Create one desktop and multiple users have dedicated access

[gri2321]

I am wanting to create one peristent desktop and give it access to a group of users. My understanding is that when doing this it will automaticaly assign the first user to logon to that group the desktop.

If my thinking is correct, then when user #2 tries to log on, even though user #1 is logged off, then they will get an error stating a desktop is not available.

I am wanting to replace a Business Office computer with a Zero Client and push a desktop image to it. But I will have multiple users logging into the one desktop and due to license agreements with the software, I can only create the one.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

George

[gri2321]

For future reference I have figured this out.

[Danl]

I am looking to do the same thing. Would you please share how you were able to do this?

Thanks

[LeMoyne]

What was your solution, please?

[calladd]

To do this would you not just create a pool that contains only one desktop in it, but has floating user assignment?  Doing this means that only one user at a time can be using the pool, but it does allow multiple users access to the same desktop.

I have a group that wants to share a single VDI, so I did just that, create a pool with one desktop and assigned their whole AD group to it with floating assignement.  They all understand that if user A is in desktop, no one else can be, but they accept that for the convienence of the VDI.

[LeMoyne]

Yes, that's one way, however we have a need (unfortunately) to have dedicated desktops with persistent disks to allow for Outlook PST files.  Since some of our PST files are quite large, using Persona or roaming profiles does not provide a good user experience. Our setup would be for workstudy students all sharing a single VDI desktop as a direct replacement of a shared physical desktop.  Until we find a solution, we'll probably stick with a single shared physical machine.

[calladd]

This should be completely possible.  Create a View Pool, have one desktop in the pool with Floating user assignment, but do not set a refresh policy on the pool if you choose Linked-Clone, or just choose a full desktop.  With this setup, the desktop remains a persistant VM that will not get deleted or refreshed, will allow multiple users to sign in to it and will keep their profiles locally on the VM.

Would this not address your needs?

Floating user assignment does not mean that when a user logs off their profile goes away, only by setting the pool to refresh or delete the desktop on logoff would do this,  just do not tell the pool to refresh or delete the VM on logoff.

[LeMoyne]

That might just work!  We'll try to put this through some testing this week or early next.  Thanks for the info.

EDIT: The only possible drawback, is that we lose the ability to refresh/update the OS disk separate from the persistant disk, which is why we were looking at a Dedicated pool.

[calladd]

You do make a good point about the refresh of the OS disk, persona management would be the only way to truely address that, but as you have said, it is not an option for you.  But if you were to go the route of a VDI  Here is how I would setup the pool...

In the 'Add Pool' wizard:

Pool Definition:

     Type: Automated

     UserAssignment: Floating

     vCenter Server: Either choice here should work (I would choose Linked Clone as you can use QuickPrep to customize it)

Settings:

     Pool Identification: Your choices here

     Pool Settings: The key setting on this screen is

                             For Full Machine - 'Delete desktop on logoff' choose 'No'

                             For Linked Clone - 'Delete or refresh desktop on logoff' choose 'Never'

     View Composer Disks: I would also choose not to redirect disposable file

     The rest of the setting are dependant on your environment and preferences.

Let me know how this works!!!!

[LeMoyne]

Thanks, will do.  We're meeting with one of the departments today and will hopefully be able to gather more data.  Stay tuned!

-PHIL

[LeMoyne]

While this is a good technical solution for shared machines within VIEW, it did not pass our use case. The biggest drawback was not being able to apply security updates (such as the recent ones from Java and Flash) on a reliable schedule.  Since our users would be students, we felt being able to protect the rest of the campus was a better place to put our focus. 🙂

A not great, but usable solution is to have a single Dedicated desktop and shared user name within each department for their workstudy students - ala workstudy-finance1, workstudy-finance2, etc.  This minimizes the number of dedicated desktops we need to provision, allows us to perform updates, and enables them to setup the Outlook PST files they use.  It does mean using a shared account, but we'll be putting those shared accounts on a 60 day password change cycle instead of our normal 120 day cycle, to help keep security in check.

Hopefully a future version of View will allow a many (users) to one (dedicated desktop) user assignment model to better mimic the phyisical world.

Thanks for the assistance - appreciate the quick response!

-PHIL