4.5

Recompose Linked-Clone Desktops That Can Run in Local Mode
You
can recompose linked-clone desktops that can run in local mode. However, the desktops must be checked
in or rolled back to the datacenter before the recompose operation can take place.
Prerequisites
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Familiarize yourself with the recomposition guidelines. See “Updating Linked Clones with Desktop
Recomposition,” on page 166.
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Familiarize yourself with the procedure for updating the base image and recomposing linked-clone
desktops. See “Prepare a Parent Virtual Machine to Recompose Linked-Clone Desktops,” on page 163 and
“Recompose Linked-Clone Desktops,” on page 164.
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Familiarize yourself with the procedure for publishing base images to the Transfer Server repository. See
“Publish Package Files in the Transfer Server Repository,” on page 224.
Procedure
1 Check in or roll back the local, linked-clone desktops that were created from the base image.
2 Initiate the recompose operation.
The recompose operation ignores desktops that are in local mode.
3 Publish the recomposed base image to the Transfer Server repository.
The linked-clone desktops are updated with the new base image.
The next time users check out their linked-clone desktops, View Transfer Server downloads the updated base
image from the Transfer Server repository to the client computers. View Transfer Server also downloads the
linked-clones' OS disks and View Composer persistent disks to the client computers.
NOTE Desktops that were in local mode during the recompose operation continue to use the old base image.
These desktops are not recomposed when users check them in.
Updating Linked Clones with Desktop Recomposition
In a desktop recomposition, you can provide operating system patches, install or update applications, or
modify the desktop hardware settings in all the linked clones in a desktop pool.
To recompose linked-clone desktops, you update the parent virtual machine in vCenter Server or select a
different virtual machine to become the new parent. Next, you take a snapshot of the new parent virtual
machine configuration.
You can change the parent virtual machine without affecting the linked clones because they are linked to the
replica, not directly to the parent.
You then initiate the recomposition, selecting the snapshot to be used as the new base image for the desktop
pool.
View Composer creates a new replica, copies the reconfigured OS disk to the linked clones, and anchors
the linked clones to the new replica.
The recomposition also refreshes the linked clones, reducing the size of their OS disks.
Desktop recompositions do not affect View Composer persistent disks.
Apply these guidelines to recompositions:
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You can recompose dedicated-assignment and floating-assignment pools.
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You can recompose a desktop pool on demand or as a scheduled event.
VMware View Administrator's Guide
166 VMware, Inc.