Using VMWare View Desktops without the View-AD on client

[mrjohndoe]

Hello,

we testing VMWare View for our educational network. As our network is very clustered and our departments using a wide variaty of logon systems we need to find a way to use VMWare View Windows Desktops without automatic AD-integration or declaring not to use them as standard login system.

So the client can be member of our management domain (which manages the users which use the VMWare View) but after logging in the View-Client and selecting the desktop there should be a client specific login screen (p.E. local Windows log in, Novell Client). Is there a way to do this?

I couldn't find an option for using local login.

We also have the problem that there is a faculty using its own active directory. So we plan to distribute the virtual clients in our net but after using a dummy user for log in in the view environment the client should use the other active directory. Is there a easy way to do this?

Thanks a lot for your hints.

Tobias

[mpryor]

If you do not want SSO to the actual desktops, then you need to disable the AllowSingleSignon policy - see http://pubs.vmware.com/view-51/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.vmware.view.security.doc%2FGUID-0B43BEE4-82FC-.... You'd then need to set up each pool of VMs so that it has the required authentication screen configured. Sounds like you also have various thirdparty GINAs or credential providers - please do check with the software vendors that you have versions that are compatible with View.

[mrjohndoe]

Thank you.

That works for me. Now I have the next problem. I tried to use my local account (user test pw test). The Agent should log in by it self. This autologin works fine when I use physical clients but here it seems not working...

[Linjo]

Not sure if I understand, is the local account on the client or the vDesktop?

What is "The Agent" in this case? Is it the View Agent?

Since you have now disabled the SSO you need to login to Windows in the vDesktop manually, is that not what you where asking for in the initial post?

// Linjo

[mrjohndoe]

We have configured a local user (test) on the vmware view desktop (means the master machine which would be cloned to the view desktops).

And after connecting to this machine with the view client this local user should be automaticly logged in.

Means:

1. User starts View Client

2. Logs in at the View Client with Actice Directory User and Password

3. Sees the virtual desktop and starts it

4. The User than sees his virtual machine where he is logged in as user test

I have tried to set the registrykeys for autologin, but you have to give a domain name there what can also be the hostname of the local machine. But after deploying a view classroom vmware view changes the hostname (what is absolut logical) and so the registry key has the false domainname and fails the login.

Maybe there is a way to execute a script after deployment of the view desktops?

Greetings

[mpryor]

I don't think you'll be able to do this without some custom software - even if you successfully configure autologon then this will happen when the VM first starts up. The login will not be associated with a specific broker session, as it's not being triggered by a connection event, and therefore the VM will be seen as in use by a non-matching user. When you asked about disabling SSO using domain credentials, I assumed you were then planning on the users authenticating when they connect to the desktop.