• VMware Authentication Proxy in a DoD Hardened Environment

    If you work in IT in the DoD in any capacity, then you know your systems can be a pain to work with if you followed a Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG). This can be even more of a pain when following a commercial vendor’s installation or configuration documentation, since they write in the general…

  • Installing VMware App Volumes 4 Manager – Part 3

    ref: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-App-Volumes/4/com.vmware.appvolumes.admin.doc/GUID-3E512951-4045-4C15-A642-69BBCF4C34B6.html This section should really be called Configuring VMware App Volumes 4 Manager, but since it is part of a multi-part series, I kept it for uniformity. If you followed along in part 2 (Installing VMware App Volumes 4 Manager – Part 2), then most of the hard work will already be accomplished and…

  • Installing VMware App Volumes 4 Manager – Part 2

    This is a prerequisite phase before configuring App Volumes Manager in the browser. A lot of this should already be accomplished in a production environment except the newly installed App Volumes Manager specific settings. This page can serve more than just for configuring security for App Volumes Manager. At this point, the App Volumes Manager…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • PowerCLI Script to add vCenter Privileges for VMware Horizon 7

    ref: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.12/horizon-installation/GUID-A878F876-B359-42FC-9124-A1E34BFB3319.html ref: https://code.vmware.com/docs/11794/cmdlet-reference/doc/Get-VIPrivilege.html ref: https://code.vmware.com/docs/11794/cmdlet-reference/doc/New-VIRole.html ref: https://code.vmware.com/docs/11794/cmdlet-reference/doc/Set-VIRole.html $VIRoleName = “View Manager Role” $VIRolePrivileges = @(`     # Folder       ‘Create Folder’, ‘Delete Folder’,`     # Datastore     ‘Allocate space’,`     # Virtual Machine – Configuration     ‘Add or remove device’, ‘Advanced configuration’, ‘Modify device settings’,`     # Virtual Machine – Interaction     ‘Power off’, ‘Power on’, ‘Reset’, ‘Suspend’, ‘Perform wipe or shrink operations’,`     # Virtual Machine – Inventory     ‘Create new’, ‘Create from existing’, ‘Remove’,`     # Virtual Machine – Provisioning     ‘Customize guest’, ‘Deploy template’, ‘Read customization specifications’, ‘Clone template’, ‘Clone Virtual Machine’,`     # Resource     ‘Assign virtual machine to resource pool’,`     # Global     ‘Act as vCenter Server’,`     # Host     ‘Advanced settings’,`     # Profile-driven Storage     ‘Profile-driven storage view’, ‘Profile-driven storage update’     ) try {     # Get list of current Roles     $VIRoles = Get-VIRole     # Check if Role exists     foreach($VIRole in $VIRoles) {         if ($VIRole.Name -like $VIRoleName) {             # Role exists             exit         }      }     # Assume the Role does not exist # Create the new Role     New-VIRole -Name $VIRoleName          # Add the Privileges to the Role     foreach($VIRolePrivilege in $VIRolePrivileges) {          Set-VIRole -Role $VIRoleName -AddPrivilege $VIRolePrivilege      } } catch {     …

This is how it all started…

I started this site with the intent to aggregate as much information as possible in one place. I use this to record lessons learned or frustrating configurations I have experienced on the job or just tinkering (learning) and just couldn’t find a better resource available. I have tried to be as thorough and accurate as possible, but technology is rapidly evolving and every environment is different. I may miss things along the way and my setup most likely differs compared to yours.

I hope you find this site has some value to you.

Welcome to Bits, Bytes, and Radio Waves! 

If you have any questions or comments (or just want to give me a shout-out), please feel free to contact me!

Aaron Rombaut

Writer & Technologist