vSphere-based - Windows - Creating a Virtual Machine for Cloning

The first step in the process of deploying a pool of cloned desktops is to create a virtual machine in vSphere and install and configure the operating system.

1. Create a Windows Virtual Machine in vSphere
   You can create a Windows virtual machine (VM) in vSphere from scratch or by cloning an existing VM. This page describes creating a VM from scratch.
2. Create a Windows Virtual Machine with Virtualization-Based Security
   You can create a virtual machine in vSphere to use Virtualization-based security (VBS). Using a virtual machine enabled with VBS provides better protection from vulnerabilities within and malicious exploits to the operating system.
3. Install a Guest Windows Operating System
   After you create a virtual machine, you must install a guest Windows operating system.
4. Prepare a Guest Windows Operating System for Remote Desktop Deployment
   You must perform certain tasks to prepare a guest Windows operating system for remote desktop deployment.
5. Optimize Guest Windows Operating System Performance
   You can use the operating system optimization tool to optimize guest Windows operating system performance for remote desktop deployment. While optimization is optional, taking some or all of the steps will improve your performance and VM consolidation significantly, leading to a lower cost-per-desktop.
6. Prepare Windows Server Operating Systems for Desktop Use
   To use a supported Windows Server virtual machine as a single-session virtual desktop (rather than as an RDS host), you must perform certain steps before you install Horizon Agent in the virtual machine. You must also configure Horizon Console to treat Windows Servers as supported operating systems for Horizon 8 desktop use.
7. Install Desktop Experience on Windows Server
   For published desktops and applications, and for virtual desktops that are deployed on single-user virtual machines that run Windows Server, scanner redirection requires that you install the Desktop Experience feature on the RDS hosts and the single-user virtual machines.