Horizon, VMware's virtual desktop software, functions both on premises and in the cloud. However, for a successful cloud deployment, you must first meet VMware Horizon requirements, such as linking Horizon to an IaaS and creating a cloud pod architecture.
You can use Horizon with VMware Cloud on AWS, Azure, AWS and IBM Cloud, although VMware Cloud on AWS and Azure are the most common deployments.
VMware Cloud on AWS meets all Horizon requirements with the least amount of configuration. With Horizon on VMware Cloud on AWS, you can monitor both your cloud and on-premises infrastructures from a single pane of glass and create a hybrid cloud environment that runs smoothly. You can also upload your own virtual images to Horizon and use vSphere resource pools to set up desktops.
You can use Azure to provide the virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) building blocks you require. When you use Horizon on Azure, you can take advantage of your existing Azure infrastructure and still integrate Horizon with key VMware tools and software, such as Workspace One and NSX. However, Azure predefines all VM sizes, so you can't adjust VM sizes for your VDIs.
VMware Horizon requirements and setup
Before you stand up your infrastructure and deploy VMware Horizon, Active Directory (AD) available. It enacts key authentication tasks, such as rights management and certificate services, in any VDI. You can use either on-premises or Azure-based AD services.
You should choose the region for your IaaS based on the location of your user base -- ideally, you should locate your IaaS as close to your users as possible -- to ensure the lowest latency and the best performance.
Once you have AD configured, you must set up and configure connectivity between the Horizon infrastructure and the IaaS you use: VMware Cloud on AWS or Azure. If you use Azure, you must also configure connectivity between Horizon and the DNS connected to AD. You can then create virtual desktops, otherwise known as pods. You can use pods from multiple providers, depending on your configuration.
You should choose the region for your IaaS based on the location of your user base -- ideally, you should locate your IaaS as close to your users as possible -- to ensure the lowest latency and the best performance. You can employ multiple IaaS pods in separate, geographically appropriate locations.
If you use a cloud configuration without much or any on-premises infrastructure to speak of, you must directly connect your Horizon control infrastructure to your IaaS component. You can use the Horizon control interface, which you can find in the VMware customer portal, to do this.
You can also use the Horizon control interface's wizard to configure the rest of your environment. This wizard enables you to add a previously configured IaaS infrastructure to Horizon View's central control pane and manage it from there. You can include IaaS from multiple vendors, but configuration requirements might vary depending on which service you use.
User access gateway
You must configure a user access gateway (UAG) so users can log in to their desktops.
Begin by configuring your pods, which might take several minutes. Once you complete configuration, you must set up AD integration for the users, which is part of the wizard setup process. You can do this via the Horizon cloud configuration settings. You must then create and assign administrator roles and populate AD with administrator accounts.
Once you configure the UAG, you can use your new portal to log in as an administrator and manage desktops.
You still must create the appropriate resource pools, populate them and work with the desktop images. Although you can upload your own custom images, Azure provides marketplace images that you might find equally useful.
