Welcome to my VMware Horizon series. In my initial design, I didn’t intend to have a composer server, but as I had to do some labbing around full clones based on 2016 RD in desktop pools, I needed to set up a composer server. Setting up a composer server isn’t very advanced, but be sure to check out the DB-requirements prior to set up, due to the fact that the installation will fail if we don’t setup a supported MS SQL version. This session I will describe how I did the setup of my composer server. This is based on Horizon View 7.7, as this Horizon View component came after I upgraded my Horizon-Lab to 7.7. I have, after I created this session, upgraded the Composer server to v. 7.8, covered here: VMware Horizon – Upgrade Horizon Composer to v. 7.8
Prior to installing the composer server, we need to review the pre-requisites layed out by VMware here:
I will use my word-template which I filled in during preparations, when doing this task.
I deploy my new virtual machine with the OS of my choice, VMware Horizon 7.7 Composer server can be setup on:
I will be using Microsoft Windows Server 2016 in this Lab.
I customize the hardware accordingly to VMware’s Hardware requirements:
I give the server a meaningful computername, in this Lab it will be view-comp01, and join it to the domain. After reboot, I login in and add an ODBC connection to the VMware Horizon Composer DB I created in my preparations, covered here: VMware Horizon – Setup DB for Composer. I start by pressing “Add…”
I select SQL Server, Finish
I give my ODBC-connection a suitable name, ViewComposer, choose the correct server, Next…
I enter the sql-user and password I defines during preparations of the viewcomposer-database, covered here: VMware Horizon – Setup DB for Composer
I change the default database to my ViewComposer-database
Finish…
I click “Test Data Source”…
Successful, OK
OK
Now that my ODBC-connection is successfully set up, I can proceed with the actual composer server install.
Download Vmware Horizon 7.7.0 Composer Server
Start the “VMware-viewcomposer-7.7.0-11038293.exe ”
Run through the installation as follows:
Next…
Accept the terms, Next..
.Default destination folder is a good a location as any, Next…
I enter the ODBC-settings I defined during the ODBC-setup, Next…
I will use the default SOAP-port, Next…
Install…
Finish…
After the installer finish, I click Yes to restart the server.
When the server has restarted, I log in and check that the Composer service has started, prior to configuring the VMware Horizon Connection server with composer functionality. From the menu I select “Servers”
I choose Edit on my vCenter-server
Under View Composer Server Settings, I click Edit
I select Standalone View Composer Server and enter the server name, credentials and port-number I selected during installation of the composer server
This will prompt av warning due to certificate, I click View Certificate…
I click Accept on the Certificate information pop-up
Next I choose to add my Domain
I fill in the necessary domain-info, OK
Having finished the composer and domain-setup, I click OK
Looking good, job well done, OK…
VMware Horizon planning, deployment etc.
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.
