Configure a Golden Image Linux Virtual Machine for Instant Clones

After creating a virtual machine that you plan to use as the golden image for an instant-clone desktop pool, you must configure the Linux environment.

Note: The VMware Horizon 8 compute profile feature significantly improves golden image management and reduces the number of golden images required to create desktop pools for different requirements.

Prerequisites

• Create a Linux virtual machine to use for deploying remote desktops. See Create a Virtual Machine and Install Linux and Prepare a Linux Machine for Remote Desktop Deployment.

  The golden image must belong to the same Active Directory domain as the domain that the desktop machines will join.

• Verify that the virtual machine was not converted from an instant clone.
  Important: You also cannot use an instant clone as a golden image.

Procedure

• Verify that the system disk contains a single volume.
• Verify that the virtual machine does not contain an independent disk. However, the golden image virtual machine can contain multiple disks.
  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.
• Turn off the hibernation option to reduce the size of each clone's virtual disk.
• In vSphere Client, deactivate the vApp Options setting on the golden image virtual machine.
• Turn off the HotPlug capability on removable devices. See KB 1012225.

What to do next

Use vSphere Client to take a snapshot of the golden image virtual machine in its powered-down state. This snapshot provides the base image for the clones.

Important: Before you take a snapshot, shut down the golden image virtual machine.