Rock'n'roll replica composer

[cdl_0007]

hi all,

ESX 3.5 U4 + VC 2.5 U4 + View 3.1

Deploying automated persistent Desktop pool with linked clone enabled create as many replica as vm in VC.

Checking vmx, every VDI pointing to a different replica, even if i'm having one parnet VM , one single datastore.

See Screenshots

Christophe

[mjsvirt]

Do you have multiple pools?

That is what the screen shot indicates with the amount of replica/source entities you have..

[cdl_0007]

only one pool

[mjsvirt]

You may want to try removing the pool and make sure that it removes replica/source entities in vcenter.

If it does not, you may have orphaned entities in vcenter.

This may help -

[cdl_0007]

yep if i delete Pool, desktop sources, Pool, replica, source are deleted.

[cdl_0007]

I try to delete and re import VC + Composer in the console manager with same issue ...someone would have an idea ?

[mjsvirt]

try stopping composer service and then remove the entities

[MDK73]

I have similar issues here. I'm experimenting with a linked clone pool with non persistent desktops.

The master VM is a XP SP3 installation on a 15 Gb drive with 1 GB memory. When the VM's are created in the pool, for each of the VM's 3 folders are created in the datastore.

The first one created is the replica folder with a 5 Gb vmdk file. Subsequently a source folder is created with a vmdk file of only 64Kb using part of the same name of the replica. At last a folder is created with the name of the VM, containing a vmdk file of 1,5 Gb and a vswp file of 1 GB.

I am not sure this is the way the VM's should be provisioned. I was in the assumption that only one replica should be created per pool. Can someone confim this behaviour or tell me what I am doing wrong?

[lbourque]

That is the way it is to be created. Here's how it works:

1. You create a VM that is your "Master Image".

2. You power it off and take a snapshot (consistent state)

3. You fire up composer and it copies the master (replica) and tests to see if it can do a quick prep (e.g., add to domain/OU, change computername, associate a UDD if need be). That's folders/VMs 1 and 2. The replica is a protected entity and the SRC is the "first VM". You can, once these are created, do whatever you want to the "master image" (delete, update, use)

4. Composer will then start provisioning VMs. If you have multiple datastores, a replica/src combo will be created on each datastore that is used.

Let me know if this clarifies.

Want make a difference in the future of VMware Products? Feature request your ideas ( )!

[admin]

hi all,

ESX 3.5 U4 + VC 2.5 U4 + View 3.1

Deploying automated persistent Desktop pool with linked clone enabled create as many replica as vm in VC.

Checking vmx, every VDI pointing to a different replica, even if i'm having one parnet VM , one single datastore.

See Screenshots

Christophe

It seems from your post you're saying that you have a linked clone for each VM. There is a known issue where this will happen when you have an iso image attached to the base image before provisioning. Check your base image, make sure you have no iso images connected or referenced in the base then try again. It's possible I could have misunderstood your question. So let me know if that helps.

[MDK73]

Thanks VMbjkelley! Setting the CD/DVD Drive to Client Device solved the problem! Just one Linked Clone is created for the pool, the way I was expecting it to work!

Strange though, the CD/DVD drive was not connected, I just left it selected on the Datastore Iso file option.

[admin]

Also for completeness here is the KB article: