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February 19, 2025

Status of vCenter Server Virtual Machines

Virtual machines that are managed by vCenter Server can be in various states of operation and availability. In Horizon Administrator, you can track the status of machines in the right-hand column of the Machines page.

The following table shows the operational state of virtual-machine desktops that are displayed in Horizon Administrator. A desktop can be in only one state at a time.

Status of Virtual Machines That Are Managed by vCenter Server
StatusDescription
ProvisioningThe virtual machine is being provisioned.
CustomizingThe virtual machine in an automated pool is being customized.
DeletingThe virtual machine is marked for deletion. Horizon 7 will delete the virtual machine soon.
Waiting for AgentHorizon Connection Server is waiting to establish communication with View Agent or Horizon Agent on a virtual machine in a manual pool.
Maintenance modeThe virtual machine is in maintenance mode. Users cannot log in or use the virtual machine.
StartupView Agent or Horizon Agent has started on the virtual machine, but other required services such as the display protocol are still starting. For example, View Agent cannot establish an RDP connection with client computers until RDP has finished starting. The agent startup period allows other processes such as protocol services to start up as well.
Agent disabledThis state can occur in two cases. First, in a desktop pool with the Delete or refresh machine on logoff or Delete machine after logoff setting enabled, a desktop session is logged out, but the virtual machine is not yet refreshed or deleted. Second, View Connection Server disables View Agent or Horizon Agent just before sending a request to power off the virtual machine. This state ensures that a new desktop session cannot be started on the virtual machine.
Agent unreachableHorizon Connection Server cannot establish communication with View Agent or Horizon Agent on a virtual machine.
Invalid IPThe subnet mask registry setting is configured on the virtual machine, and no active network adapters have an IP address within the configured range.
Agent needs rebootAn Horizon 7 component was upgraded, and the virtual machine must be restarted to allow View Agent or Horizon Agent to operate with the upgraded component.
Protocol failureA display protocol did not start before the View Agent or Horizon Agent startup period expired. Note: View Administrator can display machines in a Protocol failure state when one protocol failed but other protocols started successfully. For example, the Protocol failure state might be displayed when HTML Access failed but PCoIP and RDP are working. In this case, the machines are available and Horizon Client devices can access them through PCoIP or RDP.
Domain failureThe virtual machine encountered a problem reaching the domain. The domain server was not accessible, or the domain authentication failed.
Already usedIn a desktop pool with the Delete or refresh machine on logoff or Delete machine after logoff setting enabled, there is no session on the virtual machine, but the session was not logged off. This condition might occur if a virtual machine shuts down unexpectedly or the user resets the machine during a session. By default, when a virtual machine is in this state, Horizon 7 prevents any other Horizon Client devices from accessing the desktop.
Configuration errorThe display protocol such as RDP or PCoIP is not enabled.
Provisioning errorAn error occurred during provisioning.
ErrorAn unknown error occurred in the virtual machine.
Unassigned user connectedA user other than the assigned user is logged in to a virtual machine in a dedicated pool. For example, this state can occur if an administrator starts vSphere Client, opens a console on the virtual machine, and logs in.
Unassigned user disconnectedA user other than the assigned user is logged in and disconnected from a virtual machine in a dedicated-assignment pool.
UnknownThe virtual machine is in an unknown state.
ProvisionedThe virtual machine is powered off or suspended.
AvailableThe virtual machine is powered on and ready for a connection. In a dedicated pool, the virtual machine is assigned to a user and will start when the user logs in.
ConnectedThe virtual machine is in a session and has a remote connection to the Horizon Client device.
DisconnectedThe virtual machine is in a session, but it is disconnected from the Horizon Client device.
In progressThe virtual machine is in a transitional state during a maintenance operation.

While a machine is in a particular state, it can be subject to further conditions. Horizon Administrator displays these conditions as suffixes to the machine state. For example, Horizon Administrator might display the Customizing (missing) state.

The following table shows these additional conditions.

Machine Status Conditions
ConditionDescription
MissingThe virtual machine is missing in vCenter Server. Typically, the virtual machine was deleted in vCenter Server, but the Horizon LDAP configuration still has a record of the machine.
Task haltedAn instant clone task such as push image or a View Composer operation such as refresh, recompose, or rebalance was stopped. The Task halted condition applies to all virtual machines that were selected for the operation, but on which the operation has not yet started. Virtual machines in the pool that are not selected for the operation are not placed in the Task halted condition.

A machine state can be subject to both conditions, (missing, task halted), if a View Composer task was stopped and the virtual machine is missing in vCenter Server.

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