Configuration of a Standard Vmware View Connections Server

In a previous blog, I posted how to install a Standard Vmware View Connection Server. Now it’s time to configure this server.

In order to configure this service, you will have to have the following server/services up-and-running:

• 1 or more ESX 3.0, ESX 3.5 or ESX3.5I (ESX 3.5(i) is recommended)
• vCenter who runs a AD or is a member of a AD
• Vmware View Connection Server (Duhh!!)

Open your webbrowser and connect to https://dns_or_ip_of_vmwareview_server/admin
You propebly get a SSL error because we don’t run our own CA, but no problem, we trust ourself.
After this you will get the following screen:

no images were found

Login with the user you assigned to manage the connection server. If you did not create a View Administrator, login as Administrator.

Now we are in the configuration screen of the Connection server. The first thing we have to do is insert a valid license key. Without a license we cannot do anything. So, in the configuration screen click “Edit License..” and insert a valid license key.

no images were found

Now you will see that the License expiration shows a date.

Next we’re going to add the vCenter server. In the configuration screen | VirtualCenter Servers click “Add”.

no images were found

Server address: Ip-address or DNS name of the vCenter server
Username: The user how has the rights to add the server. Normally Administrator
Password: The password of the user
Description: Give a description of the vCenter server (optional)

If vCenter runs on a different port than 443 (https) change the port number and if you want to user SSL or not.

Ok, now this is done, let’s look at the Global Settings. Here we have the following options:

• Session timeout: Determines how long (in minutes) users are allowed to keep sessoins open after the log in to the View Connection Server. This fiel most contain a value, default is 600.
• Require SSL for client Connections: Determines if SSL is used to create a secure communication channel between View Connection Server and the client.
• Reauthenticate after network interruption: Determines if tunnel client user credentials must be reauthenticated after a network interruption. This setting had no effect when direct connection is being used.
• Message security mode: Determines if the JMS (Java Messaging Services) messages passed between View Manager components are encrypted.
• Direct Connection for Offline Desktop operations: Offline Desktop (if available) supports tunneld or non-tunneld communications for LAN-based data transers.
  If tunneling is enabled, all traffic is routed through the View Connection Server. When tunneling is not enabeld, data transfers take place directly between the online desktop host system and the offline client.
• Require SSL for Offline Desktop Operations: In addition to specifying the route for communications, you can encrypt the communications and data transfers that take place between the Offline Dekstop client and the View Connection Server by selecting this check box.
• Disable SSO for Offline Desktop operations: Determines if single sign-on is enabled for Offline Desktop. When Disabled, users must manuallylog in to their desktop tot start their Windows sessions.
• Display a pre-login message: if selected, Client and Web Access users see a disclaimer or login message.
• Display a warning before forced logoff: Determines if desktop users are logged off as a result of a scheduled or immediate update event (such as a desktop refresh)

So far the configuration of the Vmware View Connection Server. The next step is to add (Virtual) desktop to the system. This can be found here.