Change app volumes manager server

[CraigTompkins1]

I am in a new role supporting Horizon with App Volumes (2.14) after spending about 6 years with Horizon but only a standard license.  I replaced the VDI person so I'm trying to figure out how things are setup as well as make changes to improve things.  I think I understand the basics with App Volumes, but hope someone can help with a question.

Background: We have 2 VDI Datacenters: USA East Coast and USA West Coast using instant clones.  Users are directed to one DC or the other based on their office location (different connection strings, not Global Load Balance).  Each DC has it's own golden image and two App Volume Manager servers (as well as connection brokers, UEM server etc.). The golden images have their registry updated to reflect Manager2 in addition to the preconfigured Manager1.  This works as expected.

I was told that the west golden image had some changes to it that the east golden image had not had yet so rather than try to figure out what those were (patches? apps installed? driver changes?) I followed this blog post Managing Horizon Gold Images Across Multi-Site Deployments - VMware Blogs  to effectively copy the golden image from west to east.  I then powered it up in the east DC, changed the Manager1 and Manager2 IPs (I actually exported that registry section (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\svservice\Parameters) from the west golden image and imported it in the east golden image), shut down the golden image, took a snapshot, and created a test pool matching the settings of the current live pool including putting the machines in the same OU etc but only made 10 machines instead of the 1800 in production.

After the machines were ready, I connected in and none of the apps are on the desktop.  So apparently there is more to the app volume agent install than the service running and relying on the registry to point to the manager.

So my question:  What is the best way to handle this if I want to update just 1 golden image and then copy it to the other DC and use it there?  Can I just uninstall the App Volumes Agent and reinstall it on that copy of the golden image? Is there some other change besides just the registry hive?

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Craig

[Ray_handels · Accepted solution]

Hey Craig,

No actually there isn't, it is just the registry keys but it is not just this one key, you also need to change the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\CloudVolumes\Agent\Manager_Address with the other ip address (or DNS name, whatever suits your needs).

Do keep in mind to first restart the Appvolumes agent (better yet, restart the Golde Image) after changing the regsitry keys. It then connects to the other Appvolumes manager. We do this as well and it works quite well.

[CraigTompkins1]

Thank you.  I forgot to include the attachment of our error.  I'll do that now just in case that changes anything.  I'll try to test that change today, but thankfully heading on vacation tomorrow so it might have to wait until I get back.

[CraigTompkins1]

I just wanted to let anyone that searches and finds this know that this worked for me.  I exported the 2 registry keys and saved them to a network share.  Now when I copy the golden image from west to east, I can power it on, run the .reg file, shut it down and take the new snapshot.

Thank you Ray