Introduction; Vmware View Components - VMware View Manager 4.5 Integration Manual

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Introduction

With VMware View™, system administrators can provision desktops and control user access to these
desktops. Client software connects users to virtual desktops running on VMware vSphere™, or to physical
systems running within your network environment.
This chapter includes the following topics:

"VMware View Components" on page 7

"Integration Interfaces to VMware View" on page 8

VMware View Components

You can use VMware View with VMware vCenter Server to create desktops from virtual machines that are
running on VMware
your existing Active Directory infrastructure for user authentication and management.
After you create a desktop, authorized end users can use Web‐based or locally installed client software to
securely connect to centralized virtual desktops, back‐end physical systems, or terminal servers.
VMware View consists of the following major components:

View Connection Server – a software service that acts as a broker for client connections by authenticating
and then directing incoming user requests to the appropriate virtual desktop, physical desktop, or
terminal server.

View Agent – a software service that is installed on all guest virtual machines, physical systems, or
terminal servers in order to allow them to be managed by VMware View. The agent provides features such
as connection monitoring, Virtual Printing, USB support, and single sign‐on.

View Client – a software application that communicates with View Connection Server to allow users to
connect to their desktops.

View Client with Local Mode – a version of View Client that is extended to support the local desktop
feature, which allows users to download virtual machines and use them on their local systems.

View Administrator – a Web application that allows View administrators to configure View Connection
Server, deploy and manage desktops, control user authentication, initiate and examine system events, and
carry out analytical activities.

vCenter Server – a server that acts as a central administrator for VMware ESX servers that are connected
on a network. A vCenter Server provides the central point for configuring, provisioning, and managing
virtual machines in the datacenter.

View Composer – a software service that is installed on a vCenter server to allow VMware View to rapidly
deploy multiple linked‐clone desktops from a single centralized base image.

View Transfer Server – a software service that manages and streamlines data transfers between the
datacenter and View desktops that are checked out for use on end usersʹ local systems. View Transfer
Server is required to support desktops that run View Client with Local Mode.
VMware, Inc.
®
ESX™ servers and deploy these desktops to end users. In addition, VMware View uses
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