I have been spending quite a bit of time in the Lab lately building out a proper Linux VDI infrastructure for Omnissa Horizon — and I have documented every step. Three new guides are now up and published. Here is a quick overview of what is covered.
Omnissa DEM – Ubuntu File Server Setup
The first guide walks through building a domain-joined Ubuntu Samba file server to host the shares that I need for my Omnissa Dynamic Environment Manager configuration: a Read-Only Config share, a Per-User Profile archive share, and a Folder-Redirection share. Rather than spinning up yet another Windows file server, Samba on Ubuntu handles this cleanly and the shares are fully manageable from Windows. Available here: Omnissa DEM – Ubuntu File Server Setup
Omnissa Horizon – Ubuntu NFS Home Directory Server Setup
The second guide covers a dedicated Ubuntu NFS server for home directories for the Ubuntu VDI pool. This is a separate server from the DEM file server — and the guide explains why that separation matters. Samba uses Winbind for AD authentication, SSSD uses its own algorithm, and if you run both on the same machine you end up with UID mismatches that quietly break NFS home directory ownership. The solution is a clean SSSD-only server where all Linux machines in the environment produce identical UIDs for the same AD user. Available here: Ubuntu NFS Home Directory Server Setup for Horizon Linux Desktops
Omnissa Horizon – Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop Instant Clone Template
The third guide documents building the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Desktop golden image for the Horizon instant clone pool. This is the most involved of the three — 12 steps covering everything from OS prep and VMware Tools through Horizon Agent 2506 installation via the easy installer, SSSD adjustment for NFS UID consistency, pam_mount for automatic home directory mounting at login, application installs (Chrome, Nemo, PuTTY, Devolutions RDM), disabling automatic updates (critical for instant clone templates), and cleaning up for the final snapshot. Available here: Omnissa Horizon – Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop Instant Clone Template
Enjoy…
Disclaimer: Every tips/tricks/posting I have published here, is tried and tested in different IT-solutions. It is not guaranteed to work everywhere, but is meant as a tip for other users out there. Remember, Google is your friend and don’t be afraid to steal with pride! Feel free to comment below as needed.