Microsoft – Bits and Bytes

November 21, 2023November 21, 2023

VMware Horizon Best Practices

Overview

There are a few things that should be configured to ensure the best possible user experience when it comes to a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). After all, if the users cannot use it or are logging endless incidents, then we have failed our customer.

August 13, 2023November 14, 2023

MyLab: Windows Server Failover Clustering

Overview

Sometimes we need to load balance Windows Servers and don’t have access to an enterprise grade load balancer, or just don’t need all the bells and whistles (and expense) that comes along with it. For this post, we are going to install and configure the Windows Server Failover Clustering feature.

May 30, 2023June 28, 2023

MyLab: The Domain Controller

Overview

For my domain, I am going to use Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and build two domain controllers (DC1 and DC2) in a new forest called aaronrombaut.com. The domain controllers will provide critical services such as Domain Name System (DNS), authentication, and time services to other domain joined computers and servers. VMware Horizon (and other products) components (VMware Horizon and VMware App Volumes) rely on domain joined Windows Servers still, so without domain controllers, there would be no VMware Horizon Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) to build.

May 30, 2023September 2, 2023

MyLab: The Database

Overview

A database is required for quite a few components used in VMware Horizon. For this Service, I am going to install Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Standard Edition as this is compatible with both VMware Horizon and VMware App Volumes.

To ensure compatibility in the future, check the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix.

May 30, 2023June 20, 2023

MyLab: The Files

Overview

I am choosing to install a Microsoft Windows File Server to hold shares for the domain as well as VMware Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) configuration files and user profile information.

November 19, 2020November 5, 2021

Adding a Computer Account to MS SQL Server for a VMware App Volumes Manager Database

ref: https://www.enhansoft.com/updated-how-to-create-a-sql-server-computer-account-login/

This post will probably work for other use cases, but I am specifically needing it for VMware App Volumes Manager.

Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

Expand Security

Right-click Logins

Select New Login…

1. Do not use the Search… button! Type the Login name: as

DOMAIN\computer-name$

The dollar sign is necessary to signify the account as a computer and not the name of a user. (ref: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/eec574c0-5421-4d7a-a806-a3c5af3d29bf/why-in-samaccount-name-of-computer-account-in-active-directory?forum=winserverDS)

2. Choose the Windows authentication radio button.

3. Select the Default database for App Volumes Manager if it was already created. You can assign it later after creating the database if needed.

4. Select the Default language

Do not click OK!

On the Server Roles page, choose the sysadmin checkbox to grant the role to the user. Don’t click OK, yet.

On the User Mapping page, Choose the checkbox next to the database being mapped to the user (computer) account (assuming the database has already been created).

Click OK.

Verify the computer account is added to the list of logins.

This concludes this post.

November 19, 2020November 19, 2020

Installing VMware App Volumes 4 Manager – Part 1

ref: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-App-Volumes/4/com.vmware.appvolumes.install.doc/GUID-2E6F56D8-E657-4290-BAE7-E18E7556ADDC.html (VMware App Volumes Installation Guide)

ref: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-App-Volumes/4/com.vmware.appvolumes.install.doc/GUID-25B53F4E-C22B-4DBD-A253-D7FA33D965BF.html (Installing App Volumes)

I will start out this post to mention that if you try to install App Volumes 4 and are stuck on the SQL database portion trying to get Windows Integrated Authentication (WIA) working, you are not alone. I have spent countless hours troubleshooting this and looking for documentation. Documentation seems to be almost non-existent regarding the database requirements, besides which version to use, but nothing specific on database settings or user/computer/other authentication settings. It is very frustrating.

I will also mention that I have installed MS SQL Server 2016 and have set up TLS certificates on the Windows guest as well as configured SQL Server to use the certificate. I have also added the App Volumes server computer account to the database permissions. Please see the following articles, Configuring Microsoft SQL Server for VMware Horizon View, MSSQL SSL/TLS Certificate Chain Fix, and Adding a Computer Account to MS SQL Server for a VMware App Volumes Manager Database, for more information. If you read and follow the three articles provided, you will not encounter an error when configuring the App Volumes Manager database authentication!

I am going to assume that you have some level of technical proficiency if you are this far along in your journey and will not add mundane details like how to mount an ISO or what buttons to click unless following a particular workflow and feel the details are absolutely necessary. Let’s get started…

After downloading App Volumes 4 (https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads/info/slug/desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_app_volumes/4_x), mount the ISO to your App Volumes server. Navigate to the Installation directory.

Double-click setup.exe.

Click Next.

Check the I accept the terms in the License Agreement checkbox (you did read all that, right?) and Click Next.

Choose the Install App Volumes Manager radio button since we are installing the App Volumes Manager. Click Next.

Not Shown! – You may be presented with a Windows User Account Control (UAC) prompt. Move past this accordingly. The installation up to this point has been a bootstrap of sorts. The next screens will do the actual Manager installation.

Déjà vu? Groundhog Day? Now we proceed with the actual installation of App Volumes Manager. Click Next.

Choose the Connect to an existing SQL Server Database radio button. Click Next.

There is a lot going on at this step. If you read the beginning of this post and followed the two additional articles provided, you should not have any trouble using Windows Integrated Authentication here. To quickly recap:

Your MS SQL server and App Volumes Manager servers can resolve DNS forward and reverse lookup records
Your MS SQL server has a TLS certificate in the local machine certificate store
The user running your MS SQL service has been provided access to the MS SQL server’s private key
The MS SQL server has been configured to use the machine’s TLS certificate
The MS SQL service or server has been restarted.
The App Volumes database has been created.
The App Volumes server account (the computer account) has a log in on the MS SQL server and is associated with the App Volumes database. Adding a Computer Account to MS SQL Server for a VMware App Volumes Manager Database

Enter the FQDN for the MS SQL server.
Choose the Windows Integrated Authentication radio button.
Click the Browse… button. If your authentication works properly, this is a good test as it will either show you the databases or it will present you an error.

Choose the database specified for use with App Volumes and click Next.

4. Check the Enable SQL Server certificate validation checkbox.

Click Next.

Almost there, if you are to this point, the hardest part of the installation is over! Leave the default ports unless you like to complicate your life. Click Next.

Optional: Change the installation location if necessary.

Click Next.

Click Install. Take a break! The installer will need a few minutes to install the software.

Confirm that the Wizard completed successfully. See Troubleshooting section below if you did not have a successful installation.

Click Finish.

You have completed the install, but there are some prerequisite steps to take to make the configuration easier and work the first time. Check out the article here: Installing VMware App Volumes 4 Manager – Part 2.

Troubleshooting

Be sure to read the finished dialog! You may receive the following, reporting that the Wizard ended prematurely. You will have to open up the logs and investigate; navigate to your installation directory and look at the logs. The issue that generated the following screenshot for me was either a self-signed certificate issue or a SQL Server issue because I didn’t add the App Volumes Manager server login to the MS SQL server and assign it to the App Volumes database (see below for specific error message and how to fix). Delete the Cloud Volumes directory and try the installation again.

From the inst_ruby_script.log file, you see the following:

E, [2020-11-19T11:43:30.666302 #3196] ERROR -- : ERROR: 28000 (18456) [Microsoft][ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server][SQL Server]Login failed for user 'AARONROMBAUT\APP-001V$'.
E, [2020-11-19T11:43:30.666571 #3196] ERROR -- : ["script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:145:in drvconnect'", "script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:145:inconnect_using_conn_string'", "script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:34:in odbc_connection'", "script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:76:invalidate_conn_and_version'", "script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:183:in <encoded>'", "script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:2:inRGLoader_load'", "script/odbc_driver_validator.rb:2:in `
'"]
Unable to connect to SQLServer. Exiting with status -1.

To resolve this, follow this article: Adding a Computer Account to MS SQL Server for a VMware App Volumes Manager Database.