:

Windows golden image optimization is the process of reducing the size and improving the

performance of the Windows OS image that is used as the base for the desktop pools. Some of the

best practices for Windows golden image optimization are:

Disable unnecessary services: Services that are not required for the desktop functionality or user

experience should be disabled to reduce the resource consumption and potential security risks. For

example, services such as Windows Search, Windows Defender, Windows Update, and Superfetch

can be disabled for better performance and stability.

Disable power options: Power options such as hibernation and sleep mode should be disabled to

free up disk space and avoid potential issues with the desktop state. Hibernation can consume a

large amount of disk space by creating a hiberfil.sys file that stores the system memory contents

when the desktop is powered off. Sleep mode can cause problems with network connectivity and

user sessions when the desktop is resumed from a low-power state.

Other best practices for Windows golden image optimization include:

Activate Windows OS paging: Paging is a mechanism that allows the OS to use a portion of the disk

as virtual memory when the physical memory is insufficient. Paging can improve the performance

and stability of the desktops by preventing out-of-memory errors and reducing memory contention.

However, paging can also increase disk I/O and wear, so it should be configured with caution and

monitored regularly.

Turn off automatic Windows maintenance (scheduled tasks): Automatic Windows maintenance is a

feature that runs various tasks such as disk defragmentation, disk cleanup, security scanning, and

system diagnostics in the background. These tasks can consume a lot of CPU, memory, and disk

resources and interfere with the user experience and desktop performance. Therefore, it is

recommended to turn off automatic Windows maintenance and run these tasks manually or on a

scheduled basis when the desktops are not in use.

Turn off automatic Windows Updates: Automatic Windows Updates is a feature that downloads and

installs updates for the OS and other Microsoft products in the background. These updates can

consume bandwidth, disk space, and CPU resources and cause compatibility issues with some

applications or drivers. Therefore, it is recommended to turn off automatic Windows Updates and

manage the updates manually or through a centralized tool such as VMware Update Manager or

Microsoft WSUS. Reference: [Optimizing Your VMware Horizon View 7.x Golden Image] and [VMware

Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

If the Horizon Console does not display the health status of configured Unified Access Gateways

(UAGs), it could be due to improper firewall configuration blocking traffic on port 443, which is

essential for secure communication. Additionally, a discrepancy between the system name in UAG

and the name entered in the Horizon Console can also prevent the console from correctly retrieving

and displaying the UAG's health status.

App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that allows administrators to assign

applications to users and groups in Horizon. App Volumes uses virtual disks called packages to store

and deliver applications. When a user logs on to a desktop, the App Volumes agent attaches the

assigned packages to the desktop and merges them with the OS disk. The user can then access the

applications as if they were natively installed.

In this scenario, Adobe Acrobat 11 has been assigned to a user as an App Volumes package. When

the user logs on to VM25, which already has Adobe Acrobat 11 natively installed, the App Volumes

agent attaches the package to VM25 and creates a shortcut on the user desktop. However, the

package does not overwrite or conflict with the natively installed application. Instead, when the user

clicks on the shortcut, the App Volumes package for Adobe Acrobat 11 is opened and runs in an

isolated environment. This allows the user to use different versions of the same application without

affecting each other or the OS. Reference: App Volumes Architecture and [VMware Horizon 8.x

Professional Course]

VMware Horizon Agent for Linux is a software component that enables Linux machines to be used as

remote desktops or published applications in a Horizon environment. Horizon Agent for Linux

supports several features that enhance the user experience and manageability of Linux desktops and

applications, such as USB redirection, display protocol PCoIP, multiple-session mode, single sign-on,

smart card authentication, and 3D graphics34. However, Horizon Agent for Linux does not support

location based printing or session collaboration features that are available for Windows

machines5. Also, Horizon Agent for Linux does not require installation registration as it automatically

registers with the Connection Server when the viewagent service is started6. Reference := 3: VMware

Horizon 8 Documentation: Horizon Agent for Linux 4: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Features

Supported by Horizon Agent for Linux 5: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Features Not Supported

by Horizon Agent for Linux 6: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Install Horizon Agent on a Linux

Machine