These steps are part of the alternative manual method for importing a VM for use as a golden image in a pod in Microsoft Azure. Manually building a virtual machine (VM) that conforms to the environment's requirements for importing into Horizon Cloud is a multi-step process. You perform most of these steps in the Microsoft Azure portal. You first create and configure a base VM, then install agent-related software components into that base VM, and then configure specific properties for those agent-related components.
Use these steps only if you do not want to use the automated wizard and instead want to manually build the VM using the Microsoft Azure portal or if you have already manually built a VM using the Microsoft Azure portal and you want to use that VM as the basis of a golden image in Horizon Cloud. The recommended automated way to build a golden image for a pod in Microsoft Azure is to use the wizard. For details about using the automated wizard, see Create a Base Virtual Machine Automatically from the Microsoft Azure Marketplace and Pair it with Horizon Cloud on a Per-Pod Basis.
Important: If you have a VM in Microsoft Azure that you want to import into Horizon Cloud for a golden image, you must ensure it conforms to the same criteria as when a VM is built and imported using the manual steps documented in Create the Virtual Machine Manually in Your Pod in Microsoft Azure. If the VM does not conform to the same criteria, Horizon Cloud cannot consume it to display in its console and use in the Convert to Image workflow. The following criteria are critical:
- Before installing the agent-related software, the base VM must have the Storage - Use managed disk setting set to Yes. If the base VM does not adhere to this setting, Horizon Cloud cannot consume this VM.
- The base VM must be in the same Microsoft Azure location as the pod where you want to use that base VM.
- The base VM must be put into a specific resource group in your Microsoft Azure subscription. This resource group is one that belongs to the pod where you plan to use that base VM. The resource group's name contains the string
hcs-podID-base-vms, where podID is the pod's UUID identifier. - The base VM must be connected to the same virtual network to which the pod is connected.
- The base VM must be connected to the pod's VM subnet (also known as the desktop or tenant subnet).
- The base VM must use an operating system currently supported for use in this Horizon Cloud release. Links to knowledge base articles about the supported operating systems can be found in the documentation topic Horizon Cloud — Environments, Operating Systems, and Compatibility.
- Do not configure the base VM to use IPv6 IP addresses. Horizon Cloud will report an IP abnormal alert in the Desktop Health tab for VMs that are based on a VM that uses IPv6 IP addresses.
To verify your base VM meets that criteria before you start to configure it further, log in to Horizon Cloud, navigate to the Inventory VMs page, and verify your base VM is listed on that page. If it is listed, then that base VM meets the above criteria and you can safely proceed with the remaining configuration steps starting with the topics listed in Prepare the Manually Created VM Prior to Installing the Agents.
Creating Desktop Images and Your Horizon Cloud Pods in Microsoft AzureBefore you can start delivering desktops or RDS-based remote applications to your end users from your deployed pod, you must create at least one assignable desktop image. Creating this assignable image is a multi-step process: a base virtual machine (VM) must be created and paired with Horizon Cloud, then customized according to your organization's needs, and then converted into an assignable desktop image. Create the Virtual Machine Manually in Your Pod in Microsoft AzureIn the Microsoft Azure portal, you create a virtual machine (VM) with the Windows guest operating system that you want to use for the VDI client-based desktops, RDS-based session desktops, or RDS-based remote applications. You create this VM using the same subscription that you used for the Horizon Cloud pod. Prepare the Manually Created VM Prior to Installing the Agents When manually building and importing a virtual machine (VM) for your pod in Microsoft Azure, you must perform several additional tasks to further prepare the base VM before installing the agent-related software components. You perform these steps using the Microsoft Azure portal and connecting into the new VM. Install the Agent-Related Software Components in the Manually Created Virtual Machine and Pair it with Horizon CloudThis documentation page describes the steps to manually install the agent-related components that are required and appropriate for Horizon Cloud and pair the VM with the cloud plane. In the base virtual machine's Windows operating system, you run the Horizon Agents Installer. After rebooting the VM, you pair the VM with the cloud plane using the Horizon Cloud administrative console.Deprecated - For Pods at Manifests Lower Than 1600, Install the Agent-Related Software Components in the Base Virtual MachineThis documentation page about installing the agent-related software for pods with manifests lower than 1600 is no longer relevant. Such deployments have reached end of general support.
- Create the Virtual Machine Manually in Your Pod in Microsoft Azure
In the Microsoft Azure portal, you create a virtual machine (VM) with the Windows guest operating system that you want to use for the VDI client-based desktops, RDS-based session desktops, or RDS-based remote applications. You create this VM using the same subscription that you used for the Horizon Cloud pod. - Prepare the Manually Created VM Prior to Installing the Agents
When manually building and importing a virtual machine (VM) for your pod in Microsoft Azure, you must perform several additional tasks to further prepare the base VM before installing the agent-related software components. You perform these steps using the Microsoft Azure portal and connecting into the new VM. - Install the Agent-Related Software Components in the Manually Created Virtual Machine and Pair it with Horizon Cloud
This documentation page describes the steps to manually install the agent-related components that are required and appropriate for Horizon Cloud and pair the VM with the cloud plane. In the base virtual machine's Windows operating system, you run the Horizon Agents Installer. After rebooting the VM, you pair the VM with the cloud plane using the Horizon Cloud administrative console. - Deprecated - For Pods at Manifests Lower Than 1600, Install the Agent-Related Software Components in the Base Virtual Machine
This documentation page about installing the agent-related software for pods with manifests lower than 1600 is no longer relevant. Such deployments have reached end of general support.
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