VMware View Manager 4.5 Admin Manual page 81

Creating pools from a parent virtual-machine snapshot that uses hardware version 7
n
Using Sysprep customization specifications for linked-clone virtual machines
n
In addition, Sysprep is supported for linked-clones only on vSphere 4.1 software. You cannot use Sysprep
on vSphere 4.0 or VMware Infrastructure 3.5 software.
vSphere mode uses a new API that operates on ESX/ESXi 4 or later. With this API, View Composer needs to
make fewer API calls, which results in faster provisioning. ESX/ESXi 4 can take advantage of new hardware
features on the host machines.
After you create or edit a linked-clone pool in vSphere mode, you cannot revert it to the old API.
When you create a linked-clone pool, the ESX/ESXi version determines whether vSphere mode is available:
You can enable vSphere mode if you select a cluster that contains ESX/ESXi 4 hosts only. If you plan to
n
have ESX/ESXi 3.5 hosts in the cluster, do not enable vSphere mode. You cannot provision, refresh, or
recompose a linked-clone pool created in vSphere mode if the cluster contains an ESX/ESXi 3.5 host.
You enable this feature by selecting the Use vSphere mode for View Composer check box when you
create a linked-clone pool.
You must use vSphere mode if you select a single ESX/ESXi 4 host. You cannot deselect the Use vSphere
n
mode for View Composer check box.
You cannot use vSphere mode if you select an ESX/ESXi 3.5 host or a cluster that contains an ESX/ESXi 3.5
n
host.
View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party Applications
View Composer can generate and preserve local computer security identifiers (SIDs) for linked-clone virtual
machines in some situations. View Composer can preserve globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) of third-party
applications, depending on the way that the applications generate GUIDs.
To understand how View Composer operations affect SIDs and application GUIDs, you should understand
how linked-clone desktops are created and provisioned:
1 View Composer creates a linked clone by taking these actions:
a Creates the replica by cloning the parent virtual-machine snapshot.
b Creates the linked clone to refer to the replica as its parent disk.
2 View Composer and View Manager customize the linked clone with QuickPrep or a Sysprep
customization specification, depending on which customization tool you select when you create the pool.
If you use Sysprep, a unique SID is generated for each clone.
n
If you use QuickPrep, no new SID is generated. The parent virtual machine's SID is replicated on all
n
provisioned linked-clone desktops in the pool.
Some applications generate a GUID during customization.
n
3 View Manager creates a snapshot of the linked clone.
The snapshot contains the unique SID generated with Sysprep or common SID generated with QuickPrep.
4 View Manager powers on the desktop according to the settings you select when you create the pool.
Some applications generate a GUID the first time the desktop is powered on.
For a comparison of QuickPrep and Sysprep customization, see
Linked-Clone Desktops,"
When you refresh the linked clone, View Composer uses the snapshot to restore the clone to its initial state.
Its SID is preserved.
VMware, Inc.
on page 82.
Chapter 5 Creating Desktop Pools
"Choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep to Customize
81