Horizon View 7.0 – Part 12 – Installation of View Composer

The View Composer is a component which is required to deploy linked clones. The linked clones greatly help in reducing the space consumption and also decreasing the time taken to deploy the Desktops.

Before the installation process, make sure you create an Database.

Also, we need an Master Template which must have an snapshot.

Open the server which is dedicated for View composer and Initialize the View Composer setup.

Make sure that the user has administrative privileges.

In the Welcome screen, click Next.

Select I accept the terms in the license agreement and click Next.

Select the destination folder and click Next.

Select ODBC DSN Setup to setup an ODBC connection.

Make sure that the ODBC connectivity is SQL Server Native client. If not, download it from Microsoft website.

Click Configure and mention the database details.

Mention the ODBC name and the SQL authentication details.

Note: Do not use the windows authentication.

Give the port number for SOAP.

Click Install.

Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

Press Yes to reboot the Server.

Login to the connection server and Edit the vCenter Server.

In the View Composer Settings, click Edit.

Select Standalone View Composer Server and mention the details of the View Composer Server.

Click Verify Server Information under domains.

Click Add to mention the domain credentials.

Give the details of the Domain user to automatically migrate the cloned machines into domain.

Click OK.

If it prompts for invalid certificate, click View Certificate.

Click Accept to ignore it.

You could notice the icon of the vCenter Server getting changed.

Goto Desktop Pools and click Add.

Select Automated Desktop Pool and click Next.

Select the required user assignment method.

Now select View Composer Linked Clones

Give an ID for the Pool.

Select the required settings and click Next.

Give an naming pattern for the Virtual Machines.

Mention the size of the View Composer Disks. This disk is where all the windows profiles are being stored.

You can use this option if you are using VSAN or can click Next.

Mention the template and host details.

Its optional to use storage accelerator or click Next.

In the Guest customization wizard, mention the OU of the Desktops.

Make sure to Entitle the users and click Finish.

Mention the users or groups who are all entitled to use this Desktop Pool.

Desktop Pool gets created.

Desktops will start getting provisioned.

You could see the Linked Clones getting deployed in the vCenter Server.

Your Horizon Environment is completely ready.

See Also:

Part 1 – Horizon View Components
Part 2 – Pre-requisites for Horizon View 7
Part 3 – Installation of Connection Server
Part 4 – Installation of Security Server
Part 5 – Adding License to Horizon View
Part 6 – Adding vCenter Server
Part 7 – Configure Events Database
Part 8 – RDS Farm
Part 9 – Horizon View Client
Part 10 – Create Master Template
Part 11 – Desktop Pools
Part 12 – Installation of View Composer