With an automated desktop pool of full virtual machines or instant clones, you can specify a list of names for the desktop machines or provide a naming pattern.
If you name machines manually, each line must contain a unique machine name.
If you provide a naming pattern, VMware Horizon 8 can dynamically create and assign machines as users need them.
The following table compares the two naming methods, showing how each method affects the way you create and administer a desktop pool.
| 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 Desktop Pools. |
Enter names that will be used to create new virtual machines. The name can be used for both floating and dedicated-assignment pools. Optionally, for dedicated desktop pools, a user name can be specified. Specific user names will be ignored for floating desktop pools. In a dedicated-assignment pool, you can pair users with machines by listing user names with the machine names. Start machines in maintenance mode is not applicable for dedicated and floating instant clone pools. For details, see Specify a List of Machine Names. |
| Pool size | You specify a maximum number of machines. | Maximum Machines is not available for dedicated and floating instant clone pools when virtual machines are specified manually. 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-demand provisioning | Available. Horizon 8 dynamically creates and provisions the specified minimum and spare number of machines as users first log in or as you assign machines to users. Horizon 8 can also create and provision all the machines when you create the pool. |
Not available. Provisioning machines on demand is deactivated for virtual machines whose names are specified manually in both dedicated and floating pools. |
| Initial customization | Available. When a machine is provisioned, Horizon 8 can run a customization specification that you select. |
Available. When a machine is provisioned, Horizon 8 can run a customization specification that you select. |
| Manual customization of dedicated machines |
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. Start machines in maintenance mode is not applicable for dedicated or floating instant clone pools. For details, see Manually Customizing Machines in an Automated Desktop Pool. |
| 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. |
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 Horizon 8 keeps powered on for new users. Horizon 8 creates new machines to maintain the specified number. Horizon 8 stops creating spare machines when it reaches the maximum pool size. Horizon 8 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. |
Spare (Powered On) Machines is not available for dedicated and floating instant clone pools when virtual machines are specified manually. |
| User assignment | You can use a naming pattern for dedicated-assignment and 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.
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