In Chapter 1, VMware Horizon Infrastructure Overview, we discussed some of the roles of Horizon Connection Server. These roles include the following:

• Managing connections between end user Horizon client connections and Horizon-managed resources, including Horizon desktops and Microsoft RDS servers
• Authenticating user connection requests and providing access to assigned resources
• Hosting the Horizon Administrator console for the VMware Horizon infrastructure
• Working in tandem with VMware vCenter and Horizon Composer to manage, deploy, and maintain virtual desktops

The following diagram shows the placement of the Horizon Connection Server in a simple Horizon environment. For now, only the Horizon Connection Server is displayed; later chapters will add respective Horizon Servers to this diagram:

The Horizon Connection Server authenticates...

Like many other software services, Horizon Connection Server requires a minimum server configuration to ensure adequate performance. To properly support Horizon Connection Server, VMware vCenter Server must also be assigned adequate resources and configured appropriately, based on the projected size of the Horizon infrastructure.

The Horizon Connection Server software has specific requirements with regard to the hardware specifications and host operating system. In addition, all Horizon Connection Servers, regardless of the type, should be installed on a dedicated virtual or physical server.

The installation and configuration process for the first Horizon Connection Server, referred to as a Horizon Standard Connection Server during installation, requires some amount of preparation. This section will outline what is required prior to beginning the installation.

There are a number of prerequisites that...

Deploying the first Horizon Connection Server is broken down into two stages; the installation of the Connection Server software and the final setup using the Horizon Administrator console.

The Horizon Connection Server software is delivered as a single executable (EXE) file, named in a format similar to VMware-Horizon-Connection-Server-x86_64-x.x.x-yyyyyy.exe. This installer is used for all four Horizon Connection Server types, which include Standard, Replica, Security, and Enrollment.

While Horizon does not require a Composer Server to deploy and manage instant clone desktops, we are required to provide an AD account that it will use to create and manage the Instant Clone desktop AD computer objects. In this section we will create the AD account, grant it the permissions required in AD, and provide the account details in the Horizon Administrator console.

Horizon requires an AD account with specific permissions in order to manage the desktop AD computer objects for Instant Clone desktops. Refer to the Delegating permissions for Horizon Composer in Active Directory section of Chapter 3, Implementing Horizon...

The installation process for a Horizon Replica Connection Server is straightforward as the configuration information is copied from the Horizon Standard Connection Server that was installed in the previous section. This section will explain how the installation process differs with regard to options that are chosen during installation.

The steps required to install a Horizon Replica Connection Server are largely the same as those for a Standard Connection Server; only a few steps differ. The following list outlines where the installation process differs, using the numbered steps provided within the Deploying the first Horizon Connection...

Upgrading an existing Horizon Connection Server is a straightforward process that typically requires no more than a few minutes to complete, not counting the time required to plan the operation. Regardless, it is important to block access to the Connection Server while the upgrade is being performed to ensure no Horizon clients attempt to connect to it, or at the very least to perform the upgrade during a period of time in which the Connection Server is not expected to be used.

If you are using a load balancer to distribute traffic among multiple Horizon Connection Servers, the easiest way to block access to the Connection Server is to remove it from the load-balancing group. This prevents connections from being sent to it, while at the same time being transparent to the end users.

The information required to restore a Horizon Connection Server is stored in two different databases:

• Horizon Connection Server AD LDS database
• vCenter Server database

Horizon Composer, described in Chapter 3, Implementing Horizon Composer, also uses a database that contains critical Horizon configuration information. Horizon installations that utilize Horizon Composer will also need to back up the Composer database as part of their backup and recovery plan.

The vCenter Server database should be backed up using whatever method is available within your environment. For Windows-based vCenter Servers, this includes options such as the following:

...

The process to restore a Horizon Connection Server varies based on the scenario that necessitated the restore.

If you are restoring all of your Horizon Connection Servers from scratch, the Horizon Composer database will need to be restored as part of the recovery process as its contents are tied to those of the Horizon AD LDS database. Refer to the Restoring the Horizon Composer database section in Chapter 3, Implementing Horizon Composer, for additional information about restoring the Composer database.

In situations where it is required to restore multiple Horizon-related databases at once, you should use backups that were taken as closely together as possible when performing the restore. Ideally, backup plans for all Horizon components should coincide as closely as possible to ensure that the data shared between them is consistent. The further...

In this chapter, we have been introduced to the key component of a VMware Horizon installation: the Connection Server. We have learned what is required to deploy a Connection Server, what the limits of a Connection Server are, how to perform the installation and initial configuration, and how to install additional Replica Connection Servers.

We have also discussed how to backup to the Horizon Connection Server configuration, including the vCenter databases.

We concluded this chapter by discussing how to restore the Horizon Connection Server configuration, and how that process varies based on the recovery scenario.

In the next chapter, we will implement Horizon Composer; the component of a Horizon installation that enables the deployment of linked-clone virtual desktops.

1. What Windows OS can you install the Horizon Connection Server software on?
2. What are the four Horizon Connection Server types?
3. What are the maximum number of Horizon Connection Servers you can install in a single pod?

4. What are the recommended CPU and RAM requirements for a Horizon Connection Server?
5. What is the name of the first Horizon Connection Server you install in a new Horizon pod?
6. What is the term used to describe the second Connection Server you install in an existing Horizon pod?
7. What are the maximum number of client connections supported by a single Horizon Connection Server?
8. If you intend to assign an AD security group administrative permissions during the Horizon Connection Server installation process, what key step must you perform before you begin the installation?

The following resources may be used to learn more about the topics described in this chapter:

• VMware documentation:
  • VMware Horizon (https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/index.html)
  • VMware vSphere (https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-pubs.html)