Profiling with mRemoteNG

Overview

In this module, we will continue look at example related to individual Application Settings in VMware Dynamic Environment Manager.

Applications can have pre-defined settings, but you will encounter scenarios where it makes sense to allow users to customize their applications after receiving some initial Application Configuration setting.

The examples we will use here will further help us to understand the challenges we might be faced with with individual applications

We will start off by

  • Deploying the RemoteNG  Application on our Horizon Desktop
  • Profiling the Application
  • Testing to see if the Profiling works
  • Update the existing profile to get it to work
  • Re-test the application

PART 1: Profiling mRemoteNG

mRemoteNG is a remote desktop utility that can be used by IT administrators. We will build a custom configuration using DEM Application Profiler

  1. On your ControlCenter server.
    • In your Chrome Browser, select the vSphere client tab
    • In the Hosts & Clusters inventory select DEMProfiler and right-click
      • Select Snapshots > Revert to Latest Snapshot
      • In the Revert to Snapshot window, select YES

The .Netframework 3.0 is a pre-req for mRemoteNG. The DEM Application Profiler machine needs to be clean for every application install. We are therefore required to do this individually. On the Master images for your Desktops, .NET Framework has already been pre-installed.

  1. On the ControlCenter server desktop
    • Open your RemoteDesktops folder and select DEMProfiler.RDP shortcut
  • On the DEMProfiler desktop, select the Software folder
    • Select and double-click dotnetfx35.exe,
      • Select Run > Download and install this feature >  When complete select Close
  • In the Software folder,  select and double-click the mRemoteNG-Installer-1.72.exe application
    • Select Run > OK > I Agree > Install > Next > Finish
  1. On the DEMProfiler desktop
    • Select the Application Profiler shortcut from the Desktop
    • Click on Start Session.
    • Start a new Analysis by expanding "Programs" folder,
      • Then "mRemoteNG"
      • Select the "mRemoteNG" application.
      • Select OK
  1. On the DEMProfiler desktop
    • After selecting OK you might have to wait up to 30 seconds before the mRemoteNG launches
  • Since this is the first time opening mRemoteNG, choose “Customize the settings now".
  1. In MRemoteNG Options window
    • Uncheck the "Check for updates and announcement at startup" checkbox.
  1. In MRemoteNG Options window
    • Select Tabs & Panels  
      • Check the "Always show panel tabs" and "Show protocols on tab names".
    • Select  Appearance
      • In the Appearance section select checkboxes for
        • Show description tooltips in connection tree
        • Show full connections file path in window title
    • Close the Options window by clicking OK
    • Close mRemoteNG.
  1. On the Profiling finished window
    • Select Ok
  1. On the DEMProfiler application
    • Select Save
    • Click on Save Config File with Predefined Settings
  1. On the DEMProfiler  application Save As window
    • Leave the default chosen directory.
    • Next to File name enter "mRemoteNG"
    • Select Save,
    • Select OK to close Predefined Settings
  1. Using the vSphere Web client,
    • Select the DEMProfiler virtual machine,
    • Right click the virtual machine
    • Select Snapshots > Revert to Latest Snapshot, when prompted, select YES

PART 2: Application Assignment based on Group Membership

  1. On the ControlCenter server
    • From the taskbar, launch the  Dynamic Environment Manager Console
    • Under General, select Applications,
    • Select Refresh Tree
    • Expand Applications
    • Select mRemoteNG
  1. In the Dynamic Environment Manager Console
    • After selecting MRemoteNG, select the Predefined Settings tab.
    • Under Predefined Settings select Default Settings and select Edit
  1. In the Dynamic Environment Manager Console
    • Next to Name type “mRemoteNG for Marketing
    • Next to Type: select Fully Enforced Settings
    • Select the Conditions tab, select Add, select Group Membership and assign to Marketing
    • Select Save to close the Edit Predefined Settings window
    • Select Save Config File
  1. On your ControlCenter server desktop
    • On the Chrome browser, open a new tab,  in the favourites bar, select the Horizon shortcut
    • Login as Administrator and the password is VMware1!
  1. In the Horizon Admin Console
    • Expand Inventory area,  
    • Select Desktops
    • Under Desktop Pools, double-click W10INST
  1. In the Horizon Admin Console
    • From the Summary tab
      • Scroll down until you identify the following:
        • Pending Image : None
        • Snapshot mRemoteNG
        • State : Published

Validate that these configurations are in place. If the update failed you will have to go back and restart the maintenance process. You cannot proceed to PART 4 until this process is complete.

In Summary:

  • We have deployed mRemoteNG in Horizon.
  • We are now going to test the Application Configuration we created in Application Profiler.
    • It is very likely the test will fail.
  • We will then go and see what we need to do to edit the Configuration to ensure Application settings are captured.
  • We will then re-test the application.

PART 3: Testing application Conditions

  1. From your ControlCenter server desktop,
    • Select the VMware Horizon Client
  1. In the Horizon Client Console
    • Select your Horizon.euc-livefire.com entitlement and login with the following user credentials  
      • Username: Your Custom Test User
      • Password: VMware1!
    • Select Login
    • Select your W10INST entitlement
  1. On your Windows 10 vDI  session
    • Select your START menu
    • Launch your mRemoteNG application
      • Notice your application settings have not been saved
        • If we select Customize the Settings Now,
        • In the Options window select Updates.
          • Notice the Check for updates and announcements at startup checkbox is still enabled
          • It therefore means something did not work with DEM Application Profiler tool
          • We will therefore go and see what the issue is.
    • Disconnect and Logoff from the Windows 10 instant-clone desktop

Lesson learned here is not all applications work with DEM Application Profiler.

This particular application saves its configuration in a non-standard path which Application Profiler does not see.

You might find similar applications in the field. We will now go and rectify this issue

  1. From your ControlCenter Desktop.
    • From the RemoteDesktops folder.
    • Launch the DEMProfiler.RDP shortcut,
      • login with the password VMware1!
  • On the DEMProfiler desktop,
    • Select the Software shortcut and install the dotnetfx35.exe and RemoteNG from the Applications folder.
    • From the DEMProfiler  desktop, launch the Application Profiler shortcut
    • Click on Start Session.
      • Start a new Analysis by expanding "Programs" folder,
      • Then "mRemoteNG"
      • Select the "mRemoteNG" application.
      • Select OK.
    • After selecting OK , you might have to wait a few moments before the mRemoteNG launches
  1. Since this is the first time opening mRemoteNG,
    • Choose “Customize the settings now".
    • The first section we will configure is the Updates section.
    • Uncheck the "Check for updates and announcement at startup" checkbox.
  1. Second, let's change some configuration in the Tabs & Panels section.
    • Check the "Always show panel tabs" and "Show protocols on tab names".
    • Close the Options window by clicking OK
    • Close mRemoteNG. Application Profiler will re-open.
    • Click OK to close the Profiling Finished window
  1. Go to Settings tab
    • Select the Support HKLM check box
    • Select the Show Unsupported File Access check box
  1. Scroll down and find Under [IncludeFolderTrees],
    • Type in the following line <LocalAppData>\mRemoteNG
  1. In the Application Profiler console
    • Select the Program Analysis Tab
      • Select Save
      • Select Save Config File with Predefined Settings,
    • Select the existing mRemoteNG file >
      • When prompted to Replace, select Yes ,
      • Select Save
    • Click OK when to complete the capture process
  1. On your ControlCenter desktop,
    • Switch back to the VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Console
    • Select the mRemoteNG application configuration,
      • Select the Predefined Settings tab,
      • Select   mRemoteNG for Marketing
      • Select Edit
    • In the Edit Predifined Setting mRemoteNG for Marketing select Update...
    • Browse to C:\UEMConfig\General\Applications
    • Select mRemoteNG.zip and select Open
    • Select Save
    • On top of the DEM console select Save Config File

PART 4: Re-Testing Application Configuration

  • On your ControlCenter desktop,
    • Re-launch your Horizon Client shortcut
    • Login as Your Custom User with the password VMware1!
    • Launch You will now notice that when mRemoteNG launches it retains all Defined Settings, the user is not prompted to do customization like they had done previously.
      • Go to Options > Updates. Note that the Checkbox to Check for Updates remains unchecked.
    • On the mRemoteNG application,
      • Select Tools > Options, on the Startup/Exit,
      • Select all check boxes
      • Select Ok and close mRemoteNG
    • Relaunch mRemoteNG and notice that all configurations are lost, this because we have Fully Enforced in the Pre-defined Settings
    • When you are complete Logoff from your desktop.

This concludes this exercise

About the Author: Reinhart Nel

https://www.livefire.solutions/meet-the-team/reinhartnel/

Any questions related to this session, email Reinhart at RACE-Livefire-EUC <[email protected]>

back up notes

  1. On the W10Parent01a desktop
    • Double-click mRemoteNG-Installer-1.72.exe to install    
    • Select Run    
    • On the Installer Language window, select OK
    • On the licensing window select I Agree
    • Select Install
    • On the Completed window, select Next,
    • On the Completing the mRemoteNG 1.72 Setup select the Run mRemoteNG checkbox
    • Select Finish
    • Close  the Automatic update settings window by selecting  Ask me again later
  1. On your w10Parent01a machine
    • Close the application
    • Close all windows
    • Shutdown your w10Parent01a virtual machine
  1. On your ControlCenter server desktop
    • Revert to your vCenter server session in your Chrome browser
    • Select the W10Parent01a virtual machine
    • Select Snapshots > Take Snapshot
    • Next to Name type mRemoteNG and select OK

0 Comments

Add your comment

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.