop sessions.
Managing Access to Windows Media Multimedia Redirection (MMR)
View provides the Windows Media MMR feature for VDI desktops that run on single-user machines and for
RDS desktops.
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.
If the secure tunnel is enabled, MMR connections between Horizon Clients and the View Secure Gateway
are secure, but connections from the View Secure Gateway to desktop machines are not encrypted. If the
secure tunnel is disabled, MMR connections from Horizon Clients to the desktop machines are not
encrypted.
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 257.
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 remote desktop nThis feature is supported on VDI desktops that are deployed on single-
user virtual machines and on RDS desktops.
View Agent 6.1.1 or later is required to support this feature on RDS
desktops.
View Agent 6.0.2 or later is required to support this feature on single-
user machines.
nThe following guest operating systems are supported:
n64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7 SP1 Enterprise or Ultimate (single-user
machine). Windows 7 Professional is not supported.
n64-bit or 32-bit Windows 8/8.1 Professional or Enterprise (single-
user machine)
nWindows Server 2008 R2 configured as an RDS host
nWindows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 configured as an RDS host
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n3D Rendering can be enabled or disabled on the desktop pool.
nUsers 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 Horizon Client 3.2 for Windows or a later release is required to support
Windows Media MMR on single-user machines.
Horizon Client computer
or client access device
nThe clients must run 64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1
operating systems.
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.
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 DMZ-
based 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
By default, Windows Media MMR adapts to network conditions on single-user desktops that run on
Windows 8 or later and RDS desktops that run on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 or later. 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.
This feature applies to Windows 8 or later single-user desktops and Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 or later
RDS desktops. Users can run any supported client system, Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.
This feature does not apply to Windows 7 single-user desktops or Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS desktops.
On these guest operating systems, Windows Media MMR always performs multimedia redirection,
regardless of network latency.
You can override this feature, 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.
2 Navigate to the Windows registry key that controls the redirection policy.
Option Description
64-bit desktop HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\VMware,Inc.\VMware
tsmmr
32-bit desktop HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VMware,Inc.\VMware tsmmr
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3 Set the RedirectionPolicy value to always.
Value name = RedirectionPolicy
Value Type = REG_SZ
Value data = always
4 Restart Windows Media Player on the desktop to allow the updated value to take effect.
Managing Access to Client Drive Redirection
When you deploy Horizon Client 3.5 or later and View Agent 6.2 or later or Horizon Agent 7.0 or later with
client drive redirection, folders and files are sent across the network with encryption. Client drive
redirection connections between clients and the View Secure Gateway and connections from the View
Secure Gateway to desktop machines are secure.
With earlier client or agent releases, client drive redirection folders and files are sent across the network
without encryption and might contain sensitive data, depending on the content being redirected.
If the secure tunnel is enabled, client drive redirection connections between Horizon Client and the View
Secure Gateway are secure, but connections from the View Secure Gateway to desktop machines are not
encrypted. If the secure tunnel is disabled, client drive redirection connections from Horizon Client to the
desktop machines are not encrypted.
To ensure that this data cannot be monitored on the network, use client drive redirection only on a secure
network if Horizon Client is earlier than version 3.5 or agent is earlier than version 6.2.
The Client Drive Redirection setup option in the agent installer is selected by default. As a best practice,
enable the Client Drive Redirection setup option only in desktop pools where users require this feature.
Use Group Policy to Disable Client Drive Redirection
You can disable client drive redirection by configuring a Microsoft Remote Desktop Services group policy
setting for remote desktops and RDS hosts in Active Directory.
For more information about client drive redirection, see the Using VMware Horizon Client document for the
specific type of desktop client device. Go to
https://www.vmware.com/support/viewclients/doc/viewclients_pubs.html.
NOTE This setting overrides local registry and Smart Policies settings that enable the client drive redirection
feature.
Prerequisites
If your View deployment includes a back-end firewall between your DMZ-based security servers and your
internal network, verify that the back-end firewall allows traffic to port 9427 on your single-user and RDS
desktops. TCP connections on port 9427 are required to support client drive redirection.
Procedure
1 In the Group Policy Editor, go to Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative
Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Device
and Resource Redirection.
This navigation path is for Active Directory on Windows Server 2012. The navigation path differs on
other Windows operating systems.
2 Enable the Do not allow drive redirection group policy setting.
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Use Registry Settings to Configure Client Drive Redirection
You can use Windows registry key settings to control client drive redirection behavior on a remote desktop.
This feature requires Horizon Agent 7.0 or later and Horizon Client 4.0 or later.
The Windows registry settings that control client drive redirection behavior on a remote desktop are located
in the following path:
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR
You can use the Windows Registry Editor on the remote desktop to edit local registry settings.
NOTE Client drive redirection policies set with Smart Policies take precedence over local registry settings.
Disabling Client Drive Redirection
To disable client drive redirection, create a new string value named disabled and set its value to true.
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\disabled=true
The value is false (enabled) by default.
Preventing Write Access to Shared Folders
To prevent write access to all folders that are shared with the remote desktop, create a new string value
named permissions and set its value to any string that begins with r, except for rw.
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\permissions=r
The value is rw (all shared folders are readable and writeable) by default.
Sharing Specific Folders
To share specific folders with the remote desktop, create a new key named default shares and create a new
subkey for each folder to share with the remote desktop. For each subkey, create a new string value named
name and set its value to the path of the folder to share. The following example shares the folders C:\ebooks
and C:\spreadsheets.
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\default shares\f1\name=C:\ebooks
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\default shares\f2\name=C:\spreadsheets
If you set name to *all, all client drives are shared with the remote desktop. The *all setting is supported
only on Windows client systems.
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\default shares\1st\name=*all
To prevent the client from sharing additional folders (that is, folders that are not specified with the default
shares key), create a string value named ForcedByAdmin and set its value to true.
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\ForcedByAdmin=true
When the value is true, the Sharing dialog box does not appear when users connect to the remote desktop in
Horizon Client. The value is false (clients can share additional folders) by default.
The following example shares the folders C:\ebooks and C:\spreadsheets, makes both folders read-only,
and prevents the client from sharing additional folders.
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\ForcedByAdmin=true
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\permissions=r
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\default shares\f1\name=C:\ebooks
HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware TSDR\default shares\f2\name=C:\spreadsheets
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Using USB Devices with Remote
Desktops and Applications 15
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 the Blast Extreme, PCoIP, or Microsoft RDP 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 217.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Limitations Regarding USB Device Types,” on page 214
n“Overview of Setting Up USB Redirection,” on page 215
n“Network Traffic and USB Redirection,” on page 216
n“Automatic Connections to USB Devices,” on page 216
n“Deploying USB Devices in a Secure View Environment,” on page 217
VMware, Inc. 213
n“Using Log Files for Troubleshooting and to Determine USB Device IDs,” on page 219
n“Using Policies to Control USB Redirection,” on page 220
n“Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems,” on page 230
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, on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X clients. 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:
nDue 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 Real-
Time Audio-Video feature.
nThe 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 Audio-
Video feature, audio input and output devices will work well using that feature, and you do not need to
use USB redirection for those devices.
nUSB CD/DVD burning is not supported.
nPerformance 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 round-
trips 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, as well as scanners and touch devices such as signature tablets, do not
work well over a latent network such as a WAN.
nThe 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:
nUSB thumb flash drives
nUSB 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.
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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 217.
1 When you run the Horizon 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 (Optional) Configure Horizon Agent group policies to specify which types of devices are allowed to be
redirected.
See “Using Policies to Control USB Redirection,” on page 220.
5 (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.
6 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.
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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.
2 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.
3 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-
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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:
nUSB Ethernet devices. If you redirect a USB Ethernet device, your client system might lose network
connectivity if that device is the only Ethernet device.
nTouch 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 223.
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:
nWhen you install Horizon 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.
nIn 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.
nIn 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.
nSet the Exclude All Devices policy to true, on the Horizon Agent side or on the client side, as
appropriate.
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nUse Smart Policies to create a policy that disables the USB redirection Horizon Policy setting. With this
approach, you can disable USB redirection on a specific remote desktop if certain conditions are met.
For example, you can configure a policy that disables USB redirection when users connect to a remote
desktop from outside your corporate network.
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 Horizon Agent and Horizon Client. The
following table shows how the Exclude All Devices policy that you can set for Horizon 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 15‑1. Effect of Combining Exclude All Devices Policies
Exclude All Devices Policy on
Horizon Agent
Exclude All Devices Policy on
Horizon Client
Combined Effective Exclude All
Devices Policy
false or not defined (include all USB
devices)
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 Horizon Agent is not passed to Horizon Client, but Horizon Agent and Horizon Client enforce the local
value of Exclude All Devices.
These policies are included in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm). For
more information, see “USB Settings in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template,” on page 227.
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
Horizon 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.
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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.
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.
Be aware that if you block TCP port 32111 to disable external access to USB devices, time zone
synchronization will not work because port 32111 is also used for time zone synchronization. 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 15‑2. 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
Horizon Agent %PROGRAMDATA%\VMware\VDM\logs\debug-*.txt
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Table 15‑2. Log File Locations (Continued)
Client or Agent Path to Log Files
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.
Using Policies to Control USB Redirection
You can configure USB policies for both the remote desktop or application (Horizon 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 Horizon Agent prevent certain USB devices from being
forwarded from a client computer.
If you have older versions of Horizon Agent or Horizon Client installed, not all the features of the USB
redirection policies are available. Table 15-3 shows how View applies the policies for different combinations
of Horizon Agent and Horizon Client.
Table 15‑3. Compatibility of USB Policy Settings
Horizon Agent
Version
Horizon
Client
Version Effect of USB Policy Settings on USB Redirection
5.1 or later 5.1 or later USB policy settings are applicable to both Horizon Agent and Horizon Client. You
can use Horizon Agent USB policy settings to block USB devices from being
forwarded to a desktop. Horizon 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 Horizon Agent. You can use Horizon 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 Horizon 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 Horizon Agent USB policy settings to block USB
devices from being forwarded to a desktop. Horizon Agent cannot send device
splitting and filtering policy settings to Horizon Client.
5.0.x or earlier 5.0.x or earlier USB policy settings do not apply. Existing registry settings for USB redirection by
Horizon Client remain valid.
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
Horizon Agent to control which USB devices are allowed to be forwarded from the client to a desktop or
application.
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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.
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 15‑4. Effect of Combining Disable Automatic Splitting Policies
Allow Auto Device Splitting Policy
on Horizon 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 Not defined Automatic splitting disabled
NOTE These policies are included in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm).
For more information, see “USB Settings in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template,” on page 227.
By default, View disables automatic splitting, and excludes any audio-output, keyboard, mouse, or smart-
card 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.
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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 15-5 shows the modifiers that specify how Horizon Client handles a Horizon 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.
Table 15‑5. Splitting Modifiers for Device-Splitting Policy Settings on Horizon Agent
Modifier Description
m (merge) Horizon Client applies the Horizon Agent device splitting policy setting in addition to the
Horizon Client device splitting policy setting.
o (override) Horizon Client uses the Horizon Agent device splitting policy setting instead of the
Horizon Client device splitting policy setting.
Table 15-6 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 15‑6. Examples of Applying Splitting Modifiers to Device-Splitting Policy Settings
Exclude Device From Split by
Vendor/Product ID on
Horizon 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_pid-
YYYY
o:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX
m:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-
YYYY_pid-YYYY
vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-YYYY_pid-
YYYY
o:vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-
YYYY_pid-YYYY
vid-YYYY_pid-YYYY vid-XXXX_pid-XXXX;vid-YYYY_pid-
YYYY
Horizon 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.
nExclude Vid/Pid Device From Split
nSplit 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:
nFor Horizon Agent, set the Allow Auto Device Splitting policy to Allow - Override Client Setting.
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nFor Horizon 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:
nFor Horizon Agent, set the Allow Auto Device Splitting policy to Allow - Override Client Setting.
nFor 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.
nFor 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.
Configuring Filter Policy Settings for USB Devices
Filter policy settings that you configure for Horizon 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 Horizon 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 Horizon Agent Configuration ADM template file
(vdm_agent.adm). For more information, see “USB Settings in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM
Template,” on page 227.
Interaction of Agent-Enforced USB Settings
The following table shows the modifiers that specify how Horizon Client handles a Horizon Agent filter
policy setting for an agent-enforceable setting if an equivalent filter policy setting exists for Horizon Client.
Table 15‑7. Filter Modifiers for Agent-Enforceable Settings
Modifier Description
m (merge) Horizon Client applies the Horizon 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 Horizon 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.
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Interaction of Client-Interpreted USB Settings
The following table shows the modifiers that specify how Horizon Client handles a Horizon Agent filter
policy setting for a client-interpreted setting.
Table 15‑8. 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
Horizon Agent filter policy setting.
If a Horizon Client filter policy setting exists, Horizon Client applies that policy setting and
ignores the Horizon Agent filter policy setting.
Override (o in the
registry setting)
Horizon Client uses the Horizon Agent filter policy setting instead of any equivalent
Horizon Client filter policy setting.
Horizon 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 15‑9. Examples of Applying Filter Modifiers to Client-Interpreted Settings
Allow Smart Cards Setting on
Horizon 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) 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 Horizon Agent.
Horizon 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 Horizon Agent. Horizon Client does not report
that Horizon 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 Horizon 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 Horizon Agent settings together with the modifier values that you apply to
the Horizon Agent settings. The following list shows the order of precedence, with item 1 having the highest
precedence.
1Exclude Path
2Include Path
3Exclude Vid/Pid Device
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4Include Vid/Pid Device
5Exclude Device Family
6Include Device Family
7Allow 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
8 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 Horizon Agent filter policy settings, Horizon 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.
1Exclude Vid/Pid Device
2Include Vid/Pid Device
3Exclude Device Family
4Include Device Family
5 Agent-enforced Exclude All Devices policy set to exclude or include all USB devices
Horizon Agent enforces this limited set of filter policy settings on its side of the connection.
By defining filter policy settings for Horizon 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,
Horizon Agent blocks the device if you configure a policy for Horizon 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 219.
nOn the client, exclude a particular device from being redirected:
Exclude Vid/Pid Device: Vid-0341_Pid-1a11
nBlock all storage devices from being redirected to this desktop or application pool. Use an agent-side
setting:
Exclude Device Family: o:storage
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nFor 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.
nOn the client, block all devices from being redirected except one particular device:
Exclude All Devices: true
Include Vid/Pid Device: Vid-0123_Pid-abcd
nExclude 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: o:Vid-0341_Pid-*
nOn the client, include two specific devices but exclude all others:
Exclude All Devices: true
Include Vid/Pid Device: 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 or
Horizon Agent.
NOTE Some devices do not report a device family.
Table 15‑10. USB Device Families
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.
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Table 15‑10. USB Device Families (Continued)
Device Family
Name Description
wireless Wireless networking adapters.
wusb Wireless USB devices.
USB Settings in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template
You can define USB policy settings for both Horizon Agent and Horizon Client. On connection,
Horizon Client downloads the USB policy settings from Horizon 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 Horizon Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm) contains policy settings related to the
authentication and environmental components of Horizon Agent, including USB redirection. The settings
apply at the computer level. Horizon 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 Horizon Agent
Configuration ADM template file. Horizon Agent does not enforce these settings. Horizon 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 221.
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Table 15‑11. Horizon Agent Configuration Template: Device-Splitting Settings
Setting Properties
Allow Auto Device
Splitting
Property:
AllowAutoDeviceSplitting
Allows the automatic splitting of composite USB devices.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.
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_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: 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.
Horizon Agent -Enforced USB Settings
The following table describes each agent-enforced policy setting for USB in the Horizon Agent
Configuration ADM template file. Horizon Agent uses the settings to decide if a USB device can be
forwarded to the host machine. Horizon 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 Horizon 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 223.
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Table 15‑12. Horizon 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
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.
Exclude Vid/Pid Device
Property: ExcludeVidPid
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]...
For example: m:storage
The default value is undefined.
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]...
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 Horizon Agent Configuration
ADM template file. Horizon Agent does not enforce these settings. Horizon 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.
Table 15‑13. Horizon Agent Configuration Template: Client-Interpreted Settings
Setting Properties
Allow Audio Input Devices
Property: AllowAudioIn
Allows audio input devices to be forwarded.
The default value is undefined, which equates to true.
Allow Audio Output Devices
Property: AllowAudioOut
Allows audio output devices to be forwarded.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.
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.
The default value is undefined, which equates to true.
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Table 15‑13. Horizon Agent Configuration Template: Client-Interpreted Settings (Continued)
Setting Properties
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.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.
Allow Smart Cards
Property: AllowSmartcard
Allows smart-card devices to be forwarded.
The default value is undefined, which equates to false.
Allow Video Devices
Property: AllowVideo
Allows video devices to be forwarded.
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.
nThe 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 221.
nUSB redirection is not supported on Windows Server 2008 RDS hosts that deploy remote desktops and
applications. USB redirection is supported on Windows Server 2012 RDS hosts with View Agent 6.1 and
later, but only for USB storage devices. USB redirection is supported on Windows Server 2008 R2 and
Windows Server 2012 R2 systems that are used as single-user desktops.
nOnly 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.
nWebcams are not supported for redirection.
nThe 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.
nUSB 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.
nBy 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.
nRDP does not support the redirection of USB HIDs for the console session, or of smart card readers. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011600.
nWindows Mobile Device Center can prevent the redirection of USB devices for RDP sessions. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1019205.
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nFor some USB HIDs, you must configure the virtual machine to update the position of the mouse
pointer. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022076.
nSome audio devices might require changes to policy settings or to registry settings. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023868.
nNetwork 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.
nUSB flash cards formatted with the FAT32 file system are slow to load. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022836.
nA process or service on the local system opened the device before you connected to the remote desktop
or application.
nA 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.
nUSB redirection is disabled in View Administrator.
nMissing or disabled USB redirection drivers on the guest.
Solution
nIf available, use PCoIP instead of RDP as the protocol.
nIf a redirected device remains unavailable or stops working after a temporary disconnection, remove
the device, plug it in again, and retry the redirection.
nIn View Administrator, go to Policies > Global Policies, and verify that USB access is set to Allow
under View Policies.
nExamine 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 219.
nOpen 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.
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Reducing and Managing Storage
Requirements 16
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 instant clones or View
Composer linked clones as desktop machines 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 233
n“Reducing Storage Requirements with Instant Clones,” on page 239
n“Reducing Storage Requirements with View Composer,” on page 240
n“Storage Sizing for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone Desktop Pools,” on page 241
n“Storage Overcommit for View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 245
n“View Composer Linked-Clone Data Disks,” on page 247
n“Storing View Composer Linked Clones on Local Datastores,” on page 248
n“Storing Replicas and Clones on Separate Datastores for Instant Clones and View Composer Linked
Clones,” on page 249
n“Configure View Storage Accelerator for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 250
n“Reclaim Disk Space on View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 251
n“Using VAAI Storage for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 253
n“Set Storage Accelerator and Space Reclamation Blackout Times for View Composer Linked Clones,”
on page 254
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.
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Compatible vSphere 5.0 and 5.1 or Later Features
With vSphere 5.0 or a later release, you can use the following features:
nWith the View storage accelerator feature, you can configure ESXi hosts to cache virtual machine disk
data.
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.
nIf 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.
nYou 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.
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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 space-
efficient disk format feature, which reclaims disk space by wiping and shrinking disks.
NOTE Instant clones do not support Virtual Volumes.
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 an automated desktop pool or an automated farm, 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 linked-clone desktop pools,
instant-clone desktop pools, full-clone desktop pools, or an automated farm.
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. Also, VMware Virtual SAN 6.0
supports an all-flash architecture that uses flash-based devices for both caching and persistent storage.
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.
2 When creating an automated desktop pool or an automated farm 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 an automated farm, a replica disk profile is created. For
both types of desktop pools and automated farms, a profile is created for virtual machine files.
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3 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. This operation is not possible for automated farms
because you cannot rebalance an automated farm .
4 (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 or the automated farm.
5 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.
6 (Optional) For View Composer linked-clone desktop pools, use the Refresh and Recompose commands
as you normally would. For automated farms, only the Recompose command is supported, regardless
of the type of datastore.
Requirements and Limitations
The Virtual SAN feature has the following limitations when used in a View deployment:
nThis release does not support using the View space-efficient disk format feature, which reclaims disk
space by wiping and shrinking disks.
nVirtual SAN does not support the View Composer Array Integration (VAAI) feature because Virtual
SAN does not use NAS devices.
nVirtual SAN datastores are not compatible 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:
nvSphere 5.5 Update 1 or a later release.
nAppropriate 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.
nA 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.
nSSD capacity that is at least 10 percent of HDD capacity.
nEnough 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-Horizon-
View.pdf.
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236 VMware, Inc.
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.
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:
nStripes: Number of stripes of data. The number of disk stripes affects how many magnetic disks you
have (HDDs).
nResiliency: Number of failures to tolerate. The number of host failures to tolerate depends, of course,
on the number of hosts you have.
nStorage Provisioning: Thick or Thin.
nCache 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
linked-clone desktop pools, full-clone desktop pools, and automated farms.
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.
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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:
nVirtual Volumes supports offloading a number of operations to storage hardware. These operations
include snapshotting, cloning, and Storage DRS.
nWith Virtual Volumes, you can use advanced storage services that include replication, encryption,
deduplication, and compression on individual virtual disks.
nVirtual Volumes supports such vSphere features as vMotion, Storage vMotion, snapshots, linked
clones, Flash Read Cache, and DRS.
nYou 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:
nThis release does not support using the View space-efficient disk format feature, which reclaims disk
space by wiping and shrinking disks.
nVirtual Volumes does not support using View Composer Array Integration (VAAI).
nVirtual Volumes datastores are not compatible with Virtual SAN datastores for this release.
nVirtual Volumes datastores are not supported for instant clone desktop pools.
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:
nvSphere 6.0 or a later release.
nAppropriate 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.
nAll virtual disks that you provision on a virtual datastore must be an even multiple of 1 MB.
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238 VMware, Inc.
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 Instant Clones
The instant clones feature leverages vSphere vmFork technology (available with vSphere 6.0U1 and later) to
quiesce a running base image, or parent virtual machine, and hot-clone it to create a pool of up to 2,000
instant clones.
Not only do instant clones share the virtual disks with the parent virtual machine at the time of creation,
instant clones also share the memory of the parent. Each instant clone acts like an independent desktop,
with a unique host name and IP address, yet the linked clone requires significantly less storage. Instant
clones reduce the required storage capacity by 50 to 90 percent. The overall memory requirement is also
reduced at clone creation time.
Replica and Instant Clones on the Same Datastore
When you create an instant clone desktop pool, a full clone is first made from the master 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).
Replica and Instant Clones on Different Datastores
Alternatively, you can place instant clone replicas and instant 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 instant clones on traditional, spinning media-backed datastores. These disks provide lower
performance, but are less expensive and provide higher storage capacity, which makes them suited for
storing the many instant clones in a large pool. Tiered storage configurations can be used to cost-effectively
handle intensive I/O scenarios such as simultaneous running scheduled antivirus scans.
If you use Virtual SAN datastores, you cannot manually select different datastores for replicas and instant
clones. Because Virtual SAN automatically places objects on the appropriate type of disk and caches all I/O
operations, there is no need to use replica tiering for Virtual SAN data stores. Instant clone pools are
supported on Virtual SAN data stores. Instant clone pools are not supported on ordinary local storage disks.
Differences between Instant Clones and View Composer Linked Clones
Since instant clones can be created significantly faster than linked clones. The following features of linked
clones are no longer needed when you provision a pool of instant clones:
nInstant clone pools do not support configuration of a separate, disposable virtual disk for storing the
guest operating system's paging and temp files. Each time a user logs out of an instant clone desktop,
View automatically deletes the clone and provisions and powers on another instant clone based on the
latest OS image available for the pool. Any guest operating systems paging and temp files are
automatically deleted during the logoff operation.
nInstant clone pools do not support the creation of a separate persistent virtual disk for each virtual
desktop. Instead, you can store the end user's Windows profile and application data on App Volumes'
user writable disks. An end user's user writable disk is attached to an instant clone desktop when the
end user logs in. In addition, user writable disks can be used to persist user-installed applications.
nDue to short-lived nature of instant clone desktops, the space-efficient disk format (SE sparse), with its
wipe and shrink process, is not needed.
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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 or farm of Microsoft RDS hosts, 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-clone desktop pools from one LUN to another or to move linked-clone desktop pools 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
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 or farm, 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.
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240 VMware, Inc.
Storage Sizing for Instant-Clone and View Composer Linked-Clone
Desktop Pools
View provides high-level guidelines that can help you determine how much storage an instant-clone or
linked-clone desktop pool requires. A table in the Add Desktop Pool wizard shows a general estimate of the
desktop pool's storage requirements.
The storage-sizing table also displays the free space on the datastores that you select for storing OS disks,
View Composer persistent disks (for View Composer linked clones only), and replicas. You can decide
which datastores to use by comparing the actual free space with the estimated requirements for the desktop
pool.
The formulas that View uses can only provide a general estimate of storage use. The clones' actual storage
growth depends on many factors:
nAmount of memory assigned to the parent virtual machine
nFrequency of refresh operations (for View Composer linked clones only)
nSize of the guest operating system's paging file
nWhether you redirect paging and temp files to a separate disk (for View Composer linked clones only)
nWhether you configure separate View Composer persistent disks (for View Composer linked clones
only)
nWorkload on the desktop 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 clones, configure your desktop pool 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 the 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.
Sizing Guidelines for Instant-Clone and Linked-Clone Pools
When you create or edit an instant-clone or linked-clone desktop pool, the Select Linked (or Instant) 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 OS Disks and Persistent Disks
Table 16-1 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.
NOTE The persistent disk information is for View Composer linked clones only. Instant clones do not
support persistent disks.
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Table 16‑1. Example Sizing Table for OS and Persistent 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 disks grow to 50% of the parent
virtual machine.
The Max Recommended column shows the recommended storage when the 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 or Instant 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 for View Composer Linked Clones
The table provides general guidelines. Your storage calculations must account for additional factors that can
affect actual storage growth in the clones.
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 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 clones that you add to the pool.
For example, if you add 100 clones to a desktop pool and select a new datastore, View estimates space
requirements for the 100 new clones.
If you select a new datastore but keep the desktop pool the same size, or reduce the number of 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.
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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 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 Instant-Clone and Linked-Clone Pools,” on page 243.
Sizing Guidelines and Storage Overcommit for View Composer Linked Clones
NOTE Instant clones do not support storage overcommit.
After you estimate storage requirements, select datastores, and deploy the pool, View provisions linked-
clone 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 246.
Sizing Formulas for Instant-Clone and Linked-Clone Pools
Storage-sizing formulas can help you estimate how much disk space is required on the datastores that you
select for OS disks, View Composer persistent disks, and replicas.
NOTE The persistent disk information is for View Composer linked clones only. Instant clones do not
support persistent disks.
Storage Sizing Formulas
Table 16-2 shows the formulas that calculate the estimated sizes of the disks when you create a pool and as
the clones grow over time. These formulas include the space for replica disks that are stored with the clones
on the datastore.
If you edit an existing pool or store replicas on a separate datastore, View uses a different sizing formula.
See “Sizing Formulas for Creating Clones When You Edit a Pool or Store Replicas on a Separate Datastore,”
on page 244.
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Table 16‑2. Storage Sizing Formulas for Clone Disks on Selected Datastores
Data Type
Selected Free
Space (GB)
Min Recommended
(GB) 50% Utilization (GB)
Max Recommended
(GB)
OS disks Free space on the
selected datastores
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)
Persistent disks Free space on the
selected datastores
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 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 16-3 shows how the sizing formulas calculate estimated storage requirements for the sample desktop
pool.
Table 16‑3. Example of a Sizing Estimate for 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 Clones When You Edit a Pool or Store Replicas on
a Separate Datastore
View calculates different sizing formulas when you edit an existing 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 the OS disks.
Table 16-4 shows the formulas that calculate the estimated sizes of clone disks when you edit a pool or store
replicas on a separate datastore.
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244 VMware, Inc.
Table 16‑4. Storage Sizing Formulas for 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 Free space on the
selected datastores
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)
Persistent disks Free space on the
selected datastores
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 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 16-5 shows how the sizing formulas calculate estimated storage requirements for the sample pool.
Table 16‑5. Example of a Sizing Estimate for 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 View Composer 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.
NOTE Instant clones do not support storage overcommit.
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 the
operating system or 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 16-6 shows the storage overcommit levels you can set.
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Table 16‑6. 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. Automated farms do not support refresh or rebalance. If the linked clones in an automated farm are in
danger of running out of disk space, change the overcommit level.
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 and automated farms.
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
View Composer Linked-Clone Virtual Machines,” on page 245. The following procedure applies to linked-
clone desktop pools. The steps are similar for automated farms.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 When you create a new desktop pool or edit an existing pool, navigate to the vCenter Settings page.
Option Action
New desktop pool a Click Add.
b Proceed through the Add Desktop Pool wizard until the vCenter
Settings page appears.
Existing desktop pool a Select the linked-clone pool and click Edit.
b Click the vCenter Settings tab.
3 On the vCenter Settings page, click Browse next to Datastores.
4 Select the datastore on the Select Linked Clone Datastores page.
A drop-down menu appears in the Storage Overcommit column for the selected datastore.
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5 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.
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.
6 Click OK.
View Composer 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.
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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 View Composer 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 or
farm deployment:
nYou cannot use VMotion to manage volumes.
nYou 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.
nYou cannot use VMware High Availability.
nYou cannot use the vSphere Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS).
nYou 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.
nIf 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 or
farm 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 or farm that you can configure.
To configure a large desktop pool or farm, you must select a cluster that contains multiple ESXi hosts with
the collective capacity to support a large number of virtual machines.
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248 VMware, Inc.
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 Replicas and Clones on Separate Datastores for Instant
Clones and View Composer Linked Clones
You can place replicas and clones on separate datastores with different performance characteristics. This
configuration can speed up disk-intensive operations such as provisioning or running antivirus scans,
especially for View Composer linked clones.
For example, you can store the replica VMs 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). A
typical environment has only a small number of replica VMs, so replicas do not require much storage.
You can store 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 a large number of clones.
Configuring replicas and clones in this way can reduce the impact of I/O storms that occur when many
clones are created at once, especially for View Composer linked clones. For example, if you deploy a
floating-assignment pool with a delete-machine-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 high-
performance 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 clones in a pool on separate
datastores:
nYou can specify only one separate replica datastore for a pool.
nThe replica datastore must be accessible from all ESXi hosts in the cluster.
nFor View Composer linked clones, if the clones are 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.
nThis 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.
Availability Considerations for Storing Replicas on a Separate Datastore
You can store replica VMs on a separate datastore or on the same datastores as the clones. These
configurations affect the availability of the pool in different ways.
When you store replicas on the same datastores as the clones, to enhance availability, a separate replica is
created on each datastore. If a datastore becomes unavailable, only the clones on that datastore are affected.
Clones on other datastores continue to run.
When you store replicas on a separate datastore, all 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 desktop pool, you can configure a high-availability solution for the
datastore on which you store the replicas.
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Configure View Storage Accelerator for View Composer Linked
Clones
You can configure View Composer linked-clone 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.
NOTE For instant clones, this feature is automatically enabled and is not configurable.
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.
IMPORTANT If you plan to use this feature and you are using multiple View pods that share some ESXi hosts,
you must enable the View Storage Accelerator feature for all pools that are on the shared ESXi hosts. Having
inconsistent settings in multiple pods can cause instability of the virtual machines on the shared ESXi hosts.
Prerequisites
nVerify 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.
nVerify that the vCenter Server user was assigned the Host > Configuration > Advanced settings
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.
nVerify that View Storage Accelerator is enabled in vCenter Server. See the View Administration
document.
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250 VMware, Inc.
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.
2 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.
3 (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.
4 (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 Storage Accelerator and Space Reclamation Blackout
Times for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 254.
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 View Composer Linked Clones
In vSphere 5.1 and later, you can configure the disk space reclamation feature for View Composer linked-
clone desktop pools and automated farms. 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.
NOTE For instant clones, this feature is not needed because the clones are always recreated when users log
off.
As users interact with the virtual machines, 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 the machines.
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.
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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.
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 space-
efficient disks.
The following procedure applies to linked-clone desktop pools. The steps are similar for automated farms.
Prerequisites
nVerify 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.
nVerify 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.
nVerify that all the linked-clone virtual machines in the pool are virtual hardware version 9 or later.
nVerify that the virtual machines use SCSI controllers. Disk space reclamation is not supported on virtual
machines with IDE controllers.
nFor Windows 10 virtual machines, verify that the machines are running in vSphere 5.5 U3 or later.
nFor 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.
nFor Windows 7 virtual machines, verify that the machines are running in vSphere 5.1 or later.
nVerify 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.
2 Select the Reclaim VM disk space check box.
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252 VMware, Inc.
3 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.
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 Storage Accelerator and Space Reclamation Blackout Times
for View Composer Linked Clones,” on page 254.
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 VAAI Storage for View Composer Linked Clones
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 View Composer linked-clone desktop
pools. This feature uses native NFS snapshot technology to clone virtual machines.
NOTE In Horizon 7.0, instant clones do not support VAAI.
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:
nYou can use this feature only if you configure desktop pools or automated farms on datastores that
reside on NAS devices that support native cloning operations through VAAI.
nYou 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.
nYou cannot use this feature if you store replicas and OS disks on separate datastores.
nThis feature is supported on vSphere 5.0 and later.
nIf 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. For more information, see
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2088995.
nOn 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.
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nNative NFS snapshot technology (VAAI) is not supported on virtual machines with space-efficient
disks.
nThis feature is not available if you use a Virtual SAN datastore or a Virtual Volumes datastore.
nSee 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 Storage Accelerator and Space Reclamation Blackout Times for
View Composer Linked Clones
For View Composer linked clones, 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.
NOTE For instant clones, this feature is not needed.
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.
The following procedure applies to linked-clone desktop pools. The steps are similar for automated farms.
Prerequisites
nVerify that Enable View Storage Accelerator, Enable space reclamation, or both features are selected
for vCenter Server.
nVerify 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.
2 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.
3 Click OK.
4 To add another blackout period, click Add and specify another period.
5 To modify or remove a blackout period, select the period from the Blackout times list and click Edit or
Remove.
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Configuring Policies for Desktop and
Application Pools 17
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 Horizon Agent, Horizon Client for Windows, and features that affect
single-user machines, RDS hosts, PCoIP, or VMware Blast.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Setting Policies in View Administrator,” on page 255
n“Using Smart Policies,” on page 257
n“Using Active Directory Group Policies,” on page 263
n“Using View Group Policy Administrative Template Files,” on page 264
n“View ADM and ADMX Template Files,” on page 264
n“Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings,” on page 266
n“PCoIP Policy Settings,” on page 271
n“VMware Blast Policy Settings,” on page 282
n“Using Remote Desktop Services Group Policies,” on page 283
n“Setting Up Location-Based Printing,” on page 292
n“Active Directory Group Policy Example,” on page 297
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.
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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 257.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Policies > Global Policies.
2 Click Edit policies in the View Policies pane.
3 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 257.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 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.
3 Click Edit Policies in the View Policies pane.
4 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 257.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 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.
3 Click User Overrides and then click Add User.
4 To find a user, click Add, type the name or description of the user, and then click Find.
5 Select one or more users from the list, click OK, and then click Next.
The Add Individual Policy dialog box appears.
6 Configure the View policies and click Finish to save your changes.
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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 17-1 describes each View policy setting.
Table 17‑1. View Policies
Policy Description
Multimedia redirection (MMR) Determines whether MMR is enabled for client systems.
MMR is a Windows Media Foundation 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.
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 Smart Policies
You can use Smart Policies to create policies that control the behavior of the USB redirection, virtual
printing, clipboard redirection, client drive redirection, and PCoIP display protocol features on specific
remote desktops.
With Smart Policies, you can create policies that take effect only if certain conditions are met. For example,
you can configure a policy that disables the client drive redirection feature if a user connects to a remote
desktop from outside your corporate network.
Requirements for Smart Policies
To use Smart Policies, your View environment must meet certain requirements.
nYou must install Horizon Agent 7.0 or later and VMware User Environment Manager 9.0 or later on the
remote desktops that you want to manage with Smart Policies.
nUsers must use Horizon Client 4.0 or later to connect to remote desktops that you manage with Smart
Policies.
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Installing User Environment Manager
To use Smart Policies to control the behavior of remote desktop features on a remote desktop, you must
install User Environment Manager 9.0 or later on the remote desktop.
You can download the User Environment Manager installer from the VMware Downloads page. You must
install the VMware UEM FlexEngine client component on each remote desktop that you want to manage
with User Environment Manager. You can install the User Environment Manager Management Console
component on any desktop from which you want to manage the User Environment Manager environment.
For a linked-clone pool, you install User Environment Manager in the parent virtual machine that you use as
a base image for the linked clones. For an RDS desktop pool, you install User Environment Manager on the
RDS host that provides the RDS desktop sessions.
For User Environment Manager system requirements and complete installation instructions, see the User
Environment Manager Administrator's Guide document.
Configuring User Environment Manager
You must configure User Environment Manager before you can use it to create policies for remote desktop
features.
To configure User Environment Manager, follow the configuration instructions in the User Environment
Manager Administrator's Guide. The following configuration steps supplement the information in that
document.
nWhen configuring the VMware UEM FlexEngine client component on remote desktops, create
FlexEngine logon and logoff scripts. Use the -HorizonViewMultiSession -r parameter for the logon
script and the -HorizonViewMultiSession -s parameter for the logoff script.
NOTE Do not use logon scripts to start other applications on a remote desktop. Additional logon scripts
can delay remote desktop logon for up to 10 minutes.
nEnable the user group policy setting Run logon scripts synchronously on remote desktops. This
setting is located in the folder User Configuration\Policies\Administrative
Templates\System\Scripts.
nEnable the computer group policy setting Always wait for the network at computer startup and
logon on remote desktops. This setting is located in the folder Computer Configuration\Administrative
Template\System\Logon.
nFor Windows 8.1 remote desktops, disable the computer group policy setting Configure Logon Script
Delay. This setting is located in the folder Computer Configuration\Administrative
Templates\System\Group Policy.
nTo ensure that Horizon Policy settings are refreshed when users reconnect to desktop sessions, use the
User Environment Manager Management Console to create a triggered task. Set the trigger to
Reconnect session, set the action to User Environment refresh, and select Horizon Policies for the
refresh.
NOTE If you create the triggered task while a user is logged in to the remote desktop, the user must log
off from the desktop for the triggered task to take effect.
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Horizon Policy Settings
You control the behavior of remote desktop features in User Environment Manager by creating a Horizon
policy.
Table 17-2 describes the settings that you can select when you define a Horizon policy in
User Environment Manager.
Table 17‑2. Horizon Policy Settings
Setting Description
USB redirection Determines whether USB redirection is enabled on the remote desktop. The USB redirection feature
allows users to use locally attached USB devices, such as thumb flash drives, cameras, and printers,
from the remote desktop.
Printing Determines whether virtual printing is enabled on the remote desktop. The virtual printing feature
allows users to print to a virtual printer or a USB printer that is attached to the client computer from
the remote desktop.
Clipboard Determines the direction in which clipboard redirection is allowed. You can select one of these
values:
nDisable. Clipboard redirection is disabled in both directions.
nAllow all. Clipboard redirection is enabled. Users can copy and paste from the client system to
the remote desktop and from the remote desktop to the client system.
nAllow copy from client to agent. Users can copy and paste only from the client system to the
remote desktop.
nAllow copy from agent to client. Users can copy and paste only from the remote desktop to the
client system.
Client drive
redirection
Determines whether client drive redirection is enabled on the remote desktop and if shared drives
and folders are writeable. You can select one of these values:
nDisable. Client drive redirection is disabled on the remote desktop.
nAllow all. Client drives and folders are shared with the remote desktop and are readable and
writeable.
nRead-only. Client drives and folders are shared with the remote desktop and are readable, but
not writeable.
If you do not configure this setting, whether shared drives and folders are writeable depends on
local registry settings. For more information, see “Use Registry Settings to Configure Client Drive
Redirection,” on page 212.
PCoIP profile Configures a bandwidth profile for PCoIP sessions on the remote desktop. You can select a
predefined bandwidth profile, for example, LAN (10 Mbps or higher). Selecting a predefined
bandwidth profile prevents the agent from attempting to transmit at a higher rate than the link
capacity. If you select the default profile, the maximum bandwidth is 90000 kilobits per second.
For more information, see “PCoIP Profile Reference,” on page 259.
In general, Horizon policy settings that you configure for remote desktop features in
User Environment Manager override any equivalent registry key and group policy settings.
PCoIP Profile Reference
With Smart Policies, you can use the PCoIP profile policy setting to configure a bandwidth profile for PCoIP
sessions on remote desktops.
Table 17-3 describes each PCoIP profile.
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Table 17‑3. PCoIP Profiles
PCoIP Profile
Max Session
BW (Kbps)
Min
Session
BW (Kbps)
Enable
BTL
Max Initial
Image
Quality
Min Image
Quality Max FPS
Max Audio
BW (Kbps)
Image Quality
Performance
High-speed LAN (20 Mbps) 900000 100 Yes 100 50 60 1600 50
LAN (10 Mbps or higher) 900000 100 Yes 90 50 30 1600 50
Dedicated WAN (5 Mbps,
default)
900000 100 No 80 40 30 500 50
Broadband WAN (2 Mbps) 5000 100 No 70 40 20 500 50
Low-speed WAN (1 Mbps) 2000 100 No 70 30 15 200 25
Extremely low-speed
connection (up to 500 kbps)
1000 100 No 70 30 5 90 0
Adding Conditions to Horizon Policy Definitions
When you define a Horizon Policy in User Environment Manager, you can add conditions that must be met
for the policy to take effect. For example, you can add a condition that disables the client drive redirection
feature only if a user connects to the remote desktop from outside your corporate network.
You can add multiple conditions for the same remote desktop feature. For example, you can add one
condition that enables local printing if a user is a member of the HR group and another condition that
enables local printing if the remote desktop is in the Win7 pool.
For detailed information about adding and editing conditions in the User Environment Manager
Management Console, see the User Environment Manager Administrator's Guide.
Using the Horizon Client Property Condition
When a user connects or reconnects to a remote desktop, Horizon Client gathers information about the
client computer and Connection Server sends that information to the remote desktop. You can add the
Horizon Client Property condition to a Horizon Policy definition to control when the policy takes effect
based on the information that the remote desktop receives.
NOTE The Horizon Client Property condition is effective only if a user launches the remote desktop with
the PCoIP display protocol or the VMware Blast display protocol. If a user launches the remote desktop
with the RDP display protocol, the Horizon Client Property condition has no effect.
Table 17-4 describes the predefined properties that you can select from the Properties drop-down menu
when you use the Horizon Client Property condition. Each predefined property corresponds to a
ViewClient_ registry key.
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Table 17‑4. Predefined Properties for the Horizon Client Property Condition
Property Corresponding Registry Key Description
Client location ViewClient_Broker_GatewayLocation Specifies the location of the user's client system. Valid
values are as follows:
nInternal - the policy takes effect only if a user
connects to the remote desktop from inside the
corporate network
nExternal - the policy takes effect only if a user
connects to the remote desktop from outside the
corporate network
For information about setting the gateway location for a
Connection Server or security server host, see the View
Administration document.
For information about setting the gateway location for
an Access Point appliance, see the Deploying and
Configuring Access Point document.
Launch tag(s) ViewClient_Launch_Matched_Tags Specifies one or more tags. Separate multiple tags with
a comma or semicolon. The policy takes effect only if
the tag that enabled the remote desktop launch to occur
matches one of the specified tags.
For information about assigning tags to Connection
Server instances and desktop pools, see “Restricting
Remote Desktop Access,” on page 160.
Pool name ViewClient_Launch_ID Specifies a desktop pool ID. The policy takes effect only
if the ID of the desktop pool the user selected when
launching the remote desktop matches the specified
desktop pool ID. For example, if the user selected the
Win7 pool and this property is set to Win7, the policy
takes effect.
NOTE You cannot use this property to specify an
application pool.
The Properties drop-down menu is also a text box, and you can manually enter any ViewClient_ registry
key in the text box. Do not include the ViewClient_ prefix when you enter the registry key. For example, to
specify ViewClient_Broker_URL, enter Broker_URL.
You can use the Windows Registry Editor (regedit.exe) on the remote desktop to view the ViewClient_
registry keys. Horizon Client writes client computer information to the system registry path
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Volatile Environment on remote desktops that are deployed on single-user machines.
For remote desktops that are deployed in RDS sessions, Horizon Client writes the client computer
information to the system registry path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Volatile Environment\x, where x is the session
ID on the RDS host.
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Using Other Conditions
The User Environment Manager Management Console provides many conditions. The following conditions
can be especially useful when creating policies for remote desktop features.
Group Member You can use this condition to configure the policy to take effect only if a user
is a member of a specific group.
Remote Display
Protocol
You can use this condition to configure the policy to take effect only if the
user selects a particular display protocol. The condition settings include
RDP, PCoIP, and Blast.
IP Address You can use this condition to configure the policy that takes effect only if a
user connects from inside or outside the corporate network. Use the
condition settings to specify an internal IP address range or an external IP
address range.
NOTE You can also use the Client location property in the Horizon Client
Property condition.
For descriptions of all the available conditions, see the User Environment Manager Administrator's Guide
document.
Create a Horizon Policy in User Environment Manager
You use the User Environment Manager Management Console to create a Horizon policy in
User Environment Manager. When you define a Horizon policy, you can add conditions that must be met
for the policy to take effect.
Prerequisites
nInstall and configure User Environment Manager. See “Installing User Environment Manager,” on
page 258 and “Configuring User Environment Manager,” on page 258.
nBecome familiar with the Horizon Policy settings. See “Horizon Policy Settings,” on page 259.
nBecome familiar with the conditions that you can add to Horizon Policy definitions. See “Adding
Conditions to Horizon Policy Definitions,” on page 260.
For complete information about using the User Environment Manager Management Console, see the User
Environment Manager Administrator's Guide document.
Procedure
1 In the User Environment Manager Management Console, select the User Environment tab and click
Horizon Policies in the tree view.
Existing Horizon policy definitions, if any, appear in the Horizon Policies pane.
2 Right-click Horizon Policies and select Create Horizon Policy definition to create a new policy.
The Horizon Policy dialog box appears.
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3 Select the Settings tab and define the policy settings.
a In the General Settings section, type a name for the policy in the Name text box.
For example, if the policy will affect the client drive redirection feature, you might name the policy
CDR.
b In the Horizon Policy Settings section, select the remote desktop features and settings to include in
the policy.
You can select multiple remote desktop features.
4 (Optional) To add a condition to the policy, select the Conditions tab, click Add, and select a condition.
You can add multiple conditions to a policy definition.
5 Click Save to save the policy.
User Environment Manager processes the Horizon policy each time a user connects or reconnects to the
remote desktop.
User Environment Manager processes multiple policies in alphabetical order based on the policy name.
Horizon policies appear in alphabetical order in the Horizon Policies pane. If policies conflict, the last policy
processed takes precedence. For example, if you have a policy named Sue that enables USB redirection for
the user named Sue, and another policy named Pool that disables USB redirection for the desktop pool
named Win7, the USB redirection feature is enabled when Sue connects to a remote desktop in the Win7
desktop pool.
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.
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.
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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-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 download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads. Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the
VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the bundled .zip file.
The View ADM and ADMX template files contain both Computer Configuration and User Configuration
group policies.
nThe Computer Configuration policies set policies that apply to all remote desktops, regardless of who
connects to the desktop.
nThe 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.
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 17‑5. View ADM and ADMX Template Files
Template Name Template File Description
Horizon Agent Configuration vdm_agent.adm Contains policy settings related to the
authentication and environmental components
of Horizon Agent.
See “Horizon Agent Configuration ADM
Template Settings,” on page 266.
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.
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Table 17‑5. View ADM and ADMX Template Files (Continued)
Template Name Template File Description
VMware Horizon URL Redirection urlRedirection-enUS.adm Contains policy settings related to the URL
Content Redirection Feature. If you add this
template to a GPO for a remote desktop pool or
application pool, certain URL links clicked inside
the remote desktops or app can be redirected to
a Windows-based client and opened in a client-
side browser.
If you add this template to a client-side GPO,
when a user clicks certain URL links in a
Windows-based client system, the URL can be
opened in a remote desktop or application.
See “VMware Horizon URL Content Redirection
Template Settings,” on page 180 and 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 “PCoIP Policy Settings,” on page 271.
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 318.
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 283.
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 195.
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 200.
Serial Port Redirection vdm_agent_serialport.adm Contains policy settings related to serial (COM)
ports that are redirected for use in remote VDI
desktops.
See “Serial Port Redirection Group Policy
Settings,” on page 206.
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Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template Settings
The Horizon Agent Configuration ADM template file (vdm_agent.adm) contains policy settings related to the
authentication and environmental components of Horizon Agent.
This ADM file is available in a bundled .zip file named VMware-Horizon-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip,
which you can download from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads. Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the
VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the bundled .zip file.
The following table describes policy settings in the Horizon 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 17‑6. Horizon Agent Configuration Template Settings
Setting Computer User Properties
AllowDirectRDP X Determines whether clients other than Horizon Client
devices can connect directly to remote desktops with
RDP. When this setting is disabled, the 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.
IMPORTANT For View to operate correctly, the Windows
Remote Desktop Services service must be running on the
guest operating system of each desktop. You can use this
setting to prevent users from making direct RDP
connections to their desktops.
This setting is enabled by default.
AllowSingleSignon X Determines whether single sign-on (SSO) is used to
connect users to desktops and applications. When this
setting is enabled, users are required to enter their
credentials only once, when they log in to the server.
When this setting is disabled, users must reauthenticate
when the remote connection is made.
This setting is enabled by default.
CommandsToRunOnConnect X 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 271 for more information.
CommandsToRunOnDisconnect X Specifies a list of commands or command scripts to be
run when a session is disconnected.
See “Running Commands on View Desktops,”
on page 271 for more information.
CommandsToRunOnReconnect X 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 271 for more information.
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Table 17‑6. Horizon Agent Configuration Template Settings (Continued)
Setting Computer User Properties
ConnectionTicketTimeout X 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 the
agent. For security reasons, a connection ticket is valid for
a limited amount of time. When a user connects to a
remote 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 X 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
X X 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.
Enable multi-media
acceleration
X Determines whether multimedia redirection (MMR) is
enabled on the View desktop.
MMR is a Windows Media Foundation 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.
This setting is enabled by default.
Enable system tray
redirection for Hosted Apps
X 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 X 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.
ShowDiskActivityIcon X This setting is not supported in this release.
Toggle Display Settings
Control
X 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.
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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 Horizon Agent
See “USB Settings in the Horizon Agent Configuration ADM Template,” on page 227.
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.
Horizon 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, Horizon 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 Horizon 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 271 for more information.
Table 17-7 describes the registry keys that contain client system information and lists the types of client
systems that support them.
Table 17‑7. Client System Information
Registry Key Description Supported Desktops
Supported Client
Systems
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
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Table 17‑7. Client System Information (Continued)
Registry Key Description Supported Desktops
Supported Client
Systems
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.
ViewClient_TZID The Olson time zone ID.
To disable time zone synchronization,
enable the Horizon 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 Horizon 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.
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Table 17‑7. Client System Information (Continued)
Registry Key Description Supported Desktops
Supported Client
Systems
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
NOTE The definitions of ViewClient_LoggedOn_Username and ViewClient_LoggedOn_Domainname in Table 17-7
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.
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Running Commands on View Desktops
You can use the Horizon 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.
PCoIP Policy Settings
The PCoIP 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-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip,
which you can download from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads. Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the
VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the bundled .zip file.
The View PCoIP Session Variables ADM template file contains two subcategories:
Overridable
Administrator Defaults
Specifies PCoIP policy setting 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.
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.
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PCoIP General Settings
The View PCoIP ADM template file contains group policy settings that configure general settings such as
PCoIP image quality, USB devices, and network ports.
Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings
Setting Description
Configure clipboard redirection Determines the direction in which clipboard redirection is allowed. You
can select one of these values:
nEnabled client to agent only (That is, allow copy and paste only
from the client system to the remote desktop.)
nDisabled in both directions
nEnabled in both directions
nEnabled 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 Horizon 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, Horizon 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.
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.
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Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings (Continued)
Setting Description
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.
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.
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Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings (Continued)
Setting Description
Configure frame rate vs image quality
preference
Configure the frame rate and image quality preference from 0 (highest
frame rate) to 100 (highest image quality). If this policy is disabled or not
configured, the default setting is 50.
Higher value (max: 100) means you prefer high image quality even if
frame rate is choppy. Lower value (min: 0) means you prefer a fluent
experience with aggressive image quality.
This setting could work with the Configure PCoIP image quality
levels GPO, which determines the max initial image quality level and
min image quality level. While the Frame rate and image quality
preference can adjust the image quality level for each frame, it cannot
exceed the max/min quality level threshold configured by Configure
PCoIP image quality levels GPO.
When this policy is changed during run time, it could take 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.
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Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings (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
Example: 23XXXXXX
Allow USB
devices with a
specific class
ID
Format: 22classXXXX
Example: 22aaXXXX
Allow a specific
subclass
Format: 21class-subclassXX
Example: 21aabbXX
Allow a specific
protocol
Format: 20class-subclass-protocol
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 Horizon 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.
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Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings (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:
nHigh
nMedium (default value)
nLow
nUndefined
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 client-
specified 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.
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Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings (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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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.
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Table 17‑8. PCoIP General Policy Settings (Continued)
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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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 Horizon Agent only.
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PCoIP Bandwidth Settings
The View PCoIP ADM template file contains group policy settings that configure PCoIP bandwidth
characteristics.
Table 17‑9. 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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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.
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Table 17‑9. View PCoIP Session Bandwidth Variables (Continued)
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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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
“PCoIP Build-to-Lossless Feature,” on page 281.
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PCoIP Keyboard Settings
The View PCoIP ADM template file contains group policy settings that configure PCoIP settings that affect
the use of the keyboard.
Table 17‑10. 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 Horizon 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 Horizon Agent only and has no effect on a client.
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:
nDynamically adjusts image quality
nReduces image quality on congested networks
nMaintains responsiveness by reducing screen update latency
nResumes maximum image quality when the network is no longer congested
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You can turn on the build-to-lossless feature by disabling the Turn off Build-to-Lossless feature group
policy setting. See “PCoIP Bandwidth Settings,” on page 279.
VMware Blast Policy Settings
The VMware Blast group policy template file vdm_blast.adm contains policy settings for the VMware Blast
display protocol. After the policy is applied, the settings are stored in the registry key
HKLM\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware Blast\config.
These settings apply to HTML Access and all Horizon Clients.
Table 17‑11. VMware Blast Policy Settings
Setting Description
Max Session
Bandwidth
Specifies the maximum bandwidth, in kilobits per second (kbps), for a VMware Blast session.
The bandwidth includes all imaging, audio, virtual channel, USB, and VMware Blast control
traffic. The default is 1 Gbps.
Min Session
Bandwidth
Specifies the minimum bandwidth, in kilobits per second (kbps), that is reserved for a
VMware Blast session. The default is 128 kbps.
Max Frame Rate Specifies the maximum rate of screen updates. Use this setting to manage the average
bandwidth that users consume. The default is 30 updates per second.
UDP Protocol Specifies whether to use the UDP or the TCP protocol. The default is not to use the UDP
protocol, that is, to use the TCP protocol. Enable this setting to use the UDP protocol. This
setting does not apply to HTML Access, which always uses the TCP protocol.
H264 Specifies whether to use H.264 encoding or JPEG/PNG encoding. The default is to use H.264
encoding.
Screen Blanking Specifies whether to have the desktop VM's console show the actual desktop that the user
sees or to show a blank screen when the desktop has an active session. The default is to show
a blank screen.
Session Garbage
Collection
Specifies how garbage collection of abandoned remoting sessions runs. You specify two
values:
nInterval (ms) determines how often, in milliseconds, the garbage collector runs. The
default is 100 ms.
nThreshold (s) determines how old, in seconds, an abandoned session must be before it is
a candidate for deletion. The default is 1 second.
Image Quality Specifies the image quality of the desktop display. You can specify two low-quality settings,
two high-quality settings, and a mid-quality setting. The low-quality settings are for areas of
the screen that change often, for example, when scrolling occurs. The high-quality settings are
for areas of the screen that are more static, resulting in a better image quality. You can specify
the following settings:
nLow JPEG Quality (available range of values: 1 - 100, default: 25)
nLow JPEG Chroma Subsampling (available range of values: 4:1:0 (lowest), 4:1:1, 4:2:0,
4:2:2, and 4:4:4 (highest), default: 4:1:0)
nMid JPEG Quality (available range of values: 1 - 100, default: 35)
nHigh JPEG Quality (available range of values: 1 - 100, default: 90)
nHigh JPEG Chroma Subsampling (available range of values: 4:1:0 (lowest), 4:1:1, 4:2:0,
4:2:2, and 4:4:4 (highest), default: 4:4:4)
HTTP Service Specifies the port that is used for secure communication (HTTPS) between the security server
or Access Point appliance and a desktop. The firewall must be configured to have this port
open. The default is 22443.
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Table 17‑11. VMware Blast Policy Settings (Continued)
Setting Description
Audio Playback Specifies whether audio playback is enabled for remote desktops. This setting is to enable
audio playback.
Configure Clipboard
Redirection
Specifies the permissible behavior for clipboard redirection. The options are:
nEnabled in both directions
nDisabled in both directions
nEnabled client to server only (Users can copy/paste from the client to the desktop only.)
nEnabled server to client only (Users can copy/paste from the desktop to the client only.)
The default is Enabled client to server only.
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.
Configure the RDS Per Device CAL Storage
You can configure the RDS Per Device CAL storage options to specify the location of the CALs to be stored.
This feature lets you decide whether you want to store the CALs or not.
Sometimes, there might be potential over usage of Per Device CALs, such as View RDS Deployments might
have both Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012 systems. Enabling this feature makes the CAL
usage efficient in View RDS deployments. This is achieved by storing the issued license, supplying the
license when the client is trying to connect to the RDS host, and storing the license again if there is any
license upgrade.
You can configure the RDS Per Device CAL in the View Administrator or manually in View LDAP database.
Procedure
1 In the View Administrator, click View Configuration > Global Settings.
2 In the General pane, click Edit.
3 Select one of the following configurations from the RDS Per Device CAL Storage Options drop-down
menu.
Option Description
Save only on Broker The Per Device CALs are saved only on Broker.
NOTE The LDAP entry, cs-enablerdslicensing=true and
sendRdsLicense=false.
Save on both Clients and Broker The Per Device CALs are stored on both Clients and Broker.
NOTE The LDAP entries cs-enablerdslicensing=true and
sendRdsLicense=true.
Don't save the Per Device CAL The Per Device CALs are not stored at any location.
NOTE The LDAP entries, cs-enablerdslicensing=false and
sendRdsLicense=false.
4 Click OK.
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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
nCreate GPOs for the RDS group policy settings and link them to the OU that contains your RDS hosts.
nVerify 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 298.
Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 Unzip the VMware-Horizon-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 and the en-US folder to the
C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions folder on your Active Directory or RDS host.
b (Optional) 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.
3 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.
4 (Optional) Configure the group policy settings in the Horizon View RDSH Services > Remote Desktop
Session Host folder.
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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 17‑12. 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.
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RDS Connections Settings
The RDS Connections group policy setting lets you disable Fair Share CPU Scheduling.
Table 17‑13. 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 17‑14. RDS Device and Resource Redirection Group Policy Settings
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.
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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 17‑15. 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.
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Table 17‑15. 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.
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RDS Profiles Settings
The RDS Profiles group policy settings control roaming profile and home directory settings for Remote
Desktop Services sessions.
Table 17‑16. 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
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.
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Table 17‑16. 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
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.
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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 17‑17. 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 17‑18. 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.
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RDS Temporary Folders Settings
The RDS Connections group policy settings control the creation and deletion of temporary folders for
Remote Desktop Services sessions.
Table 17‑19. 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.
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In Horizon 6.0.1 and later, location-based printing is supported on the following remote desktops and
applications:
nDesktops that are deployed on single-user machines, including Windows Desktop and Windows Server
machines
nDesktops that are deployed on RDS hosts, where the RDS hosts are virtual machines
nHosted Apps
nHosted 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 single-
user, Windows Desktop machines.
To use the location-based printing feature, you must install the Virtual Printing setup option with
Horizon 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. Computer-
specific 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.
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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.
The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of TPVMGPoACmap.dll are available in a bundled .zip file named VMware-
Horizon-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.
2 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
nVerify 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.
nRegister 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 294.
nFamiliarize 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 295.
nCreate 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 298 for an example of how to create
GPOs for View group policies.
nVerify that the Virtual Printing setup option was installed with Horizon Agent on your desktops. To
verify, check if the TP AutoConnect Service and TP VC Gateway Service are installed in the desktop
operating system.
nBecause print jobs are sent directly from the View desktop to the printer, verify that the required printer
drivers are installed on your desktops.
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Procedure
1 On the Active Directory server, edit the GPO.
AD Version Navigation Path
Windows 2003 a Select Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > Active Directory
Users and Computers.
b Right-click the OU that contains your View desktops and select
Properties.
c On the Group Policy tab, click Open to open the Group Policy
Management plug-in.
d In the right pane, right-click the GPO that you created for the location-
based printing group policy setting and select Edit.
Windows 2008 a Select Start > Administrative Tools > Group Policy Management.
b 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.
3 In the Policy pane, double-click Configure AutoConnect Map Additional Printers.
The AutoConnect Map Additional Printers for VMware View window appears.
4 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.
5 Add the printers that you want to map to View desktops and define their associated translation rules.
6 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 17-20 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.
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Table 17‑20. 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:
nWindows clients use hyphens: 01-23-45-67-89-ab
nLinux 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 17-21 shows an example of two translation table rows.
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Table 17‑21. Location-Based Printing Group Policy Setting Example
IP Range
Client
Name
Mac
Address
User/
Group Printer Name Printer Driver
IP Port/ThinPrint
Port Default
* * * * 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 X
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.
2 Right-click the domain that contains your View machines and select New > Organizational Unit.
3 Type a name for the OU and click OK.
The new OU appears in the left pane.
4 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.
b Right-click the name of the computer object that represents the View machine in the right panel
and select Move.
c Select the OU and click OK.
The View machine appears in the right pane when you select the OU.
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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
nCreate an OU for your View machines.
nVerify 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 Select Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > Active Directory
Users and Computers.
b Right-click the OU that contains your View machines and select
Properties.
c On the Group Policy tab, click Open to open the Group Policy
Management plug-in.
2 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.
3 Type a name for the GPO and click OK.
The new GPO appears under the OU in the left pane.
4 (Optional) To apply the GPO only to specific View machines in the OU:
a Select the GPO in the left pane.
b Select Security Filtering > Add.
c 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
nCreate GPOs for the View component group policy settings and link them to the OU that contains your
View machines.
nVerify that the Group Policy Management feature is available on your Active Directory server.
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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 298.
Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 Copy the file to your Active Directory server and unzip the file.
3 On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
4 Expand your domain, right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings, and select Edit.
5 In the Group Policy Management Editor, right-click the Computer Configuration > Policies >
Administrative Templates: Policy definitions folder and select Add/Remove Templates.
6 Click Add, browse to the ADM Template file, and click Open.
7 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.
8 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
nCreate GPOs for the View component group policy settings and link them to the OU that contains your
View machines.
nVerify 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 298.
Procedure
1 On the Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
2 Expand your domain, right-click the GPO that you created for the group policy settings, and select Edit.
3 In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Policies >
Administrative Templates: Policy definitions > System > Group Policy.
4 In the right pane, double-click User Group Policy loopback processing mode.
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5 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.
6 Click OK to save your changes.
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Configuring User Profiles with View
Persona Management 18
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 301
n“Using View Persona Management with Standalone Systems,” on page 302
n“Migrating User Profiles with View Persona Management,” on page 303
n“Persona Management and Windows Roaming Profiles,” on page 306
n“Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment,” on page 306
n“Best Practices for Configuring a View Persona Management Deployment,” on page 315
n“View Persona Management Group Policy Settings,” on page 318
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.
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A user profile comprises a variety of user-generated information:
nUser-specific data and desktop settings
nApplication data and settings
nWindows 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.
nDuring 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.
nView 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.
nDuring 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 10,
Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012 R2 operating systems.
You can use the standalone View Persona Management software to accomplish these goals:
nShare 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.
nMigrate 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.
nPerform 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.
nSupport up-to-date profiles when users go offline.
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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:
nYou can upgrade Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops to Windows 10 View desktops.
nYou 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.
nYou can upgrade legacy Windows XP View desktops to Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008
R2, or Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktops.
nYou 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 18-1 shows various migration scenarios and outlines the tasks you should perform in each scenario.
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Table 18‑1. User Profile Migration Scenarios
If This Is Your Original
Deployment...
And This Is Your Destination
Deployment... Perform These Tasks:
Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops
Windows 10 View desktops 1 Configure the Windows 10 View desktops
with View Persona Management for your
users. See “Configuring a View Persona
Management Deployment,” on page 306.
NOTE Do not roll out the Windows 10 View
desktops to your users until you complete
step 2.
2 Run the View V2 to V5 profile migration
utility.
nFor the source profiles, specify the
remote profile repository for existing
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows
Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012
R2 View desktops.
nFor the destination profiles, specify the
remote profile repository that you
configured for the Windows 10 View
desktops.
For details, see the View User Profile Migration
document.
3 Allow your users to log in to their Windows
10 View desktops.
Windows XP physical computers Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops
1 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 306.
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.
2 Run the View V1 to V2 profile migration
utility.
nFor the source profiles, specify the local
profiles on the Windows XP physical
computers.
nFor the destination profiles, specify the
remote profile repository that you
configured for the View deployment.
For details, see the View User Profile Migration
document.
3 Allow your users to log in to their Windows
7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View desktops.
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Table 18‑1. User Profile Migration Scenarios (Continued)
If This Is Your Original
Deployment...
And This Is Your Destination
Deployment... Perform These Tasks:
Windows XP physical computers
or virtual machines that use a
roaming user profile solution.
For example, your deployment
might use one of these solutions:
nView Persona Management
nRTO Virtual Profiles
nWindows 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
1 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 306.
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.
2 Run the View V1 to V2 profile migration
utility.
nFor the source profiles, specify the
remote profile repository for the
Windows XP systems.
nFor the destination profiles, specify the
remote profile repository that you
configured for the View deployment.
For details, see the View User Profile Migration
document.
3 Allow your users to log in to their 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.
Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or
Windows Server 2012 R2 View
desktops
1 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 306.
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 309.
3 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 307.
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 310.
4 Roll out your Windows 7, Windows 8,
Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows
Server 2012 R2 View desktops to your users.
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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
Horizon 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.
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.
2 Install Horizon 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.
3 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:
nAdd the ADM Template file to the virtual machine that you use to create the pool.
nAdd the ADM Template file to Active Directory and apply the group policy settings to the OU that
contains the machines in the pool.
4 Enable View Persona Management by enabling the Manage user persona group policy setting.
5 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.
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6 (Optional) Configure other group policy settings in Active Directory or the Local Computer Policy
configuration.
7 Create desktop pools from the virtual machines on which you installed Horizon 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
nFamiliarize 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 307.
nFamiliarize yourself with the guidelines for creating a user profile repository. See “Creating a Network
Share for View Persona Management,” on page 308
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.
2 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%
3 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.
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Table 18‑2. 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 18‑3. 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
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.
nIf 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.
nYou can create the shared folder on a server, a network-attached storage (NAS) device, or a network
server.
nThe shared folder does not have to be in the same domain as View Connection Server.
nThe shared folder must be in the same Active Directory forest as the users who store profiles in the
shared folder.
nYou 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.
nYou 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.
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Install Horizon Agent with the View Persona Management Option
To use View Persona Management with View desktops, you must install Horizon 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 Horizon 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 Horizon 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
nVerify that you are performing the installation on a Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows
Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 R2 virtual machine. View Persona Management does not
operate on Microsoft RDS hosts.
Installing Horizon 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 309.
nVerify that you can log in as an administrator on the virtual machine.
nVerify 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 Horizon Agent with the View Persona
Management setup option.
nFamiliarize yourself with installing Horizon Agent. See “Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine,”
on page 26 or “Install Horizon Agent on an Unmanaged Machine,” on page 16.
Procedure
uWhen you install Horizon 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 310.
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
nVerify that you are performing the installation on a Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, 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.
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nVerify that you can log in as an administrator on the system.
nVerify that View Agent 5.x or later is not installed on the computer.
nVerify that a native RTO Virtual Profiles 2.0 is not installed on the virtual machine.
nIf 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 31.
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-personamanagement-
x86_64-y.y.y-xxxxxx.exe, where y.y.y is the version number and xxxxxx is the build number.
2 Run the installation program interactively or perform a silent installation.
Option Description
Interactive installation a To start the installation program, double-click the installer file.
b Accept the VMware license terms.
c Click Install.
By default, View Persona Management is installed in the C:\Program
Files\VMware\VMware View Persona Management directory.
d 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.y-
xxxxxx.exe /s /v"/qn /l*v ""c:\persona.log"" ALLUSERS=1"
IMPORTANT You must include the ALLUSERS=1 property in the command
line.
3 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.
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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 297.
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
nVerify that Horizon Agent is installed with the View Persona Management setup option on the system.
See “Install Horizon Agent with the View Persona Management Option,” on page 309.
nVerify that you can log in as an administrator on the system.
Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 Unzip the file and copy the the ADM file, ViewPM.adm, to the local system.
3 On the local system, click Start > Run.
4 Type gpedit.msc and click OK.
5 In the Local Computer Policy window, navigate to Computer Configuration and right-click
Administrative Templates.
NOTE Do not select Administrative Templates under User Configuration.
6 Click Add/Remove Templates and click Add.
7 Browse to the directory that contains the ViewPM.adm file.
8 Select the ViewPM.adm file and click Add.
9 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 312.
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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
nCreate 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 297.
nVerify that the Microsoft MMC and the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in are available on your Active
Directory server.
nVerify that Horizon Agent is installed with the View Persona Management setup option on a system
that is accessible to your Active Directory server. See “Install Horizon Agent with the View Persona
Management Option,” on page 309.
Procedure
1 Download the View GPO Bundle .zip file from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads.
Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the
GPO Bundle.
The file is named VMware-Horizon-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.
2 Unzip the file and copy the View Persona Management ADM Template file, ViewPM.adm, to your Active
Directory server.
3 On your Active Directory server, open the Group Policy Management Console.
For example, start the Run dialog box, type gpmc.msc, and click OK.
4 In the left pane, select the domain or OU that contains your View machines.
5 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.
6 In the Group Policy Object Editor, right-click Administrative Templates under Computer
Configuration and select Add/Remove Templates.
7 Click Add, browse to the ViewPM.adm file, and click Open.
8 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.
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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
nFamiliarize yourself with the Manage user persona and Persona repository location group policy
settings. See “Roaming and Synchronization Group Policy Settings,” on page 319.
nIf 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 311.
nIf 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 312.
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.
2 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
3 Open the Roaming & Synchronization folder.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
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8 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.
9 Click OK.
10 (Optional) Configure other View Persona Management group policy settings.
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
nVerify that Horizon Agent with the View Persona Management setup option is installed on the virtual
machine that you use to create the desktop pool. See “Install Horizon Agent with the View Persona
Management Option,” on page 309.
nIf 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 311 and “Configure View Persona Management Policies,”
on page 312.
Procedure
nGenerate 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.
n(Optional) To use View Persona Management with manual desktop pools, select machines on which
Horizon 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 Horizon 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.
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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 floating-
assignment, linked-clone pool, the clones can be refreshed or deleted on logoff.
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.
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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
Additional Best Practices
You can also follow these recommendations:
nBy 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.
nIt 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.
nYou 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 317.
nIf 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 317.
nIf 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 317.
nDo 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.
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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.
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 319.
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 linked-
clone 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.
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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.
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 306.
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-Extras-Bundle-x.x.x-yyyyyyy.zip,
which you can download from the VMware download site at
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads. Under Desktop & End-User Computing, select the
VMware Horizon 7 download, which includes the bundled .zip file.
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 18‑4. 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
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The group policy settings are contained in these folders:
nRoaming & Synchronization
nFolder Redirection
nDesktop UI
nLogging
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 307.
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 315.
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
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.
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Group Policy
Setting Description
Files and folders
to preload
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.
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 317.
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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:
nWhen you enable this setting for a folder, you must type the UNC path of the network share to which
the folder is redirected.
nIf %username% is not part of the folder path that you configure, View Persona Management appends
%username% to the UNC path.
nAs 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 315.
nYou 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.
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nIf 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.
nIf 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.
nFolder 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.
nBy 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 18-5.
For existing redirected folders, see “Granting Domain Administrators Access to Existing Redirected
Folders,” on page 323.
You can specify folder paths that are excluded from folder redirection. See Table 18-5.
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:
nApplication Data (roaming)
nContacts
nCookies
nDesktop
nDownloads
nFavorites
nHistory
nLinks
nMy Documents
nMy Music
nMy Pictures
nMy Videos
nNetwork Neighborhood
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nPrinter Neighborhood
nRecent Items
nSave Games
nSearches
nStart Menu
nStartup Items
nTemplates
nTemporary Internet Files
Table 18‑5. Group Policy Settings That Control Folder Redirection
Group Policy Setting Description
Add the administrators
group to redirected
folders
Determines whether to add the administrators group to each redirected folder. Users have
exclusive rights to redirected folders by default. When you enable this setting, administrators
can also access redirected folders.
By default, this setting is not configured.
Files and Folders
excluded from Folder
Redirection
The selected file and folder paths are not redirected to a network share.
In some scenarios, specific files and folders must remain in the local user profile.
To add a folder path to the Files and Folders excluded from Folder Redirection list, enable
this setting, click Show, type the path name, and click OK.
Specify folder paths that are relative to the root of the user's local profile. For example:
Desktop\New Folder.
Files and folders
excluded from Folder
Redirection (exceptions)
The selected file and folder paths are exceptions to the paths that are specified in the Files and
Folders excluded from Folder Redirection setting.
To add a folder path to the Files and folders excluded from Folder Redirection (exceptions)
list, enable this setting, click Show, type the path name, and click OK.
Specify folder paths that reside within a folder that is specified in the Folders excluded from
Folder Redirection setting and are relative to the root of the user's local profile. For example:
Desktop\New Folder\Unique Folder.
Granting Domain Administrators Access to Existing Redirected Folders
By default, Windows folder redirection gives users exclusive rights to redirected folders. To grant domain
administrators access to existing redirected folders, you must use the icacls utility.
If you are setting up new redirected folders for use with View Persona Management, you can make the
newly redirected folders accessible to domain administrators by using the Add the administrators group to
redirected folders group policy setting. See Table 18-5.
Procedure
1 Set ownership for the administrator on the files and folders.
icacls "\\file-server\persona-share\*" /setowner "domain\admin" /T /C /L /Q
For example: icacls "\\myserver-123abc\folders\*" /setowner
"mycompanydomain\vcadmin" /T /C /L /Q
2 Modify the ACLs for the files and folders.
icacls "\\file-server\persona-share\*" /grant "admin-group":F /T /C /L /Q
For example: icacls "\\myserver-123abc\folders\*" /grant "Domain-Admins":F /T /C /L /Q
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3 For each user folder, revert ownership from the administrator to the corresponding user.
icacls "\\file-server\persona-share\*" /setowner "domain\folder-owner" /T /C /L /Q
For example: icacls "\\myserver-123abc\folders\*" /setowner
"mycompanydomain\user1" /T /C /L /Q
Desktop UI Group Policy Settings
The desktop UI group policy settings control View Persona Management settings that users see on their
desktops.
Group Policy Setting Description
Hide local offline file
icon
Determines whether to hide the offline icon when a user views locally stored files that belong to
the user profile. Enabling this setting hides the offline icon in Windows Explorer and most
Windows dialog boxes.
By default, the offline icon is hidden.
Show progress when
downloading large
files
Determines whether to display a progress window on a user's desktop when the client retrieves
large files from the remote repository.
When this setting is enabled, you can specify the minimum file size, in megabytes, to begin
displaying the progress window. The window is displayed when View Persona Management
determines that the specified amount of data will be retrieved from the remote repository. This
value is an aggregate of all files that are retrieved at one time.
For example, if the setting value is 50MB and a 40MB file is retrieved, the window is not
displayed. If a 30MB file is retrieved while the first file is still being downloaded, the aggregate
download exceeds the value and the progress window is displayed. The window appears when
a file starts downloading.
By default, this value is 50MB.
By default, this progress window is not displayed.
Show critical errors to
users via tray icon
alerts
Displays critical error icon alerts in the desktop tray when replication or network connectivity
failures occur.
By default, these icon alerts are hidden.
Logging Group Policy Settings
The logging group policy settings determine the name, location, and behavior of the View Persona
Management log files.
View Persona Management logging configuration is simplified in Horizon 6 version 6.1 and later releases.
To use the updated logging settings, you must upgrade the View Persona Management ADM file,
ViewPM.adm, to the version that is provided with Horizon 6 version 6.1 with View or later.
Group Policy
Setting Description
Logging
filename
Specifies the full pathname of the local View Persona Management log file.
The default path is ProgramData\VMware\VDM\logs\filename.
The default logging filename is VMWVvp.txt.
Logging
destination
Determines whether to write all log messages to the log file, the debug port, or both destinations.
By default, logging messages are sent to the log file.
Logging flags Specifies the type of log messages that are generated.
nLog information messages.
nLog debug messages.
When this setting is disabled or not configured, and by default when the setting is configured, log
messages are set to information level.
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Group Policy
Setting Description
Log history
depth
Determines the number of historical log files that View Persona Management maintains.
You can set a minimum of one and a maximum of 10 historical log files to be maintained.
By default, one historical log file is maintained.
Upload log to
network
Uploads the View Persona Management log file to the specified network share when the user logs off.
When this setting is enabled, specify the network share path. The network share path must be a UNC
path. View Persona Management does not create the network share.
By default, the log file is not uploaded to the network share.
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Troubleshooting Machines and
Desktop Pools 19
You can use a variety of procedures to diagnose and fix problems that you encounter when you create and
use machines and desktop pools.
Users might experience difficulty when they use Horizon Client to access desktops and applications. You
can use troubleshooting procedures to investigate the causes of such problems and attempt to correct them
yourself, or you can obtain assistance from VMware Technical Support.
This chapter includes the following topics:
n“Display Problem Machines,” on page 327
n“Send Messages to Desktop Users,” on page 328
n“Problems Provisoning or Recreating a Desktop Pool,” on page 328
n“Troubleshooting Network Connection Problems,” on page 339
n“Troubleshooting USB Redirection Problems,” on page 342
n“Manage Machines and Policies for Unentitled Users,” on page 344
n“Resolving Database Inconsistencies with the ViewDbChk Command,” on page 344
n“Further Troubleshooting Information,” on page 347
Display Problem Machines
You can display a list of the machines whose operation View has detected as being suspect.
View Administrator displays machines that exhibit the following problems:
nAre powered on, but which are not responding.
nRemain in the provisioning state for a long time.
nAre ready, but which report that they are not accepting connections.
nAppear to be missing from a vCenter Server.
nHave active logins on the console, logins by users who are not entitled, or logins not made via a View
Connection Server instance.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Resources > Machines.
2 On the vCenter VMs tab, click Problem Machines.
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What to do next
The action that you should take depends on the problem that View Administrator reports for a machine.
nIf a linked-clone machine 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. In certain situations, a linked clone might be repeatedly deleted and recreated. See
“Troubleshooting Machines That Are Repeatedly Deleted and Recreated,” on page 334.
nIf a machine is powered on, but does not respond, restart its virtual machine. If the machine still does
not respond, verify that the version of the Horizon Agent is supported for the machine operating
system. You can use the vdmadmin command with the -A option to display the Horizon Agent version.
For more information, see the View Administration document.
nIf a machine remains in the provisioning state for a long time, delete its virtual machine, and clone it
again. Verify that there is sufficient disk space to provision the machine. See “Virtual Machines Are
Stuck in the Provisioning State,” on page 332.
nIf a machine reports that it is ready, but does not accept connections, check the firewall configuration to
make sure that the display protocol is not blocked. See “Connection Problems Between Machines and
View Connection Server Instances,” on page 339.
nIf a machine appears to be missing from a vCenter Server, verify whether its virtual machine is
configured on the expected vCenter Server, or if it has been moved to another vCenter Server.
nIf a machine has an active login, but this is not on the console, the session must be remote. If you cannot
contact the logged-in users, you might need to restart the virtual machine to forcibly log out the users.
Send Messages to Desktop Users
You might sometimes need to send messages to users who are currently logged into desktops. For example,
if you need to perform maintenance on machine, you can ask the users to log out temporarily, or warn them
of a future interruption of service. You can send a message to multiple users.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, click Catalog > Desktop Pools.
2 Double-click a pool and click the Sessions tab.
3 Select one or more machines and click Send Message.
4 Type the message, select the message type, and click OK.
A message type can be Info, Warning, or Error.
The message is sent to all selected machines in active sessions.
Problems Provisoning or Recreating a Desktop Pool
You can use several procedures for diagnosing and fixing problems with the provisioning or recreation of
desktop pools.
Instant-Clone Provisioning or Push Image Failure
The pending image of an instant-clone desktop pool is in a failed state.
Problem
During pool creation or a push image operation, the error message Fault type is SERVER_FAULT_FATAL -
Runtime error: Method called after shutdown was initiated is displayed.
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Cause
This can happen occasionally when a replica Connection Server is started while another Connection Server
is doing image operations.
Solution
nIf the error occurs during pool creation, enable provisioning if it is disabled. If it is enabled, disable and
then enable it.
nIf the error occurs during a push image operation, initiate another push image operation with the same
image.
Instant Clone Image Publish Failure
View administrator shows that an image publish failed.
Problem
After creating an instant-clone desktop pool or initiating a push image, you check the status of the operation
and View Administrator shows that the image publish failed.
Solution
nRe-enable provisioning if it is disabled. If it is enabled, disable and then enable it. This causes View to
trigger a new Initial Publish operation.
nIf it is determined that the current image has some issues, initiate another push image operation with a
different image.
What to do next
If the image publish fails repeatedly, wait 30 minutes and try again.
Endless Error Recovery During Instant-Clone Provisioning
Error recovery falls into an endless loop during the provisioning of an instant-clone desktop pool
Problem
During provisioning, instant clones can go into an error state with the message "No network connection
between Agent and connection Server". The automatic error recovery mechanism deletes and recreates the
clones, which go into the same error state and the process repeats indefinitely.
Cause
Possible causes include a permanent network error or an incorrect path to the post-customization script.
Solution
uFix any error in the network or the path to the post-customization script.
Cannot Delete Orphaned Instant Clones
On rare occasions, during provisioning, an instant clone gets into an error state and you cannot delete the
desktop pool from View Administrator.
Problem
To delete the pool, View sends requests to vCenter Server to power off the clones. However, the requests fail
for clones that are orphaned. The result is that View cannot delete the pool.
Solution
1 From vCenter Server, unregister the orphaned clones.
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2 From View Administrator, delete the clones.
Pool Creation Fails if Customization Specifications Cannot Be Found
If you try to create a desktop pool, the operation fails if the customization specifications cannot be found.
Problem
You cannot create a desktop pool, and you see the following message in the event database.
Provisioning error occurred for Machine Machine_Name: Customization failed for Machine
Cause
The most likely cause of this problem is that you have insufficient permissions to access the customization
specifications, or to create a pool. Another possible cause is that the customization specification has been
renamed or deleted.
Solution
nVerify that you have sufficient permissions to access the customization specifications, and to create a
pool.
nIf the customization specification no longer exists because it has been renamed or deleted, choose a
different specification.
Pool Creation Fails Because of a Permissions Problem
You cannot create a desktop pool if there is a permissions problem with an ESX/ESXi host, ESX/ESXi cluster,
or datacenter.
Problem
You cannot create a desktop pool in View Administrator because the templates, ESX/ESXi host, ESX/ESXi
cluster, or datacenter are not accessible.
Cause
This problem has a number of possible causes.
nYou do not have the correct permissions to create a pool.
nYou do not have the correct permissions to access the templates.
nYou do not have the correct permissions to access the ESX/ESXi host, ESX/ESXi cluster, or datacenter.
Solution
nIf the Template Selection screen does not show any available templates, verify that you have sufficient
permissions to access the templates.
nVerify that you have sufficient permissions to access the ESX/ESXi host, ESX/ESXi cluster, or datacenter.
nVerify that you have sufficient permissions to create a pool.
Pool Provisioning Fails Due to a Configuration Problem
If a template is not available or a virtual machine image has been moved or deleted, provisioning of a
desktop pool can fail.
Problem
A desktop pool is not provisioned, and you see the following message in the event database.
Provisioning error occurred on Pool Desktop_ID because of a configuration problem
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Cause
This problem has a number of possible causes.
nA template is not accessible.
nThe name of a template has been changed in vCenter.
nA template has been moved to a different folder in vCenter.
nA virtual machine image has been moved between ESX/ESXi hosts, or it has been deleted.
Solution
nVerify that the template is accessible.
nVerify that the correct name and folder are specified for the template.
nIf a virtual machine image has been moved between ESX/ESXi hosts, move the virtual machine to the
correct vCenter folder.
nIf a virtual machine image has been deleted, delete the entry for the virtual machine in View
Administrator and recreate or restore the image.
Pool Provisioning Fails Due to a View Connection Server Instance Being
Unable to Connect to vCenter
If a Connection Server is not able to connect to vCenter, provisioning of a desktop pool can fail.
Problem
Provisioning of a desktop pool fails, and you see one of the following error messages in the event database.
nCannot log in to vCenter at address VC_Address
nThe status of vCenter at address VC_Address is unknown
Cause
The View Connection Server instance cannot connect to vCenter for one of the following reasons.
nThe Web service on the vCenter Server has stopped.
nThere are networking problems between the View Connection Server host and the vCenter Server.
nThe port numbers and login details for vCenter or View Composer have changed.
Solution
nVerify that the Web service is running on the vCenter.
nVerify that there are no network problems between the View Connection Server host and the vCenter.
nIn View Administrator, verify the port numbers and login details that are configured for vCenter and
View Composer.
Pool Provisioning Fails Due to Datastore Problems
If a datastore is out of disk space, or you do not have permission to access the datastore, provisioning of a
desktop pool can fail.
Problem
Provisioning of a desktop pool fails, and you see one of the following error messages in the event database.
nProvisioning error occurred for Machine Machine_Name: Cloning failed for Machine
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nProvisioning error occurred on Pool Desktop_ID because available free disk space is reserved
for linked clones
nProvisioning error occurred on Pool Desktop_ID because of a resource problem
Cause
You do not have permission to access the selected datastore, or the datastore being used for the pool is out
of disk space.
Solution
nVerify that you have sufficient permissions to access the selected datastore.
nVerify whether the disk on which the datastore is configured is full.
nIf the disk is full or the space is reserved, free up space on the disk, rebalance the available datastores,
or migrate the datastore to a larger disk.
Pool Provisioning Fails Due to vCenter Server Being Overloaded
If vCenter Server is overloaded with requests, provisioning of a desktop pool can fail.
Problem
Provisioning of a desktop pool fails, and you see the following error message in the event database.
Provisioning error occurred on Pool Desktop_ID because of a timeout while customizing
Cause
vCenter is overloaded with requests.
Solution
nIn View Administrator, reduce the maximum number of concurrent provisioning and power operations
for vCenter Server.
nConfigure additional vCenter Server instances.
For more information about configuring vCenter Server, see the View Installation document.
Virtual Machines Are Stuck in the Provisioning State
After being cloned, virtual machines are stuck in the Provisioning state.
Problem
Virtual machines are stuck in the Provisioning state.
Cause
The most likely cause of this problem is that you restarted the View Connection Server instance during a
cloning operation.
Solution
uDelete the virtual machines and clone them again.
Virtual Machines Are Stuck in the Customizing State
After being cloned, virtual machines are stuck in the Customizing state.
Problem
Virtual machines are stuck in the Customizing state.
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Cause
The most likely cause of this problem is that there is not enough disk space to start the virtual machine. A
virtual machine must start before customization can take place.
Solution
nDelete the virtual machine to recover from a stuck customization.
nIf the disk is full, free up space on the disk or migrate the datastore to a larger disk.
Removing Orphaned or Deleted Linked Clones
Under certain conditions, linked-clone data in View, View Composer, and vCenter Server might get out of
synchronization, and you might be unable to provision or delete linked-clone machines.
Problem
nYou cannot provision a linked-clone desktop pool.
nProvisioning linked-clone machines fails, and the following error occurs: Virtual machine with Input
Specification already exists
nIn View Administrator, linked-clone machines are stuck in a Deleting state. You cannot restart the
Delete command in View Administrator because the machines are already in the Deleting state.
Cause
This issue occurs if the View Composer database contains information about linked clones that is
inconsistent with the information in View LDAP, Active Directory, or vCenter Server. Several situations can
cause this inconsistency:
nThe linked-clone virtual machine name is changed manually in vCenter Server after the pool was
created, causing View Composer and vCenter Server refer to the same virtual machine with different
names.
nA storage failure or manual operation causes the virtual machine to be deleted from vCenter Server.
The linked-clone virtual machine data still exists in the View Composer database, View LDAP, and
Active Directory.
nWhile a pool is being deleted from View Administrator, a networking or other failure leaves the virtual
machine in vCenter Server.
Solution
If the virtual machine name was renamed in vSphere Client after the desktop pool was provisioned, try
renaming the virtual machine to the name that was used when it was deployed in View.
If other database information is inconsistent, use the SviConfig RemoveSviClone command to remove these
items:
nThe linked clone database entries from the View Composer database
nThe linked clone machine account from Active Directory
nThe linked clone virtual machine from vCenter Server
The SviConfig utility is located with the View Composer application. The default path is C:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VMware View Composer\sviconfig.exe.
IMPORTANT Only experienced View Composer administrators should use the SviConfig utility. This utility
is intended to resolve issues relating to the View Composer service.
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Take these steps:
1 Verify that the View Composer service is running.
2 From a Windows command prompt on the View Composer computer, run the SviConfig
RemoveSviClone command in the following form:
sviconfig -operation=removesviclone
-VmName=virtual machine name
[-AdminUser=local administrator username]
-AdminPassword=local administrator password
[-ServerUrl=View Composer server URL]
For example:
sviconfig -operation=removesviclone -vmname=MyLinkedClone
-adminuser=Admin -adminpassword=Pass -serverurl=ViewComposerURL
The VmName and AdminPassword parameters are required. The default value of the AdminUser parameter is
Administrator. The default value of the ServerURL parameter is https://localhost:
18443/SviService/v2_0
For more information about removing virtual machine information from View LDAP, see VMware
Knowledge Base article 2015112: Manually deleting linked clones or stale virtual desktop entries from the View
Composer database in VMware View Manager and VMware Horizon View.
Troubleshooting Machines That Are Repeatedly Deleted and Recreated
View can repeatedly delete and recreate linked-clone and full-clone machines that are in an Error state.
Problem
A linked-clone or full-clone machine is created in an Error state, deleted, and recreated in an Error state.
This cycle keeps repeating.
Cause
When a large desktop pool is provisioned, one or more virtual machines might end up in an Error state. The
View automatic recovery mechanism attempts to power on the failed virtual machine. If the virtual machine
does not power on after a certain number of attempts, View deletes the virtual machine.
Following the pool size requirements, View creates a new virtual machine, often with the same machine
name as the original machine. If the new virtual machine is provisioned with the same error, that virtual
machine is deleted, and the cycle repeats.
Automatic recovery is performed on linked-clone and full-clone machines.
If automatic recovery attempts fail for a virtual machine, View deletes the virtual machine only if it is a
floating machine or a dedicated machine that is not assigned to a user. Also, View does not delete virtual
machines when pool provisioning is disabled.
Solution
Examine the parent virtual machine or template that was used to create the desktop pool. Check for errors
in the virtual machine or guest operating system that might cause the error in the virtual machine.
For linked clones, resolve errors in the parent virtual machine and take a new snapshot.
nIf many machines are in an Error state, use the new snapshot or template to recreate the pool.
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nIf most machines are healthy, select the desktop pool in View Administrator, click Edit, select the
vCenter Settings tab, select the new snapshot as a default base image, and save your edits.
New linked-clone machines are created using the new snapshot.
For full clones, resolve errors in the virtual machine, generate a new template, and recreate the pool.
Troubleshooting QuickPrep Customization Problems
A View Composer QuickPrep customization script can fail for a variety of reasons.
Problem
A QuickPrep post-synchronization or power-off script does not execute. In some cases, a script might
complete successfully on some linked clones, but fail on others.
Cause
A few common causes exist for QuickPrep script failures:
nThe script times out
nThe script path refers to a script that requires an interpreter
nThe account under which the script runs does not have sufficient permission to execute a script task
Solution
nExamine the customization script log.
QuickPrep customization information is written to a log file in Windows temp directory:
C:\Windows\Temp\vmware-viewcomposer-ga-new.log
nDetermine if the script timed out.
View Composer terminates a customization script that takes longer than 20 seconds. The log file
displays a message showing that the script has started and a later message indicating the timeout:
2010-02-21 21:05:47,687 [1500] INFO Ready -
[Ready.cpp, 102] Running the PostSync script: cmd /c
C:\temp\build\composer.bat
2010-02-21 21:06:07,348 [1500] FATAL Guest -
[Guest.cpp, 428] script cmd /c
C:\temp\build\composer.bat timed out
To solve a timeout problem, increase the timeout limit for the script and run it again.
nDetermine if the script path is valid.
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
nDetermine if the account under which the script runs has appropriate permissions to perform script
tasks.
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.
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Finding and Unprotecting Unused View Composer Replicas
Under certain conditions, View Composer replicas might remain in vCenter Server when they no longer
have any linked clones associated with them.
Problem
An unused replica remains in a vCenter Server folder. You are unable to remove the replica by using
vSphere Client.
Cause
Network outages during View Composer operations, or removing the associated linked clones directly from
vSphere without using the proper View commands, might leave an unused replica in vCenter Server.
Replicas are protected entities in vCenter Server. They cannot be removed by ordinary vCenter Server or
vSphere Client management commands.
Solution
Use the SviConfig FindUnusedReplica command to find the replica in a specified folder. You can use the -
Move parameter to move the replica to another folder. The -Move parameter unprotects an unused replica
before moving it.
IMPORTANT Only experienced View Composer administrators should use the SviConfig utility. This utility
is intended to resolve issues relating to the View Composer service.
The SviConfig utility is located with the View Composer application. The default path is C:\Program Files
(x86)\VMware\VMware View Composer\sviconfig.exe.
Before you begin, verify that no linked clones are associated with the replica.
Familiarize yourself with the SviConfig FindUnusedReplica parameters:
nDsnName. The DSN that must be used to connect to the database.
nUserName. The user name used to connect to the database. If this parameter is not specified, Windows
authentication is used.
nPassword. The password for the user that connects to the database. If this parameter is not specified and
Windows authentication is not used, you are prompted to enter the password later.
nReplicaFolder. The name of the replica folder. Use an empty string for the root folder. The default
value is VMwareViewComposerReplicaFolder.
nUnusedReplicaFolder. The name of the folder to contain all unused replicas. The default value is
UnusedViewComposerReplicaFolder. Use this parameter to specify the destination folder when you use
the Move parameter.
nOutputDir. The name of the output directory in which the list of unused replicas, stored in the unused-
replica-*.txt file, is generated. The default value is the current working directory.
nMove. Determines whether to unprotect unused replica virtual machines and move them to a specified
folder. The UnusedReplicaFolder parameter specifies the destination folder. The default value of the
Move parameter is false.
The DsnName, Username, and Password parameters are required. The DsnName cannot be an empty string.
Take these steps:
1 Stop the View Composer service.
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2 From a Windows command prompt on the View Composer computer, run the SviConfig
FindUnusedReplica command in the following form:
sviconfig -operation=findunusedreplica
-DsnName=name of the DSN
-Username=Database administrator username
-Password=Database administrator password
[-ReplicaFolder=Replica folder name]
[-UnusedReplicaFolder=Unused replica folder name.]
[-OutputDir=Output file directory]
[-Move=true or false]
For example:
sviconfig -operation=FindUnusedReplica -DsnName=SVI
-Username=SVIUser -Password=1234 -Move=True
3 Restart the View Composer service.
4 (Optional) After the replica is moved to the new folder, remove the replica virtual machine from
vCenter Server.
View Composer Provisioning Errors
If an error occurs when View Composer provisions or recomposes linked-clone machines, an error code
indicates the cause of the failure. The error code appears in the machine-status column in View
Administrator.
Table 19-1 describes the View Composer provisioning error codes.
This table lists errors that are associated with View Composer and QuickPrep customization. Additional
errors can occur in View Connection Server and other View components that can interfere with machine
provisioning.
Table 19‑1. View Composer Provisioning Errors
Error Description
0 The policy was applied successfully.
NOTE Result code 0 does not appear in View Administrator. The linked-clone machine proceeds to a
Ready state, unless a View error outside the domain of View Composer occurs. This result code is
included for completeness.
1 Failed to set the computer name.
2 Failed to redirect the user profiles to the View Composer persistent disk.
3 Failed to set the computer's domain account password.
4 Failed to back up a user's profile keys. The next time the user logs in to this linked-clone machine after
the recompose operation, the OS creates a new profile directory for the user. As a new profile is created,
the user cannot not see the old profile data.
5 Failed to restore a user's profile. The user should not log in to the machine in this state because the profile
state is undefined.
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Table 19‑1. View Composer Provisioning Errors (Continued)
Error Description
6 Errors not covered by other error codes. The View Composer agent log files in the guest OS can provide
more information about the causes of these errors.
For example, a Windows Plug and Play (PnP) timeout can generate this error code. In this situation, View
Composer times out after waiting for the PnP service to install new volumes for the linked-clone virtual
machine.
PnP mounts up to three disks, depending on how the pool was configured:
nView Composer persistent disk
nNonpersistent disk for redirecting guest OS temp and paging files
nInternal disk that stores QuickPrep configuration and other OS-related data. This disk is always
configured with a linked clone.
The timeout length is 10 minutes. If PnP does not finish mounting the disks within 10 minutes, View
Composer fails with error code 6.
7 Too many View Composer persistent disks are attached to the linked clone. A clone can have at most
three View Composer persistent disks.
8 A persistent disk could not be mounted on the datastore that was selected when the pool was created.
9 View Composer could not redirect disposable-data files to the nonpersistent disk. Either the paging file or
the temp-files folders were not redirected.
10 View Composer cannot find the QuickPrep configuration policy file on the specified internal disk.
12 View Composer cannot find the internal disk that contains the QuickPrep configuration policy file and
other OS-related data.
13 More than one persistent disk is configured to redirect the Windows user profile.
14 View Composer failed to unmount the internal disk.
15 The computer name that View Composer read from configuration-policy file does not match the current
system name after the linked clone is initially powered on.
16 The View Composer agent did not start because the volume license for the guest OS was not activated.
17 The View Composer agent did not start. The agent timed out while waiting for Sysprep to start.
18 The View Composer agent failed to join the linked-clone virtual machine to a domain during
customization.
19 The View Composer agent failed to execute a post-synchronization script.
20 The View Composer agent failed to handle a machine password synchronization event.
This error might be transient. If the linked clone joins the domain, the password is fine.
If the clone fails to join the domain, restart the operation you performed before the error occurred. If you
restarted the clone, restart it again. If you refreshed the clone, refresh it again. If the clone still fails to join
the domain, recompose the clone.
21 The View Composer agent failed to mount the system disposable disk.
22 The View Composer agent failed to mount the View Composer persistent disk.
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Troubleshooting Network Connection Problems
You can use a variety of procedures for diagnosing and fixing problems with network connections with
machines, Horizon Client devices, and View Connection Server instances.
Connection Problems Between Machines and View Connection Server
Instances
You might experience connection problems between machines and View Connection Server instances.
Problem
If connectivity between a machine and a View Connection Server instance fails, you see one of the following
messages in the event database.
nProvisioning error occurred for Machine Machine_Name: Customization error due to no network
communication between the Horizon Agent and Connection Server
nProvisioning error occurred on Pool Desktop_ID because of a networking problem with a Horizon
Agent
nUnable to launch from Pool Desktop_ID for user User_Display_Name: Failed to connect to
Machine MachineName using Protocol
Cause
The connectivity problems between a machine and a View Connection Server instance can occur for
different reasons.
nLookup failure on the machine for the DNS name of the View Connection Server host.
nThe ports for JMS, RDP, or AJP13 communication being blocked by firewall rules.
nThe failure of the JMS router on the View Connection Server host.
Solution
nAt a command prompt on the machine, type the nslookup command.
nslookup CS_FQDN
CS_FQDN is the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the View Connection Server host. If the
command fails to return the IP address of the View Connection Server host, apply general network
troubleshooting techniques to correct the DNS configuration.
nAt a command prompt on the machine, verify that TCP port 4001, which Horizon Agent uses to
establish JMS communication with the View Connection Server host, is working by typing the telnet
command.
telnet CS_FQDN 4001
If the telnet connection is established, network connectivity for JMS is working.
nIf a security server is deployed in the DMZ, verify that exception rules are configured in the inner
firewall to allow RDP connectivity between the security server and virtual machines on TCP port 3389.
nIf secure connections are bypassed, verify that the firewall rules allow a client to establish either a direct
RDP connection to the virtual machine on TCP port 3389, or a direct PCoIP connection to the virtual
machine on TCP port 4172 and UDP port 4172.
nVerify that exception rules are configured in the inner firewall to allow connections between each
Security Server and its associated View Connection Server host on TCP port 4001 (JMS) and TCP port
8009 (AJP13).
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Connection Problems Between Horizon Client and the PCoIP Secure Gateway
You might experience connection problems between Horizon Client and a security server or View
Connection Server host when the PCoIP Secure Gateway is configured to authenticate external users that
communicate over PCoIP.
Problem
Clients that use PCoIP cannot connect to or display View desktops. The initial login to a security server or
View Connection Server instance succeeds, but the connection fails when the user selects a View desktop.
This issue occurs when the PCoIP Secure Gateway is configured on a security server or View Connection
Server host.
NOTE Typically, the PCoIP Secure Gateway is leveraged on a security server. In a network configuration in
which external clients connect directly to a View Connection Server host, the PCoIP Secure Gateway can
also be configured on View Connection Server.
Cause
Problems connecting to the PCoIP Secure Gateway can occur for different reasons.
nWindows Firewall has closed a port that is required for the PCoIP Secure Gateway.
nThe PCoIP Secure Gateway is not enabled on the security server or View Connection Server instance.
nThe PCoIP External URL setting is configured incorrectly. You must specify this setting as the external
IP address that clients can access over the Internet.
nThe PCoIP External URL, secure tunnel External URL, Blast External URL, or another address is
configured to point to a different security server or View Connection Server host. When you configure
these addresses on a security server or View Connection Server host, all addresses must allow client
systems to reach the current host.
nThe client is connecting through an external web proxy that has closed a port required for the PCoIP
Secure Gateway. For example, a web proxy in a hotel network or public wireless connection might
block the required ports.
nThe View Connection Server instance that is paired with the security server on which the PCoIP Secure
Gateway is configured is version View 4.5 or earlier. The security server and paired View Connection
Server instance must be View 4.6 or later.
Solution
nCheck that the following network ports are opened on the firewall for the security server or View
Connection Server host.
Port Description
TCP 4172 From Horizon Client to the security server or View Connection Server host.
UDP 4172 Between Horizon Client and the security server or View Connection Server host, in both directions.
TCP 4172 From the security server or View Connection Server host to the View desktop.
UDP 4172 Between the security server or View Connection Server host and the View desktop, in both directions.
nIn View Administrator, make sure that the PCoIP Secure Gateway is enabled.
a Click View Configuration > Servers.
b Select the View Connection Server instance on the Connection Servers tab and click Edit.
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c Select Use PCoIP Secure Gateway for PCoIP connections to machine.
The PCoIP Secure Gateway is disabled by default.
d Click OK.
nIn View Administrator, make sure that the PCoIP External URL is configured correctly.
a Click View Configuration > Servers.
b Select the host to configure.
nIf your users connect to the PCoIP Secure Gateway on a security server, select the security
server on the Security Servers tab.
nIf your users connect to the PCoIP Secure Gateway on a View Connection Server instance,
select that instance on the Connection Servers tab.
c Click Edit.
d In the PCoIP External URL text box, make sure that the URL contains the external IP address for
the security server or View Connection Server host that clients can access over the Internet.
Specify port 4172. Do not include a protocol name.
For example: 10.20.30.40:4172
e Make sure that all addresses in this dialog allow client systems to reach this host.
All addresses in the Edit Security Server Settings dialog must allow client systems to reach this
security server host. All addresses in the Edit View Connection Server Settings dialog must allow
client systems to reach this View Connection Server instance.
f Click OK.
Repeat these steps for each security server and View Connection Server instance on which users
connect to the PCoIP Secure Gateway.
nIf the user is connecting through a web proxy that is outside of your network, and the proxy is blocking
a required port, direct the user to connect from a different network location.
Connection Problems Between Machines and View Connection Server
Instances
You might experience connection problems between machines and View Connection Server instances.
Problem
If connectivity between a machine and a View Connection Server instance fails, you see one of the following
messages in the event database.
nProvisioning error occurred for Machine Machine_Name: Customization error due to no network
communication between the Horizon Agent and Connection Server
nProvisioning error occurred on Pool Desktop_ID because of a networking problem with a Horizon
Agent
nUnable to launch from Pool Desktop_ID for user User_Display_Name: Failed to connect to
Machine MachineName using Protocol
Cause
The connectivity problems between a machine and a View Connection Server instance can occur for
different reasons.
nLookup failure on the machine for the DNS name of the View Connection Server host.
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nThe ports for JMS, RDP, or AJP13 communication being blocked by firewall rules.
nThe failure of the JMS router on the View Connection Server host.
Solution
nAt a command prompt on the machine, type the nslookup command.
nslookup CS_FQDN
CS_FQDN is the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the View Connection Server host. If the
command fails to return the IP address of the View Connection Server host, apply general network
troubleshooting techniques to correct the DNS configuration.
nAt a command prompt on the machine, verify that TCP port 4001, which Horizon Agent uses to
establish JMS communication with the View Connection Server host, is working by typing the telnet
command.
telnet CS_FQDN 4001
If the telnet connection is established, network connectivity for JMS is working.
nIf a security server is deployed in the DMZ, verify that exception rules are configured in the inner
firewall to allow RDP connectivity between the security server and virtual machines on TCP port 3389.
nIf secure connections are bypassed, verify that the firewall rules allow a client to establish either a direct
RDP connection to the virtual machine on TCP port 3389, or a direct PCoIP connection to the virtual
machine on TCP port 4172 and UDP port 4172.
nVerify that exception rules are configured in the inner firewall to allow connections between each
Security Server and its associated View Connection Server host on TCP port 4001 (JMS) and TCP port
8009 (AJP13).
Connection Problems Due to Incorrect Assignment of IP Addresses to Cloned
Machines
You might not be able to connect to cloned machines if they have static IP addresses.
Problem
You cannot use Horizon Client to connect to cloned machines.
Cause
Cloned machines are incorrectly configured to use a static IP address instead of using DHCP to obtain their
IP addresses.
Solution
1 Verify that the template for a desktop pool on vCenter Server is configured to use DHCP to assign IP
addresses to machines.
2 In the vSphere Web Client, clone one virtual machine manually from the desktop pool and verify that it
obtains its IP address from DHCP correctly.
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.
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Cause
The following are possible causes for USB redirection failing to function correctly or as expected.
nThe 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 221.
nUSB redirection is not supported on Windows Server 2008 RDS hosts that deploy remote desktops and
applications. USB redirection is supported on Windows Server 2012 RDS hosts with View Agent 6.1 and
later, but only for USB storage devices. USB redirection is supported on Windows Server 2008 R2 and
Windows Server 2012 R2 systems that are used as single-user desktops.
nOnly 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.
nWebcams are not supported for redirection.
nThe 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.
nUSB 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.
nBy 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.
nRDP does not support the redirection of USB HIDs for the console session, or of smart card readers. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1011600.
nWindows Mobile Device Center can prevent the redirection of USB devices for RDP sessions. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1019205.
nFor some USB HIDs, you must configure the virtual machine to update the position of the mouse
pointer. See http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022076.
nSome audio devices might require changes to policy settings or to registry settings. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1023868.
nNetwork 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.
nUSB flash cards formatted with the FAT32 file system are slow to load. See
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1022836.
nA process or service on the local system opened the device before you connected to the remote desktop
or application.
nA 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.
nUSB redirection is disabled in View Administrator.
nMissing or disabled USB redirection drivers on the guest.
Solution
nIf available, use PCoIP instead of RDP as the protocol.
nIf a redirected device remains unavailable or stops working after a temporary disconnection, remove
the device, plug it in again, and retry the redirection.
Chapter 19 Troubleshooting Machines and Desktop Pools
VMware, Inc. 343
nIn View Administrator, go to Policies > Global Policies, and verify that USB access is set to Allow
under View Policies.
nExamine 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 219.
nOpen 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.
Manage Machines and Policies for Unentitled Users
You can display the machines that are allocated to users whose entitlement has been removed, and you can
also display the policies that have been applied to unentitled users.
A user who is unentitled might have left the organization permanently, or you might have suspended their
account for an extended period of time. These users are assigned a machine but they are no longer entitled
to use the machine pool.
You can also use the vdmadmin command with the -O or -P option to display unentitled machines and
policies. For more information, see the View Administration document.
Procedure
1 In View Administrator, select Resources > Machines.
2 Select More Commands > View Unentitled Machines.
3 Remove the machine assignments for unentitled users.
4 Select More Commands > View Unentitled Machines or More Commands > View Unentitled Policies
as appropriate.
5 Change or remove the policies that are applied to unentitled users.
Resolving Database Inconsistencies with the ViewDbChk Command
With the ViewDbChk command, you can resolve inconsistencies in the databases that store information about
desktop virtual machines in an automated desktop pool and RDS hosts in an automated farm.
In a View environment, information about desktop virtual machines and RDS hosts in an automated farm is
stored in the following places:
nThe LDAP database
nThe vCenter Server database
nFor View Composer linked-clone machines only: the View Composer database
Normally, you can recover from an error that occurs during provisioning or other operations by removing
or resetting a desktop virtual machine or an RDS host using View Administrator. On rare occasions, the
information in the different databases about a machine that is in an error state might become inconsistent
and it is not possible to recover from the error using View Administrator. You might see one of the
following symptoms:
nProvisioning fails with the error message Virtual machine with Input Specification already exists.
nRecomposing a desktop pool fails with the error message Desktop Composer Fault: Virtual Machine
with Input Specification already exists.
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
344 VMware, Inc.
nView Administrator shows that a desktop machine or an RDS host is stuck in a deleting state.
nYou cannot delete a desktop pool or an automated farm.
nYou cannot delete a desktop machine or an RDS host.
nIn View Administrator's Inventory tab, the status of a desktop machine or an RDS host is missing.
In situations where database inconsistencies cause a desktop machine or an RDS host to be in an
unrecoverable error state or prevent a View Administrator task from completing successfully, you can use
the ViewDbChk command to resolve the inconsistencies. The ViewDbChk command has the following
characteristics:
nViewDbChk is automatically installed when you install View Standard Server or View Replica Server. The
utility is not installed when you install View Security Server.
nViewDbChk is a command that you can run from the Windows Command Prompt or from a script.
nViewDbChk supports automated farms and automated desktop pools of full virtual machines as well as
View Composer linked clones.
nWhen you want to remove a machine, ViewDbChk performs a health check on the machine and prompts
you for additional confirmation if the machine looks healthy.
nViewDbChk can delete erroneous or incomplete LDAP entries.
nViewDbChk supports input and output using I18N character sets.
nViewDbChk does not remove user data. For a full desktop virtual machine, ViewDbChk removes the virtual
machine from inventory but does not delete it from disk. For a linked-clone desktop virtual machine,
ViewDbChk deletes the virtual machine and archives the user disks to the root folder in the case of VMFS
datastores or to a sub-folder named archiveUDD in the case of Virtual SAN and Virtual Volumes
datastores.
nViewDbChk does not support unmanaged desktop machines or RDS hosts in a manual farm.
ViewDbChk Syntax
ViewDbChk --findDesktop --desktopName <desktop pool or farm name> [--verbose]
ViewDbChk --enableDesktop --desktopName <desktop pool or farm name> [--verbose]
ViewDbChk --disableDesktop --desktopName <desktop pool or farm name> [--verbose]
ViewDbChk --findMachine --desktopName <desktop pool or farm name> --machineName <machine name>
[--verbose]
ViewDbChk --removeMachine --machineName <machine name> [--desktopName <desktop pool or farm
name>] [--force] [--noErrorCheck] [--verbose]
ViewDbChk --scanMachines [--desktopName <desktop pool or farm name>] [--limit <maximum deletes>]
[--force] [--verbose]
ViewDbChk --help [--commandName] [--verbose]
ViewDbChk Parameters
Parameter Description
--findDesktop Finds a desktop pool or farm.
--enableDesktop Enables a desktop pool or farm.
Chapter 19 Troubleshooting Machines and Desktop Pools
VMware, Inc. 345
Parameter Description
--disableDesktop Disables a desktop pool or farm.
--findMachine Finds a machine.
--removeMachine Removes a machine from a desktop pool or farm. Before removing a machine,
ViewDbChk prompts the user to disable the desktop pool or farm. After removing the
machine, ViewDbChk prompts the user to re-enable the desktop pool or farm.
--scanMachines Searches for machines that are in an error or cloneerror state or have missing virtual
machines, lists the problem machines grouped by desktop pool or farm, and gives the
option to remove the machines. Before removing a machine, ViewDbChk prompts the
user to disable the desktop pool or farm. After removing all erroneous machines in a
desktop pool or farm, ViewDbChk prompts the user to re-enable the desktop pool or
farm.
--help Displays the syntax of ViewDbChk.
--desktopName <desktop
name>
Specifies the desktop pool or farm name.
--machineName <machine
name>
Specifies the machine name.
--limit <maximum deletes> Limits the number of machines that ViewDbChk can remove. The default is 1.
--force Forces machine removal without user confirmation.
--noErrorCheck Forces the removal of machines that have no errors.
--verbose Enables verbose logging.
NOTE All the parameter names are case-sensitive.
ViewDbChk Usage Example
A desktop machine named lc-pool2-2 is in an error state and we cannot remove it using View
Administrator. We use ViewDbChk to remove it from the View environment.
C:\>viewdbchk --removeMachine --machineName lc-pool2-2
Looking for desktop pool "lc-pool2" in LDAP...
Desktop Pool Name: lc-pool2
Desktop Pool Type: AUTO_LC_TYPE
VM Folder: /vdi/vm/lc-pool2/
Desktop Pool Disabled: false
Desktop Pool Provisioning Enabled: true
Looking for machine "/vdi/vm/lc-pool2/lc-pool2-2" in vCenter...
Connecting to vCenter "https://10.133.17.3:443/sdk". This may take some time...
Checking connectivity...
Connecting to View Composer "https://10.133.17.3:18443". This may take some time...
The desktop pool "lc-pool2" must be disabled before proceeding. Do you want to disable the
desktop pool? (yes/no):yes
Found machine "lc-pool2-2"
VM Name: lc-pool2-2
Creation Date: 1/25/15 1:20:26 PM PST
MOID: vm-236
Clone Id: b12a9ed2-8535-44ee-a9d6-6c9b5cf6f878
VM Folder: /vdi/vm/lc-pool2/lc-pool2-2
VM State: ERROR
Do you want to remove the desktop machine "lc-pool2-2"? (yes/no):yes
Shutting down VM "/vdi/vm/lc-pool2/lc-pool2-2"...
Archiving persistent disks...
Destroying View Composer clone "b12a9ed2-8535-44ee-a9d6-6c9b5cf6f878"...
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
346 VMware, Inc.
Removing ThinApp entitlements for machine "/vdi/vm/lc-pool2/lc-pool2-2"...
Removing machine "/vdi/vm/lc-pool2/lc-pool2-2" from LDAP...
Running delete VM scripts for machine "/vdi/vm/lc-pool2/lc-pool2-2"...
Do you want to enable the desktop pool "lc-pool2"? (yes/no):yes
Further Troubleshooting Information
You can find further troubleshooting information in VMware Knowledge Base articles.
The VMware Knowledge Base (KB) is continually updated with new troubleshooting information for
VMware products.
For more information about troubleshooting View, see the KB articles that are available on the VMware KB
Web site:
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/microsite.do
Chapter 19 Troubleshooting Machines and Desktop Pools
VMware, Inc. 347
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
348 VMware, Inc.
Index
Numerics
3D renderer, configuring 145, 148, 150
A
access permissions, shared folders for Persona
Management 307
Active Directory, using existing computer
accounts for linked clones 76
ADM Template file
adding to a local system 311
adding to Active Directory 312
installing 310
ADM template file
Real-Time Audio-Video 194
scanner redirection 199
serial port redirection 205
ADM template files
Horizon Agent Configuration 266
PCoIP Session Variables 271
PCoIP session bandwidth settings 279
View components 264
VMware Blast 282
where to find 264
ADMX files, adding to Active Directory 284
Adobe Flash
quality modes 139
throttling modes 139
Adobe Flash Throttling Throttling, RDS desktop
pools 125
Adobe Flash URL redirection, system
requirements 169
Always on policy 140
AMD Multiuser GPU using vDGA 150, 154
application compatibility, RDS group policy
settings 285
application pools
advantages 14
creating 119, 120
introduction 9
worksheet for creating 120
application sessions, time zone redirection 102
applications, enable Windows basic theme 102
automated desktop pools
adding machines manually 132
assigning multiple network labels 158
cloning 56, 69
creating 51, 55
customizing machines in maintenance
mode 134
deploying large pools 157
desktop settings 57, 135
machine-naming example 131
maintenance mode 133, 134
naming machines manually 128, 129
power policies 142–144
using a machine-naming pattern 128
worksheet for creating 51
automated farm creation, storing swap files 108
automated farms, preparing a parent virtual
machine 108
automatic Windows updates, disabling 42
B
bandwidth, Real-Time Audio-Video 196
base image for virtual desktops 233, 240
best practices, View Persona Management 315
blackout times
for disk space reclamation 254
for View Storage Accelerator 254
C
CBRC, configuring for desktop pools 250
client devices, setting up for Flash URL
Redirection 171
client drive redirection 211, 212
client session policies
configuring global 256
configuring pool-level 256
configuring user-level 256
defined 255
general 257
inheritance 255
client systems, passing information to
desktops 268
ClonePrep, increasing timeout limit for
customization scripts 49
cloning, preparing a virtual machine for 19
cluster, more than eight hosts 157
COM ports, redirecting serial 202
command scripts, running on desktops 271
CommandsToRunOnConnect group policy
setting 271
composite USB devices 221
configuring RDS per device CAL 283
VMware, Inc. 349
connection issues
between Horizon Client and the PCoIP Secure
Gateway 340
between machines and View Connection
Server 339, 341
linked-clone machines with static IP
addresses 342
connection ticket timeout 266
connections, troubleshooting 339
custom setup options
Horizon Agent 17, 28
installing Horizon Agent on an RDS host 100
customization specifications
creating 50
recomposing linked-clone machines 75
customization scripts
increasing ClonePrep and QuickPrep timeout
limits 49
using QuickPrep for linked-clone machines 73
customizing machines, maintenance mode 133
D
datastores
local storage 248
sizing linked-clone pools 241
storage sizing table 241
storing linked clones and replicas 249
dedicated-assignment desktop pools 10, 240
dedicated-assignment pools
choosing a user assignment type 127
maintenance mode 134
defragmentation, disabling on linked clones 41
delta disks, storage overcommit 245
Desktop Experience feature
install on Windows Server 2008 R2 25, 98
install on Windows Server 2012 or 2012
R2 25, 98
desktop pool managementdesktop pool
management, reclaiming disk
space 251
desktop pool creation
choosing a user assignment type 127
customizing in maintenance mode 134
deploying large pools 157
machine-naming example 131
on more than 8 hosts 157
provisioning options 127
with Persona Management 314
desktop pool troubleshooting
cannot delete orphaned instant clones 329
cloning failure 331
creation problems 328
customization failure 332
endless error recovery during instant-clone
provisioning 329
failure due to configuration problems 330
failure due to missing customization
specifications 330
failure due to permissions problems 330
failure due to vCenter being overloaded 332
free disk space problems 331
inability to connect to vCenter 331
inability to log in to vCenter 331
instant clone image publish failure 329
instant-clone provisioning or push image
failure 328
resource problems 331
timeout while customizing 332
vCenter status unknown 331
virtual machines stuck in Provisioning
state 332
desktop pools, introduction 9
desktop settings
automated desktop pools 57, 135
linked-clone desktops 70
manual desktop pools 135
RDS desktop pools 124, 135
desktop sources, preparing for desktop
deployment 19
desktop UI, group policy settings 324
device families 226
Diagnostic Policy Service, disabling 42
disposable file redirection, paging-file size 48
disposable-data disks, linked-clone virtual
machines 247
Do nothing policy 140
E
entitlements
adding to desktop pools 159
adding to desktop or application pools 159
removing from desktop or application
pools 160
restricting 160
reviewing 160
esxcfg-module command 155
ESXi hosts, using more than eight in a
cluster 157
F
farms
creating 107
creating a manual farm 116
creating an automated farm 117
introduction 9
worksheet for creating a manual farm 111
worksheet for creating an automated farm 112
Favorite Applications, configuring 166
Fibre Channel SAN arrays 233
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
350 VMware, Inc.
Flash Redirection 172–174, 176
Flash URL Redirection
configuring 168
disabling 172
enabling 172
setting up clients 171
system requirements 169
verifying installation 170
floating-assignment desktop pools 10
floating-assignment pools
choosing a user assignment type 127
maintenance mode 134
folder redirection
granting domain administrator rights 323
group policy settings 321
G
global policies, configuring 256
GPOs
creating for desktops 298
creating for View component policies 263
gpuvm utility, examining GPU resources 156
graphics, 3D renderer 145, 148, 150
GRID vGPU 148
GRID vGPU, NVIDIA 145, 150, 153
group policies
ADM template files 264
applying to GPOs 298
examples 297
Horizon Agent configuration 266
Remote Desktop Services 283
URL Content Redirection 179, 180
View components 264
group policies for desktop pools 255
group policy settings
adding RDS ADMX files 284
adding to a local system 311
adding to Active Directory 312
desktop UI settings 324
folder redirection 321
logging 324
manage user persona 319
persona repository location 319
Real-Time Audio-Video 195
roaming and synchronization 319
runonce.exe 103
scanner redirection 200
View Persona Management 318
guest operating systems
installing 22
optimizing performance 37
paging-file size 48
preparing for desktop deployment 22
GUIDs, support in View Composer 71
H
Horizon agent, installing on a virtual machine 26
Horizon Agent
configuring multiple NICs 36
custom setup options on an RDS host 100
custom setup options 17, 28
installing silently 30
installing on unmanaged machines 16
silent installation properties 33
with View Persona Management 309
Horizon Client, connection problems to the
PCoIP Secure Gateway 340
host caching, for desktop pools 250
I
IcMaint.cmd 87
IcUnprotect.cmd 87
individual desktops, creating 92
installation
guest operating system 22
Horizon agent 26
Horizon Agent 16, 30
silent 30
silent installation options 31
standalone View Persona Management 309
instant clone Agent, Horizon Agent custom setup
option 28
instant clones
domain administrator 81
maintenance utilities 87
instant-clone desktop pools
creating 79, 85
understanding 79
worksheet for creating 81
Intel vDGA 150
IOPS
benefits of disabling Windows 7 services 39
benefits of disabling Windows 8 services 39
IP addresses, troubleshooting for linked-cloned
machine connections 342
iSCSI SAN arrays 233
K
keyboard settings, PCoIP session variables 281
kiosk mode 13
KMS license keys, volume action on linked
clones 47, 110
Knowledge Base articles, where to find 347
knowledge workers 12
Index
VMware, Inc. 351
L
laptops
installing View Persona Management 302
Persona Management configuration 317
licensing, RDS group policy settings 287
linked clones 240
linked-clone desktop creation
cloning a pool 56, 69
desktop settings 70
storage sizing 241
understanding 59
using View Composer 67
worksheet for creating 59
linked-clone desktop pools 59
linked-clone desktop pool creation, storing swap
files 45
linked-clone machine creation
choosing a naming pattern 130
choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep 72
customizing 72
data disk creation 247
setting minimum ready machines 75
setting the storage overcommit level 246
storage overcommit feature 245
storage sizing table 241, 243
storing replicas and linked clones on separate
datastores 249
storing swap files 48
support for unique SIDs 71
using existing AD computer accounts 76
using local datastores 248
Windows 7 volume activation 47
Windows 7volume activation 47
linked-clone machine troubleshooting
connection problems 342
deleting orphaned clones 333
provisioning error codes 337
repeated deletions 334
linked-clone RDS hosts creation, Windows
Server volume activation 110
Linux Thin clients, setting up for Flash URL
Redirection 171
local datastore, linked-clone swap files 45, 48,
108
location-based printing
configuring 292
group policy 292, 294, 295
registry key 292
TPVMGPoACmap.dll file 294
logging, group policy settings 324
loopback processing
benefits 264
enabling 299
LSI20320-R controllers, installing driver 22
LUNs 240
M
machine recomposition, Sysprep 75
machine settings, manual desktop pools 93
machine troubleshooting
connection issues 339, 341
displaying orphaned machines 344
displaying problem machines 327
repeated deletions 334
maintenance mode
customizing machines 134
starting machines 133, 134
manage user persona
configuring 312
group policy settings 319
manual desktop pools
configuring a single machine 92
creating 89, 91
desktop settings 135
machine settings 93
worksheet for creating 89
messages, sending to desktop users 328
MHTML Web pages, setting up for multicast 171
microphone 186, 187, 191
microphones, selecting default 186
Microsoft Feeds Synchronization
disabling on Windows 7 44
disabling on Windows 8 44
Microsoft Windows Defender
disabling in Windows 8 44
disabling in Windows 7 44
Microsoft Windows Installer, properties for
Horizon Agent 33
migrating, user profiles 303
MMR, system requirements 209
multicast redirection
configuring 168
system requirements 169
multimedia redirection
enabling 209
managing across a network 209
network latency 210
override network latency trigger 210
system requirements 209
multiple NICs, configuring for Horizon Agent 36
N
naming desktop pools
example 131
manually specifying names 129
naming machines
manually specifying names 128
providing a naming pattern 128
naming patterns, linked-clone machines 130
NAS arrays 233
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
352 VMware, Inc.
NAS devices, native NFS snapshots 253
network connections, troubleshooting 339
network labels, configuring for a pool 158
network share
access permissions for Persona
Management 307
guidelines for creating 308
NFS datastores, clusters with more than eight
hosts 157
NVIDIA GRID vGPU 145, 148, 150
O
orphaned machines, displaying 344
OS disks
disabling Windows 7 services 39
disabling Windows 8 services 39
growth caused by Windows 7 services 39
growth caused by Windows 8 services 39
linked-clone virtual machines 247
storage overcommit 246
storage sizing formulas for editing pools 243,
244
OS_DISKpolicy profile 237
OUs, creating for remote desktops 263, 297
P
paging-file size, parent virtual machine 48
parent virtual machines
disabling hibernation 47, 110
disabling defragmentation on Windows 7 41
disabling defragmentation on Windows 8 41
disabling Windows 7 services 39
preparing 45
preparing for View Composer 45
parent virtual machine 240
PCoIP Agent, Horizon Agent feature 100
PCoIP Profile setting 259
PCoIP Secure Gateway, connection
problems 340
PCoIP Server, Horizon Agent custom option 28
PCoIP session variables
build-to-lossless feature 281
general session variables 272
group policy settings 271
keyboard settings 281
session bandwidth settings 279
pcoip.adm, ADM template files 264
performance optimization, guest operating
system 37
persistent disks
creating 59
linked-clone desktops 247
Persona Management 317
storage sizing formulas for editing pools 243,
244
PERSISTENT_DISK policy profile 237
Persona Management
best practices 315
configuration overview 306
configuring a deployment 306
configuring and managing 301
creating desktop pools 314
enabling 312
Horizon Agent installation option 309
migrating user profiles 303
setting the repository location 312
standalone installation 309
standalone laptops 317
standalone systems 302
View Composer persistent disks 317
Windows roaming profiles 306
with View 301
persona repository location, group policy
settings 319
physical computers
installing Horizon Agent 16
preparing for desktop delivery 15
policies
Active Directory 263
automated pools 142
client session 255
client session inheritance 255
configuring persona management 301
displaying unentitled 344
general client session 257
global 256
pool-level 256
power 140, 142
user-level 256
pools
desktop 11, 240
kiosk users 13
knowledge workers 12
task workers 11
pools, desktop 10
post-synchronization script, customizing linked-
clone machines 73
Power Off VM policy 140
power policies
automated desktop pools 143, 144
avoiding conflicts 144
machines and pools 140
power-off script, customizing linked-clone
machines 73
prefetch and superfetch, disabling 43
printing, location-based 292
problem machines, displaying 327
product ID 219
Index
VMware, Inc. 353
Q
QuickPrep
customization errors 337
customization scripts 73
increasing timeout limit for customization
scripts 49
troubleshooting customization failure 335
View Composer 72, 73
R
RDP, disabling access to desktops 156
RDS hosts
configuring 3D graphics 104
installing applications 95
installing Horizon Agent 99
installing Remote Desktop Services on
Windows Server 2008 R2 97
installing Remote Desktop Services on
Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 97
introduction 9
performance options 103
Restrict Users to a Single Desktop Session 99
setting up 95
RDS desktop pools
Adobe Flash Throttling 125
creating 123, 124
desktop settings 124, 135
RDS desktop sessions, time zone
redirection 102
RDS host parent virtual machines, preparing for
View Composer 108
RDS hosts, add ADMX files 284
Real-Time Audio-Video
bandwidth 196
configuring 183
configuring group policy settings 194
group policy settings 195
preventing conflicts with USB redirection 185
system requirements 184
Real-Time Audio-Video, adding the ADM
template 194
Real-Time Audio-Video, configuration
choices 184
rebalance feature 240
rebalancing linked-clone machines, setting
minimum ready machines 75
recomposing machines, setting minimum ready
machines 75
recomposing linked-clone machines,
Sysprep 75
refresh, setting minimum ready machines 75
registry backup (RegIdleBackup), disabling 43
regulatory compliance 14
remote repository, configuring 307
Remote Desktop connections
disabling RDP 156
enabling 22
Remote Desktop Services
adding ADMX files to Active Directory 284
application compatibility group policies 285
connections group policies 286
device and resource redirection group
policies 286
licensing group policies 287
profiles group policies 289
remote session environment group
policies 291
security group policies 291
temporary folders group policies 292
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) hosts
setting up 95
See also RDS hosts
Remote Desktop Services group policies 283
Remote Desktop Users group 22
remote desktops, USB redirection problems
230, 342
remote desktops, configuring features 165
REPLICA_DISK policy profile 237
replicas 240
restricted entitlements
assigning tags to desktop pools 163
configuring 163
examples 161
limitations 163
tag matching 162
understanding 160
roaming and synchronization, group policy
settings 319
roaming profiles, See persona management
S
SBPM (storage-based policy management) 235,
238
scanner redirection
ADM template file 199
configuring 197
group policy settings 199, 200
system requirements 197
user features 198
security 14
security server, connection problems to the
PCoIP Secure Gateway 340
security servers, restricted entitlements
limitations 163
sending messages to desktop users 328
serial port redirection
ADM template file 205
configuring 202
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
354 VMware, Inc.
configuring group policies 205
group policy settings 206
guidelines 204
user operation 203
shared folders, access permissions for Persona
Management 307
shared storage 233
SIDs, support in View Composer 71
silent installation, Horizon Agent 30
silent installation options 31
single sign-on, group policy settings 266
Smart Policies 257, 258
Smartcard Redirection, Horizon Agent custom
option 17, 28
solid-state disks, storing View Composer
replicas 249
sparse disks, configuring for desktop pools 251
splitting composite USB devices 221
SSO, group policy settings 266
storage
reclaiming disk space 251
reducing, with instant clones 239
reducing, with instant clones or View
Composer linked clones 233
reducing, with View Composer 240
storage overcommit, linked clones 245, 246
storage-based policy management 235, 238
Suspend VM policy, on disconnect 142
swap files, linked-clone machines 45, 48, 108
Sysprep
linked-clone machines 72
recomposing linked-clone machines 75
System Restore, disabling 44
system requirements, Unity Touch 166
T
task workers 11
terminal servers, preparing for desktop
delivery 15
ThinApp applications, configuring user
profiles 317
third-party applications, support in View
Composer 71
time synchronization, guest OS and ESXi
host 22
time zone redirection 102
timeout limit, ClonePrep and QuickPrep
customization scripts 49
TPVMGPoACmap.dll file 294
troubleshooting machines and desktop
pools 327
U
unentitled users, displaying 344
unicast redirection
configuring 168
system requirements 169
Unity Touch
configuring 165
system requirements 166
Unity Touch feature 166
unmanaged machines
defined 15
installing Horizon Agent 16
preparing for desktop delivery 15
Update Service, disabling 42
URL Content Redirection, installing 179
USB device families 226
USB device filtersUSB device filters 223
USB devices
support for 214
using with View desktops 213, 215
USB redirection
automatic connections 216
configuring in Horizon Agent 17, 28
controlling using policies 220, 227
deploying devices securely 217
disabling all devices 217
disabling specific devices 218
ports for 216
preventing conflicts with Real-Time Audio-
Video 185
troubleshooting failure 230, 342
USB to Serial adapters, configuring for
redirection 208
User Environment Manager 258–260, 262
user persona, configuring policies 301
user profile path, configuring 307
user profile repository, guidelines for
creating 308
user profiles
ThinApp sandbox folders 317
See also persona management
users
displaying unentitled 344
sending messages 328
V
VAAI, creating linked clones 253
vCenter Server 10
vDGA (Virtual Dedicated Graphics
Acceleration) 145, 148, 150, 153
vdm_agent.adm 264, 266
vdm_blast.adm 282
vdm_client.adm 264
vdm_common.adm 264
Index
VMware, Inc. 355
vdm_server.adm 264
vendor ID 219
vid/pid 219
View Storage Accelerator, configuring for
desktop pools 250
View Composer 240
View Composer Agent
Horizon Agent custom option 28
Horizon Agent custom setup option 28
View Composer Array Integration, enabling for
desktop pools 253
View Composer configuration
support for unique SIDs 71
volume activation 47, 110
View Composer persistent disks
storage sizing formulas 243
storage sizing formulas for editing pools 244
View Composer troubleshooting
finding unused replicas 336
provisioning error codes 337
QuickPrep script failure 335
View Composer use
choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep 72
considerations for storing replicas on separate
datastores 249
creating data disks 247
creating linked-clone pools 59, 67
local datastores 248
preparing a parent virtual machine 45
preparing an RDS host parent virtual
machine 108
QuickPrep 73
storing replicas and linked clones on separate
datastores 249
worksheet for creating linked-clone pools 59
View Connection Server
assigning tags for restricted entitlement 163
troubleshooting connection issues 339, 341
ViewDbChk 344
ViewPM.adm, ADM template files 264
ViewPM.adm file
adding to Active Directory 312
adding to a local system 311
virtual machines
creating templates 49
creating in vSphere 20
custom configuration parameters 21
customization failures 332
disabling Windows 7 services 39
disabling Windows 8 services 39
installing guest operating system 22
preparing for desktop deployment 19
stuck in Provisioning state 332
Virtual Printing, Horizon Agent custom option 28
virtual profiles, See persona management
Virtual SAN 233, 235, 240
Virtual Volumes (VVols) 238, 240
VM_HOMEpolicy profile 237
VMFS datastores, clusters with more than eight
hosts 157
VMware Tools, installing 22
VMware Blast, group policy settings 282
volume activation
linked-clone machines 47
linked-clone RDS hosts 110
vSAN 233, 235, 240
vSGA (Virtual Shared Graphics
Acceleration) 145, 148, 150
vSphere 233
W
Web pages, providing multicast streams 171
webcam 186, 189, 191
webcams, selecting preferred 186
Windows 8.1, restarting Windows Firewall 26
Windows 10
disabling services 39
restarting Windows Firewall 26
services that cause OS disk growth 39
Windows 7
3D rendering 145, 148, 150
benefits of disabling services 39
disabling hibernation 47, 110
disabling customer experience improvement
program 38
disabling defragmentation for linked clones 41
disabling Microsoft Feeds Synchronization 44
disabling prefetch and superfetch 43
disabling registry backup 43
disabling System Restore 44
disabling Windows Defender 44
disabling Windows Diagnostic Policy
Service 42
disabling Windows Update Service 42
services that cause OS disk growth 39
volume activation with linked clones 47
Windows 8
benefits of disabling services 39
disabling hibernation 47, 110
disabling services 39
disabling customer experience improvement
program 38
disabling defragmentation for linked clones 41
disabling Microsoft Feeds Synchronization 44
disabling prefetch and superfetch 43
disabling registry backup 43
disabling System Restore 44
disabling Windows Defender 44
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
356 VMware, Inc.
disabling Windows Diagnostic Policy
Service 42
disabling Windows Update Service 42
services that cause OS disk growth 39
volume activation with linked clones 47
Windows registry, disabling or enabling Flash
URL Redirection 172
Windows roaming profiles, Persona
Management 306
Windows Server 2008 R2 desktops 24
Windows Server 2012 R2 desktops, restarting
Windows Firewall 26
worker types 11
Index
VMware, Inc. 357
Setting Up Desktop and Application Pools in View
358 VMware, Inc.

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