You can create an automated full-clone desktop pool for Linux virtual machines. After you create the automated full-clone desktop pool, you can use the Linux virtual machines as remote desktops in a Horizon 7 deployment.
The following procedure provides guidelines for configuring the mandatory settings for a Linux-based automated full-clone desktop pool. For more information about creating automated full-clone desktop pools, see
Setting Up Virtual Desktops in Horizon Console.
Prerequisites
- Verify that Horizon Agent is installed on the Linux guest operating systems. See Install Horizon Agent on a Linux Virtual Machine.
- Before you perform virtual machine cloning, create a virtual machine template that the clones are based on. See Create a Virtual Machine Template for Cloning Linux Desktop Machines.
- If you use the Winbind solution to join the Linux virtual machine to Active Directory, you must finish configuring the Winbind solution in the virtual machine template.
- If you use the Winbind solution, you must run the domain join command on the virtual machine. Include the command in a shell script and specify the script path to the Horizon Agent option
RunOnceScript
in /etc/vmware/viewagent-custom.conf
. For more information, see Setting Options in Configuration Files on a Linux Desktop.
- Verify that vCenter Server is added to Horizon Connection Server.
Procedure
- Create a guest customization specification.
See "Create a Customization Specification for Linux in the vSphere Web Client" in the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration document. When you create the specification, make sure that you specify the following settings correctly.
Setting |
Value |
Target Virtual Machine OS |
Linux |
Computer Name |
Use the virtual machine name. |
Domain |
Specify the domain of the Horizon 7 environment. |
Network Settings |
Use standard network settings. |
Primary DNS |
Specify a valid address. |
- In Horizon Console, add an automated desktop pool.
Select
.
- Select Automated Desktop Pool and click Next.
- Select Full Virtual Machines, select the vCenter Server instance, and click Next.
- Follow the prompts in the wizard to create the pool.
- On the Desktop Pool Settings page, set the following options.
Option |
Description |
Default display protocol |
VMware Blast |
Allow users to choose protocol |
No |
3D Renderer |
Manage using vSphere Client for 2D or vDGA desktop and NVIDIA GRID vGPU for vGPU desktop |
- When prompted, set the Virtual Machine Naming options.
Option |
Description |
Specify names manually |
Enter names manually. |
Naming Pattern |
For example, specify LinuxVM-{n} . You must also specify the following desktop pool sizing options:
- Maximum number of machines
- Number of spare, powered-on machines
|
- When prompted, select the vCenter Server settings in sequence.
You cannot skip a
vCenter Server setting:
- Template
- VM folder location
- Host or cluster
- Resource pool
- Datastores
- After creating the desktop pool, entitle users to the machines in the desktop pool. In Horizon Console, select the desktop pool, select Entitlements > Add entitlement, and add users or groups.
- Wait until all the Linux virtual machines in the desktop pool become available.