Assigning a user in VMware Horizon typically involves linking a specific user to a virtual desktop or an application within a desktop pool. This process is crucial for managing access and ensuring users can connect to their designated resources efficiently.
To assign a user to a specific desktop machine within a desktop pool, particularly for dedicated access, you utilize the Horizon Console. This ensures that a particular virtual desktop is reserved for and accessible by only that user.
Step-by-Step Guide: Assigning a User to a Dedicated Desktop Machine
Follow these steps within the Horizon Console to assign a user to an individual machine in a desktop pool:
- Access Horizon Console: Log in to the VMware Horizon Console with appropriate administrative credentials.
- Navigate to Desktop Inventory: In the Horizon Console, go to the left-hand navigation pane and select Inventory, then click on Desktops.
- Select a Desktop Pool: Locate and click on the pool ID of the desktop pool that contains the machine you wish to assign. This will open the pool's details page.
- Go to the Machines Tab: Within the desktop pool's details, click on the Machines tab to view all the virtual desktops in that pool.
- Select the Target Machine: Identify and select the specific virtual machine to which you want to assign a user. You can usually do this by clicking the checkbox next to the machine's name.
- Initiate User Assignment: From the More Commands drop-down menu (often represented by a three-dot icon or similar), select Assign User(s).
- Add User: In the Assign User(s) dialog box, click the Add button.
- Search for User:
- Choose the appropriate domain where the user account resides.
- In the Name or Description text box, type a search string for the user's name or a description. For example, you might type "John Doe" or "jdoe" to find the specific user.
- Select and Confirm: From the search results, select the desired user and follow the prompts to complete the assignment.
Once assigned, that user will have dedicated access to that specific virtual desktop.
Understanding User Assignment Types
While the above steps detail assigning a user to a specific machine, it's important to understand the broader context of user assignments in Horizon:
- Dedicated Machine Assignment: This is what the steps above detail. It assigns a single user to a single, specific virtual desktop machine. This desktop is then "dedicated" to that user.
- Desktop Pool Entitlements: This is a more common method where you assign users or user groups to an entire desktop pool. Users then launch an available desktop from that pool. For more details on managing entitlements, refer to the official VMware Horizon documentation.
Important Considerations
- User Experience: For dedicated assignments, ensure the user understands which desktop they are assigned to.
- Administrative Rights: You must have sufficient administrative privileges in Horizon Console to perform user assignments.
- Security Groups: For managing larger groups, it's often more efficient to assign Active Directory security groups to desktop pools rather than individual users, though specific machine assignments are for individual users.
- Unassigning Users: If a user no longer needs dedicated access to a machine, you can follow a similar process to unassign them from the virtual desktop.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively manage user access to your virtual desktops in VMware Horizon.
