Overview
This five-day course equips participants with the hands-on skills to deploy and manage VMware Horizon environments, enabling virtual desktops and applications delivery through a single virtual desktop infrastructure platform. The course covers configuration, optimization, security, scalability, and monitoring of VMware Horizon components and associated technologies.
Prerequisites
Participants should have:
- Proficiency with VMware vSphere® administration, including virtual machine creation, customization, and deployment.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Windows system administration, including Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy Objects, and Remote Desktop Connections.
Target audience
This course is designed for:
- Tier 1 operators, administrators, and architects for VMware Horizon.
Delegates will learn how to
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Configure and deploy VMware Horizon components, including Horizon Connection Server, Unified Access Gateway, and Cloud Pod Architecture.
- Create and manage Windows and Linux virtual desktops.
- Configure desktop and application pools, including instant clones and Remote Desktop Services (RDS).
- Monitor and optimize Horizon environments for performance and security.
- Integrate VMware Horizon with Workspace ONE Access for identity and access management.
Outline
Module one: Course introduction
- Overview of course logistics and objectives.
Module two: Introduction to VMware Horizon
- Features and benefits of VMware Horizon.
- Conceptual and logical architecture of Horizon environments.
Module three: Introduction to use case
- Translating customer requirements into Horizon use-case attributes.
- Defining use cases for virtual desktop and application infrastructure.
Module four: vSphere for VMware Horizon
- Basics of virtualization and vSphere management.
- Using VMware vSphere® Client™ for accessing vCenter and ESXi hosts.
- Creating Windows virtual machines for Horizon environments.
Module five: Create Windows desktops
- Installing and configuring Horizon Agent on Windows virtual machines.
- Optimizing Windows desktops for performance in Horizon environments.
Module six: Create Linux desktops
- Creating and preparing Linux VMs for Horizon.
- Installing Horizon Agent on Linux virtual machines.
Module seven: Creating and managing desktop pools
- Setting up templates for desktop pool deployment.
- Adding desktops to Horizon Connection Server inventory.
- Configuring user entitlement and hierarchical policies.
- Comparing dedicated-assignment and floating-assignment pools.
Module eight: VMware Horizon client options
- Features and benefits of Horizon clients.
- Connecting to Horizon desktops using HTML clients.
- Configuring integrated printing, USB redirection, and session collaboration.
Module nine: Creating and managing instant-clone desktop pools
- Benefits and technology of instant clones.
- Setting up automated pools with instant clones.
- Updating instant clone desktop pools.
Module ten: Creating RDS desktop and application pools
- Differences between RDS desktop and automated pools.
- Configuring RDS session host farms, load balancing, and application pools.
- Accessing RDS desktops and applications through Horizon Client.
Module eleven: Monitoring VMware Horizon
- Using Horizon Administrator Console Dashboard and Help Desk Tool.
- Monitoring remote desktop performance with Horizon Performance Tracker.
Module twelve: Horizon Connection Server
- Overview of Horizon Connection Server architecture and requirements.
- Installing and configuring Horizon Connection Server and event database.
- Understanding the role of the AD LDS database in Horizon.
Module thirteen: Horizon protocols
- Comparing remote display protocols, including BLAST and PCoIP.
- Configuring BLAST Codec options for different use cases.
- Applying GPO configurations for display protocols.
Module fourteen: Graphics in Horizon
- Options for 3D rendering in Horizon environments.
- Configuring vSGA and vDGA for graphics cards.
Module fifteen: Securing connections: network
- Comparing tunnels and direct connections for client access.
- Configuring Unified Access Gateway and its firewall rules.
- Setting up TLS certificates for secure connections.
Module sixteen: Securing connections: authentication
- Authentication options in Horizon Connection Server.
- Implementing restricted entitlements and smart card authentication.
- Configuring permissions, roles, and privileges in Horizon environments.
Module seventeen: Horizon scalability
- Purpose and configuration of replica connection servers.
- Synchronization and scalability in Horizon Cloud Pod Architecture.
- Configuring load balancers for Horizon environments.
Module eighteen: Horizon Cloud and Universal Broker
- Features and benefits of Horizon Cloud Service.
- Connecting to Horizon Cloud with Universal Broker.
- Pairing Horizon Cloud Connector with Horizon Connection Server.
Module nineteen: Workspace ONE Access and virtual application management
- Features and integration benefits of Workspace ONE Access.
- Configuring True SSO and Workspace ONE Access directory integration.
- Deploying virtual applications through Workspace ONE services.
Exams
This course does not include an exam but prepares participants for advanced VMware Horizon certifications. An exam voucher is available separately.
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