choose of desktop types for long term use that keep user data?

[niceguy001]

I'm planning to introduce the Horizon virtual desktop environment to a organization and this org plans to adopt desktops for users in a 1:1 mapping(everyone has a specific table).

Besides, the users' data and files have to always exist on their own desktops.

I noticed that the "instant-clone" seemed can't fulfill this need because this type of virtual desktops will be deleted(and re-provisioned) after user accounts are logout.

So according to the demands that mentioned above, the suitable desktop pool must be the "full-cone" or "linked-clone", is that correct(for latest version 7.11)??

regarding to the Horizon License type, the "named user" choice will be better for this demand?

thanks in advance!

[NathanosBlightc]

Re-provisioning of VM/Desktop and Deleting them or not is based on your desktop pool settings. you can keep them all, but I think it's better to choose one of the linked-clone or instant-clone (instant is better I think) and put the user's data in another persistent repository like a file sharing, or something else you can provide inside your network. It's a better option instead of using full-clone just because you need to keep user's data for a long time. The time duration of desktop provisioning in the instant-clone is much less than the full clone.

[niceguy001]

thanks for the answer~

I just created an instant-clone desktop pool (of windows 10) to test, however, i found that if i chose to "disconnect and log off" the desktop then this VM will be shutdown(reprovisioned) and all the data on the table will be cleared.

My desktop pool setting is shown in figure below. is it possible to prevent the desktops from delete-and-reprovision?

[mchadwick19 · Accepted solution]

In instant clone pools - no you cannot control if a desktop gets removed. Every time a session is logged off the VM is refreshed.

However, you can create the persistent-feel of an instant clone by introducing products like VMware DEM, AppVolumes (Writable Volumes), or FSlogix. (Don't do both AppVolumes WV and FSlogix, they perform the same task).

DEM can track application specific settings and make sure that they are persistent across settings. Easy example is the default calculator from simple to scientific or your homepage in Firefox. If DEM is configured to capture those settings, they will persist across sessions. You can also use DEM to configure Microsoft Folder Redirection which will change the "Location" of common user directories to a different location other than C:\Users\<Username>\Desktop. This can also be configured with GPO.

FSlogix/AppVolumes are act like a roaming profile (don't use roaming profiles, please), except they shim a virtual disk (VHDx for FSlogix, VMDK for AppVolumes) into Windows and use a minifilter driver to interrupt file system actions from the local disk over to the virtual disk.

Although I will say if your org requires all-user admin access and local software install ability. Just go full-clones. Period.