You configure general policies to set an expiration date and control the features in virtual machine instances created from a Horizon FLEX image.

Important: If the copy-and-paste and drag-and-drop settings are enabled in the source virtual machine, you can configure a policy to enable or disable these features when users download an instance of the virtual machine. If these features are disabled in the source virtual machine, you cannot override the virtual machine settings by enabling the features in a policy.

You select the policy to assign to a Horizon FLEX image when you entitle the image to users. You can use the same policy in multiple entitlements.

Procedure

  1. Start the Horizon FLEX Admin Console.
    1. In a Web browser, enter https://WebManagerServer:port/rvm.
      • WebManagerServer is the DNS name or IP address of the host where the Mirage Web Manager is installed.
      • port is the port number with which the Horizon FLEX Admin Console can be accessed. When the Mirage Web Manager is installed, if you deploy the Horizon FLEX Admin Console and the Horizon FLEX Policy Server on different ports, port is the port number specified for the VMware Horizon FLEX Web Management option. Otherwise, port is the port number specified for the VMware Mirage Web Management option.
    2. Enter the user name and password of a domain account that has access to Mirage.
    3. Click Login.
  2. Click Policies in the left navigation pane.
  3. Click the New (+) button to create a policy, or select an existing policy and click Change Policy to modify it.
  4. On the General tab, type a name for the policy in the Policy Name text box.
  5. (Optional) Type a description for the policy in the Description text box.
  6. In General Restrictions, configure virtual machine restrictions.
    Option Action
    Expiration date Use the calendar widget to set an expiration date for the virtual machine.
    Copy and Paste operations This policy controls copy-and-paste operations between the virtual machine guest and host. It does not control copy-and-paste operations in the virtual machine.
    Allow Users can perform copy and paste operations from the host to the guest and from the guest to the host.
    Host to Guest Users can perform copy and paste operations from the host to the guest only.
    Guest to Host Users can perform copy and paste operations from the guest to the host only.
    Block Copy and paste operations are disabled. Users cannot perform copy and paste operations from the host to the guest or from the guest to the host.
    Note: These policy changes might not occur until users power cycle their virtual machines
    Drag and Drop operations This policy controls drag-and-drop operations between the virtual machine guest and host. It does not control drag-and-drop operations in the virtual machine.
    Allow Users can perform drag and drop operations from the host to the guest and from the guest to the host.
    Host to Guest Users can perform drag and drop operations from the host to the guest only.
    Guest to Host Users can perform drag and drop operations from the guest to the host only.
    Block Drag and drop operations are disabled. Users cannot perform drag and drop operations from the host to the guest or from the guest to the host.
    Note: These policy changes might not occur until users power cycle their virtual machines
    Folder Sharing settings Specify whether to allow or block folder sharing between the host and the virtual machine.
    Allow Folder sharing is enabled for the virtual machine. Users can select or edit any of the folder-sharing virtual machine settings.
    Block Folder sharing is disabled for the virtual machine. Users cannot modify the folder-sharing virtual machine settings.
    Change memory settings Specify whether to allow users to change the memory settings of the virtual machine.
    Change CPU settings Specify whether to allow users to change CPU settings of the virtual machine.
    Optimize CPU Specify whether the Horizon FLEX virtual machine's CPU is automatically optimized to fit the client 's host operating system. This option is enabled by default. For more information, see Optimizing Virtual Processors and Memory for Horizon FLEX Virtual Machines.
    Optimize memory Specify whether the Horizon FLEX virtual machine's memory is automatically optimized to fit the client 's host operating system. This option is enabled by default. For more information, see Optimizing Virtual Processors and Memory for Horizon FLEX Virtual Machines.
    Require the user to change the power on passphrase when moving or copying the virtual machine Specify whether to require users to change the encryption password if they move or copy the virtual machine.
    Set the power on passphrase to match the user's AD passphrase after first startup Specify whether the password that users enter when powering on the virtual machine matches the Active Directory password.

    Leaving this option unselected allows users to change the encryption password at any time.

    Restrict the user from creating multiple copies of the virtual machine Specify whether to allow users to download multiple instances of the virtual machine or copy already registered virtual machines.
    Network Specify the network card setting to one of the following options:.
    Allow User can select setting.
    Bridged Always use an IP address separate from the host.
    Shared Always share the host's IP address.
    Blocked No network connectivity.
    Add New Disk Specify whether users can add new hard disks to the virtual machine.
    Allow Adding a new virtual disk is enabled for the virtual machine. Users can add a hard disk, specifying details, such as the type of hard disk, disk size, and so on.
    Block Adding a new virtual disk is disabled for the virtual machine. Users cannot add a hard disk to the virtual machine.
    Hide the restricted password panel from the user Specify whether to show or hide the restrictions password panel from the user.

    Selecting this option prevents certain user interface items from appearing in the Horizon FLEX Client. The result is that users cannot unlock the restrictions of the virtual machine, for example, to access all of the virtual machine setting options. Deselecting this option allows users to unlock the Horizon FLEX virtual machine by entering the restriction password.

    Require the user to re-encrypt the virtual machine Specify whether to re-encrypt the Horizon FLEX virtual machine if it has not been re-encrypted before. The user does not need to take any action.

    If you select this feature, the re-encryption must occur before the virtual machine can be powered on.

    The re-encryption provides another layer of security. The result of the re-encryption process is that different users have different encryption credentials.

  7. (Optional) In End User Messages, configure virtual machine expiration settings.
    The default message is This virtual machine is expired.
    1. Type an additional custom message to display to the user when the virtual machine is expired.
    2. Select the Display this message check box, select the number of days before the virtual machine expires to display a custom message, and type the custom message text.
  8. In Server Settings, configure Horizon FLEX server settings.
    Option Action
    FLEX Server URL Type the URL of the Horizon FLEX server that hosts the virtual machine package. For example:

    https://flexserver.demo.local:7443

    Important: Do not add /rvm to the end of the URL.
    Server Contact Frequency

    Select the frequency in minutes, hours, or days with which the virtual machine contacts the server for synchronization.

    Offline Time Limit

    Set the number of minutes, hours, or days that users can use the virtual machine before the virtual machine must connect to the Horizon FLEX server.

    When the offline time limit is exceeded, the virtual machine must connect to the Horizon FLEX server before it can power on.

  9. Click OK to save the policy.
    The new policy appears in the policy list.

What to do next

Entitle the Horizon FLEX virtual machine. See Entitle a Horizon FLEX Image.