Dedicated Desktop Pool with Full Clone

Hi all,

Today we will discuss about How to create Dedicated Desktop Pool with Full Clone Technology. Normally Full Clone desktop pools are used for dedicated  user assignment, who demand dedicated workstation for their day to day operations.

Horizon View 7.5 blog series: “Horizon View 7.5

Previous blog post: “Push Image on Instant Clone Desktop Pool

Let’s start..

Create VM Customization profile

Before proceeding, make sure you have created Windows 7 template and dedicated VM folder “vGyan_Dedicated_Pool_03” for virtual machine placement.

We are using windows 7 template to customize new virtual machine we have to create VM Customization profile, Open vSphere web client and navigate to Policies and Profile option,

Select VM Customization and Specification > Click on +New.

Provide VM Customization Spec,

  • Name: W7_Spec_01
  • Description: Custom Spec for W7 Template
  • vCenter: vc04.vgyan.local
  • Target OS: Windows
  • Select Generate a new security identity (SID)

Click Next.

Below slideshow having few screenshots from VM Customization and Specification setup.

Verify all details and click Finish.

Verify newly created “W7_Spec_01” is available under VM Customization and Specification.

Create Dedicated Desktop Pool

From View Administrator console, Under Inventory > Catalog > select Desktop Pools.

In Desktop Pools tab, click on Add.. button.

  • Type

Basically we have three types of desktop pools:-

  1. Automated Desktop Pool
  2. Manual Desktop Pool
  3. RDS Desktop Pool

Today we going to discuss about Automated Desktop Pool with Full Clone technology.

Select Automated Desktop Pool and click Next.

  • User Assignments

There are two types of user assignments: –

  1. Dedicated
  2. Floating

As I mentioned earlier, we are going to deploy Dedicated desktop pool. So select Dedicated option.

Click Next.

  • vCenter Server

In vCenter server tab, we have three cloning options:-

  1. Instant clone
  2. View Composer Linked Clone
  3. Full virtual machine

Select Full virtual machine option and select targeted vCenter server.

Click Next.

  • Desktop Pool Identification

Now we have to setup/customize desktop pool.

Provide required inputs under Desktop Pool Identification tab,

  1. ID: vGyan_Dedicated_Pool_03 (Pool ID)
  2. Display Name: vGyan_VDI_03 (Visible to end user)
  3. Access Group: “/” ( we can create multiple access group according to requirement)

Click Next.

  • Desktop Pool Settings 

Under Desktop Pool Settings,

Under General,

  • State: Enable
  • Connection Server Restrictions: No
  • Category Folder: No

Under Remote Settings,

  • Remote Machine Power Policy: Take no power action
  • Automatically logoff after disconnect: After 120 Min
  • Allow users to reset/restart their machines: No

Under Remote Display Protocol,

  • Default Display Protocol: PCoIP
  • Allow users to choose protocol: Yes
  • 3D Renderer: Disabled
  • Max number of monitors: 2
  • Max resolution of any one monitor: 1920×1200
  • HTML Access: Enabled
  • Allow Session Collaboration: Enabled

Under Adobe Flash settings for sessions,

  • Adobe Flash quality: Do not control
  • Adobe Flash throttling: Disabled

I am not using any Mirage service now.

Click Next.

  • Provisioning Settings

Under Basic, select “Enable provisioning” and “Stop provisioning on error” options.

Provide Virtual Machine Naming pattern: “VDI-DP03-{n}

Under Desktop pool sizing, provide required inputs according to your requirements.

  1. Max. number of machines: 1
  2. Number of spare (powered on) machines: 1
  3. Provisioning Timing: Provision all machines up-front.

Click Next.

  • Storage Optimization

I don’t have any Storage Policy Management settings, Click Next.

  • vCenter Settings

In vCenter settings, we have to specify Template, VM Folder Location, Resource details etc..

Provide all the required inputs and click Next.

For creating windows 7 template/golden image, refer here.

  • Advanced Storage Options

Check the box for Use View Storage Accelerator, and then optionally configure a blackout time.

Transparent Page Sharing Scope set as Virtual Machine.

Click Next.


  • Guest Customization

Click the radio button for Use this customization specification. Select “W7_Spec_01” custom specification.

Click Next.

  • Ready to Complete

Verify all the details and click Finish.

Select newly created desktop pool “vGyan_Dedicated_Pool_03“, Click on Entitlement drop down menu and select “Add Entitlement..

More about User Entitlement click here..

In vCenter we can find newly created Windows 7 desktop virtual machine “VDI-DP03-1

Verify “VDI-DP03-1″ virtual machine status in View Administrator, make sure it should be in “Available” state.

Login to Horizon client with Entitled User name and password and click on newly deployed VDI desktop “vGyan_VDI_03“.

Now I am able to access newly created “VDI-DP03-1″ desktop.

So we successfully deployed Automated Dedicated Desktop Pool with Full Clone Technology.

That’s all guys.. will discuss more on Horizon View 7.5 in upcoming post, Horizon View components installation and configuration, various Desktop pool creations, Application publishing etc… stay tuned.. ????

Next blog post will be “Installing and Configuring the RDSH Role

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Feel free to share this to others if it is worth sharing!!!

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Written by Sujith Surendran

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1 thought on “Horizon View 7.5 : Dedicated Desktop Pool with Full Clone Part – 20”

  1. Hi Sujith

    Is the series finished ?

    ref – Next blog post will be “Installing and Configuring the RDSH Role”

    Greetings Bob (UK)

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