VMware Horizon View 7: Add Microsoft RDS Farm [Part 4]

In part 4 of the series we will be adding a existing Microsoft Remote Desktop Services farm to Horizon View 7. This enables RDS application to be published out using Horizon View 7 taking advantage of the PCoIP protocol, View Management, and creates a single pane of glass to access applications and virtual desktops.

vBoring Blog Series:

  1. VMware Horizon View 7: Deployment and Installation
  2. VMware Horizon View 7: Apply SSL Certificates
  3. VMware Horizon View 7: Create Events Database
  4. VMware Horizon View 7: Add Microsoft RDS Farm
  5. VMware Horizon View 7: Setup Remote Access through Security Server
  6. VMware Horizon View 7: Create Master Desktop Template
  7. VMware Horizon View 7: Automated Desktop Pool
  8. VMware Horizon View 7: Instant Clone Desktop Pool

If you wish to deploy a Microsoft RDS environment check out my post: Setup Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2012 R2

Remote Desktop Services Header

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 1 RDS Overview

Install View Agent on Microsoft RDS – Session Host:

To add a RDS environment the View Agent needs to be installed. Login to your RDS Session Host and launch the View Agent installer:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 2 Run View Agent Setup

Click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 3 Welcome to Agent Installer

To proceed the EULA needs to be accepted. Click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 4 License Agreement

Select your network protocol (IPv4) then click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 5 Network Protocol

Click Next:
Add RDS Server to View 7 - 6 Custom Setup

 

Enter your View Connection Server FQDN or IP address then click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 7 Register with Horizon 7 Connection Server

Now click Install:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 8 Ready to Install

Once completed click Finish:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 9 Installer Completed

A reboot is required:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 10 Reboot Required

Add Microsoft Remote Desktop Services to Horizon View 7:

Once your RDS server boots up login to your View Administrator Console, drill down to Resources -> Farms then click Add:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 11 Add Farm

I like to have manual control over the Farm, click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 12 Add Farm Type

Enter a Farm ID (Name), and I check the box to allow HTML connections over Blast. Click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 13 Add Farm Identification and Settings

Select the RDS host to add to the farm. Click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 14 Add Farm Select RDS Hosts

Now click Finish:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 15 Add Farm Ready to Complete

The RDS Farm will now populate:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 16 Farm Added

Create Application Pool:

The Application Pool allows you to add programs installed on the RDS farm to be published through View. There can only be one Application Pool per RDS Farm added to View and the application must be installed the exact same way on all RDS servers.

Drill down to Catalog -> Application Pools -> Add:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 17 Add Application Pool

On the drop down menu ensure your RDS Farm is selected, now scroll through the list of installed applications and check the ones you want to be available for View then click Next:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 18 Select Applications

On the Summary screen ensure you are happy with the application selections. Leave the check box checked that says Entitle users after this wizard finishes. Click Finish:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 19 Edit Display Names

Entitlement is where you give users permission to the applications added to View. Click Add and select users\groups. Click Ok once finished:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 20 Add Entitlements

We now have applications added to the Application Pool and gave permission to a user\group. Additional permissions can be changed by clicking the drop down menu labeled Entitlements:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 21 Applications Added

Using the Horizon View Client to Launch Applications:

We are now ready to test the ability to connect and launch applications! Connect to your Connection Server using the Horizon View Client. If you do not have the Horizon Client installed you can get it by going to your Connection Server:

Download Horizon Client from Connection Server

Any application you have an Entitlement to should be listed. Double click on a application:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 22 Application in Horizon View Client

The application should launch:

Add RDS Server to View 7 - 23 Launched Word

Proceed to the next step:

VMware Horizon View 7: Setup Remote Access through Security Server

5 thoughts on “VMware Horizon View 7: Add Microsoft RDS Farm [Part 4]”

  1. Hello. Do your network drives redirect automatically from your client machine to the applications from the RDS farm? I can’t seem to get that to work. I can map them manually

    Reply
  2. note… when freshly installing SQL Server 2014 for the event database it doesn’t open the firewall for port 1433 (SQL Client access)…

    Reply
  3. with unpatched 2012 R2 RDS in test mode it doens’t work, connection server sees the publsihed apps but can’t start them. ootb Windows2008R2 in RDS test mode works… should be mentioned that the conenction server takes about 5 minutes before one can launch the published applications.

    Also should be mentioned that after activation of the RDS server for usage through the connection server it refuses a regular RDP connection same as Citrix does.

    @Julio at this state of proceeding you need a GPO for roaming profiles and a network based home drive.
    So far that applies for users but

    Reply
  4. After configuring my Server2012 server and creating a new farm in Horizon 7 Administrator i get a error. More specifically the server status equals “Configuration error” and Server Load “New sessions blocked”.

    Reply

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