Deep Intro to VMware, Part 6: VMware View Agent and Client

Now that we have our complete infrastructure up and running and we know how to add requests to our images we need to make sure that we can have access to the images.

Therefore we need two pieces of software.

The first piece is the VMware Vie agent. This agent needs to be installed on our Virtual machines to make sure that the VMware view server sees the clients that it needs to facilitate. The agent is giving information to the VMware View manager so that it knows if an client is free and can be used or that the client is occupied because a user is logged on.

On the Vmware website you can download the software after you are logged on. The software may be used free for 60 days so that you have all that time to evaluate if it is something you want for your office.

Download the agent version 3.1.1-175957 and install it on your virtual image.

The initialisation screen shows up and the system is prepared for the installation.

Click next to start the installation.

Click agree to the license terms and click next to continue.

Select the options you want to have installed on the image and click next to continue.

Now you see the overview. Click Finish to get the software installed.

There is nothing further to configure. View will see all images with the View agent installed and can dynamically address them to the end-users.

When you connect with a fat client to the View image you need the VMware view client installed on that client.

The client can also be downloaded from the VMware website. It's version number is View-client 3.1.1-175957

Double click the installation to get started.

VMware client is prepared for installation.

Now the system is prepared you can start the installation by clicking next.

Accept the license terms and click next to continue.

Select the options you want to install and click next to continue.

Enter the name or the IP address of the view server you use. This is an optional choice.

Click next to continue.

Select the start options you want and click next to continue

Click next to continue.

The software will now be installed and after the installation is finished the VMware view client will start.

You will be asked to enter or confirm the IP address of the view connection server.

Fill in the user name and password to login to the server. Click login.

Now your end user will be able to connect to a Virtual image.

This is most interesting if you have an image with special software installed for an end user or to run software that conflicts with other software.

You will get the most benefit if you have thin clients like Wyse clients or Sun's proven SUNRAY clients.

In the next part of this series I will explain to you and demonstrate how to create a virtual machine of a physical computer. This software is named VMware converter.

Also I will start a new series about VDI, and where you can use Symantec products to manage everything. VDI is now the fastest upcoming infrastructure and it asks a different approach when you compare it with a traditional fat client. For instance Altiris Deployment Solution. It can be a great advantage if you have a deployment solution in some cases, but not always when you are working with VDI.