VMware App Volumes Operations

VMware App Volumes 4.0 has been re-engineered completely. The objective of these exercises is to take you through some of the most basic concepts and understand how they relate.

Part 1. In this session we will require a machine for provisioning. We will use our Parent01a image and we will get this ready for Application Capture

  1. On your ControlCenter2 Desktop open your Chrome  Browser and select the  the vSphere Web Client  shortcut on the favourites bar.
  • In the "Your connection is not private" window click on advanced and then proceed to site.
  • Right-click the Not Secure and select Flash to Allow
  • Select Reload under the address bar
  • Enter your User Administrator with the password VMware1! ,
  • Select Login

 

  1. Under Hosts and Clusters in the Inventory select and right-click the W10parent01a, select Snapshots > Take Snapshot
    • In the Name section call the snapshot APPVol provisioning and select OK
  1. Select and right-click the W10parent01a, select Power > Power On
  1. On your browser, open a new tab select the AppVol shortcut on the favourites bar Username is Administrator and password is VMware1! and select Login
  1. To the right of the top menu bar, select CONFIGURATION > Machine Managers
    • In the Machine Managers tab expand vcsa01a.euc-livefire.com and click Edit.
    • Next to vcenter account password enter VMware1!
    • next to ESXI Password: enter VMware1! and select Save
      (note the various check-boxes and the associated features)
  1. Next to Machine Managers tab select Storage and scroll down and select Edit
    • Note best practice for AppVolumes 4.x is not to mix App Volumes 4.x resources with App Volumes 2.x versions. We will therefore create alternative storage locations.
  1. Notice the default locations for AppVolumes 2.x resources. We will create new Default Storage Path locations by writing in the number 4 after appvolumes after each default path. e.g. if the path was appvolumes/packages we will change it to appvolumes4/packages. Change the three Default Storage Path locations for AppVolumes 4.x not App Volumes 2.x and don't change the Templates Path
    • Scroll down to the bottom of the window select Save
    • On the Confirm Storage Settings select Set Defaults
  1. At the top of the window select Upload Templates
  1. In the Upload Templates window select the App Volumes 4.x templates to upload. You will notice they do not have (2.x) in the Type section. There are 4 Templates checkboxes to select.
    • Select Upload
    • On the Confirm Upload Templates window select Upload
  1. Select the License tab under Configuration and select Edit, next to App Volumes License File select the Choose File button
    • Add the following in the address bar \\cs1-pd1.euc-livefire.com\software\licensing\App Volumes 4 License- Exp-April_19_2020
    • Select the App Volumes 4 License- Exp-April_19_2020.key file and select Open
    • On the License Information window select Upload

Part 2.  Creating Application Packages

  1. In the top menu bar, select the INVENTORY tab is selected by default. In the INVENTORY area we have sub-category tabs called Applications, Packages, Programs,  Assignments, Attachments and Writables. There are the terms and functionality that is current with version 4.0 of App Volumes.
    • In the INVENTORY > Applications area, select Create
  1. In the Creat Application window next to Name type Mozilla Firefox, keep all the other settings default and select Create
    • In the Confirm Create Application window select Create
  1. In the Create Package for Mozilla Firefox window, next to Name type Firefox 25
    • Make a mental note of the following Base Package, Storage, Path, Template and Stage
    • Select Create
    • On the Confirm Create Package window select Create
    • In the Packages tab, notice that once the Application has been created, the Package itself has a status of Unpackaged
  1. On Packages select the Package button
  1. In the Package for Firefox25 next to Find Packaging Computer select Search
  1. Select EUC-LIVEFIRE\W10PARENT01A$ radio button and select Package
    • On the Confirm Start Packaging window select Start Packaging
  1. On the Controlcenter2 server Desktop, open the Remote Desktops folder and launch the w10Parent-01a.RDP shortcut
    • you should be automatically logged in as EUC-Livefire\Administrator with the password VMware1!
  1. In the Right - Hand corner notice you have a VMware App Volumes window open. DO NOT click OK until we have finished all installation and configuration
  1. On your Windows 10 Desktop open the software shortcut and browse to \software\Applications\firefox
  • Double-click on Firefox Setup 25.0 and select Run
  • Select `Next > Next > Install > Finish
    • The browser should launch automatically.
  • On the Import Wizard select the radio button next to dont import anything and select Next
  • in the default browser window click NO
  • Close the browser
  1. On the W10Parent-01a machine, On the VMware App Volumes - Packaging in progress window select OK
    • On the Installation complete? window select Yes
    • On the VMware App Volumes - Finalize Package select Finalize
    • On the Restart required window select OK
  1. Open up your W10 Parent-01a.RDP and login as euc-livefire\administrator (this should happen automatically)
    • Notice there is now a Packaging succesful message
    • Select OK
    • Go to your vSphere web client, select your w10parent-01a machine and select Revert to latest Snapshot select Yes
    • Select and right click your W10Parent-01a VM and Power on
  1. Revert back to your App Volumes Admin Console
    • Select Inventory > Packages area and expand Firefox25. Select the Set CURRENT box
    • On the Confirm Set CURRENT window select Set CURRENT box
  1. Go INVENTORY > Applications
    • Expand Mozilla Firefox and select Assign
  1. In the Assign Application: Mozilla Firefox window next Search Active Directory type Marketing and select Search
  1. Take a look at what options are available to you. Notice an Assignment can either be Marker or Package based. Also the stage is New
    • Select the checkbox next to EUC-LIVEFIRE\Marketing
    • Select Assign
    • In the Confirm Assign, select Assign
  1. On your ControlCenter2 Desktop launch your Horizon Client and select and click the CS1-PD1.euc-livefire.com ICON
    • On login window next to User name type user4 and next to Password type VMware1!, select Login
  1. On the Horizon Client select your W10-PD1 desktop entitlement
  1. On the W10 virtual desktop select the Mozilla Firefox shortcut to launch Firefox
    • On the Import Settings and Data window, select the radio button next to Don't import anything and select Next
    • On the Default Browser window select No to close the window

(In a later exercise we will use Dynamic Environment Manager to manage the Application settings)

  1. from your horizon virtual desktop right click the Start button > Run > type cmd.exe
    • In the Command prompt type Hostname . Take note of your assigned virtual machine
  1. Revert back to the vSphere Web Client if necessary login as euc-livefire\administrator with password VMware1! and select the w10Parent01a virtual machine. Select edit settings, notice you now have an AppStack attached to the App Volumes provisioning virtual machine.
  1. In INVENTORY > Applications. Expand Mozilla Firefox and select Create Package
  1. In the Create Package for Mozilla Firefox window  next to Name: type Firefox72 and select Create
    • On the Confirm Create Package window select Create
    • Notice you now have 2 Packages under Mozilla Firefox
  1. in the Packages tab select and expand Firefox72
    • Select Package
  1. In the Package for Firefox72 next to Find Packaging Computer type w10parent01a and select Search
    • In the below search area select the radio button next Available and select Package
    • On the Confirm Start Packaging window select Start Packaging
  1. On the Controlcenter2 server Desktop, open the Remote Desktops folder and launch the w10Parent-01a.RDP shortcut
    • You should be automatically logged in as EUC-Livefire\Administrator with the password VMware1!
  1. In the Right - Hand corner notice you have a VMware App Volumes window open. DO NOT click OK until we have finished all installation and configuration
  1. On your Windows 10 Desktop open the software shortcut and browse to \software\Applications\firefox
  • Double-click on Firefox Setup 72.0.1 and select Run
  • Select `Next > Next > Install > Finish
  • The browser should launch automatically.
  • Close the browser
  1. On the Parent image remove all shortcuts from the Desktop. We will manage this behaviour in DEM
    1. Select the Firefox Icon on the Taskbar and select Unpin from taskbar
    2. Select the shortcut on the Desktop and Delete
  1. Select Start button and launch the Start Menu, select > right click the Mozilla Firefox icon >  More > Open file location
  2. delete the Firefox Shortcut
  3. Empty the Recycle Bin on the Desktop

 

  1. On the W10Parent-01a machine, On the VMware App Volumes - Packaging in progress window select OK
    • On the Installation complete? window select Yes
    • On the VMware App Volumes - Finalize Package select Finalize
    • On the Restart required window select OK
  1. Open up your W10 Parent-01a.RDP and login as euc-livefire\administrator (this should happen automatically)
    • Notice there is now a Packaging successful message
    • Select OK
    • Go to your vSphere web client, select your w10parent-01a machine and select Revert to latest Snapshot select Yes
    • Select and right click your W10Parent-01a VM and Power on
  1. In INVENTORY > Packages expand Firefox 25 and select Unset CURRENT
    • Notice that that the green CURRENT marker is no longer next to Firefox 25
  1. Expand Firefox 72 and select Set CURRENT
    • In Confirm Set CURRENT window select the Set CURRENT box
    • Notice that the CURRENT marker is now next to Firefox72
      • Note! It does appear one can go and select Set CURRENT without having to Unset Current on another Package
  1. On your ControlCenter2 Desktop launch your Horizon Client and select and click the CS1-PD1.euc-livefire.com ICON
    • On login window next to User name type user4 and next to Password type VMware1!, select Login
  1. On the Horizon Client select your W10-PD1 desktop entitlement
  1. On the W10 virtual desktop select the File Explorer folder and browse to c:\Program Files
    • Notice the Mozilla Firefox folder

(In a later exercise we will use Dynamic Environment Manager to manage the Application short-cuts)

  • Disconnect and logoff from your Horizon session

Part 3 Using Dynamic ENVIRONMENT MANAGER to assign to manage applications delivered using App Volumes AppStacks

When we launched Firefox application any settings we would make to the App Volumes Package would be lost. The package itself is a Read Only container.

We will now see how we can manage application settings using Dynamic Environment Manager. We can also manage shortcuts for applications using Dynamic Environment Manager

  1. On your ControlCenter2 server in the windows Start Menu navigate to vmware DEM folder and launch the Management Console shortcut
  1. On the Personalization tab in the menu bar select the Download Config Template File link
  1. In the My VMware Credentials you'll need MYVMware account details, If you dont have your own credential contact your instructor.
  • Next to Account enter your username
  • Next to Password enter your password
  • Select OK
  1. Scroll down until you get to the Mozilla Firefox template,
    • To the right select Browse.. then under General select Applications, select OK
    • Scroll down and select the check box next to Mozilla Firefox
    • Select Save
    • Select Close
  1. Notice you now have a Configuration template for Mozilla Firefox in your Inventory. Notice the Import / Export registry and application folder structure this application uses.
  1. Select the Conditions tab for Mozilla Firefox and select add \ Group Membership
  1. In the Group Membership window select Browse and enter Marketing and select Check Names after entering one at a time, select OK
    • Repeat the same procedure for the HelpDesk; IT Support; next and ensure that between your Conditions we change AND to OR
    • Select Save Config File
  1. Go to the User Environment Tab and select Shortcuts, Select Create in the taskbar
  1. In the Shortcut Window replace and fill in with the following:
  • Name: Firefox Users
  • Shortcut name: Firefox
  • Target: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
  • Start in: C:\
  • Icon path: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
  • Check the checkbox "Skip if shortcut already exists: check
  • Icon index: 0
  • Destination: Check the Desktop checkbox,
  • Programs folder, Type "AppVolumes Applications"
  • Check the checkbox "Skip if shortcut already exists"
  • Check the checkbox "Undo at logoff and refresh during shortcut refresh"
  • Check the checkbox "Run asynchronously"
  1. Select the Conditions Tab, select Add, select Group Membership, in the Group Membership interface select Browse, type Marketing, in the object name to select, select Check Names and select Ok
    • Select Save

Part 4: Testing Dynamic Environment Manager with App Volumes     

  1. Using your Horizon client, Login into your W10-PD1 Pool as user Euc-livefire\user4 with the password VMware1!
  1. Notice you have your custom Firefox shortcut on your Desktop,
    • slect the Start button and select All Programs and notice an AppVolumes Applications folder has been created with a FireFox Users shortcut
  1. Launch the Firefox browser, to the right of the address bar, select the 3 Horizontal Lines menu and select Options.
    • Next to Homepage and new windows select Custom URLs... and in the box below type in a custom site like www.iafrica.com
    • Next to New tabs select Firefox Home (Default)
    • Scroll to the bottom and select Networking , change the Proxy configuration to No Proxy
    • Select OK
    • Select Home
  1. Ensure you logoff from your Horizon desktop  session.

We will be testing the Dynamic Environment Manager to see if the Chrome configuration settings are exported at logoff .

We are using Instant clones in our lab environment.  The instant clone pool has been configured to log off the session immediately. When the session logs off, the virtual desktop is deleted. That way we are guaranteed to get a fresh virtual desktop everytime we login

  • From your ControlCenter2 Desktop, using your Horizon client, login as euc-livefire\User4 with password VMware1!  select the W10-PD1 pool
  1. When you re-login you will notice your Mozilla Firefox settings do not work. We will have an interactive session on Day 3 and we will look at Dynamic Environment Manager Troubleshooting.
    • We will use this as a base example and exercise to troubleshoot later in the course.
    • Having a base understanding of concepts in troubleshooting will ensure you are successful in getting Mozilla Firefox settings to work.

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