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August 24, 2026

Reinstall Omnissa Horizon Connection Server with a Backup Configuration

In certain situations, you might have to reinstall the current version of a Horizon Connection Server instance and restore the existing Omnissa Horizon 8 configuration by importing a backup LDIF file that contains the Horizon LDAP configuration data.

For example, as part of a business continuity and disaster recovery (BC/DR) plan, you might want to have a procedure ready to implement in case a datacenter stops functioning. The first step in such a plan is to ensure that the Horizon LDAP configuration is backed up in another location. A second step is to install Horizon Connection Server in the new location and import the backup configuration, as described in this procedure.

You might use this procedure if your Horizon 8 deployment contains only a single Horizon Connection Server instance, and a problem occurs with that server.

This procedure is not intended for setting up a second datacenter or pod. For expansion, follow the standard Horizon installation and replication process or add the new pod into a Cloud Pod Architecture instance.

You do not have to follow this procedure if you have multiple Horizon Connection Server instances in a replicated group, and a single instance goes down. You can simply reinstall Horizon Connection Server as a replicated instance. During the installation, you provide connection information to another Horizon Connection Server instance, and Horizon 8 restores the Horizon LDAP configuration from the other instance.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that the Horizon LDAP configuration was backed up to an encrypted LDIF file.

  • Familiarize yourself with restoring a Horizon LDAP configuration from an LDIF backup file by using the vdmimport command.

    See "Backing Up and Restoring Horizon 8 Configuration Data" in the Horizon 8 Administration document.

  • Familiarize yourself with the steps for installing a new Horizon Connection Server instance. See Install Horizon Connection Server with a New Configuration.

Procedure

  1. Install Horizon Connection Server with a new configuration.

  2. Decrypt the encrypted LDIF file.

    For example:

    vdmimport -d -p mypassword 
    -f MyEncryptedexport.LDF > MyDecryptedexport.LDF
    
  3. Import the decrypted LDIF file to restore the Horizon LDAP configuration.

    For example:

    vdmimport -f MyDecryptedexport.LDF
    

    Note: At this stage, the Horizon 8 configuration is not yet accessible. Clients cannot access Horizon Connection Server or connect to their desktops.

  4. Uninstall the Horizon Connection Server from the computer by using the Windows Add/Remove Programs utility.

    Do not uninstall the Horizon LDAP configuration, called the AD LDS Instance OmnissaHzeDS instance. You can use the Add/Remove Programs utility to verify that the AD LDS Instance OmnissaHzeDS instance was not removed from the Windows Server computer.

  5. Reinstall Horizon Connection Server.

    At the installer prompt, accept the existing Horizon LDAP.

What to do next

Configure Horizon Connection Server and your Horizon 8 environment as you would after you install a Horizon Connection Server instance with a new configuration.

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