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:

• Desktop pool type
• Clone type, either linked clone or full virtual machine
• User assignment, either dedicated or floating
• vCenter Server instance

Prerequisites

• Verify 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.

• For prerequisites for cloning an automated, full-clone pool, see Create an Automated Pool That Contains Full Virtual Machines.
• For prerequisites for cloning a linked-cone pool, see Create a Linked-Clone Desktop Pool.

Procedure

1. In Horizon 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.

Results

In Horizon 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.