FusionAccess Service Provisioning · Topic 3 of 3
Desktop Provisioning
Learn how FusionAccess provisions desktops: VM groups, dedicated desktops and static or dynamic pools, naming rules, domain and OU, and assigning users.
- 5 min
- Provisioning is done in ITA; ITA asks FusionCompute through VRM to create the VMs.
- A VM group defines the VMs; a desktop group defines how users are assigned to them.
- Dedicated desktop groups usually hold full copy VMs; static and dynamic pools usually hold linked clone VMs.
What it is
Desktop provisioning creates desktop VMs from a template and gives them to users. In FusionAccess it is done in the ITA portal, usually with a quick provisioning wizard.
Two groupings carry the work. A VM group holds the VMs created from a template, and a desktop group decides how those VMs are assigned to users.
How it works
VM groups
A VM group is a set of desktop VMs of the same type, created from the same template. Its type follows the template: a full copy VM group or a linked clone VM group.
The VM group fixes the technical side: template, specifications, datastore, network and number of VMs. It says nothing yet about who uses them.
Desktop groups
| Desktop group type | How users get a desktop | Usual VM type |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated, single user | One VM is assigned to one user permanently | Full copy |
| Dedicated, static multi user | One VM is assigned to a fixed set of users, for example shift workers | Full copy |
| Static pool | The user gets a free VM from the pool at first login, and it stays bound to that user | Linked clone |
| Dynamic pool | The user gets any free VM at each login, and it returns to the pool after use | Linked clone |
The difference between the pools is the binding. A static pool remembers which VM a user received, while a dynamic pool assigns a fresh one every time.
The quick provisioning wizard
| Step | What you set |
|---|---|
| 1. Create VMs | VM group, template, specifications, datastore, network and number of VMs |
| 2. Set VM properties | Computer naming rule, AD domain and optional OU for the computer accounts |
| 3. Assign desktops | Desktop group type and the users or user groups from AD |
| 4. Confirm | Review the settings and submit |
| 5. Track | Follow the progress and any errors in the task center |
ITA asks FusionCompute, through VRM, to create the VMs. Each new VM boots, joins the domain with the planned name and OU, and its HDA registers with the HDC.
Naming rules and the domain
A naming rule builds unique computer names from a prefix and a number, for example OFFICE plus three digits giving OFFICE001 to OFFICE300. Names must be unique in the domain and follow Windows computer name limits.
Placing desktops in a dedicated OU lets AD group policies apply to desktops without touching other computers. The domain account set during initial configuration is what FusionAccess uses to add these computer accounts.
What makes a desktop ready
| Check | Meaning |
|---|---|
| VM is running on FusionCompute | Compute and storage were allocated |
| VM has joined the domain | Users can log in with AD accounts |
| HDA has registered with the HDC | The desktop can accept HDP connections |
| Desktop is assigned | The user sees it in WI after logging in |
If one check fails, the user does not get a working desktop. Failed tasks are read in the task center first, then in the alarms and the VM's own logs.
Pool conveniences
For pools, desktops can be started in advance for a time window, so users at the start of a shift do not wait for boots. Linked clone desktops can also be set to restore the system disk at shutdown, which gives every user a clean desktop.
A worked example
A university lab needs 60 identical desktops for students who log in at random. The administrator picks the linked clone template, creates a VM group of 60 VMs with the naming rule LAB plus two digits, and places them in the OU for lab computers.
She assigns them to a dynamic pool for the AD group of students. Each student gets any free desktop at login, and after logoff it is restored and returned to the pool for the next student.
How the exam asks about this
- "In which desktop group type does a user get any free VM at each login?" -> Dynamic pool.
- "In which desktop group type is a VM bound to a user at the first login?" -> Static pool.
- "Where can an administrator follow the progress of a desktop provisioning job?" -> The task center in the ITA portal.
What to remember for the exam
- Provisioning is done in ITA; ITA asks FusionCompute through VRM to create the VMs.
- A VM group defines the VMs; a desktop group defines how users are assigned to them.
- Dedicated desktop groups usually hold full copy VMs; static and dynamic pools usually hold linked clone VMs.
- A static pool binds a VM to a user at first login; a dynamic pool gives any free VM each time.
- A desktop is usable only when it runs, has joined the domain, has registered its HDA with the HDC and is assigned.
Do not confuse static pool with dedicated. Both keep a user on one VM, but in a dedicated group the administrator assigns the VM, while in a static pool the binding happens automatically at first login.
Common mistakes
Mixing up VM groups and desktop groups. The VM group is about the machines; the desktop group is about who gets them.
Putting customizing users in a dynamic pool. Their VM changes each login, so personal setup is lost; they need a dedicated full copy desktop.
Reusing computer names. Two desktops with the same name conflict in the domain; the naming rule must produce unique names.
Check yourself
What is the difference between a VM group and a desktop group?
A VM group is the set of VMs made from one template, while a desktop group decides how those VMs are assigned to users.
Which desktop group fits shift workers who share one fixed VM?
A dedicated desktop group with static multi user assignment, which binds one VM to a fixed set of users.
What must the HDA do before a new desktop can be used?
It must register the desktop with the HDC, so the HDC knows the VM is ready for HDP connections.
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