KB ID 0000594

Problem

Note: This is an old post for VMware view version 5, you might want to read Deploying VMware Horizon View instead.

VMware View is a big product, deploying it can be daunting, and if you’re not sure what you’re doing it’s pretty easy to deploy ‘misconfigured’, or at the very least not configured as well as it should. I’m going to run though most requirements, but it would seem sensible to break this up into a few different articles.

Solution

Configuring Windows Active Directory for VMware View

1. Before you start, on your domain controller open active directory users and computers (dsa.msc). Create an OU for your View Desktops, also to make administration easier create a separate OU for any linked clones you are going to deploy. In the example below I’ve nested one inside the other to keep my AD neat and tidy.

2. Also whilst in AD users and computers, create some groups, one for ViewUsers, and one for ViewAdministrators. Add in your users to the groups as required.

Note: You can call the groups whatever you like, and have as many different groups as you like.

3. Now connect to your Virtual Center Server, and add the domain ViewAdministrators group to the LOCAL Administrators group on that server.

Installing and configuring VMware View 5

4. Run the installer for VMware Connection Server (there is a x32 and an x64 version, make sure you download the correct one as VMware call the x64 bit version VMware-viewconnectionserver-x86_64-5.0.1-640055.exe, which at first glance looks like a x32 bit file). Accept all the defaults until you see the following screen, and select View Standard Server.

View Standard Server: Select if this is the first Connection Server you are deploying. View Replica Server: Select this if you already have a connection server and you want to copy the configuration from that server, once in operation it just becomes a standard replica server. View Security Server: Usually placed on an edge network or in a DMZ to broker connection requests. View Transfer Server: Only required if your clients are going to use ‘Local Mode’ for their View desktops..

5. Accept all the defaults and finish the installation.

6. Connect to the VMware View administrator console, this is a web connection to https://{Connection-server-name/admin Note: Adobe Flash is required for it to work.

7. The first time you connect it will take you straight to View Configuration > Product Licencing and Usage > Select “Edit Licence” and type/paste in your licence key.

8. To point the connection server to your virtual center server, select View Configuration > Servers > vCenter Server section > Add.

9. Give it the vCenter server name, and a username and password for a user who is a member of your ViewAdministrators group.

Note: If your vCenter server has VMware composer installed this is where you would enable it. At this time I do not, but I will return here later after I’ve installed it when I cover VMware Composer and ‘linked clones’.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Deploying VMware View 5 – Part 2: Configure Windows 7 to be a VMware View Desktop