Book Image

Implementing VMware Horizon 7 - Second Edition

By : Jason Ventresco
Book Image

Implementing VMware Horizon 7 - Second Edition

By: Jason Ventresco

Overview of this book

VMware Horizon 7 has been a buzz since it was announced. One of the major reasons is the introduction of the new Instant Clones feature. This book will complement the product documentation by providing real-life examples of how it is implemented along with the latest features and components of the platform. We'll explore the latest features of the platform, including those added through product acquisitions such as User Environment Manager and App Volumes. Further on, you will also be introduced to the new capabilities added to the core product such Linked-Clone RDS pools. Upon completion of this book, you will have an understanding of the capabilities and benefits VMware Horizon can provide to your organization, and how each of its components are implemented.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
Implementing VMware Horizon 7 Second Edition
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface

VMware Horizon core infrastructure requirements


There are a number of requirements to consider even before the infrastructure needs of the virtual desktops themselves are considered. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Operating system requirements for both vSphere and Horizon components

  • Database requirements for vCenter Server, Horizon Composer, and Horizon Connection Server

  • Required Microsoft infrastructure services and components

Tip

The online VMware Compatibility Guide (http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php) and Product Interoperability Matrix (http://partnerweb.vmware.com/comp_guide2/sim/interop_matrix.php) maintain an up-to-date listing of supported operating systems, hardware platforms, and product compatibility for all VMware products.

Microsoft infrastructure requirements

VMware Horizon requires Microsoft Active Directory to support the virtual desktop infrastructure. VMware Horizon supports all AD domain functional levels starting with Windows 2003 and up to Windows 2012 R2.

Horizon also requires Domain Name System (DNS) servers that can resolve requests for the standard Microsoft Active Directory Service Record (SRV) and Resource Record (RR) DNS entries. Microsoft domain-integrated DNS servers typically store these DNS entries by default. Incomplete or inaccurate DNS entries can lead to issues with tasks, such as virtual desktop deployment and user authentication.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers are required in the Horizon environment to provide Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to the virtual desktops. In situations where the virtual desktops cannot self-register the IP addresses they have been assigned, the DHCP server should be configured to register the entries with a DNS server that is accessible by the Horizon Connection Server.

Operating system requirements

The following table shows which 64-bit, non-Core Microsoft Windows Server OSs are supported for the each of the different software packages that comprise a Horizon infrastructure. App Volumes host OS requirements will be outlined separately in Chapter 9, Implementing VMware App Volumes.

Operating System

vCenter Server 6.0 U1 (Windows-based)

Horizon Connection Server, Security Server, and Composer

Windows Server 2008 SP2

Supported

Not supported

Windows 2008 R2 (No SP)

Supported

Not supported

Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

Supported

Supported

Windows Server 2012

Supported

Not supported

Windows Server 2012 R2

Supported

Supported

While VMware vCenter and the different Horizon servers support a number of different Windows OSs, it is recommended to use the newest supported version to ensure that the servers will not be impacted by any changes in OS support by Microsoft. Additionally, you never know when vSphere or Horizon itself will end support for older OSs, which would impact your ability to perform in-place upgrades.

As Horizon Composer supports only Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or 2012 R2, any Horizon installation that plans on deploying linked clone desktops, and installing Composer directly on the vCenter Server, will need to choose that specific version of Windows. Refer to the VMware document View Installation (http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/view_pubs.html) for updated information about which Windows OSs are supported.

Database requirements

The following list shows which database types are supported for the core components of a Horizon infrastructure, which includes the Horizon Connection Server, Horizon Composer, and vCenter Server. Unless otherwise noted, both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the specified database platform are supported. Database platforms that support some, but not all, of the components will not be listed. App Volumes database requirements will be outlined separately in Chapter 9, Implementing VMware App Volumes.

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2014 (Standard and Enterprise, through SP1)

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (Express, Standard, and Enterprise; SP2)

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 (Express, Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter; SP2, SP3)

  • Oracle 12c (Release 1, up to 12.1.0.2)

For VMware Horizon, visit the product installation guide (http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/view_pubs.html) for updated information on which databases are supported. For VMware vCenter, refer to the Product Interoperability Matrix (http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/sim/interop_matrix.php) for updated information, or to quickly verify if the databases listed in the Horizon documentation are also supported by vCenter.

vCenter Server requirements

VMware Horizon supports multiple versions of vSphere. The purchase of Horizon licenses entitles users to use the latest supported version of both vSphere and vCenter Servers, although support is maintained for some older versions due to restrictions that some organizations may be under.

The following versions of vSphere are supported by VMware Horizon:

Consult the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix for an updated list of the supported versions of vSphere and vCenter Servers. Supporting earlier versions of vSphere and vCenter Servers is important for customers who are already running earlier versions of either software platform, and cannot, or will not, upgrade for some reason. Even with this support, it is recommended to use dedicated ESXi servers and vCenter Servers for your Horizon environment to ensure that all the latest Horizon features are supported.

There are multiple Horizon features that are supported only if certain other prerequisites are met. Some examples of these vSphere version dependent features are:

  • vSphere 6 is required to use VMware VSAN, or Windows 10 as a desktop OS

  • Prior to vSphere 6, the vCenter Server Appliance could not support the maximum number of desktops that can be deployed in a single Horizon Pod

  • Some virtual desktop graphics acceleration technologies such as NVDIA GRID Tesla processor-based server cards (http://www.nvidia.com/object/grid-technology.html) require vSphere 6

A complete list of Horizon features that require specific versions of vSphere or vCenter Server may be found in VMware document View Installation (http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/view_pubs.html) or the View Release Notes (http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/horizon-7-view/horizon-70-view-release-notes.html) that accompany each release of the Horizon platform.

Horizon Agent supported operating systems

The VMware Horizon Agent supports multiple versions of the Microsoft Windows desktop operating system and Microsoft Windows (RDS) Server. The following table outlines which Windows OSs are currently supported.

Windows OS Version

Product Edition

Service Pack

Notes

Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit)

Enterprise

None

Instant Clones supported

Windows 8.1 (32-bit or 64-bit)

Enterprise or Professional

Latest update

Instant Clones not supported

Windows 8 (32-bit or 64-bit)

Enterprise or Professional

None

Instant Clones not supported

Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit)

Enterprise or Professional

SP1

Instant Clones supported

Windows 2012 R2 (64-bit)

Standard or Datacenter

Latest update

When used as RDS host

Windows 2012 R2 (64-bit)

Datacenter

Latest update

When used as desktop

Windows 2012 (64-bit)

Standard or Datacenter

None

Can be used as RDS host only

Windows 2008 R2 (64-bit)

Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter

SP1

When used as RDS host

Windows 2008 R2 (64-bit)

Datacenter

SP1

When used as desktop

To obtain current information about which desktop operating systems and Microsoft RDS servers are supported, please refer to the online VMware Product Interoperability Matrix.