Using Images to Create Single-Session Entitlement in Horizon Cloud

Objective and Tasks

Build and use images to create VDI desktop assignments:

1. Create a Windows Image for Provisioning Single-Session Pools

2. Optimize and Publish the Image

3. Create a Pool

4. Download and Configure Horizon Client

Task 1: Create a Windows Image for Provisioning Single-Session Pools

You import images from Microsoft Azure Marketplace so that you can publish them into pool templates.

  1. Go to https://connect.omnissa.com and log in to the Omnissa Cloud Services console.
    • User name: horizonseals<student_number>@techseals.co
    • Password: Omnissa1!Omnissa1!
    • Under Workspace ONE Cloud, click LAUNCH SERVICE.
    • Under Horizon Cloud, click LAUNCH.
  1. Create an Image.
    • In the left navigation pane, select Resources > Images.
    • Click START.
    • From the drop-down menu, select Microsoft Azure.
    • Add Image page opens.
  1. On the Add Image page, configure the settings under General Information.
    • Image Name: Enter W11-<student_number><DDMM> in the text box.
    • Description: Enter Initial Image for Single-Session Pools in the text box.
    • Markers: Delete the default marker by clicking the x on default. Enter UAT in the text box and press Enter.
    • Click NEXT.
    • Image Source page opens.
  1. Under Image Source.
    • Click Microsoft Azure Marketplace.
    • Click NEXT.
    • Image Details page opens.
  1. Configure the settings under Image Details.
    • Site: Verify that Default is selected.
    • Horizon Edge: Verify that <geo>hcsmadm<student_number>-edge is selected.
    • Provider: Verify that <geo>hcsmadm<student_number>-provider is selected.
    • OS: Select Windows 11 Enterprise, 22H2 from the drop-down menu.
    • Generation Type: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • Security type: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • Enable secure boot: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • Enable vTPM: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • VM Model Type: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • VM Model: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • Scroll down for Network settings.
  1. Configure the Network settings under Image Details.
    • Enable Public IP: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • Virtual Network: Select <geo>hcsmadm-vnet<student_number> from the Select Network menu.
    • Select Network: Select VMs.
    • User Name: Enter hcsmaadmin in the text box
    • Password: Enter Omnissa1!Omnissa1! in the text box.
    • Confirm password: Enter Omnissa1!Omnissa1! in the text box.
    • Select the checkbox for I have a Windows license with Software Assurance to apply this Azure Hybrid Benefit
    • Click ADD.
  1. Monitor the Image status.
    • Click on the Image name W11-<student_number><DDMM>A.
    • Monitor the status of the 1.0.0 image.
    • Refresh the page by clicking the refresh arrow to verify the status of the image creation.

Note: Expect a delay of about 3 to 5 minutes while the image is deployed and configured. The image creation is complete when Status changes to Ready to Publish.

DO NOT proceed to the next task until the image is ready.

Task 2: Optimize and Publish the Image

You optimize and publish the image so that it can be used in a single-session pool.

  1. Log in to the Microsoft Azure portal and select the image published in the previous task.
    • User name: <company>.<full_name>.<student_number>
    • Password: Omnissa1!Omnissa1!
    • In the Azure portal go to,  Virtual machines in the left navigation pane.
    • Click W11-<student_number><DDMM>A-1-0-0.
    • Expand Connect and select Bastion.
    • Login with following credentials:
      • Authentication type: VM Password
      • User name: hcsmaadmin
      • Password: Omnissa1!Omnissa1!
    • Click Connect.
  1. In the Windows 11 VM Privacy Settings.
    • On the Choose privacy settings for your device page, turn off the toggles to deactivate all the options.
    • Click Accept.
  1. Change the Windows Taskbar behaviors settings.
    • Right-click the Windows taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
    • Expand Taskbar behaviors.
    • Select Left from the Taskbar alignment drop-down menu.
    • Close the Settings window.
  1. Run Horizon OS Optimization Tool.
    • Right-click the Windows Start menu icon and select Run.
    • Enter \\10.2.1.4\Software in the Open text box.
    • Click OK.
    • On the Software folder, right-click HorizonOSOptimizationTool-x86-xx
    • Select Run as Administrator.
    • In the Open File - Security Warning dialog box, click Run.
    • Select the I accept the terms of the agreement check box.
    • Click Next.
    • Windows OS Optimization Tool opens.
  1. Configure the following Common Options settings.
    • Click Analyze in the lower-right corner and wait for the scan to complete.
    • Click Common Options.
    • Under Visual Effect, select Best performance.
    • Under Background, select any color for the background except blue.
    • Under Background, Deselect Allow users to change background.
    • Under Security, Select Disable Firewall, Disable Antivirus, and Disable Security Center.
    • Leave the other options unchanged and click OK.
    • Click Optimize and wait for the optimization to complete.
      • This process takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
    • Close Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon.
    • Log out of the Windows 11 VM
  1. Publish an Image.
    • If needed, log in to Omnissa Cloud Services console.
      • User name: horizonseals<student_number>@techseals.co
      • Password: Omnissa1!Omnissa1!
    • Under Workspace ONE Cloud, click LAUNCH SERVICE.
    • Under Horizon Cloud Service, click MANAGE.
    • In the left navigation pane, select Resources > Images.
    • Select W11-<student_number><DDMM>A.
    • On the Versions page, select 1.0.0.
    • From the Unpublished drop-down menu, select Publish.
  1. On the Publish Image page.
    • Under Destination, leave the options unchanged and click NEXT.
    • Under Properties, leave the options unchanged and click NEXT.
    • Under Horizon Agent Features, turn on the App Volumes, Geolocation Redirection, and USB Redirection toggles.
    • Leave the other options unchanged and click NEXT.
    • On the Published Image Operations page, leave the options unchanged and click PUBLISH.
    • Refresh the page until Available appears under Status.

Note: This process takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Do not continue to the next step until the image is published.  

Task 3: Create a Pool

You create a single-session desktop pool so that users can connect to VDI desktop sessions.

  1. In the Horizon Universal Console.
    • Navigate to Resources > Pools.
    • Click START and from the drop-down, select Microsoft Azure.
    • App Pool page opens.
  1. Configure the settings on the Add Pool page.
    • Pool Name: Enter Floating-<student_number> in the text box.
    • Description: Enter Single-session pool in the text box.
    • Pool Type: Select Floating single-session.
    • Desktops settings page opens.
  1. Configure the settings on the Desktop page.
    • Site: Leave the default option unchanged.
    • Horizon Edge: Select <geo>hcsmadm<student_number>-edge
    • Provider: <geo>hcsmadm<student_number>-provider
    • Use Azure dedicated host: Leave the options unchanged.
    • Use Azure availability zones: Leave the options unchanged.
    • Under Image Generation Type: Select V2.
    • Image: Ensure that W11-<student_number><DDMM>A is selected.
    • Marker: Ensure that UAT marker is selected.
    • Select the check box for I confirm that I have an eligible license for this Windows OS.
  1. Continue configure the settings on the Desktop page.
    • Under VM details
      • Change Disk Type to Standard HDD
      • Leave other settings unchanged
    • Machine Identity: Ensure that techseals is selected.
    • Computer OU (optional): Enter CN=Computers.
    • Provision VMsProvision VMs: Select All at Once.
    • Maximum VMs: Enter 2.
  1. Continue configure the settings on the Desktop page
    • VM name prefix: Enter FLT-<student_number> in the text box.
    • Desktop admin username: Enter HCSMAAdmin in the text box.
    • Desktop admin password: Enter Omnissa1!Omnissa1! in the text box.
    • Confirm Desktop admin password: Enter Omnissa1!Omnissa1! in the text box.
    • Leave all other options unchanged and click NEXT.
    • Networks page opens.
  1. Configure the Networks setting.
    • From the Azure Virtual Network (VNet), select the only VMs subnet.
    • Click NEXT.
    • Dynamic Environment Manager page opens.
    • Leave the default value and click SAVE.
    • The Pool Saved dialog box appears.
    • Click ADD TO POOL GROUP.
    • Add to Single-Session Pool Group page opens
  1. Configure the settings on the Add to Single-Session Pool Group page.
    • Name: Enter Floating Win11 Pool in the text box.
    • Display Name: Enter Floating Windows 11 Pool in the text box.
    • In the App Volumes Applications, click NEXT.
    • In the Application Details, click NEXT.
  1. Continue configure the settings on the Add to Single-Session Pool Group page.
    • Use SSO (optional): Deselect the radio button.
    • Minimum VMs under Power Management option: Enter 50 in the text box.
    • Leave all the other options unchanged.
    • Click SAVE.
    • The Pool Added to Pool Group dialog box appears.
    • Click ENTITLE POOL GROUP.
    • Entitle Desktops and Applications page appears.
  1. Entitle a User or Group.
    • In the Desktop and Application page, click NEXT.
    • Under Users and User Groups, enter hcsmadm<student_number> in the Add users text box.
    • Select the account from the drop-down menu.  
    • Click SAVE.
  1. Verify that the desktops are built before proceeding to the next task.
    • In the navigation pane on the left, select Resources > Pools.
    • Verify that Ready appears under Status and 2/2 appears under the VMs column.
Task 4: Download and Configure Horizon Client

You test the connectivity to the single-session desktop assignments using Horizon Client.

  1. On your browser.
  1. Configure the Horizon Client SSL.
    • On the main menu, click Settings.
    • From the left navigation pane, click Security.
    • Select Do not verify server identity certificates from the drop-down menu.
    • Click the back arrow (<) to return to the main page.
  1. Add Connection Server details.
    • Click +Add Server.
    • Enter https://cloud.omnissahorizon.com in the text box.
    • Click Connect.
    • Omnissa Horizon SSO page open on your default browser.
  1. On the Sign in with SSO page.
    • Enter amerhcsmadm<student_number> in the text box.
    • Click Continue.
    • Workspace ONE Intelligence Hub page opens.
    • From the Select Your Domain drop-down menu, select techseals.co.
    • Click NEXT.
    • Log in with the user account that you entitled to desktops and applications.
      • User name: hcsmadm<student_number>
      • Password: Omnissa1!Omnissa1!
    • You are redirected back to Horizon Client.
  1. Access the Desktop.
    • To access a desktop, double-click the Floating Windows 11 Pool icon.
      • You might need to wait for the single-session assignment to complete.
    • Enter the login details.
      • User name: hcsmadm<student_number>
      • Password: Omnissa1!Omnissa1!
      • You must enter this information because you have not enabled SSO yet.
    • After you verify that it works, close the session by selecting See more (...) > Logoff Desktop.
    • Click OK to confirm.

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