VMware Horizon Mirage 4.0 Reviewer s Guide REVIEWER S GUIDE

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1 VMware Horizon Mirage 4.0 Reviewer s Guide REVIEWER S GUIDE

2 Table of Contents Introduction Audience Objectives: What You Will Learn Navigating This Document for Key Horizon Mirage Use Cases What Is VMware Horizon Mirage? Backups of User Desktops... 6 Layered Desktop Images Horizon Mirage and the VMware End-User Computing Vision... 8 Key Features of Horizon Mirage VMware Horizon Mirage Packages and Licensing Architecture and Components How Horizon Mirage Works Horizon Mirage Architecture Storage Setup Network Setup Security Setup Server Clustering and Scalability Horizon Mirage Components and Component Terminology Mirage Server Mirage Management Server Mirage Management Console Database for Horizon Mirage File Portal Driver Library Mirage Client Branch Reflector Other Important Horizon Mirage Terminology CVD Snapshot Reference Machine Horizon Mirage Feature Details Centralized Desktop Backup Recovery of User Endpoints Operating-System Migration, Especially Windows XP to Windows Hardware-Refresh Migration Layered Desktop Images REVIEWER S GUIDE / 2

3 Application Layering Branch-Office Desktop Management Reduced Help Desk Burden for Desktop Management Horizon Mirage Installation and Configuration Checklist Horizon Mirage Operating System and Software Requirements Upgrading from Prior Versions of Horizon Mirage Overview of Installation and Configuration More Detail on Horizon Mirage Installation and Configuration Hands-On Evaluation Exercises for Horizon Mirage Preparing the Reference Machine and Endpoint Creating Your Test Virtual Machines Creating a Reference Machine Installing the Mirage Client on the Test Machines Taking Virtual Machine Snapshots of the Test Machines Centralizing (Backing Up) the Reference Machine Centralizing the Windows XP Endpoint Migrating a Desktop from Windows XP to Windows Details of the Migration-to-Windows-7 Process Stages of Migration to Windows Preparing Your Migration Environment Capturing the Windows 7 Migration Base Layer Downloading and Applying the Migration Base Layer to the Endpoint Taking a Virtual Machine Snapshot of the Endpoint Troubleshooting Migration to Windows Using Horizon Mirage to Work with Base and Application Layers Capturing a Base Layer from the Reference Machine Assigning a Base Layer to an Endpoint Creating an Application Layer on the Reference Machine Environment Preparation for Application Layer Capture Prescanning Installing Applications Postscanning and Application Layer Creation Assigning an Application Layer to an Endpoint Using Horizon Mirage for Desktop Recovery Additional Resources About the Author and Contributors REVIEWER S GUIDE / 3

4 The VMware Horizon Suite 1.0 is designed for today s mobile workforce. Users want to access business assets from anywhere, anytime, and from any device. IT needs to keep assets secure. With the Horizon Suite, IT has control, and users have choice. The Horizon Suite includes VMware Horizon Workspace, VMware Horizon View, and VMware Horizon Mirage. Horizon Workspace provides secure, single sign-on to applications, data, and virtual desktops from any mobile device or computer. Horizon View provides users with remote access to secure virtual desktops stored in the datacenter. End users can access their Horizon View desktops through Horizon Workspace. Horizon Mirage centrally manages desktop images of physical computers at the same time as it provides end users with local execution power and user personalization of the desktop. Users on Mirage-managed desktops can access their business assets through Horizon Workspace. Figure 1: VMware Horizon Suite Simplified Architecture This Reviewer s Guide focuses on VMware Horizon Mirage. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 4

5 Introduction Welcome to the VMware Horizon Mirage 4.0 Reviewer s Guide. Although Mirage is now on version 4.0, this is the first Reviewer s Guide for the product. VMware acquired Wanova in 2012 and promptly integrated the Mirage product into the VMware End-User Computing suite to fill the gap of customizing and backing up physical computers. Horizon Mirage is now an integral part of the VMware Horizon Suite of enterprise desktop products. This reviewer s guide enables you to evaluate Horizon Mirage. Audience The Horizon Mirage Reviewer s Guide is intended for prospective IT administrators of VMware Horizon Mirage, as well as media reviewers of the product. If you have used Horizon Mirage before, you may wish to skip to these essential sections: Upgrading from Prior Versions of Horizon Mirage Using Horizon Mirage to Work with Base and Application Layers Objectives: What You Will Learn The Horizon Mirage Reviewer s Guide introduces you to Horizon Mirage and its features and gives you hands-on exercises to evaluate the product. Following is the overall organization of the Reviewer s Guide: What is VMware Horizon Mirage? Key features of Horizon Mirage Horizon Mirage packaging and licensing Horizon Mirage components and architecture Horizon Mirage installation and configuration Hands-on evaluation exercises Navigating This Document for Key Horizon Mirage Use Cases You can navigate directly to descriptions of key Horizon Mirage use cases and then to the hands-on exercises: Backing up a desktop with Horizon Mirage Operating system migration: Using Horizon Mirage to migrate a desktop from Windows XP to Windows 7 Using Horizon Mirage for desktop recovery Using Horizon Mirage to work with base and application layers Note: The term desktop is used in this Reviewer s Guide to mean a desktop or laptop computer. What Is VMware Horizon Mirage? Horizon Mirage helps IT to manage a mobile and individualistic workforce by standardizing key layers of the desktop, preserving user customizations, and providing a pathway for users to disconnect from the network at will. If a user endpoint becomes corrupted or damaged, Horizon Mirage has options to restore all or part of the desktop. In addition, IT can confidently migrate user endpoints from Windows XP to Windows 7 with the Horizon Mirage migration wizard. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 5

6 VMware Horizon Mirage provides centralized control and management of desktop images, whether your organization owns the computers, or users bring their own (Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD). Horizon Mirage has two primary aspects: Backups of user desktops Horizon Mirage automatically synchronizes the datacenter backup with changes to the endpoint. Centrally stored desktop images and periodic endpoint snapshots allow IT to recover partial or full desktops when needed. Layered desktop images Horizon Mirage offers IT a layered desktop-image approach. Layering enables IT to control parts of everyone s desktop and to update or migrate desktops without overwriting user-installed applications or data. With Horizon Mirage, IT can reduce the time and money required to standardize particular layers of the desktop, back up desktops, and handle both planned migrations and unplanned desktop recovery. Backups of User Desktops Horizon Mirage desktop images are stored centrally in the datacenter. Users work on their local personal computers, with full use of native PC hardware capabilities. Execution is local to the PC, and the end user can work online or offline; they are not tied to any network. User data and settings and user-installed applications are persistent. The Mirage Client installed on each endpoint enables Horizon Mirage to synchronize the datacenter backup image with changes to the endpoint. Periodic snapshots of endpoints are automatically uploaded to the datacenter while users work without interruption. While a user is disconnected from the network, user changes to the endpoint are flagged for upload when the user reconnects. Layered Desktop Images Layers are logical divisions of Horizon Mirage desktop images and are useful for creating standardized desktop configurations. IT can choose to create base layers (with the operating system, system software, and standard applications), a Driver Library, and application layers. Multiple base layers can be customized for different sets of users. IT can also create multiple application layers to be distributed to different sets of users. IT assigns base layers and application layers to endpoints, and updates these layers with patches and new content as needed. Endpoints do not receive layer updates continually; instead, layer updates are initiated and scheduled by IT. IT has total control over the content, assignment, and deployment of base and application layers. Depending upon IT policies, users can control their own data and settings, as well as install their own applications on their endpoints. These personalizations exist side by side with IT-controlled base and application layers. Layers are used in the migration of endpoints from Windows XP to Windows 7, as well as in migration of desktop images to new hardware. For more detail, see Horizon Mirage layered desktop images. Interaction Between Endpoints and Datacenter Desktop Images Key points about Horizon Mirage interaction between the datacenter desktop images and the endpoints are Layer updates (changes that IT makes to base and application layers) are downloaded to endpoints at times chosen by IT Changes to endpoints are automatically uploaded to the datacenter to keep datacenter desktop images synchronized with endpoints. These changes include both user changes to endpoints, and any layer updates initiated by IT. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 6

7 Figure 2: Horizon Mirage Uploads and Downloads Between Endpoints and Datacenter Desktop Images Horizon Mirage efficiently manages uploads and downloads between endpoints and datacenter desktop images. Horizon Mirage is WAN-optimized: it compresses all transferred data and deduplicates data both in storage and during network transfers. Data is stored once, and Horizon Mirage transfers only data that is not present at the destination. How Is Horizon Mirage Different from a PC Lifecycle Management Application? Personal computer lifecycle management (PCLM) is a process for managing a computer desktop from the time of its initial procurement to the later stages of imaging, software application deployment, updates, patching, monitoring, and security compliance, and eventually to the retirement of the desktop. Many software tools exist on the market today to automate these processes, including Microsoft SCCM, LANDesk, Symantec CMS, BMC BladeLogic, HP Client Automation, and CA. VMware Horizon Mirage is not a replacement for PC lifecycle management solutions, but complements and extends your existing PCLM investment and processes. PCLM tools manage the content of a PC image, and Horizon Mirage manages the building and deployment of the image. Horizon Mirage provides centralized management of Windows desktop images, rapid desktop recovery, easy migration of operating-system versions, and delivery of both core applications and customized sets of applications to end users. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 7

8 Horizon Mirage and the VMware End-User Computing Vision Horizon Mirage is an essential element of the VMware End-User Computing Vision. Horizon Mirage complements VMware Horizon Workspace and VMware Horizon View, and includes licenses for VMware ThinApp and VMware Fusion Pro. Figure 3: VMware End-User Computing Vision Horizon Workspace is a virtual workspace for an increasingly mobile workforce. It provides secure, policy-based single sign-on for data, applications, and Horizon View virtual desktops. Horizon Workspace provides mobile workers with an alternative to virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) for accessing corporate applications from any mobile device. Independently of Horizon Mirage, any Mirage-managed endpoint can have access to the Horizon Workspace. VMware ThinApp creates virtual application packages for placement on Mirage-managed desktops, on Horizon View virtual desktops, in the Horizon Workspace application catalog, or directly on physical or virtual machines. Horizon View manages virtual machines in the datacenter and remotely displays virtual desktops on endpoint devices. Execution is on the virtual machines stored in the datacenter. Horizon View is ideal for managing highly standardized stateless virtual desktops in a call center or follow-me desktop implementation. Hospitals, public kiosks, and military outposts are all excellent use cases for Horizon View. In these implementations, users tend not to have personal computers, and access their desktops from thin or zero clients, tablets, or smartphones. On these devices, a View Client provides access to the View desktop. Horizon View virtual desktops can also be accessed simply through an HTML5 browser, without any View Client installed on the endpoint. Horizon Mirage complements the Horizon View solution. Horizon Mirage is ideal for customizing and managing physical desktops and keeping endpoint changes synchronized with backup desktop images in the datacenter. Execution of operations is local to the endpoint, the user can take the PC offline, and user personalization is integral to the desktop image. Horizon Mirage is ideal for handling persistent, personalized physical desktops or virtual machines. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 8

9 Figure 4: Comparison of Central and Local Operations for Horizon View and Horizon Mirage Horizon Mirage distinctly fits the use cases of Mobile or laptop users Users can be offline, but their desktop images are stored in the datacenter. When they reconnect to the network, any endpoint changes are uploaded to the desktop image in the datacenter. Remote or branch office users Horizon Mirage Branch Reflectors provide a highly efficient method of downloading layer updates from the datacenter to remote endpoints. Power users with their own preferred applications User-installed applications are backed up as part of the desktop image. In addition, IT can customize and centrally manage various application layers for subsets of users who use the same applications. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 9

10 The following diagram illustrates the complementary roles of Horizon View and Horizon Mirage in the VMware End-User Computing Vision. Figure 5: Horizon Mirage and Horizon View in the VMware End-User Computing Vision In the diagram, Horizon View is for remote viewing of centralized virtual desktops, from a variety of endpoints (as indicated by the Horizon View logo). Horizon Mirage is for backing up and managing IT-customized layers on the endpoints which have the Horizon Mirage logo. On non-windows physical computers such as Mac and Linux, Horizon Mirage can manage Windows virtual machines created with Fusion Pro. Horizon Mirage can also manage Windows virtual machines created by VMware Workstation or VMware vsphere. Key Features of Horizon Mirage 4.0 Horizon Mirage specializes in the following features: Centralized desktop backup Recovery of user endpoints Operating-system migration, especially Windows XP to Windows 7 Hardware-refresh migration Layered desktop images Application layering Branch-office desktop management Reduced help desk burden for desktop management Click on any of the features above for details. Or you can proceed to the next section, VMware Horizon Mirage Packages and Licensing. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 10

11 VMware Horizon Mirage Packages and Licensing Horizon Mirage can be purchased in three ways: Horizon Mirage bundle The Horizon Mirage bundle includes - Mirage - Fusion Pro - ThinApp - Workstation * With Fusion Pro installed on a Mac, you can create Windows virtual machines for use on Mac, Windows, or Linux computers. Fusion Pro is included in the Horizon Mirage bundle to allow you to use Mirage to manage backups of these virtual machines. You can use the ThinApp packager on a Workstation or Fusion Pro virtual machine to create virtualized Windows applications. You can then place these virtual application packages on Fusion Pro virtual machines, directly on physical computers, or in an IT-controlled layer of a Horizon Mirage desktop image, to be applied to a Mirage-managed endpoint. If the Mirage-managed endpoint is connected to the network, you can set up streaming deployment of ThinApp packages. You can deploy ThinApp virtual applications as part of a Horizon Mirage base layer or application layer, either as a full package or as a shortcut to the package on a file share. The Horizon Mirage bundle is licensed per named user. Each product included in the Horizon Mirage bundle is also licensed per named user. You can obtain a 10-license trial or evaluation version of Horizon Mirage. The Horizon Mirage software license is separate from the software installers and is installed only on the Mirage Management Server. You do not need to install a license for each Mirage Server. The perpetual (non-expiring) Horizon Mirage license enforces the number of desktop images (CVDs) you can store on the Horizon Mirage system. When you reach the maximum capacity for your license, you can no longer create backups for new endpoints. Note: Reference machines, where you create base layers and application layers, do not consume licenses. An archived desktop image, with no synchronized endpoint, also does not consume a license. * The Workstation license included in the Horizon Mirage bundle is specifically for administrative use and is not for the creation of virtual machines for end users. Workstation is a recommended platform for IT to capture and build ThinApp virtual applications. Horizon Suite The Horizon Suite includes three bundles: - VMware Horizon Mirage - VMware Horizon View - VMware Horizon Workspace The VMware Horizon View bundle includes - vsphere - vcenter - View - ThinApp - Workstation * REVIEWER S GUIDE / 11

12 The VMware Horizon Workspace bundle includes - Horizon Workspace (data and application management) - ThinApp - Workstation * - Horizon Mobile for Android * Workstation is included in the Horizon View and Horizon Workspace bundles specifically for administrative use and is not licensed for the creation of virtual machines for end users. Workstation is the recommended platform for IT to capture and build ThinApp virtual applications. VMware Horizon Workspace provides a single workspace for users to securely access their applications, data, and Horizon View desktops from any device. Licensing for the Horizon Suite is per named user. Each product included in the Suite is also licensed per named user. A major advantage of a named-user license is that each named user can have multiple devices. Horizon Mirage Windows Migration package You can purchase a Horizon Mirage Windows Migration package for a six-month term per user. This package allows you to - Upgrade a PC from Windows XP or Windows Vista to Windows 7 - Migrate a Windows 7 user from an old PC to a new PC (hardware migration) Migrations can be completed across the network with this package, as they can with the full Horizon Mirage product. Assessment reports are included in the migration package. Licensing for the Horizon Mirage Migration bundle is per named user being migrated, for a six-month period. The minimum purchase is for ten users. After you migrate the licensed number of user desktops, the product expires. For more information, contact your VMware sales representative or partner representative. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 12

13 Architecture and Components This section covers a general overview of how Horizon Mirage works, then more in-depth discussion of the components and architecture of Horizon Mirage. How Horizon Mirage Works Horizon Mirage is not only a backup tool, but also a mechanism to maintain IT-controlled desktop elements. IT can create and manage standardized desktop layers, yet preserve user data and settings on the endpoints. IT can create one or more base layers, with the operating system, system software, and core applications. IT can also create supplementary application layers for distribution to various sets of users. End users perform daily activities on their own PCs and maintain personal settings and data. Horizon Mirage incorporates both the IT-managed and the user-controlled elements into one desktop image, or backup, stored in the datacenter. IT also can provision a Driver Library with the base layer, which detects and fixes broken or missing drivers on endpoints. A base layer is captured from an IT-configured reference machine in the datacenter. You can have as many reference machines and base layers as needed. You can also capture application layers from the same reference machines. You assign these base and application layers to endpoints. If IT does not choose to standardize a base layer and supplementary application layers, the Mirage-managed endpoint is backed up, and the desktop image is stored in the datacenter for desktop recovery operations. IT-managed layers are optional. To update a base layer or application layer, IT makes changes to the reference machine in the datacenter and then captures the updated layer. IT initiates a base or application layer update to generate the changes to the endpoints. Horizon Mirage performs in-place image replacement, with minimal downtime for the user and no travel to remote sites for IT. Update operations accommodate user activity on the endpoint, and the user is productive and unaware of the update process. After a layer update, the user is prompted to reboot at a convenient time. To activate an endpoint within Mirage, you install the Mirage Client and centralize the endpoint, or back it up, to the datacenter. Then Horizon Mirage keeps the datacenter desktop image synchronized with changes to the endpoint. Any changes to the endpoint are uploaded to the datacenter desktop image both user changes and IT-controlled layer updates. Horizon Mirage takes periodic snapshots of the endpoint and stores those snapshots in the datacenter alongside the original backup image. These snapshots capture incremental changes to the full desktop image and provide time-stamped rollback points for restoring the desktop to a previous system state. The IT administrator has the option of restoring user settings and files along with the IT-controlled elements of the desktop. Horizon Mirage can co-exist with your existing IT infrastructure. You can continue to use your electronic software distribution tools such as SCCM to deploy individual applications to PCs, an application virtualization program to encapsulate application packages, and application presentation tools such as XenApp. Horizon Mirage deploys desktop images, not individual applications, and these desktop images can contain IT-controlled base and application layers. Any changes to user-installed applications are backed up to the desktop image. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 13

14 Horizon Mirage Architecture Mirage Server (or a cluster of Mirage Servers) manages desktop images in the datacenter and orchestrates uploads and downloads between datacenter desktop images and Mirage-managed endpoints. Storage disks in the datacenter contain the desktop images, and base and application layers. The Mirage database contains pointers to the base and application layers and desktop images in storage, and also an inventory of what is on the endpoints. The database catalogs the information; the storage contains the actual information. Each Mirage-managed physical or virtual computer has the Mirage Client installed, which communicates closely with the Mirage Server to synchronize the datacenter desktop image with changes to the endpoint. Figure 6: Horizon Mirage Clustered Deployment Storage Setup Storage assigned to Horizon Mirage stores CVDs (desktop images) and base and application layers. SAN, NAS, or local storage is supported for Horizon Mirage. The chosen storage must support alternate data streams where appropriate. On average, plan for 15GB of space per user. For storage savings of up to 25 percent, enable compression on the selected Horizon Mirage storage volume. If you have a large population or want storage fault tolerance, set up multiple CIFS storage volumes. For more information on multiple volumes, see Adding Multiple Volumes in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 14

15 Storage is optimized with global data deduplication at the file and block level. Horizon Mirage has additional optimizations for Microsoft Outlook PST files. Network Setup WAN operations are optimized with Horizon Mirage. Only distinct bits of data are passed along the network, and all transfers are compressed. Network utilization with Horizon Mirage averages 15Kb/sec per user, or about 50Mb per user per day. You can throttle bandwidth on any of the routers to ensure top performance; Horizon Mirage supports Quality of Service software. The Mirage Client dynamically adjusts bandwidth on the client side to ensure best user experience. In addition, end users can snooze any Horizon Mirage network operations, such as uploads of endpoint changes to the datacenter. Figure 7: Choosing Snooze from the Mirage Client System Tray Icon Security Setup You can enable SSL for all Horizon Mirage client-server communication, if you want. This is a global setting for all Mirage clients. For details, see Setting Up the SSL Certificate in Windows Server in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. To protect user data, Horizon Mirage uses NTFS on the server side so that regular Windows Security applies through access control list object permissions. If you choose NAS storage instead, you can leverage vendor data security tools and use them in conjunction with Horizon Mirage. For example, to configure NetApp NAS storage security to mimic pure Microsoft NTFS permissions, see the VMware Knowledge Base article Configuring Mirage Storage security. During backup and restore operations, Horizon Mirage uses the MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm checksum to ensure data integrity. Horizon Mirage is compatible with the Microsoft Encrypting File System (EFS), Microsoft BitLocker drive encryption, Sophos SafeGuard hard drive encryption, and other encryption technologies so that you can decrypt on backup and re-encrypt on restore. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 15

16 Server Clustering and Scalability You can have up to 1500 Mirage-enabled endpoints per physical Mirage Server or 300 Mirage-enabled endpoints per virtual Mirage Server. You can have up to 10 Mirage Servers in a cluster. All nodes are managed by one Mirage Management Console. You can use your existing load balancers with Mirage Server clusters. Horizon Mirage Components and Component Terminology Horizon Mirage has components in the datacenter for controlling and managing all Horizon Mirage operations and objects, and a Mirage Client installed on each endpoint. The Horizon Mirage components in the datacenter are Mirage Server Mirage Management Server Mirage Management Console Database for Horizon Mirage In addition, a File Portal and Driver Library can co-reside on the Mirage Server or reside on another server in the domain. If you wish to more efficiently manage Horizon Mirage updates to endpoints in remote offices, you can designate an existing PC Mirage Client in the branch office as a Branch Reflector. Mirage Server The Mirage Server controls all Horizon Mirage operations and objects. It manages desktop images (centralized virtual desktops, or CVDs), base layers, and application layers in the datacenter. A Local Cache on the Mirage Server is a storage area for commonly used data blocks; the server uses the Local Cache to perform data deduplication over the WAN. Blocks of large files are put into the cache when these files are transferred over the WAN, and the next time similar files are transferred, the Mirage Server gets the blocks from the cache, instead of transferring them over the network. The cache is best kept on fast storage (a local drive or SSD drive). You can have a cluster of Mirage Servers, which are managed by the Mirage Management Server. Mirage Management Server The Mirage Management Server controls and manages the Mirage Server cluster, if you have more than one Mirage Server. It also is the interface with and updates the database. Mirage Management Console The Mirage Management Console (MMC) is the UI for the Mirage Management Server. Through the MMC, the administrator manages the Horizon Mirage deployment functions of the Mirage Server(s). This console is installed as a Microsoft Management Console Snap-In. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 16

17 The MMC includes a set of common wizards for easy administration of Horizon Mirage functions: Centralize Endpoint wizard Disaster Recovery wizard Assign Base Layer wizard Capture Base Layer wizard Windows 7 Migration wizard Base Layer Provisioning wizard Hardware Migration wizard Update App Layers wizard Capture App Layer wizard You can access these wizards by selecting VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Common Wizards from the left pane of the MMC. Database for Horizon Mirage The Mirage Server components require a connection to a Microsoft SQL database. The Mirage database contains pointers to the base and application layers and desktop images in storage, an inventory of what is on each endpoint, and Driver Library information. The database catalogs information for the Horizon Mirage system; the actual files of information are in storage. File Portal The optional Horizon Mirage File Portal enables end users to view their files within historical snapshots of their datacenter desktop image. Users can access their files through a web browser from any device. Because these files are stored in the datacenter, users can view their files even if the normal Mirage-managed endpoint is damaged or lost. The files are read-only. The File Portal resides on a server within the domain; it can co-reside with the Mirage Server. For details on configuring the File Portal and accessing it from a user device, see Mirage File Portal in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Driver Library The optional Horizon Mirage Driver Library decouples the Horizon Mirage base layer from the hardware and allows IT to build base layers that are agnostic to the hardware on the endpoints. The Driver Library also prevents driver conflicts when you migrate users between devices. You store and manage hardware-specific device drivers in the Driver Library, and the correct drivers are automatically applied to endpoints according to rules you set up for matching drivers to endpoints. The Driver Library detects missing or broken drivers on endpoints, then fixes them. The Driver Library does not upgrade or take other action on existing healthy drivers on endpoints. The Driver Library must be on a server within the domain; it can co-reside with the Mirage Server. For details on using the Driver Library, see Managing the Driver Library in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 17

18 Mirage Client You install the Mirage Client on all endpoints that you want to manage with Horizon Mirage. The Client installs directly on Windows. No Type 1 hypervisor is required, and the Client can run on a Type 2 hypervisor such as a VMware Fusion Pro or Workstation virtual machine. Horizon Mirage can also manage virtual machines created with VMware vsphere. The Mirage Client has a role in managing uploads and downloads between the datacenter desktop image and the endpoint. The Mirage Client helps to Upload endpoint changes to the datacenter desktop image Download IT layer updates to the endpoint The Mirage Client is small (less than 10MB) in size. Branch Reflector An optional Branch Reflector serves as a local Horizon Mirage update service for peer PCs in a branch office deployment. Branch Reflectors are for more efficient downloading of IT layer updates. Any Mirage-enabled endpoint can act as a Branch Reflector for peer-to-peer downloads at the remote office. You can designate one or more existing endpoint devices as the Branch Reflectors. No special setup, installation, or infrastructure is required. If you want, you can dedicate an endpoint as a Branch Reflector to give more resources to the upload and download processes for a large population of endpoints. The Branch Reflector implementation reduces bandwidth usage on the WAN by remote-office endpoints. For more information on the Branch Reflector, see Branch-Office Desktop Management. Other Important Horizon Mirage Terminology Some other terms you need to understand are CVD Snapshot (Horizon Mirage snapshot) Reference machine CVD The user interface of Horizon Mirage uses the term CVD frequently. This Reviewer s Guide echoes the usage of CVD for procedures involving the user interface, but often substitutes the term desktop image or backup in the narrative. CVD is an acronym for centralized virtual desktop, a term which you might confuse with VDI. Desktop image or backup is technically more accurate. A CVD is the centralized desktop image of the user s endpoint. A Mirage-enabled endpoint is not a remote display of the centralized desktop image in the datacenter the user performs daily functions on either a physical desktop (or a virtual machine within a physical desktop). The endpoint is not virtual, as it is in VDI. Snapshot Horizon Mirage snapshots are distinct from Horizon Mirage desktop images and from virtual machine snapshots: Horizon Mirage desktop image (or CVD) Backup of the endpoint, taken when the Mirage-managed endpoint is first activated. Only one desktop image for each endpoint is stored in the datacenter. Horizon Mirage incremental snapshots build on this foundational desktop image. Horizon Mirage snapshot Snapshot of the endpoint, for the purpose of rolling back the endpoint to a previous state, if needed. Each snapshot contains only the incremental changes to the original desktop image since the previous snapshot. Multiple endpoint snapshots are stored in the datacenter. Snapshots are automatic, not manual, and are taken at a configurable interval. By default, one incremental snapshot is taken every twenty-four hours. You can configure whether snapshots are taken daily or hourly. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 18

19 By default, the number of snapshots retained are - Seven daily - Three weekly - Eleven monthly This means that you have a daily snapshot to roll back to for the previous week, a weekly snapshot to roll back to for the previous month, and a monthly snapshot to roll back to for the previous year. You can configure the number of - Hourly snapshots kept per day - Daily snapshots kept per week - Weekly snapshots kept per month - Monthly snapshots per year By configuring a number of snapshots to retain at one-hour intervals, you are selecting hourly instead of the default daily snapshots. Figure 8: Default Configuration of Frequency and Retention of Snapshots To configure snapshots, see instructions for the General tab in Configuring the Mirage System in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Additional snapshots are taken before a base or application layer update, before reverting to a snapshot, before a migration, and when the administrator manually invokes a backup with Force Upload from an endpoint in the Pending Devices pane. In all of these cases, the extra snapshot ensures the ability to roll back to a critical desktop state. These extra snapshots are counted in the daily snapshots retained so that fewer actual daily snapshots are kept. When you monitor the endpoint, reference machine, and various panes of the Mirage Management Console, you may notice upload events during a process you have launched. These are often the automatic snapshots taken before major changes to the endpoint (such as a migration or layer update). REVIEWER S GUIDE / 19

20 You will also notice automatic hourly incremental snapshots that Horizon Mirage takes for its own internal system use, aside from your configured hourly or daily snapshots. Evidence of this upload of data from the endpoint to the datacenter appears in various MMC panes and in the detail window of the Horizon Mirage system tray icon for an endpoint (with Current Action states of Initializing Upload, Upload, and Idle). You can see a record of these hourly incremental snapshots in Logs > Transaction Log in the MMC. Figure 9: Transaction Log Showing Automatic, Internally Used System Snapshots of the Endpoint Virtual machine snapshot (in Fusion Pro, Workstation, or vsphere) Snapshot of the virtual machine, for the purpose of rolling back the virtual machine to a prior state, if needed. Used outside of Horizon Mirage for manipulation of virtual machines. Multiple virtual machine snapshots are stored within the virtual machine files. Reference Machine You designate one or more reference machines to store layers. You create and update base and application layers on a reference machine, then you download a layer from a reference machine CVD to an endpoint or set of endpoints. A reference machine is used only for creating, updating, and testing layers. After you have centralized a reference machine, it is not used to download layers to endpoints; layers are downloaded from the reference CVD in the datacenter. A reference machine is not active between layer updates. When IT wants to create updated layers, the reference machine again becomes active. A reference machine can store multiple base and application layers, as well as multiple updates of these layers. You do not need to roll back a reference machine to its clean state to capture a new layer or update a layer, unless the results of your installations and updates created an undesirable reference machine state. However, you do need to strategize about what is most effective for your environment. Because application installations interact with the base operating system layer, you may want to isolate each base layer with attached application layers into one reference machine, and have one reference machine per department. Horizon Mirage Feature Details Following are more details about the Horizon Mirage features. Centralized Desktop Backup Horizon Mirage gives you centralized storage of desktop images, with execution of all desktop operations on the local machine. The desktop image is managed by Horizon Mirage, with a layered approach. Horizon Mirage can manage either physical computers or virtual machines within physical computers. For a hands-on exercise in backing up a desktop, see Using Horizon Mirage to Work with Base and Application Layers. Recovery of User Endpoints Horizon Mirage automatically takes snapshots of the user desktop, which enables quick recovery or rollback to a previous desktop state. Changes to the endpoint are captured and periodically uploaded to the desktop image in the datacenter. Other products require an all-or-nothing desktop restoration; Horizon Mirage offers the option of restoring specific layers, while preserving the other layers. You can restore an endpoint to a previous snapshot without REVIEWER S GUIDE / 20

21 overwriting user data. If a computer is stolen, damaged, or lost, you can restore the entire computer to a replacement device, or restore only selected layers. Or you can temporarily migrate a physical computer to a virtual machine until a replacement device arrives. If the information on a computer hard disk is corrupted, you can overwrite the prior information and restore the desktop image to the same device. For a hands-on exercise in restoring a PC, see Using Horizon Mirage for Endpoint Recovery. Operating-System Migration, Especially Windows XP to Windows 7 Horizon Mirage facilitates the migration process from one version of Windows to another, such as from Windows XP to Windows 7. You no longer must use a diverse set of incompatible tools to manually manage the deployment of new Windows operating system images. Instead, you can perform in-place computer upgrades from Windows XP to Windows 7 in the background, while users continue working. User downtime is minimized. In addition, with Horizon Mirage, user data and profile information from Windows XP is preserved, and IT can move this data to the new Windows 7 device. Users do not need to re-personalize their computers after the upgrade to Windows 7. Horizon Mirage takes a snapshot of each system you are migrating before you replace the contents of the desktop. You can then roll back to Windows XP if needed. With the April 2014 expiration of Microsoft support for Windows XP, you must make plans for the migration to Windows 7. Migration of user desktops to a new version of the operating system is handled by a wizard in Horizon Mirage. IT orchestrates the migration from the datacenter and operates on many PCs at once, so IT staff time devoted to the migration is greatly reduced. Migration is zero-touch for IT; IT does not need to boot individual endpoints, either locally or remotely. In addition, user downtime is typically only 30 minutes during a Horizon Mirage migration. You can even migrate users between physical and virtual machines. * During an in-place Windows-XP-to-Windows-7 migration, data and profile are migrated, but user-installed applications are not retained. This is because applications that are compatible with Windows XP cannot be guaranteed to be compatible with Windows 7. For a hands-on exercise, see Migrating a Desktop from Windows XP to Windows 7. Hardware-Refresh Migration With Horizon Mirage, you can conveniently migrate all user settings and data to new devices during hardware refresh cycles. If the operating system version is the same on the old and new devices, all user-controlled elements can be migrated in full to new hardware. You can even restore a complete user desktop to a new make and model of computer. The first step is to install the Mirage Client on the new Windows computer. Then you use the Hardware Migration wizard to download whichever IT layers and user personalizations that you choose. This entire hardware migration process is zero-touch IT does not need to manually touch the endpoint to configure it. Layered Desktop Images Horizon Mirage divides the desktop image into logical layers. IT has the option of creating and managing standardized layers that are stored in the datacenter and applied to user endpoints. Depending upon IT policies, users can install their own applications and add user data and settings to their endpoint PCs. Both IT-managed elements and user-controlled elements are rolled into one Horizon Mirage desktop image in the datacenter. IT can create base layers and application layers. A base layer includes the operating system; system-level infrastructure software (security products such as antivirus software, connectivity software such as VPN, and firewalls); service packs and patches; and core applications and their settings. Core applications need to have enterprise volume licenses. Base layers are hardware-independent. An application layer contains applications that IT wants to distribute to specific sets of users, such as to different departments. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 21

22 The desktop image contains both the IT-managed layers and the user-controlled elements. IT downloads layer updates to the endpoint. These layer updates and any user-initiated changes on the endpoint are uploaded to the datacenter to fully back up the endpoint. The following diagram shows the logical layers of a Horizon Mirage desktop image. Figure 10: Layers of a Horizon Mirage Desktop Image If IT wants to standardize a base layer and application layers, they generate these layers, and the user PC is updated with IT s version of these layers. If IT does not generate these layers, then the user is in control of their own Windows operating system environment and applications, and the entire user-generated PC is imaged. IT can use the desktop image layering approach for modular migration, restoration, and updating. You can migrate, update, or restore each layer independently of the others. For example, you can update the operating system base layer, but not the application layers. Horizon Mirage allows preservation of end-user files, personalization, and user-installed applications during layer updates. You can deliver patches by updating a base layer in the datacenter and deploying the updated base layer to endpoints. For hands-on exercises in working with base layers, see Using Horizon Mirage to Work with Base and Application Layers. Application Layering Application layering extends the base layer image management capabilities of Horizon Mirage. You can define and capture layers containing only applications and deliver the application layers to Mirage-managed devices independently of the base layer which may contain core applications for everyone. One endpoint can receive multiple IT-defined application layers, and multiple endpoints can receive the same application layers. Application layering reduces gold image sprawl by isolating group-specific applications from the base layer. Multiple Horizon Mirage application layers enable IT to maintain desktop compliance across multiple lines of business. Horizon Mirage application layering is a unique solution for packaging Windows applications and distributing them to user endpoints. Other application deployment mechanisms require installation of the applications on each endpoint, with accompanying complications due to network connection issues, variable endpoint REVIEWER S GUIDE / 22

23 configurations, and user interruption of installation. Horizon Mirage application layering does not require application installation on endpoints. Application layers are deployed in the background at the file-system and registry level, and users can continue working with their existing applications while a new application layer is being deployed. Distribution of application layers leverages the same Horizon Mirage technology as Horizon Mirage base layers. Horizon Mirage application-layer download is WAN-optimized so that Only new blocks of data are transferred to endpoints, and existing blocks of data are re-used Network disruptions and low bandwidth are automatically handled An application layer can contain the following kinds of applications: A single application, a suite of applications from the same vendor, or a set of line of business (LOB) applications, such as for a specific department or group OEM applications (for special instructions, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide) Natively installed applications or VMware ThinApp virtual application packages. ThinApp packages can be either locally deployed in the application layer or streamed from a network share via a user shortcut in the application layer. A shortcut in the application layer points to the virtual application on a file share. For more information, see Table 1 below. The following kinds of applications are not yet or not fully supported in application layers: Disk encryption software Kaspersky Internet Security Microsoft SQL Server An application that makes changes to the Master Boot Record or to disk blocks It is a best practice to install the following applications in the base layer, not in application layers: Windows security applications such as antivirus, antimalware, and firewall Windows components and frameworks such as.net and Java Global Windows configurations and settings changes For clarification, the following table indicates the different behaviors of natively installed applications and ThinApp virtual applications in application layers. NATIVELY INSTALLED APPLICATIONS THINAPP VIRTUAL APPLICATIONS Behave identically to applications installed directly on the user endpoint Behave identically to ThinApp virtual application packages or shortcuts placed directly on the user endpoint. ThinApp application packages run without interaction with other native or virtual applications on the desktop image. Execute locally on the endpoint Do not require network access for execution Execute in virtual memory space whether deployed locally on the endpoint or streamed from a network share Require network access to the file share if streamed via a shortcut in the application layer Table 1: Behavior in Horizon Mirage Application Layers for Natively Installed Applications and ThinApp Virtual Applications REVIEWER S GUIDE / 23

24 The following table lists application components that can and cannot yet be included in Horizon Mirage application layers. CAN BE INCLUDED IN HORIZON MIRAGE APPLICATION LAYERS CANNOT YET BE INCLUDED IN HORIZON MIRAGE APPLICATION LAYERS Updates or patches related to the installed application Network components such as personal firewalls and VPN virtual adapters ** Application customizations Windows licenses ** Global application configurations and settings File and registry changes created by the installed application, or a custom set of files and registry entries User-specific changes, user accounts and groups (for both local and domain users) OS components or OS-bundled applications such as the.net framework, Windows updates, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and language packs ** Kernel drivers Drivers installed in the Windows 7 driver store * COM objects Global.NET assemblies Windows services Shell extensions Browser plug-ins * Instead, you can include drivers with the Horizon Mirage Driver Library or by adding driver packages to the Windows driver search path (DevicePath). You can also deliver drivers as part of the base layer. ** You can, however, deliver these components in a base layer. Table 2: Application Components That Can and Cannot Yet Be Included in Application Layers If there are conflicts between an application in the application layer and an application in the base layer, the base layer application takes precedence over the application layer. For example, if Microsoft Word is in both an application layer and the base layer, the installation of Word in the base layer, with its configurations, supersedes the installation of Word in the application layer. For hands-on exercises in working with application layers, see Using Horizon Mirage to Work with Base and Application Layers. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 24

25 Branch-Office Desktop Management Other products require that remote users connect to the datacenter to update their computers, but Horizon Mirage has a feature that permits local updates for remote users. In the branch or remote office, you can designate a local Mirage-managed endpoint as a Branch Reflector to handle layer updates for local PCs. Peer Mirage-enabled endpoints can then download layer updates from the Branch Reflector, instead of from the Mirage Server in the datacenter. The Branch Reflector reduces bandwidth usage for downloads of IT-managed elements from the datacenter: the base layer, the Driver Library, and the application layers. Instead of multiple endpoints downloading updated layers from a distant Mirage Server over the WAN, the Branch Reflector communicates with the Mirage Server and downloads the differences between the datacenter layers and the endpoint layers. The Branch Reflector then compiles the bits locally, builds a new set of IT-managed layers, and distributes those layers locally to peers over the LAN. Branch Reflectors can provide different sets of layer updates for different endpoints in the branch office, including its own required layer updates. (Branch Reflectors are not used for uploads of endpoint changes to the datacenter; this action is performed normally over the WAN, with optimizations to accommodate user activity.) To designate and enable a Branch Reflector, use the Mirage Management Console to point to a Mirage-enabled endpoint in the remote office. To configure parameters for Branch Reflector actions, also use the Mirage Management Console. Default parameter values apply to newly created Branch Reflectors; specific values can be assigned to individual Branch Reflectors. The default parameters are Default Maximum Connections Maximum number of simultaneous endpoint connections to the Branch Reflector. Default Cache Size in GB Cache size allocated for the Horizon Mirage image cache in the Branch Reflector. Required Proximity in msec If a ping from an endpoint to the Branch Reflector is not answered within this time, the endpoint downloads from the Mirage Server instead. Use Active Directory Sites Whether to use Active Directory site information to determine which of several available Branch Reflectors an endpoint should connect to. Horizon Mirage uses subnet and physical proximity information from Active Directory to determine optimal connections. Always Prefer Branch Reflector If a Branch Reflector is not close enough as determined by Required Proximity, this configuration requires Mirage-enabled endpoints to repeat the matching process until a suitable Branch Reflector becomes available. If Use Active Directory Sites has been enabled, Always Prefer Branch Reflector makes use of Active Directory to find suitable Branch Reflectors. The endpoint keeps pinging the Branch Reflectors until one is within the Required Proximity. Connection to the Mirage Server in the datacenter occurs only if no Branch Reflectors are defined. If Always Prefer Branch Reflector is not selected, and no Branch Reflector is available within the Required Proximity, the Mirage-enabled endpoint connects to the Mirage Server directly. The parameters for individual Branch Reflectors are Maximum Connections Cache Size in GB Additional Networks Networks other than its own local subnets on which the Branch Reflector can service Mirage Clients. For best results, connect the Branch Reflector to a switched LAN, not to a wireless network. The Branch Reflector requires enough space to store the IT-managed layers for the various endpoint devices at the branch office. For other Branch Reflector system requirements, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Horizon Mirage branch office implementations are efficient for software delivery (application layer updates) REVIEWER S GUIDE / 25

26 and for Windows 7 base layer migrations. The WAN is handling only a single desktop image, instead of multiple images at once. Figure 11: Layer Updates in a Horizon Mirage Branch-Office Deployment Reduced Help Desk Burden for Desktop Management Horizon Mirage allows Tier-1 IT staff to solve desktop problems with a few simple clicks on the Mirage Management Console, without the need for diagnosis or escalation. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 26

27 Horizon Mirage Installation and Configuration Checklist This section is a summary of installation and configuration procedures for Horizon Mirage. For details, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Horizon Mirage Operating System and Software Requirements The operating system and software requirements for Horizon Mirage are in the following table. For the most current information, always check the VMware Horizon Mirage Release Notes and the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. HORIZON MIRAGE COMPONENT PRIMARY REQUIREMENTS INSTALLED COMPONENTS MIRAGE SERVER Windows Server 2008 R2 (Standard Edition), 64-bit or Windows Server 2012 (Standard Edition), 64-bit Domain membership.net Framework 3.5 SP1, 64-bit SQL database management system (MS SQL Server 2008 R2; Standard, Express, or Enterprise; 64-bit) MIRAGE MANAGEMENT SERVER Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition, 64-bit Domain membership.net Framework 3.5 SP1, 64-bit MIRAGE MANAGEMENT CONSOLE Windows XP Professional with SP2 or SP3, 32-bit or Windows 7 Professional or Enterprise, 32- or 64-bit *.NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0. See MMC 3.0 update is available for Windows Server 2003 and for Windows XP. MIRAGE CLIENT ** Windows XP Professional with SP2 or SP3, 32-bit or Windows 7 Professional or Enterprise, 32- or 64-bit.NET Framework 3.5 SP1 REVIEWER S GUIDE / 27

28 HORIZON MIRAGE COMPONENT PRIMARY REQUIREMENTS INSTALLED COMPONENTS REFERENCE MACHINE Windows XP Professional with SP2 or SP3, 32-bit or Windows 7 Professional or Enterprise, 32- or 64-bit Mirage Client Operating system and applications must use volume licenses and be designed for multi-user, multi-machine deployment No applications that install and use: - Hardware-specific licenses - Local user accounts and / or local groups No software that uses a proprietary update service; install such software directly on endpoints FILE PORTAL IIS 7.0 or later ASP.NET feature IIS 7.0 or later, with the IIS 6 Management Compatibility Role * The Mirage Management Console (the administrative console) can also be on a Windows Server machine. The minimum configuration is Windows XP or Windows 7. ** Turn off XP Fast User Switching mode if the computer is not an AD domain member. See How To Use the Fast User Switching Feature in Windows XP. Table 3: Operating System and Software Requirements for VMware Horizon Mirage See the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide for details on Hardware requirements Storage requirements Database requirements Communication ports and protocols Upgrading from Prior Versions of Horizon Mirage The upgrade procedure to Horizon Mirage 4.0 involves uninstalling the prior Horizon Mirage components and then installing the 4.0 versions. Uninstall the Horizon Mirage datacenter components in the following order: All Mirage Servers Mirage Management Console * Mirage Management Server * To uninstall in Windows 7, use the Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features (Add / Remove Programs for Windows XP). Note: Uninstalling the Mirage Servers does not remove any data from the storage volumes that were connected to the Horizon Mirage system. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 28

29 Then install the Horizon Mirage components with the new MSIs in the following order: Mirage Management Server Mirage Management Console Mirage Servers The SSL and port configurations are not preserved; you need to reconfigure these after you install the new versions of the Horizon Mirage components. After the upgrade of the datacenter components is complete, when a Mirage-enabled endpoint connects to the network, Horizon Mirage automatically upgrades the Mirage Client and prompts for a reboot. For information on upgrading from Mirage 2.0 or earlier, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. For further recommendations on upgrading, see the VMware Knowledge Base article Best practices for upgrading VMware Mirage. Overview of Installation and Configuration For an evaluation, you can install all components of the Horizon Mirage system on one Windows server. In a small production environment (1500 Mirage-enabled endpoints per physical Mirage Server or 300 endpoints per virtual Mirage Server), you can also install all Horizon Mirage components on one server. In a production environment, consider various factors in your decision about the number of servers for the Horizon Mirage implementation: Number of endpoints System fault tolerance requirements Security gained by separating the Mirage Server from the Mirage Management Server Increased performance for each Mirage Server if nothing else is on the same server Support requirements of multiple servers If you are installing a File Portal in a production environment, it can be on the same server as the Mirage Server or Mirage Management Server. However, you may wish to isolate the File Portal from other Mirage components if it is part of a web server farm, or if you want to separate web servers from other servers. You would then place the File Portal on its own IIS Server. The hands-on exercises in this Reviewer s Guide do not involve a File Portal. The Horizon Mirage installation involves the following steps: 1. Install Windows Server 2008 R2 on your server. 2. Install Microsoft SQL Server. Create a Horizon Mirage database instance in the SQL database management system, or collect the database information. 3. Install the Mirage Management Server. 4. Install the Mirage Management Console (MMC). 5. Connect the MMC to the Mirage Management Server. 6. Add the Horizon Mirage software license to the Mirage Management Server. 7. Install a Mirage Server. 8. (Optional) Configure Mirage Server options. 9. (Optional) Configure SSL. 10. (Optional) Install IIS and the File Portal, and configure the File Portal Web URL REVIEWER S GUIDE / 29

30 11. (Optional, but required for migrations) Import the USMT folder to the Mirage Server. 12. (Optional, but required for domain-joining operations) Configure domain account details. 13. (Optional) Make other system configurations in the Mirage Management Server through the MMC. For this evaluation, install only one Mirage Server and skip all optional steps except importing the USMT folder (for the migration exercise). For a production environment, consider all options and scan the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide for procedures pertinent to your environment. More Detail on Horizon Mirage Installation and Configuration Download the licensed Horizon Mirage software or the trial or evaluation of Horizon Mirage. Place each installer on the server where you will create the Horizon Mirage component. Depending upon your hardware specifications, you can combine Mirage components on one server. For example, you can combine Mirage Server and File Portal Mirage Server and the Mirage Management Server Mirage Server, Mirage Management Server, and File Portal Mirage Server, Mirage Management Server, Mirage Management Console, and File Portal For guidance on structuring your Horizon Mirage implementation, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 30

31 As you work through the installation, note the following information so that you can reuse it later: SQL SERVER INFORMATION SQL server name (the name you have given to your SQL server): SQL instance name (if not using the default): HORIZON MIRAGE CLUSTER STORAGE FOLDER Storage folder (If remote storage, use UNC path): HORIZON MIRAGE SERVICES ACCOUNT INFORMATION * Fully qualified name of account: Password: HORIZON MIRAGE ADMINISTRATOR S GROUP Fully qualified name of administrator s group (<domain>\<groupname>): MIRAGE MANAGEMENT SERVER ADDRESS IP address or host name: HORIZON MIRAGE LICENSE KEY (SERIAL KEY) License key number (supplied separately from the software): MIRAGE SERVER LOCAL CACHE FOLDER Path and folder to local cache, if different from the default: Size of local cache: * If you are using a standalone server with local storage, you do not need a dedicated Horizon Mirage services user account. However, if you are mounting an NFS / CIFS share over a network for Horizon Mirage, or you are installing the optional File Portal feature, you need to set up a dedicated Horizon Mirage services account to access storage and the database. The account must have Local administrator permissions on Horizon Mirage servers Read and Write permissions to the database, with database creation permission Read and Write permissions to relevant storage areas Table 4: Information Needed During Horizon Mirage Installation REVIEWER S GUIDE / 31

32 The table below gives more detail on each installation step. For full installation instructions, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. HORIZON MIRAGE INSTALLATION STEP DETAILS 1. Install Windows Server 2008 R2 on your server. 2. Install Microsoft SQL Server. Create a Horizon Mirage database instance in the SQL database management system, or use the default instance. 3. Install the Mirage Management Server. 4. Install the Mirage Management Console (MMC). a. Enable.NET Framework 3.5. b. Turn off UAC. c. Join server to existing Active Directory. d. Create an AD group for the Horizon Mirage administrator. e. Add the existing administrator account to the Horizon Mirage AD group you created, or create a new Horizon Mirage administrator and add them to the group. This administrator must be local administrator on the Horizon Mirage server hosts. Best practice for a production system: Install and run the database on a server separate from the Mirage Server. Set up Microsoft SQL Server with Windows Authentication. You need to take note of the SQL Server name and SQL instance name. Double-click the Mirage.management.server.x64.<build_number>. msi file. The VMware Mirage Management Server Setup wizard begins. In the wizard, you Enter the names of the SQL Server and SQL Instance in the wizard. The default instance names for each SQL Server type are - SQLEXPRESS for SQL Express - Empty for SQL Standard - MSSQL for SQL Enterprise Specify the storage area for Horizon Mirage data Enter the credentials for the Horizon Mirage services account that will access the storage and database. If you did not set up a dedicated Horizon Mirage services account, enter Local System account. Specify the administrative group that has access to the Mirage Management Console The MMC must have network connectivity to the Mirage Management Server. Double-click the Mirage.management.console.x64.<build_ number>.msi file for 64-bit environments or Mirage.management. console.x86.<build_number>.msi file for 32-bit environments. The VMware Mirage Management Console Setup wizard launches. A shortcut to the MMC is added to the desktop. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 32

33 HORIZON MIRAGE INSTALLATION STEP DETAILS 5. Connect the MMC to the Mirage Management Server. 6. Add the Horizon Mirage software license to the Mirage Management Server. Double-click the MMC icon on the desktop. In the MMC window, right-click VMware Mirage in the root directory and select Add System. You enter the IP address or host name of the Mirage Management Server. If the MMC and the Mirage Management Server are on the same computer, use localhost. In the MMC, the status of the Mirage Management Server is Down until you install the server, at which point its status changes to Up. a. In the MMC, right-click System Configuration and select Settings. b. Select the General tab and scroll down to the License section. c. Click Set License. d. In the File window, navigate to your license file and click Open. Click OK. 7. Install a Mirage Server. Ensure that SQL Server is reachable from the server node, and that the firewall settings on SQL Server allow for remote connections. Double-click the Mirage.server.x64.<build_number>.msi file. The VMware Mirage Server Setup wizard launches. a. Enter the SQL Server and SQL Instance names. b. Specify the local cache location and size. c. Enter the credentials for the Horizon Mirage services account that will access the storage and database. If you did not set up a dedicated Horizon Mirage services account, enter Local System account. d. Reboot after installing the Mirage Server. 8. (Optional) Configure Mirage Server options. 9. (Optional) Configure SSL. a. In the left pane of the MMC, expand System Configuration and click Servers. b. Right-click the server and select Configure. c. Configure the maximum number of concurrent desktop image connections and configure the transport settings (port and SSL connection). See Configuring a Mirage Server in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Set up SSL on each Mirage Server: a. Install the Server certificate and private key in the Windows Certificate Store. b. Restart each VMware Horizon Mirage Server service. c. Configure the transport settings in the Mirage Server options. Enable SSL on the Mirage Clients. See the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 33

34 HORIZON MIRAGE INSTALLATION STEP DETAILS 10. (Optional) Install IIS and the File Portal, and configure the File Portal Web URL. 11. (Optional, but required for migrations) Import the USMT folder to the Mirage Server. a. Install the IIS Server role on the Mirage Server machine. b. Install the Horizon Mirage File Portal files by double-clicking the Mirage. WebAccess.x64.<build_number>.msi file, or the 32-bit equivalent. The Mirage Web Access Applications Setup wizard launches. c. Select from the following: - Web Access Access for end users to their files stored in historical endpoint snapshots. IT determines which files are uploaded to the datacenter. - Admin Web Access Administrative access to all end-user endpoint snapshots. d. Enter the Mirage Management Server location. e. Enable the ports between IIS and the Mirage Management Server. f. The File Portal also requires Windows Authentication on Microsoft SQL Server. The Microsoft User State Migration Tools (USMT) files are required for various base-layer migrations and restorations, such as a Windows XP to Windows 7 migration. a. Download the Microsoft Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) and copy the USMT folder and all subdirectories to your Mirage Server. b. In the left pane of the MMC, right-click System Configuration and select Settings. The System Configuration window appears. c. Select the USMT tab and click Import USMT. Figure 12: Importing USMT d. On the Mirage Server, navigate to C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\ Tools\USMT and validate that USMT has been imported. 12. (Optional, but required for domainjoining operations) Configure domain account details. a. In the left pane of the MMC, right-click System Configuration and select Settings. Select the General tab. b. Enter the credentials of the account that will be used to join domains during migrations. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 34

35 HORIZON MIRAGE INSTALLATION STEP DETAILS 13. (Optional) Make other system configurations in the Mirage Management Server through the MMC. In the left pane of the MMC, right-click System Configuration and select Settings. You can configure Snapshot frequency and retention period Warning threshold for volume capacity Warning threshold for desktop image size Upload policy to use when an end user adds their desktop image to the Horizon Mirage system License number Enablement of automatic desktop image creation, initiated by the end user Enablement of and specifications for the File Portal See Configuring the Mirage System in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Table 5: Details on Horizon Mirage Installation and Configuration Steps For more details, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 35

36 Hands-On Evaluation Exercises for Horizon Mirage This section walks you through some hands-on exercises so you can experience and evaluate the key features of Horizon Mirage desktop imaging. The exercises are sequential and build upon each other. First you set up your test machines and then you use Horizon Mirage in this test environment. These are the tasks you will accomplish: 1. Prepare the reference machine and endpoint. a. Create test virtual machines. b. Create a reference machine. c. Install the Mirage Client on the test machines. d. Centralize (back up) the reference machine. e. Centralize the endpoint. 2. Migrate a desktop from Windows XP to Windows Use Horizon Mirage to work with base and application layers. a. Capture a base layer from the reference machine. b. Assign a base layer to an endpoint. c. Create an application layer on the reference machine. d. Assign an application layer to an endpoint. 4. Use Horizon Mirage for desktop recovery. When you perform these exercises, you will practice most of the basic Horizon Mirage procedures. The exercises build on each other, so be sure to do the exercises in sequence. For more detail on all procedures, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide and the VMware Horizon Mirage App Layer Capture Guidelines..Requirements for the Horizon Mirage Evaluation Exercises For these Horizon Mirage evaluation exercises, you need A product to create virtual machines. This can be VMware vsphere, VMware Fusion Pro, or VMware Workstation. You need to know how to create virtual machines, manage virtual machine snapshots, and power virtual machines on and off. See the vsphere, Fusion Pro or Workstation documentation. Although VMware vsphere is not required to run Horizon Mirage, you can use your current vsphere installation to create virtual machines for Horizon Mirage to manage in these evaluation exercises. The Horizon Mirage bundle includes both Workstation and Fusion Pro, and you can use either to create the virtual machines for this evaluation. If you are not using vsphere, one computer with enough space for two Fusion Pro or Workstation virtual machines (allow 74GB for these two virtual machines). A fully licensed or trial version of Horizon Mirage Installers for some application software, such as Firefox, 7Zip, Skype, and Adobe Reader REVIEWER S GUIDE / 36

37 These evaluation exercises assume that you have already installed and configured the Horizon Mirage datacenter components (Mirage Server, Mirage Management Server, and Mirage Management Console). If not, see the Horizon Mirage Installation and Configuration Checklist. Note: In these exercises, you receive periodic instructions to take a virtual machine snapshot (with vsphere, Fusion, or Workstation). These snapshots provide a safety net in case you have proceeded to a virtual machine state that is not what you intended. You can roll back to a previous virtual machine snapshot. Warning: Rolling back to a previous virtual machine snapshot does not necessarily roll back the state in the MMC. For example, rolling back to a prior virtual machine snapshot may put the virtual machine into a state without an applied layer, yet in App Layer Assignments, you may still see the layer as applied. You may need to manually roll back the Horizon Mirage CVD state in the MMC to accommodate the rollback to a prior virtual machine snapshot. Delete the CVD and re-centralize the endpoint. Reverting to a prior Horizon Mirage snapshot is the best solution in case you make a mistake in the exercises. Horizon Mirage automatically adjusts assignments to match the snapshot state. Preparing the Reference Machine and Endpoint You need to create your test environment, which consists of a Horizon Mirage reference machine and an endpoint. You will Mirage-enable the reference machine and endpoint, and then back up each machine to the datacenter. Creating Your Test Virtual Machines For these exercises, you need two test computers either physical computers or virtual machines. Virtual machines are suitable for capturing most applications; we will proceed as if you are using virtual machines for your test machines. Create one Windows 7 virtual machine and one Windows XP virtual machine. Assign the Windows 7 virtual machine with 24GB of space, thick-provisioned and lazy-zeroed. Assign the Windows XP virtual machine with 50GB of space, thin-provisioned. Make sure these virtual machines comply with requirements for Mirage Clients, as specified in the Horizon Mirage Operating System and Software Requirements. Remember to install the required.net Framework 3.5 on the Windows XP virtual machine. Windows 7 includes this already. In addition, Horizon Mirage requires that the Volume Shadow Copy service be enabled. If you have optimized your Windows 7 or Windows XP virtual machine and have disabled the Volume Shadow Copy service, be sure to enable this service as either Manual or Automatic. Before you proceed with these exercises, take a virtual machine snapshot of each test machine so that you can revert to this initial state at any time. Do this in Workstation, Fusion Pro, or vsphere, according to instructions with these products. This allows you to roll back each test machine to its current state, if needed. Note: This virtual machine snapshot is a different entity from a Horizon Mirage snapshot or a Horizon Mirage desktop image in the datacenter. The virtual machine snapshot is insurance against your going astray in these exercises. Horizon Mirage automatically takes a snapshot of the endpoint at critical junctures, so you also have a Horizon Mirage snapshot to roll back to. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 37

38 Creating a Reference Machine A reference machine is an endpoint that you use to create and maintain base and application layers. The reference machine is where you patch the operating system, add core applications to the base layer, and add applications to an application layer. The administrator captures a base layer or application layer from the reference machine through the Mirage Management Console. Layers are given names and versions. The same reference machine can be used for multiple layer captures. After creating the reference machine, you centralize it to create a reference desktop image to be distributed to a set of endpoints. The reference machine does not consume any of your Horizon Mirage licenses. Use the Windows 7 virtual machine as your reference machine in these exercises. The virtual machine you use for the reference machine must be a clean reference machine. Following is the profile of a clean reference machine: Simple OS installation The clean machine has a simple installation of the OS (Windows XP, or Windows 7, either 32- or 64-bit). Same OS profile as the endpoints that will receive the copied base layer The clean reference machine is similar to the Mirage Clients that will receive the copied base layer. That is, the clean reference machine has the same Windows service pack version and.net framework version as the target endpoints. No interfering software The clean machine does not have software on it that can cause changes to the machine while you are installing applications for an app layer. No auto-updating software The clean reference machine does not have auto-updating software installed; remove any auto-updating software. If this is not possible, disable the auto-updating feature of the preexisting software. For example, turn off automatic Windows Update installations and automatic antivirus definition updates. Proper version of.net framework The clean reference machine has the proper version of the.net framework for the applications you will install. You can deliver this same version of.net to the target machines in the base layer. After you ensure that the reference machine is clean, you can install the Mirage Client on the two virtual machines you are using for these exercises. Installing the Mirage Client on the Test Machines Install the Mirage Client on each of the two test virtual machines the Windows 7 reference machine and the Windows XP virtual machine. In a production environment, you can silently install the Mirage Client on endpoints from the command line. For this exercise, run the installer on each endpoint. Remember that you must first install.net Framework 3.5 on the Windows XP virtual machine; the Windows 7 operating system includes it. 1. Place the Mirage Client installer on the endpoint. Install either the 64-bit version (.x64) or the 32-bit version (.x86) according to the types of virtual machines you created. 2. Double-click the Mirage Client installer to launch it. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 38

39 The Welcome window appears. Figure 13: Mirage Client Setup Welcome Window 3. Click Next. The End-User License Agreement window appears. Figure 14: Mirage Client Setup End-User License Agreement 4. Accept the terms and conditions and click Next. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 39

40 The Mirage Client Configuration window appears. Figure 15: Mirage Client Setup Client Configuration Window 5. Enter the IP address or FQDN of the Mirage Server you want this client to communicate with. Note: You can also append a port number to the Mirage Server location entry if you do not want to use the Horizon Mirage default port (8000). Enter a colon ( : ) and then the port number. 6. Select Use SSL to connect to the server to enable SSL if your Mirage Server is configured for SSL usage. If you select this option, enter the proper SSL port after the Mirage Server location (SSL certificates must already be configured on the Mirage Server). For this evaluation, do not enable SSL. 7. Click Next. The Ready to Install window appears. Figure 16: Mirage Client Setup Ready to Install Window REVIEWER S GUIDE / 40

41 8. Click Install. Installation begins, and a progress window appears. Figure 17: Mirage Client Setup Installation Progress Window When installation is complete, the Finished Installing window appears, and the Horizon Mirage system tray icon prompts the client to reboot. This is a best practice, although not mandatory. If this is the initial installation of the Mirage Client, restarting assures better backup protection and enables streaming, which promotes faster restore. If this is an upgrade to the Mirage Client, restarting promotes better performance. Figure 18: Completion of the Mirage Client Setup 9. Click Finish. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 41

42 10. Validate that the Mirage Client is correctly installed. a. Examine the Horizon Mirage system tray icon. The Mirage Client installation is successful if the system tray icon displays a yellow marking. If you double-click the system tray icon, the details indicate that the client is Connected to the Mirage Server and Pending Assignment. Figure 19: Mirage Client Successful Installation Pending Assignment means that the Mirage-managed endpoint is ready for backup. You will activate the endpoint within the MMC by centralizing it (creating the initial desktop image, or CVD, in the datacenter). REVIEWER S GUIDE / 42

43 Troubleshooting tip: If you see an X on the Horizon Mirage system tray icon, double-click the icon, and you will see that the client is Disconnected: Figure 20: Horizon Mirage Client Is Disconnected from the Mirage Server One cause of this issue could be that you entered the incorrect Server Address, such as localhost, during installation of the Mirage Client. Uninstall the Mirage Client, and reinstall it with the correct Mirage Server address. Other reasons for the Disconnected Connection Status are discussed in the VMware Knowledge Base article Mirage Client is Disconnected. b. Horizon Mirage also recognizes each Mirage-enabled endpoint on the network. In the left pane of the Mirage Management Console, under VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Inventory > Pending Devices, check that each virtual machine appears with a Pending State of Pending Assignment. Figure 21: Pending Devices in the Mirage Management Console REVIEWER S GUIDE / 43

44 Taking Virtual Machine Snapshots of the Test Machines Take a virtual machine snapshot of the reference virtual machine in its clean, Mirage-enabled state. Also take a virtual machine snapshot of the endpoint. Do this in Workstation, Fusion Pro, or vsphere, according to instructions with these products. This allows you to roll back the reference machine or the endpoint to this current state, if needed. Note: This virtual machine snapshot is a different entity from a Horizon Mirage snapshot or a Horizon Mirage desktop image in the datacenter. Centralizing (Backing Up) the Reference Machine Centralize the reference machine to create a backup in the datacenter. To do this 1. In the Mirage Management Console (MMC), select the Inventory node in the left pane, then Pending Devices. In the right pane, you see a list of Pending Devices. These are the endpoints you enabled by installing the Mirage Client. Each of these endpoints has a Current Action of Pending Assignment in the Horizon Mirage system tray icon details. Pending Devices are ready to be backed up to the datacenter. 2. Right-click the clean Windows 7 reference machine you created, and select Create a new Reference CVD. Important: A CVD is a centralized virtual desktop, or the desktop image in the datacenter. Figure 22: Create a New Reference CVD The Select Upload Policy window appears. Figure 23: Select Upload Policy in Create a New Reference CVD REVIEWER S GUIDE / 44

45 An upload policy is a set of rules specifying which files Horizon Mirage backs up to the datacenter in a CVD. For example, the default upload policy ignores MP3s and movies. Horizon Mirage automatically numbers new upload policy versions for you, but you can configure the version numbers. For more information about upload policies, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. 3. Select Mirage default CVD policy and click Next. The Select a Base Layer window appears. Figure 24: Select a Base Layer in Create a New Reference CVD 4. Select Don t use a Base Layer. This is the correct choice because you have not yet captured a base layer. (At other times, you can select Select Base Layer from list to apply updates to the base layer.) Click Next. The Select Target Volume window appears. Figure 25: Select Target Volume in Create a New Reference CVD 5. Specify Automatically choose a volume. This is the storage volume where the CVD will be located. Horizon Mirage automatically finds a storage volume that you have configured and places CVDs on it. Click Next. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 45

46 The Summary window appears. Figure 26: Summary in Create a New Reference CVD 6. Click Finish. 7. Validate that the reference machine CVD has been created. a. In the MMC, validate that the reference machine is no longer in the Inventory > Pending Devices list and is now in the Image Composer > Reference CVDs list. Figure 27: Initializing Upload of the Reference Machine CVD REVIEWER S GUIDE / 46

47 At first, the Activity is initializing upload. As the backup progresses, the Activity value changes to upload, and the Progress moves toward 100%. Figure 28: Progress of the Reference Machine CVD Figure 29: Reference Machine CVD Complete When the Reference Machine backup is complete, the Activity is idle, and the Progress is 100%. b. Validate within the reference machine that the endpoint is linked to a backup image (CVD) in the datacenter. To do this, open the reference machine and examine the Horizon Mirage system tray icon. It now has a green flag on it. Figure 30: Horizon Mirage System Tray Icon After a CVD Is Linked to the Endpoint REVIEWER S GUIDE / 47

48 Also, if you double-click the Horizon Mirage system tray icon, you see that the Current Action is idle. You have created the desktop image in the datacenter for the reference machine. You will later use the reference machine for capturing a base layer and application layers. Centralizing the Windows XP Endpoint After you install the Mirage Client on an endpoint, the endpoint appears in the MMC as a pending device, and you need to activate it. Activating the endpoint involves centralizing, or backing up, the endpoint to a datacenter desktop image. Centralizing an endpoint enables you to: Automatically back up the endpoint, for disaster recovery. The datacenter desktop image (base layer and application layers) is continually synchronized with the endpoint PC: IT-managed elements are downloaded and user-controlled elements are uploaded. Revert to a prior desktop image snapshot in case you are not satisfied with a layer download. Either the IT administrator or the end user can centralize the PC. For a user to centralize their own endpoint, the administrator must enable automatic desktop image creation in the Mirage Management Server configurations. Then a PC is centralized as soon as the user logs in to a Mirage-enabled endpoint. For more information on user centralization, see Centralizing an Endpoint in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. For these exercises, the administrator will centralize the Windows XP endpoint. During the centralization procedure, the end user can continue to work on their PC, and they do not need to reboot to finalize the backup. Desktop backup is automatic in Horizon Mirage: after you create the desktop image in the datacenter by centralizing the endpoint, the desktop is automatically backed up at configurable intervals. You only need to centralize the endpoint and configure the frequency of desktop backup. For this exercise, use the default upload policy in the MMC. Upload policies determine which user files and directories should be uploaded to the datacenter desktop image. A desktop image can have only one upload policy at a time, and you need to decide which upload policy to use before endpoint activation. The default upload policy Synchronizes the client with the server every sixty minutes Includes the system volume Does not upload MP3 and AVI files to the desktop image You can customize upload policies in the MMC. From the left pane, select VMware Mirage > Mirage System > System Configuration > Upload Policies. For more information, see Working with Upload Policies in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. During endpoint centralization, you must assign the endpoint to one of these upload policies. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 48

49 Centralize the Windows XP virtual machine to create its datacenter backup: 1. From the left pane of the MMC, select VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Common Wizards. Figure 31: Selecting Common Wizards from the MMC 2. From the right pane, select Centralize Endpoint. The Select Pending Device window opens. Figure 32: Select Pending Device in the Centralize Endpoint Wizard 3. From the list of pending devices, select the Windows XP virtual machine, which you want to centralize, and click Next. The Select Upload Policy window appears. Figure 33: Select Upload Policy in the Centralize Endpoint Wizard REVIEWER S GUIDE / 49

50 4. Select the upload policy you want to use. For this exercise, select the Mirage default CVD policy 1.0 and click Next. If you do not select a policy, the default upload policy applies. The Change Collections window appears. Figure 34: Change Collections in the Centralize Endpoint Wizard 5. If you were adding the device to a collection, you would select a desired collection. A collection aggregates CVDs into a logical group assigned to one base layer. For example, you might create a collection of endpoints within one department for individuals who share the same operating system and core applications. For more information, see Working with CVD Collections in the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. For this exercise, do not choose a collection, and click Next. The Summary window appears. Figure 35: Summary in the Centralize Endpoint Wizard REVIEWER S GUIDE / 50

51 6. Click Finish. The client starts its centralization process. The Horizon Mirage system tray icon on the client indicates that initialization of the desktop image upload has begun. Figure 36: Mirage Client Indication of Centralization Progress The tooltip for the Horizon Mirage system tray icon continues to indicate upload progress. 7. From the client, monitor details on the upload of the desktop image to the datacenter. To do this, double-click on the Horizon Mirage system tray icon, and watch the Current Action field turn to Upload and increase its percentage complete. Figure 37: Horizon Mirage System Tray Icon Showing Upload of CVD in Progress 8. Also monitor through the MMC the progress of the CVD upload to the datacenter. From the left pane of the MMC, select VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Inventory > All CVDs. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 51

52 The All CVDs list appears in the right pane. Figure 38: Progress of Endpoint Centralization in the MMC The Activity field displays the progress of the desktop image upload. At first, the value in Activity is initializing upload. This value changes to upload, and the percentage complete is indicated in the Progress field. Figure 39: MMC Showing Upload Progress of the Desktop Image from the Endpoint Troubleshooting tip: You may notice that immediately after reaching 100% completion of the upload of the desktop image, Horizon Mirage starts over and initializes and performs the upload again. This is nothing to worry about: Horizon Mirage is repeating the upload cycle to Incorporate any changes to the user endpoint that might have occurred during the first upload Take any required snapshots of the endpoint during the timeframe of the upload process. (Note: Horizon Mirage uploads hourly incremental backups of the endpoint and uses them internally to construct the snapshots that you can use to restore prior desktop states.) REVIEWER S GUIDE / 52

53 9. Validate that you have backed up the Windows XP to a desktop image (CVD) in the datacenter. a. From the Windows XP endpoint, double-click the Horizon Mirage system tray icon to display details. When the desktop image has completely uploaded to the datacenter, the Horizon Mirage system tray icon has no flag on it. The detail for the system tray icon shows the Current Action of the endpoint as Idle. Figure 40: Desktop Image Upload to the Datacenter Is Complete b. Check in the MMC for completion of the Windows XP backup. From the left pane of the MMC, select VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Inventory > All CVDs. When centralization of an endpoint is complete, the Progress field in the All CVDs window shows 100%, and the Activity field shows idle. Figure 41: MMC Showing Completion of the Desktop Image Upload to the Datacenter You have successfully made a Horizon Mirage backup of the Windows XP client. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 53

54 Migrating a Desktop from Windows XP to Windows 7 With Horizon Mirage, you can migrate an endpoint from one version of the Windows operating system to another. The Horizon Mirage layered desktop image allows you to do a real-time, in-place migration of the endpoint operating system while preserving user data and settings. With the Horizon Mirage Windows 7 Migration wizard, you can migrate a Windows XP endpoint to Windows 7 Windows Vista endpoint to Windows 7 This wizard depends upon the Microsoft User State Migration Tool (USMT) v4.0, which you import into the Mirage Server before you begin the migration. Details of the Migration-to-Windows-7 Process For the migration, you prepare a Windows 7 migration base layer on the reference machine, which you will deploy to the target endpoint. A standard base layer includes not only the operating system and core applications, but also any local user profiles on the reference machine at the time of base layer capture. These profiles can be used to set up a local administrator and default user account on the target endpoint. A migration base layer is different from a standard base layer. The migration base layer is different from a standard base layer because it must have the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) and boot-loader files present on the operating-system partition and not on a separate boot partition. Horizon Mirage provides an automated scripted process to create the special migration base layer. After you prepare the migration base layer on the reference machine, you capture it to store it in the datacenter. Then you launch the Windows 7 Migration wizard in the MMC. You make selections and enter values in the wizard, and the wizard starts the actual migration. After you start the migration, but prior to the download of the Windows 7 migration base layer to the target endpoint, the Mirage Server automatically takes a Horizon Mirage snapshot of the endpoint so that you can roll back the endpoint to the pre-migration state, if necessary. Horizon Mirage then compares the migration base layer in the datacenter to the endpoint CVD in the datacenter. Only differences between the two will be downloaded to the endpoint. During migration, the differences between the migration base layer and the endpoint are downloaded from the reference CVD in the datacenter to the endpoint. This process occurs in the background while the user works. When the download is complete, the user is prompted to reboot. During the reboot 1. Any necessary drivers for the new Windows 7 endpoint are downloaded from the Horizon Mirage Driver Library, and the drivers are installed on the target endpoint. 2. The operating system is replaced: a. The existing Windows XP files are moved to the C:\Windows.Old directory on the endpoint. b. The new bits of the Window 7 migration base layer which were downloaded are moved to C:\ Windows. c. Bits that can be reused from Windows XP to complete the Windows 7 operating system are moved from C:\Windows.Old back to C:\Windows. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 54

55 A special login screen appears. Windows logs in automatically to a temporary captive user account, with a special wallpaper and status balloon to indicate this temporary login status. User data and settings are moved to their proper locations: 1. USMT migrates user data and profiles from Windows XP to the new Windows 7 operating system. To do this, USMT accesses the original user files in C:\Windows.Old. 2. Horizon Mirage rejoins the endpoint into the domain with the credentials you supplied. 3. Horizon Mirage runs the post-migration script. 4. The user is prompted to reboot the endpoint. The migration to Windows 7 is complete. Application settings and data which are not handled by USMT remain in the C:\Windows.Old directory, and you can later manually restore or delete them. Applications on the Windows XP target endpoint are not retained because there is no assurance that they will work in Windows 7. Instead, you can deploy the needed applications with the migration base layer or in subsequent application layers. The Windows 7 migration process retains the original endpoint computer name, but requires rejoining the domain to create a Windows 7 machine account. You define this account in the Mirage System Configuration menu. You can perform the Windows 7 migration over a LAN or WAN. For a migration in a remote office over a WAN, it is usually more efficient to use the Horizon Mirage Branch Reflector feature to reduce WAN bandwidth usage. A Windows 7 machine configured as a Branch Reflector can download the new Windows 7 base layer over the LAN to other remote office endpoints. The Windows 7 Migration wizard is for migration of existing endpoints to a new version of the operating system. For migration involving different hardware, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. Stages of Migration to Windows 7 1. Prepare your migration environment. 2. Capture the Windows 7 migration base layer. 3. Download and apply the migration base layer to the endpoint. Preparing Your Migration Environment In the sequential exercises of this Reviewer s Guide, you have already Created the Windows 7 and Windows XP virtual machines Cleaned the Windows 7 virtual machine so it can be a reference machine Installed the Mirage Client on both the Windows 7 reference machine and the Windows XP endpoint Created a Reference CVD (backup) of the Windows 7 reference machine Created a CVD (backup) of the Windows XP endpoint You need to perform a few setup steps before you capture the Windows 7 migration base layer: Import USMT package to the Mirage Server (Optional) Set up Horizon Mirage Driver Library Decrypt target endpoint Create some test applications and files Prepare migration base layer on the reference machine REVIEWER S GUIDE / 55

56 To prepare your migration environment 1. Import the USMT package to the Mirage Server. 2. (Optional) Create a Driver Library with the drivers needed for Windows 7 which may not be on the Windows XP endpoint. Also create a Driver Profile for the endpoint you are migrating. For more information, see the VMware Horizon Mirage Administrator s Guide. During the migration, Horizon Mirage automatically installs the necessary drivers from the Driver Library into the target Windows XP endpoint. 3. Make sure the target endpoint is decrypted; disk encryption software can interfere with migrations. To do this a. Uninstall any encryption software on the endpoint. b. Revert the endpoint to its decrypted state. Because you created the Windows XP virtual machine for these exercises, you probably do not have any encryption software on the endpoint. 4. For testing purposes Create a distinctive Notepad file and place it on the Windows XP desktop Install an application on the Windows 7 reference machine and place its shortcut on the desktop Create a distinctive file and place it on the Windows 7 reference machine desktop 5. Prepare the migration base layer on the reference machine. A migration base layer is similar to, but different from, a standard base layer. For a migration base layer, you must have the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) and boot-loader files present on the operating-system partition and not on a separate boot partition. To do this a. On the reference machine, right-click the Horizon Mirage icon in the system tray, and select Tools > Windows 7 Image Setup. Figure 42: Tools > Windows 7 Image Setup from the Reference Machine System Tray Icon REVIEWER S GUIDE / 56

57 The Image Setup prompt appears. Figure 43: Prompt During Reference Machine Image Setup for Migration to Windows 7 b. Click Setup. Horizon Mirage automatically runs scripts on the reference machine to prepare a special migration base layer. The completion window appears. Figure 44: Completion of Image Setup for Windows 7 Reference Machine c. After this setup is complete, right-click the Horizon Mirage icon in the system tray of the reference machine again, and select Tools > Check Reference Machine. Figure 45: Tools > Check Reference Machine for Migration Base Layer Setup REVIEWER S GUIDE / 57

58 A command window shows the running of the validation procedure. Figure 46: Scripts Running for Check Reference Machine If problems occur, a window opens, and you can display details. Figure 47: Check Reference Machine Problem Window d. Resolve any problems indicated in the problem window. e. Click OK. The reference machine is ready for the capture of the Windows 7 migration base layer. Capturing the Windows 7 Migration Base Layer You already centralized the reference machine so that the desktop image (CVD) is stored in the datacenter. And you prepared the migration base layer. Now you are ready to capture the migration base layer: 1. From the left pane of the MMC, select VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Image Composer > Reference CVDs. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 58

59 2. From the Reference CVDs pane on the right, select the reference machine CVD, right-click, and select Capture Base Layer. Figure 48: Selecting Capture Base Layer from a Reference CVD The Capture Base Layer window appears. Figure 49: Capture Base Layer Window REVIEWER S GUIDE / 59

60 3. Select Create a new layer and enter a Name and an optional Description. Figure 50: Detail on Capture Base Layer Window 4. Click Next. The License Keys window appears. Figure 51: License Keys Window During Capture of the Base Layer REVIEWER S GUIDE / 60

61 5. Enter any license keys and click Next. For this exercise, take whatever is the simplest approach for testing. The Check Compatibility window appears. Figure 52: Check Compatibility Window During Capture of the Base Layer 6. Resolve any compatibility issues and click Next. 7. The Summary window appears. Figure 53: Summary Window of Capturing the Base Layer of a Reference CVD 8. Confirm the information. If something is incorrect, click Back and resolve. Otherwise, click Finish. A dialog box prompts you to switch to the Task List view to monitor progress of the migration base layer capture. Figure 54: Prompt to Switch to Monitoring the Task List 9. Click Yes. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 61

62 The Task Monitoring pane in the MMC opens on the right. A new task, Capture Base Layer, is at the top of the list, with the Status of Wait for device upload. Progress is currently 0%. Figure 55: Capture Base Layer Task in Task Monitoring List of the MMC The Windows 7 reference machine (device) must upload its base layer to the datacenter. 10. You can monitor the progress of the migration base layer upload from the Windows 7 reference machine. a. Open the Windows 7 reference machine. b. Double-click the Horizon Mirage system tray icon. The detail window shows that the Current Action is Initializing Upload, with the percentage complete. Figure 56: Windows 7 Reference Machine Initializing Upload of Migration Base Layer to Datacenter 11. You can go back and forth between the MMC Task Monitoring pane and the Windows 7 reference machine s system tray icon detail window to monitor progress. To refresh the MMC Task Monitoring window, click the green circular double-arrow icon near the top of the Task Monitoring pane. When monitoring the reference machine, after the upload of the migration base layer to the datacenter, you may notice a repetition of initializing the upload and uploading the migration base layer. Horizon Mirage is handling any changes to the reference machine during the previous upload process, or is catching up on internally used system snapshots. REVIEWER S GUIDE / 62

63 Figure 57: Repetition of Uploading the Migration Base Layer from the Reference Machine During this additional upload process, the MMC Task Monitoring pane continues to show a Status of Done and Progress of 100% complete. 12. Before proceeding, validate in the MMC that the task of the migration base layer capture has been completed: a. Check Task Monitoring in the MMC. From the left pane, select VMware Mirage > Mirage System > Task Monitoring. The Task Monitoring pane opens on the right. For the Capture Base Layer task, the Status field should indicate Done and the Progress field 100%. Figure 58: Capture of Migration Base Layer Complete in Task Monitoring REVIEWER S GUIDE / 63

64 b. Check that your new migration base layer is in the list of Base Layers in the MMC. From the left pane of the MMC, select Image Composer > Base Layers. The Base Layers pane opens on the right. The new migration base layer should appear in the Base Layers list, with the name you gave it during capture. Figure 59: Migration Base Layer in the Base Layer List in the MMC c. Check that the reference machine is idle and no longer involved in any process. Open the Windows 7 reference machine, and double-click the Horizon Mirage system tray icon. When the second pass of uploading the migration base layer is complete on the reference machine, the green flag on the Horizon Mirage system tray icon disappears. Also, the detail from the Horizon Mirage system tray icon indicates that the Current Action is Idle. Figure 60: Windows 7 Reference Machine Is Idle after Migration Base Layer Capture You have successfully captured the Windows 7 reference machine migration base layer, and you are ready to use the Windows 7 Migration wizard to set up the migration parameters. After you complete the wizard, the actual migration begins (the download and application of the Windows 7 migration base layer to the Windows XP endpoint). REVIEWER S GUIDE / 64

65 Downloading and Applying the Migration Base Layer to the Endpoint Downloading and applying the migration base layer has several steps: 1. Set up the migration parameters in the Windows 7 Migration Wizard. 2. Monitor the migration process. 3. Reboot at the end of the Windows 7 migration. 4. Confirm a successful Windows 7 migration. Details follow for these steps. Taking a Virtual Machine Snapshot of the Endpoint Before you begin this migration process, take a virtual machine snapshot of the Windows XP endpoint. Do this in Workstation, Fusion Pro, or vsphere, according to instructions with these products. This allows you to roll back the endpoint to its current state, if needed. Note: This virtual machine snapshot is a different entity from a Horizon Mirage snapshot or a Horizon Mirage desktop image in the datacenter. The virtual machine snapshot is insurance against your going astray in these exercises. Horizon Mirage automatically takes a snapshot of the endpoint before you migrate the endpoint, so you also have a Horizon Mirage snapshot to roll back to. Setting Up the Migration Parameters in the Windows 7 Migration Wizard The migration base layer is captured, and you are ready to set up the migration parameters with the Windows 7 Migration wizard. 1. Open the Mirage Management Console and click Common Wizards. 2. Click Windows 7 Migration. Figure 61: Windows 7 Migration Wizard Choice from the MMC REVIEWER S GUIDE / 65

66 The Select CVDs or Collections window appears. This window shows all CVDs eligible for the migration only Windows XP and Windows Vista CVDs are listed. Figure 62: Select CVDs or Collections in the Windows 7 Migration Wizard 3. Select the Window XP virtual machine CVD and click Select. This is the endpoint CVD against which the migration base layer will be compared. Only the differences between the base layer and the endpoint will be downloaded to the Windows XP endpoint. Horizon Mirage first compares the migration base layer in the reference CVD to the Windows XP CVD in the datacenter. Only differences between the two are downloaded from the reference CVD to the Windows XP endpoint. The Windows XP virtual machine appears in the Selected CVDs pane at the bottom. Figure 63: Selecting a CVD to Migrate in the Windows 7 Migration Wizard REVIEWER S GUIDE / 66

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