How to automatically connect if only 1 desktop pool

[vf_matt]

Hi there,

My situation is this:

- VMware View 5.1

- Endpoints are Win7 in a workgroup (so no part of domain)

- Endpoint is configured to automatically logon with a local user

- User is presented with an alternate shell that automatically launches the View Client

- User authenticates by entering credentials in the View Client

At this customer a user only is entitled to one desktop pool at a time.

The remote protocol and display size is predefined and a user cannot choose that.

The customer thinks the selection of the desktop pool is "a click too much" and it's pretty useless so I want to get rid off that pool-selection.

I was just doing my VTSP for Desktop and there in the training it states:

"Users can be entitled to multiple desktops. But even if they only have a single desktop, they must still select it and click Connect (unless they have specified automatic connection to the desktop at startup)."

So this leads me to believe it should be possible. But when selecting the autoconnect option it does automatically connect to the correct View-server but it does not automatically select the single desktop (pool) presented to the user.

I know I can start the View Client with parameters like DesktopName and stuff but that's not working; it's not a kiosk; the desktopname can differ per user.

So my question is: is there a way that I can let the View client log on through when a user is presented with only a single Desktop (pool) ?

kind regards

[mittim12 · Accepted solution]

Once you have connected to the desktop there is an auto connect to desktop option available in the shade.   If you enable this it will connect to that pool automatically from that point forward.

You can also use group policy or command line paramters on the View client to accomplish this task.

[vf_matt]

Hi Mittim12, thank you for your reply, and I already marked your answer as correct, a bit to soon I'm afraid...

Because now that I'm thinking of it; I believe the shade-option and also the policy options are options that are set in the user-part on the endpoint; is that correct?

I think I forgot to mention an essential detail in my story; at this customer the endpoints are all loged on automatically by the same local user (let's say VDI) and different users (with different pools and display names) can use the same endpoint and their first and only authentication-point is the View-client.

So now user A logs on endpoint 1 and sets Desktop Pool X as his default.

User B logs on to the same endpoint and then tries to automatically connect to Desktop Pool X; which is not available for that user ?

Also these policy/user settings won't work on zero-clients (which might me be added in the future). The same goes for client-start parameters; this is all client-based. But the client should start with an indepent config because any user can logon to that client and the config is per user; but that can only be established after the user has logged-on to the desktop.

I think what I want is a setting on server-side like "If user is entitled to only 1 desktop pool - logon automatically" so that I don't have any dependency on the endpoint (management), or am I missing something ?

Message was edited by: vf_matt

[MarAndreas]

No, the setting is stored on the connection broker.

In fact, it's also applied when connecting from a zero client - which can be annoying, because zero clients don't have the "switch desktop" option...

Zero clients have the "Auto-Launch If Only One Desktop" configuration option instead.

[vf_matt]

Hi MarAndreas,

Are we talking about the same option?

When I set the DesktopName option using a GPO with the vdm_client.adm on the View Client devices; this is a client/user setting; that won't land on the connection-server.

So what setting exactly is it that lands on the connection-server ?

[MarAndreas]

The "Automatically connect to this desktop" option in the shade.

Once that's set, it persists, no matter what device is used to connect.

[vf_matt]

Hi MarAndreas,

That one was new for me but is almost exactly what I need; I just wish I could make it a default and not bother the user with the fact that he or she has to tick the Autoconnect option. But this will do for now.

Thanks,

Matthijs