VMware Horizon 2312: Master Virtual Desktop

Last Modified: Jan 25, 2024 @ 7:24 am

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Use this post to build a virtual desktop that will be used as the parent image (aka source image, aka master image, aka gold image) for additional virtual desktops. There’s a separate article for RDS Session Host.

This post applies to all VMware Horizon versions 2006 (aka 8.0) and newer.

💡 = Recently Updated

Change Log

Virtual Hardware

Lieven D’hoore has a desktop VM build checklist at VMware Horizon View – Windows 10 Golden Image Creation

  1. The virtual desktop pools will use the same hardware specs (e.g., vCPUs, memory size, network label) specified on the master virtual desktop. Adjust accordingly.
  2. For New Hard disk, consider setting Thin provision.
  3. Make sure the virtual desktop is using a SCSI controller.
  4. The master virtual desktop should be configured with a VMXNET 3 network adapter.
  5. When building the master virtual desktop, you will probably boot from an ISO.
  6. Before using Horizon Administrator to create a pool based off of this master image, ensure the CD/DVD drive points to Client Device and is not Connected. The important part is to make sure ISO file is not configured.
  7. There’s no need for the Floppy drive so remove it.
  8. If you have any Serial ports, remove them.

Windows

VMware TechZone Creating an Optimized Windows Image for a VMware Horizon Virtual Desktop

Preparation

Power Options

  1. Run Power Options. Right-click the Start Menu to access Power Options.
  2. Click Additional power settings.
  3. Select Ultimate Performance, or click the arrow to show more plans, and select High performance.
  4. Next to the power plan, click Change plan settings.
  5. Change the selection for Turn off the display to Never, and click Save changes.
  6. You can also configure these setting using group policy.

System Settings

  1. Domain Join. Use sysdm.cpl to join the machine to the domain. Also see VMware 2150495 Computer-based Global Policy Objects (GPOs) that require reboot are not applied on instant clones.
  2. In System control panel applet (sysdm.cpl), on the Remote tab, enable Remote Desktop.
  3. Activate Windows with a KMS license if not already activated. Note: only KMS is supported with Instant Clones.

Install Applications

Install applications locally if you want them to be available on all virtual desktops created based on this master virtual desktop.

Or you can use a Layering product (e.g. VMware App Volumes, Microsoft MSI-X App Attach, Liquidware FlexApp) or App Streaming (e.g. ThinApp, Microsoft App-V). Note: logins are fastest if apps are installed in the master image. All app layering/streaming technologies introduce a logon delay. You can use Microsoft FSLogix App Masking to hide applications and Start Menu shortcuts that users should not see.

Antivirus

VMware Tech Zone Antivirus Considerations in a VMware Horizon Environment contains exclusions for Horizon View, App Volumes, Dynamic Environment Manager, ThinApp, etc.

Microsoft’s virus scanning recommendations (e.g., exclude group policy files) – http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158.

Carbon Black

Interoperability of VMware Carbon Black and Horizon (79180)

Symantec

Symantec links:

Trend Micro

Trend Micro Links:

Sophos

Sophos Endpoint Security and Control: Best Practice for running Sophos on virtual systems: we’ve amassed the following practical information about how you can optimize our software to work with this technology.

Sophos Endpoint Security and Control: Installation and configuration considerations for Sophos Anti-Virus on a Remote Desktop Services server: It maybe desirable to disable the Sophos AutoUpdate shield icon

Sophos Endpoint Security and Control: How to include current version of Sophos in a disk image for cloned virtual machines: This procedure will make sure that the produced target/cloned computers:

  • Get their distinct identity with Enterprise Console, under which they can be subsequently managed.
  • Have the desired version of Sophos Anti-Virus already installed and configured on the created image.

Palo Alto Traps

  • Install Traps Agent for Windows:
    • Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) installation—Intended for non-persistent endpoints that replicate (also referred to as spawn) from a golden image which has Traps installed.
    • Temporary session—Intended for either physical or virtual endpoints (such as a Remote Desktop Server) that repeatedly revert to a snapshot (or image) on which Traps is not installed.

Windows Defender Antivirus

Configuring Microsoft Defender Antivirus for non-persistent VDI machines – Microsoft Blog

Deployment guide for Windows Defender Antivirus in a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment – Microsoft Docs

Onboarding and servicing non-persistent VDI machines with Microsoft Defender ATP

For Instant Clones, Defender ATP on-boarding script should run as ClonePrep post-sync script. See Tristan Tyson On-boarding VMware Horizon View Instant-Clone VDI Pools into Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection.

Cylance

CTX232722 Unable to launch application with Cylance Memory Protection Enabled. Cylance must be run in compatibility mode in order to the VDA and Cylance to run on the same machine. See the article for detailed instructions.

Horizon Agent

Horizon Agent Installation/Upgrade

Install Horizon Agent on the master virtual desktop. Upgrades are performed in-place.

  1. Latency – In Horizon 2111 (8.4) and newer, maximum latency between Horizon Agent machine and Connection Server is 120ms. Older versions of Horizon have lower maximum latencies.
  2. See VMware 2149393 Supported Windows 10 Guest Operating Systems for Horizon Agent and Remote Experience, for Horizon 8 2006 and Later
  3. VMware Tools – Only install Horizon Agent after you install VMware Tools.
    1. The latest versions of VMware Tools resolve security vulnerabilities.
    2. If you need to update VMware Tools, uninstall Horizon Agent, upgrade VMware Tools, and then reinstall Horizon Agent.
    3. See VMware Product Interoperability Matrices for supported versions of VMware Tools with different versions of Horizon Agent.
    4. If VMware Tools 11.x, VMware recommends running the following: (source = VMware 78434 Performance issues for Horizon 7 when using VMware VMTools 11.x)
      C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\VMwareToolboxCmd.exe" config set appinfo disabled true
  4. Horizon 2312 (8.12) is the latest version.
  5. Horizon 2312 (8.12) is an Extended Service Branch, which is supported for three years from its January 2024 release date.
  6. Horizon 2212 (8.8) is an Extended Service Branch, which is supported for three years from its January 2023 release date. The Agent was not updated for version 8.8.1.
  7. Download Horizon Agent 2312 (8.12) ESB, or Horizon Agent 2212 (8.8) ESB.

  8. Run the downloaded VMware-Horizon-Agent-x86_64-2312-8.12.0.exe or VMware-Horizon-Agent-x86_64-2212-8.8.0.exe.
  9. If you want the URL Content Redirection feature, then you must run the Agent installer with the following switches: /v URL_FILTERING_ENABLED=1
  10. If you want the UNC Path Redirection feature in 8.7 and newer, then you must run the Agent installer with the following switches: /v ENABLE_UNC_REDIRECTION=1. You can combine the two switches.
  11. In the Welcome to the Installation Wizard for VMware Horizon Agent page, click Next.
  12. In the License Agreement page, select I accept the General terms, and click Next.
  13. In the Network protocol configuration page, select IPv4, and click Next.
  14. In the Custom Setup page, there are several features not enabled by default. Horizon Smart Policies in Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) can control some of these features but only if the features are installed.
    1. If you want USB Redirection, then enable that feature.
    2. Horizon Agent 2006 (8.0) and newer does not include Persona.
    3. If you want Scanner Redirection, then enable that feature. Note: Scanner Redirection will impact host density.
    4. Horizon Performance Tracker adds a program to the Agent that can show the user performance of the remote session. You can publish the Tracker.

    5. Horizon 2006 (8.0) and newer no longer include ThinPrint (aka Virtual Printing). VMware Integrated Printing is the replacement for ThinPrint and requires Horizon Client 4.10 or newer.
    6. In Horizon 2206 and newer, Storage Drive Redirection provides faster performance than Client Drive Redirection.
  15. Click Next when done making selections.
  16. If you see the Remote Desktop Protocol Configuration screen, then select Enable and click Next.
  17. In the Ready to Install the Program page, Horizon Agent 2306 and newer have an option to Automatically restart system on successful completion. Click Install.
  18. In the Installer Completed page, click Finish.
  19. Click Yes when asked to restart.
  20. If you want to know what features were selected during installation, look in HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\Installer\Features_HorizonAgent. Or look in the installation log files as detailed at Paul Grevink View Agent, what is installed?

  21. To verify installation of the URL Content Redirection feature, check for the presence of C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Agent\bin\UrlRedirection.
  22. There’s also an IE add-on.
  23. URL Content Redirection is configured using group policy.
  24. To verify installation of the UNC Content Redirection feature, check for the presence of C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Agent\bin\UncRedirection.

Install/Upgrade Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) Agent

All editions of Horizon 2006 (8.0) and newer are entitled to Dynamic Environment Management (DEM).

  • Horizon Standard Edition and Horizon Advanced Edition are entitled to DEM Standard Edition, which only has personalization features that replace Persona. If you are using FSLogix Profile Containers for profiles, then you probably don’t need DEM Standard Edition.
  • Horizon Enterprise Edition is entitled to DEM Enterprise Edition, which has all DEM features, including Smart Policies, Privilege Elevation, etc.

DEM 2006 and newer Agents (FlexEngines) require additional configuration to enable DEM Computer Settings. You can either configure registry settings on each DEM Agent machine, or in DEM Agent 2103 and newer you can use an installer command-line switch. Both are detailed at Perform Installation with Computer Environment Settings Support at VMware Docs.

  • Group Policy Preferences can push these registry keys to the Horizon Agent machines. Or you can manually modify the registry in your master images. The minimum registry values are Enabled and ConfigFilePath as detailed at Perform Installation with Computer Environment Settings Support at VMware Docs. For the list of additional registry values, see FlexEngine Configuration for Computer Environment Settings at VMware Docs.
  • Command line install looks something like below. The command line installer switch sets the same ConfigFilePath and Enabled registry values as shown above.
    msiexec /i "\\fs01\bin\VMware\DEM\VMware-DEM-Enterprise-2312-10.12-GA\VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Enterprise 2312 10.12 x64.msi" /qn COMPENVCONFIGFILEPATH=\\fs01\DEMConfig\general

To install DEM Agent:

  1. Windows 10 Compatibility – See VMware 57386 VMware Dynamic Environment Manager and Windows 10 Versions Support Matrix
  2. Make sure Prevent access to registry editing tools is not enabled in any GPO since this setting prevents the FlexEngine from operating properly.
  3. DEM 2312 (10.12) is the latest release.
    1. Horizon 2312 (8.12) ESB release comes with DEM 2312 (10.12).
    2. Horizon 2212 (8.8) ESB release comes with DEM 2212 (10.8).
  4. Based on your entitlement, download either DEM 2312 (10.12) Enterprise Edition, or DEM 2312 (10.12) Standard Edition. For ESB Horizon, download the DEM version included with your ESB version of Horizon.

  5. Run the extracted VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Enterprise 2312 10.12 x64.msi.
  6. In the Welcome to the VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Enterprise Setup Wizard page, click Next.
  7. In the End-User License Agreement page, check the box next to I accept the terms, and click Next.
  8. In the Destination Folder page, click Next.
  9. In Choose Setup Type page, click Custom.
  10. In the Custom Setup page, click Next. Note: the DEM Management Console is typically installed on an administrator’s machine.
  11. In DEM 2111 and older, in the Choose License File page, if installing on a Horizon Agent, then no license file is needed. DEM 2203 and newer no longer ask for licenses since DEM Console installs the DEM license in the DEM Configuration Share. Click Next.
  12. In the Ready to install VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Enterprise page, click Install.
  13. In the Completed the VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Enterprise Setup Wizard page, click Finish.
  14. If you have PCoIP Zero Clients that map USB devices (e.g. USB drives), then you might have to set the following registry value. (Source = VMware 2151440 Smart card SSO fails when you use User Environment Manager with a zero client)
    • HKLM\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Agent\USB
      • UemFlags (DWORD) = 1
  15. DEM is enabled using Group Policy and configured using the DEM Management Console.

Logon Monitoring

See VMware 93158 Information about changes in logon timing data format in Horizon form Horizon 8 2111 and Later.

By default, in services.msc, the VMware Horizon View Logon Monitor service is not running. Set it to Automatic and start it.

The logon logs are stored at C:\programdata\VMware\VMware Logon Monitor\Logs on each Horizon Agent.

Inside each session log file are logon time statistics.

Unity Touch

With the Unity Touch feature, tablet and smart phone users can quickly navigate to a Horizon View desktop application or file from a Unity Touch sidebar. Although end users can specify which favorite applications appear in the sidebar, for added convenience, administrators can configure a default list of favorite applications.

In the Unity Touch sidebar, the favorite applications and favorite files that users specify are stored in the user’s profile. For non-persistent pools, enable Roaming Profiles.

To set the default list of favorite applications:

  1. Navigate to HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc.\VMware Unity
  2. Create a string value called FavAppList.
  3. Specify the default favorite applications using format: path-to-app-1|path-to-app-2|path-to-app-3|…. For example:
Programs/Accessories/Accessibility/Speech Recognition.lnk|Programs/VMware/VMware vSphere Client.lnk|Programs/Microsoft Office/Microsoft Office 2010 Tools/Microsoft Office 2010 Language Preferences.lnk

Unity Touch can be disabled by setting HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VMware,Inc.\VMware Unity\enabled to 0.

For more information, see Configure Favorite Applications Displayed by Unity Touch at VMware Docs.

ClonePrep – Rearm

By default, when Horizon creates Instant Clones, one of the tasks that ClonePrep performs is to rearm licensing. You can prevent rearm by setting the following registry key:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\vmware-viewcomposer-ga
    • SkipLicenseActivation  (DWORD) = 0x1

Dynamic PCoIP Policies

If you wish to change PCoIP Policies (e.g., clipboard redirection, client printers, etc.) based on how the user connects, see Managing VMware Horizon View Secret Weapon with Puppet Enterprise. The article describes using Puppet to change PCoIP settings. You can also configure VMware Horizon View Script Host service to run a script to change PCoIP configuration based on the Connection Server that the user connected through.

Microsoft FSLogix

Why FSLogix?

Microsoft FSLogix has two major features:

  • Profile Container is an alternative to VMware DEM Personalization.
  • App Masking is an alternative to VMware App Volumes.

DEM has three categories of features: Personalization, User Settings, and Computer Settings. FSLogix Profile Container only replaces the Personalization feature set. You typically do FSLogix Profile Container for profiles and use DEM for User Settings and Computer Settings. Here are some advantages of FSLogix Profile Container over DEM Personalization:

  • FSLogix Profile Container saves the entire profile but DEM Personalization requires you to specify each setting location that you want to save. FSLogix is “set and forget” while DEM Personalization requires tweaking for each application.
  • At logon, DEM Personalization must download and unzip each application’s profile settings, which takes time. FSLogix simply mounts the user’s profile disk, which is faster than DEM Personalization.
  • FSLogix Profile Container has special support for roaming caches and search indexes produced by Microsoft Office products (e.g. Outlook .ost file).
  • FSLogix is owned, developed and supported by Microsoft.

Here are some FSLogix Challenges as compared to DEM Personalization:

  • FSLogix Profile disk consumes significant disk space. The default maximum size for a FSLogix profile disk is 30 GB per user.
  • High Availability for FSLogix Profile disks file share is challenging. The file server High Availability capability must be able to handle .vhdx files that are always open. DFS Replication is not an acceptable HA solution. One option is Microsoft Scale Out File Server (SOFS) cluster. Another option is Nutanix Files.

VMware App Volumes has some drawbacks, including the following:

  • Completely separate infrastructure that must be built, maintained, and troubleshooted.
  • Introduces delays during logon as AppStacks are mounted.
  • AppStacks can sometimes conflict with the base image or other AppStacks.

An alternative approach is to install all apps on the base image and use FSLogix App Masking to hide unauthorized apps from unauthorized users. No delays during logon.

Microsoft FSLogix is free for all Microsoft RDS CALs, Microsoft Virtual Desktop Access per-user CALs, and all Microsoft Enterprise E3/E5 per-user licenses. Notice that per-device licenses are excluded. See Eligibility Requirements at Microsoft Docs.

FSLogix Installation

Do the following to install Microsoft FSLogix on the Horizon Agent machine:

  1. Go to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/fslogix/install-ht and click the download link.
  2. Extract the downloaded .zip file.
  3. In the FSLogix \x64\Release folder, run FSLogixAppsSetup.exe.
  4. Check the box next to I agree to the license terms and conditions and click Install.
  5. In the Setup Successful page, click Restart.
  6. Make sure the Windows Search service is set to Automatic and Running.
  7. If Office is already installed, then repair the Office installation after installing and starting the Windows Search Service.

FSLogix is configured through Group Policy or by editing registry values on each FSLogix Agent machine.

VMware OS Optimization Tool

  1. See VMware Windows Operating System Optimization Tool Guide for details on this tool.
  2. Download the VMware OS Optimization Tool. Versions 1.2 and newer support Windows 11 22H2.
  3. Run VMwareOSOptimizationTool-x86_64.exe.
  4. On the Optimize tab, choose a template.
  5. Then click Analyze on the bottom of the window.
  6. Near the top of the window click the Common Options button and make your selections on each of the pages. Click OK when done.

  7. The top right box named Analysis Summary shows the number of optimizations not yet applied.
  8. Review the optimizations and make changes as desired. Then on the bottom right, click Optimize.
  9. The History tab lets you rollback the optimizations.
  10. The Finalize tab contains tasks that should be run every time you seal your parent image.
  11. The Update tab lets you re-enable Windows Update so you can update the parent image.

Additional Optimizations

Additional Windows 10 Optimizations

Snapshot

  1. Make sure the master virtual desktop is configured for DHCP.
  2. If connected to the console, run ipconfig /release.
  3. Run antivirus sealing tasks. For example:
  4. Base Image Script Framework (BIS-F) automates many image sealing tasks. The script is configurable using Group Policy.

  5. Shutdown the master virtual desktop.
  6. Edit the Settings of the master virtual machine and disconnect the CD-ROM. Make sure no ISO is configured in the virtual machine.
  7. Take a snapshot of the master virtual desktop. Instant Clones requires a snapshot.

Related Pages

169 thoughts on “VMware Horizon 2312: Master Virtual Desktop”

  1. Hi Carl,
    when I use an instant clone dedicated desktop, when restoring the guest operating system, the client keeps customizing the operating system, and finally reports a custom timeout. During the removal operation, the client can complete the provisioning normally. I have skipped the windows permission check, can you help me?

  2. Hi Carl,

    I want to ask you about MAK activation for Horizon 2312.
    Every time we will recompose, MAK count will add +1? How it will work?
    And KMS counter will not do the same?
    Do you have any activation guidelines link I can read?

    Thank you

      1. Thank you!
        Can AD activation to be only for horizon vdis? We also have users not working on horizon, i dont want to mess up everything

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