Lab 8: Update a Desktop pool

Objective and Tasks

In this lab you will update an existing desktop pool using a pre-built golden image VM.

  1. Update and prepare the golden image.
  2. Update the desktop pool.
  3. Monitor update progress.
  4. Validate desktop launch after updating the pool.
Expand or collapse content Task 1: Update and prepare the golden image

Updating a desktop pool is normally done to push some update into the desktop clones. In an automated desktop pool, you update the golden image VM with those changes and then use pool wizard in Horizon to update the pool to use that updated golden image VM.

  1. Open the vCenter admin console.
    • On your ControlCenter desktop, open the a new tab in the Google Chrome browser.
    • Click the bookmark on the bookmark bar for vcenter-01
  2. Login in the vCenter admin console.
  3. Locate the golden image VM in the vCenter inventory.
    • Browse to and select the VM W11PreBuilt.
    • Confirm that the Power Status is Powered off (in the Virtual Machine Details pane).

Normally, you would power on the golden image VM, make any necessary updates (such as Windows updates, application updates, installs, etc.), and then shutdown Windows. For the purposes of this lab, you will skip that step.

  1. Take a new snapshot of the golden image. This snapshot will be used for publishing changes to the pool.
    • Select the Snapshots tab.
    • Click on TAKE SNAPSHOT.
    • In the Name field, enter My_Update.
    • Optionally enter a Description.
    • Note that the two check box options will be clear and you cannot select them. This is expected as the VM is powered off.
    • Click CREATE.
  2. Confirm that the Snapshot was created.
    • You should now see a new entry (My_Update) displayed in the Snapshot tree for the VM.

Best practice is to minimize the number and levels of snapshots that a golden image VM has. Too many can slow down the publishing process of the image.

Expand or collapse content Task 2: Update the desktop pool

Use the Horizon admin console to update a desktop pool to use the golden image VM and the new snapshot you created.

  1. Open the Horizon admin console for horizon-01a.
    • On your ControlCenter desktop, open the Google Chrome browser.
    • Click the bookmark on the bookmark bar for horizon-01a
    • This will connect you to the Horizon administrator console at https://Horizon-01a.omnissatraining.com
  2. Login to the Horizon admin console.
    • Username: administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
    • Domain: OmnissaTraining
  3. Locate and select the desktop pool that you want to update.
    • In the Horizon admin console navigate to Inventory > Desktops
    • Select the pool with the ID Win11-Site1
  4. Start the desktop pool maintenance wizard.
    • On the menu bar, click on MAINTAIN and select Schedule.
  5. On the Image screen:
    • Under SNAPSHOT DETAILS, select the radio button next to the entry My_Update.
    • Click NEXT.

There are other options available on this screen that are not used in this lab but are worthwhile taking note of.

  • You can use the CHANGE button to select a different golden image VM.
  • You can change the VM Compute Profile Settings to change the CPU and RAM allocated to clones.
  1. On the Schedule screen:
    • Ensure that Schedule image push is selected.
    • Select the option to Force users to logoff.
    • Click NEXT.

There are few options on the screen that are worth noting, even though you will not use them in this lab.

  • You can use Start at to delay the image publishing process to a specific time.
  • Use Publish Secondary Image to perform just the image publishing process. This leaves the individual clones using the initial image, and you have to perform a secondary operation to updates clones to use your newly published image.
  1. On the Ready to Complete screen:
    • Review the selected options.
    • Click FINISH to start the update process.

Consider when you will perform a pool update and how you will inform users. Plan updates during maintenance windows, as sessions may get logged out as desktops are refreshed.

Expand or collapse content Task 3: Monitor update progress

In this task you will monitor the desktop pool update process.

  1. Verify the pool status from Horizon admin console.
    • Navigate to Inventory > Desktops
    • Select the pool with ID Win11-Site1
  2. Monitor the image publishing in the Horizon admin console.
    • Review the image publishing status in the vCenter Server section of the desktop pool details.
    • You will see that the Snapshot now being used is My_Update and the State is Publishing.
    • You can refresh the page using the circular arrow in the top-right.

Wait for the image publishing to complete before progressing to the next step.

  1. View the clones status in the Horizon admin console.
    • Select the Machines (Instant Clone Details) tab for the desktop pool.
    • In the Image column you will see this now contains My_Update.
    • If the Pending Image column has an entry, the update process is still underway.
    • Scroll to the right and check the Status. Once the clones are updated, this should display Available.
  2. View an individual clones details.
    • Click on one Machine (Win11-S1-1 or Win11-S1-2).
    • Note the the Base Image string now contains My_Update.
Expand or collapse content Task 4: Validate desktop launch after updating the pool

You should always test access and behavior of a desktop pool after updating.

  1. Launch the Omnissa Horizon Client.
    • From the ControlCenter desktop, double click the Omnissa Horizon Client Icon

Depending on which other labs you have already completed, you may have to add a new server entry to the client for your new Horizon 8 pod. If you have already added it to the Horizon Client, just double-click the tile to connect.

  1. Add a new Horizon 8 Pod to the Client

In this lab, you will use the Connection Server FQDN. In a production deployment of a pod with multiple Connection Servers the load balancer virtual IP address or name would be used instead of an individual Connection Server address.

  1. Login and authenticate with an assigned user from the Horizon-Students group.
    • Username: Student1
    • Password : Pa$$w0rd
    • Click Login.
  2. Once logged in, you will see a tile for the entitled desktop pool Win11-Site1
  3. Launch the desktop.
    • Click on the 3 dots on the pool tile for Win11-Site1 and click Launch.
    • Alternatively you can double-click on the tile.
  4. Confirm successful desktop launch.
    • Ensure the virtual desktop opens successfully and the user is logged into the Windows desktop.
    • Verify that the desktop is functioning properly and the user can interact with the environment (login, desktop display, basic functionality).
  5. Logout of the Horizon desktop.
    • Use Windows > Student 1 > Sign out
    • Alternatively, you can use the Horizon menubar at the top of the screen, selecting the three dots (...), then Logoff Desktop, and confirm with OK.
  6. Close the Omnissa Horizon Client.

This concludes this lab.

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