Set default printer for View floating desktop and Persona Management

VMware
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Sometime ago I asked a question over at the VMware forum about how to set default network printers on a VMware View 5.0 floating pool that used Persona Management as Persona Management wasn’t keeping this user setting on it’s own. The printers would be added to the VM just not remember the default printer setting. I’ll admit I forgot to update the thread, but a work around was devised which I’ll share below.

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How to shadow a VMware Horizon View desktop

VMware
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Ever work on a View 5.x Desktop issue and needed access to the desktop it self while in use? While not a feature that is easily enabled say via the vmTools or the View Administrator console – it can however be easily enabled via Group Policy, similar to some other settings that I mention in the Windows 7 Optimization Guide.

Enable PCoIP Shadowing

  • Import the pcoip.adm GPO Template.
  • Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates (ADM) > PCoIP Session Variables.
  • Enable “Enable access to PCoIP session from a vSphere console”.
  • Link the GPO to the OU where your View Desktops reside.

shadow pcoip policy

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VMware Horizon View 5.3 has been announced

VMware
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Horizon View 5.2 is receiving an update to 5.3! Doesn’t sound like much, but in that tiny dot number increase VMware has in fact brought a number improvements and features to Horizon View.

In a nut shell, some features Horizon View 5.3 brings is the ability to connect to a virtual desktop from any HTML5 capable web browser (yes, even Chromebook!), ability to bring full workstation class user experience with 3D graphics, deploy Windows Server 2008 as a desktop, as well as completely rewritten the Windows client with support for Windows 8.1 and a new iOS7 client too.

In more detail, Horizon View 5.3 brings…

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Horizon View Events Notifier Tool

Tools
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Chris Halstead (@chrisdhalsted), just made every Horizon View administrators job just a little bit easier by releasing a free tool that will allow you to setup alerts and notifications for events in View such as Warnings and Audit failures. The Horizon View Events Notifier tool uses SMTP and allows you to add multiple addresses in the alert recipients field.

view events config

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VMware Horizon View White Papers

VMware
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VMware has been on a roll here lately releasing new technical white papers for VMware Horizon View. If you already have a View environment or about to roll one out, I’d recommend reading these papers to make sure you’re following the recommended best practices.

Also, be sure to check out my View Windows 7 Optimization Guide as well.

vSphere 5.1 and View 5.1 are finally compatible

VMware
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As mentioned before, I mentioned vSphere 5.1 currently not compatible with any VMware View version. As of yesterday, VMware has finally released a patch (ESXi510-201210001) to correct the incompatibility issues.

Alternatively you can also download an updated ESXi 5.0 ISO. To download the ISO:

  1. Navigate to the vSphere Download Center.
  2. Click View Download for the VMware ESXi 5.1.0 Installable for your version of ESXi.
  3. On the Product Downloads tab, download VMware-VMvisor-Installer-201210001-838463.x86_64.iso.

KB 2035268

vSphere 5.1 currently not compatible with any VMware View version

VMware
1 Comment

Before you go updating your vSphere to the new 5.1 version that was just released, VMware had just released this alert yesterday (9/12) that vSphere 5.1 is currently NOT compatible with any version of VMware View.

vSphere 5.1 is in the process of being certified against VMware View. We recommend that you do not upgrade vSphere above the supported versions listed in the VMware View 5.1 Release Notes.

For further updates and more information on this alert, refer to KB article:
vSphere 5.1 is not compatible with any versions VMware View (2035268).

If you don’t use VMware View, and are ready to upgrade to vSphere 5.1 be sure to check out the Installing vCenter Server 5.1 best practices from VMware.

My VMware View Windows 7 Optimization Guide

VMware
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These are the few steps I do when creating a new "Golden" image. Luckily I don’t have to do these steps all the time as I’ll create the "Golden" image when there is a new upgrade such as when we went from View 4.6 to View 5.0.1. I like to have a new fresh machine using new virtual hardware from the start. You could certainly just upgrade the virtual hardware on the "Golden" image, I just prefer to start clean.

At any rate, here’s my list. Hopefully someone might find it somewhat useful and maybe even others can improve upon it.

Preparing a new virtual machine

  1. Create New Virtual Machine – FILE > NEW > VIRTUAL MACHINE (CTRL+N)
  2. Under Configuration select CUSTOM.
  3. Select a Name, Folder, Host, Cluster, and Storage.
  4. Under Guest Operating System select Windows and then Windows 7 32bit under the Version drop down.
  5. Select which Network (VLAN) and under Adapter select VMXNET 3.
  6. Configure disk size to 30GB THIN provisioned.

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VMware View client now availabe for Android!

VMware
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VMware has announced that they have released a View Client for Android tablets available on the Android Market now. Here are just a few of the features found on the new client.

  • A new look and feel – The View Client for Android features the NEW blue look and feel of the VMware View clients!
  • Multiple broker support – If you have more than one VMware View broker in your organization, you can can easily access your desktop from all of them via the Android client
  • Desktop Shortcuts – Quickly connect with as many as four recent desktop via shortcuts
  • Virtual trackpad – Control your desktop on a granular level just like you would control the mouse on a laptop
  • Custom keyboard toolbar – Super easy access to all of the special keys not found on the Android default keynboard
  • Honeycomb 3.x support – Made from the ground up for the new generation of Android tablets
  • Custom gestures – Invoke keyboard, scrolling, etc are as easy as ever and simple to use
  • VMware View Security Server support (best experience) – No need to have VPN when you use VMware View Security Server
  • Background tasking – Switch between apps on your tablet and come right back