Horizon VDI Deep Dive Series

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure sounds cool – but what exactly is it and how does it work?

In this three-part virtual workshop we cover the features & functionality of the VMware Horizon virtual desktop suite. We’ll start with an intro of the basics with desktop & application provisioning and persona management, move up to desktop deployments, upgrades & reassignment, and end with application delivery via App Volumes.

This Virtual Workshop Series was originally offered in April – May 2020; if you missed it, you’re not too late! Below, you can register to watch each session’s recording on demand, at your leisure.

Click the “watch on demand” button to get access now. 

Instructor: Alec Taylor, Partner & Consultant at IVOXY Consulting

  • 25 years of experience in IT infrastructure & design
  • 13 years of creating and delivering technical classes & workshops

101: Intro to Horizon Virtual Desktops

We’ll show you how to rapidly provision desktops with instant clones and how to quickly roll-out OS upgrades. We will also show off HTML5 access, the Blast protocol, and USB device redirection – as well as the basics of dynamic environment management & virtualized applications with App Volumes.

Course length: 3 hours

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

  • The various features of Horizon.
  • How Horizon makes desktop & application provisioning easier, faster and much more scalable.
  • Persona management and why it’s important.
  • How virtualized applications make VDI even better.
  • How VDI makes for an ideal secure remote access platform.

201: DEM & Instant Clones

We’re diving deeper into VMware Horizon VDI! This time we are looking at the inner-workings of user persona management with Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) & instant VM provisioning with Instant Clones.

DEM gives us the ability to share a single desktop image of Windows while giving the user a fully customized desktop experience. Instant Clones allow VDI administrators to provision large numbers of desktops nearly instantly, while avoiding the typical I/O storms that come with traditional clone technology.

Course length: 3 hours

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

  • How Horizon assists with desktop deployments, upgrades & re-assignment.
  • How organizations scale VDI deployments by working around traditional customization & provisioning complexity.

301: Virtual Applications with App Volumes

We have reached the summit! In this pinnacle workshop we will build on the topics covered in our 101 & 201 sessions by diving into application virtualization with App Volumes – a key component of VMware’s JMP (just-in-time management platform) strategy.

If we are to deliver a truly stateless desktop, we must also decouple the application from the underlying OS. With JMP we can deliver a consistent, simple-to-manage desktop experience based on policies, meaning we can build an application once and share it across users. Apps can then be rapidly upgraded, added & removed from user’s desktop.

Course length: 3 hours

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

  • All about VMware’s JMP strategy & why it matters.
  • How to use virtual applications.
  • How to use policies to assign applications to users.