Tag Archives: security server

Deploy VMware Horizon View (Part 2)

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KB ID 0001609

Back in part one we setup SQL and our Composer server, now we will deploy our VMware Horizon View Connection Server(s).

Install VMware Horizon View Connection Server

On a domain joined Windows server, download and launch the Connection Server installer.

Accept the EULA > Next > Acept or change the install location > Next > Select Horizon ‘Standard’  Server > Next > Set a data recovery password > Next.

Select configure the Windows Firewall > Next > Type in a domain account, (I typically use the domain administrator, you may wish to use another account > Next > Untick the  UEIP > Next  > Next > Finish.

Deploying Additional Horizon Connection Servers

Repeat the install on any additional connection servers BUT this time choose Horizon Replica Server, and specify your first connection server as the ‘Source Server’.

Note: I don’t Deploy Horizon Security Servers any more, it’s much easier to deploy a UAG.

VMware Unified Access Gateway: Horizon Deployment

To access the Horizon Administrator console you will need Flash, this is not normally enabled on Windows Server. To enable it follow this article.

You can now login to Horizon Administrator.

Configuring VMware Horizon Connection Server(s)

First you need to enter your Horizon Licence > View Configuration > Product Licensing and Usage > Edit Licence > Paste yours in > OK.

Vire Configuration > Servers. >vCenter Servers > Add > Type in your vCenter details > Next.

If using Horizon Composer, enter the server details > Next.

Add in your domain details > OK > Next.

Accept the defaults > Next.

Finish.

Horizon Connection Server Certificates

Over on the main dashboard at this point you may see some certificate errors. You can either import certificates from your own CA. But Im going to use a wildcard certificate published by a public CA.

I have my wildcard certificate in PFX format, so I can simply double click it and import it like so. (Note: Remember to I port if to local machine).

Finish the import wizard.

On the connection server settings you will need to change the URLs to match your certificate. (Note: You will disable this later, if you are also deploying UAG appliances).

Now to swap to the newly imported certificate> Start > mmc.exe > Add/Remove  Snap-In > Certificates > Add.

Computer account > Local computer > OK.

Navigate to Certificates > Personal > Certificates > Locate the certificate that has the friendly name vdm and change its friendly name to vdm-backup.

Now locate your publicly signed certificate and change its friendly name to vdm.

Restart the VMware Horizon View Connection Server service to make the swap.

Configure Horizon Event Database

Back in part one we created the database for this, now we just need to enter the details.

View Configuration > Event Configuration > Edit > Enter you SQL Event Database details,  as shown below, if you have a Named SQL instance it will be on a different port number.

That is your infrastructure setup. Now you simply need to create an image, and deploy that image with a pool, and grant a user entitlement to that pool. Creating an Image is quite a lengthy process, and there is always a much better and up to date guide on doing that on VMWare’s website, so I’m not going to cover it here.

Just remember to make sure you put your image in Audit mode, and always install an agent that is the same version as the connection server, and get the latest version of VMWare Tools on there as well! 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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Deploying VMware View 5 – Part 1: Configure Active Directory and Deploy VMware Connection Server

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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