Release date: August 9th 2019
Welcome to my VMware Horizon series. With VMware Horizon v. 7.9, we now have the ability to set up Application Pools based on Windows 10 Desktop pools. A very nice new feature, but does this means we no longer need RDSH, NO. This feature is not a multi-session alternative, as of yet. There is a 1-1 mapping for the users and desktops. If a user starts an application from a Windows 10 based application pool, this user will also consume this desktop-session, even if the user is not connected to the virtual desktop. On the other hand, problems with applications not compatible with RDSH operating system, driver issues and so forth, are gone. If the application works on Windows 10, we can publish it. We can also publish Windows 10 UWP applications to the Horizon Client.
In order to allow application-pool creation from a Windows 10 based desktop pool, we first have to enable this functionality in «newadmin» on an existing Desktop Pool. I select an existing desktop pool, Edit…
I change the session type to «Desktop & Application», OK…
I can now create an application pool from this desktop pool. I select «Add from Installed Applications»
I select a Desktop Pool and an application, in this case «Paint», Next…
Submit…
I choose to entitle this Application Pool to my ViewUsers-group, OK…
My new Application Pool, Paint, is now available.
Next, I will associate an Application Icon, this I have already downloaded as a png-file.
The icon-change is immediate in Horizon Administrator. When I test with Horizon Client, the new Application Pool is available with the specified icon.
In order to differentiate this application pool for the users, I will rename shortcut to «Paint Windows 10». I select “Paint” and click “Edit”
So far, everything looks excellent. But, would it be possible to use this same approach to publish an AppStack to the users’ Horizon Client? In theory, I can assign the AppStack to the Organizational Unit the desktops are placed in, and create application pools based on the attached AppStack. Is it supported, don’t know, but will test this here.
The first thing I do is assign an AppStack to the OU where my instant clones’ computer accounts are created. In this exercise I will assign the AppStack I created during my App Volumes sessions, InternetBrowsers, to my VDI OU. This appstack consist of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox
In App Volumes Manager, I select the AppStack and click “Assign”…
I search and select my OU, Assign…
The running desktops will have to be restarted in order to get the appstack attached.
Once the desktops are up and running again, I should now be able to create new application pools using the attached appstack, “Add from Installed Applications”…
With the AppStack now attached, I can now select Firefox and Google Chrome from the list of “installed Applications”, Next…
I rename the shortcuts, as I did with Paint above, Submit…
I entitle my users, OK…
Next, I associate icons to the application pools
Finally I test the applications from the Horizon Client, works great!
This concludes this session about Windows 10 based application pools. With the new functionality in Horizon 7.9, publishing applications from Windows 10 based desktop pools are a new and very handy functionality. I wonder, when and if, the Windows 10 multi user platform is released for on prem usage in VDI environments, not only Azure, if that will make the need for RDSH obsolete all together?
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.
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