Windows Server 2012 R2: Deploying Microsoft VDI

  • Article

This is a work in progress, so please feel free to edit this page and add new items or sections as appropriate.

Introduction

Components required for a Windows Server 2012 VDI environment 

  • Hyper-V server with the 'RD Virtualization role' enabled' 
  • Active Directory domain services
  • Server hosting the 'RD Connection Broker' role 
  • Server hosting the 'RD Session host'role running in redirection mode
  • Server hosting the 'RD Web Access'role if providing access through a web portal is required
  • Server hosting the 'RD Gateway'role if external access to virtual desktops through the internet is required
  • Personal or Pooled Windows 7/8.1 VM's running on the Hyper-V Server virtualization host.

 

Optional components:

  • App-V
  • Remote Desktop Services Shared Hosted Apps
  • System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 

 

Overview of the Microsoft VDI environment

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Planning consderations

Licensing:

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Server Hardware:

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Networking:

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Storage:

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RD Virtualization Host role:

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RD Virtualization Host is a Remote Desktop Services role service included with Windows Server 2008 R2. RD Virtualization Host integrates with Hyper-V to provide virtual machines that can be used as personal virtual desktops or virtual desktop pools.

An RD Virtualization Host server has the following functions:

Monitoring VM guest sessions and reporting these sessions to the RD Connection Broker server.

Preparing the VM for a remote desktop connection when requested by the RD Connection Broker server.

In order for RD Virtualization Host to perform the above functions, the guest OS must be configured to give permission to RD Virtualization Host. Refer to the Deploying Virtual Desktop Pools by Using Remote Desktop Web Access Step-by-Step Guide for further details.

RD Connection Broker role:

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The main purpose of this role service is to broker a user connection to an appropriate endpoint. Brokering of the connection involves:

Identifying the VM for the user to make a remote connection.

Preparing the VM for remote connections by communicating with the Remote Desktop Virtualization Host server (for example, waking the VM from a saved state).

Querying the IP address of the VM by communicating with the Remote Desktop Virtualization Host server. This IP address is returned to the Remote Desktop Session Host server running in redirection mode.

Monitoring user sessions in a virtual desktop pool scenario. A user with an existing session in a pool is redirected to the hosting VM.

RD Session host role running in redirection mode:

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The purpose of the RD Session Host server running in redirection mode is to securely redirect an RDP client connection to a VM. The RD Session Host server running in redirection mode does not allow interactive user sessions, unless the user requests an administrative session by using the ‘/admin’ switch.

When a user requests a VM, the RD Session Host server running in redirection mode queries the RD Connection Broker server. The RD Connection Broker server in turn provisions a VM for the user and returns its IP address to the RD Session Host server running in redirection mode. The RD Session Host server running in redirection mode will then redirect the RDP client to connect to the VM by using the IP address.

It is recommended that the RD Connection Broker role service reside on the same machine as the RD Session Host server running in redirection mode (as shown in the diagram). However, the scenario where the RD Session Host server running in redirection mode and the RD Connection Broker role service are on separate machines is also supported.

RD Web Access role:

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RD Web Access provides a user with an aggregated view of remote applications and desktop connections via a web browser. Using RD Web Access, a user can view all remote applications and virtual desktops (personal virtual desktops and virtual desktop pools) published to that user. VDI VMs are also accessible via the RADC feature (start menu) in Win7 clients.

Refer to the blog post for RD Web Access configuration in a Microsoft VDI deployment.

RD Gateway role:

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RD Gateway is an optional role service in a Microsoft VDI deployment. Its main purpose is to securely route RDP connections over the Internet through a firewall.

Personal or Pooled VDI Desktops:

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Remote Desktop Services Shared Hosted Apps integration:

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App-V:

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App-V can simplify management of Virtual Machine images within a M

icrosoft VDI environment. Using App-V, you can dynamically load and assign applications on a user group basis, reduce application testing, reduce application to application conflicts, and increase application compatibility.

For more information on the next version of App-V refer to Get your applications virtualized on Windows 7 Beta with Microsoft App-V.

SCVMM:

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SCVMM's console is a one stop shop for VM Management. As part of Microsoft VDI solution it not only provides the Hyper-V UI functionality but enables fast and easy VM provisioning, which is helpful in large deployments.

Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/08/19/microsoft-vdi-overview.aspx

Deploying the RDS roles

RD Virtualization Host role:

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RD Connection Broker role:

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RD Session host role running in redirection mode:

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RD Web Access role:

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RD Gateway role:

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Create VM Pools:

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Assign Personal VM's:

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Deploy Integration

Configure integration with Remote Desktop Services Shared Hosted Apps

App-V:

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SCVMM

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Tuning and Optimization

Antivirus software:

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Disable features/services

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Disable graphical enhancements:

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