4.5

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Creating pools from a parent virtual-machine snapshot that uses hardware version 7
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Using Sysprep customization specifications for linked-clone virtual machines
In
addition, Sysprep is supported for linked-clones only on vSphere 4.1 software. You cannot use Sysprep
on vSphere 4.0 or VMware Infrastructure 3.5 software.
vSphere mode uses a new API that operates on ESX/ESXi 4 or later. With this API, View Composer needs to
make fewer API calls, which results in faster provisioning. ESX/ESXi 4 can take advantage of new hardware
features on the host machines.
After you create or edit a linked-clone pool in vSphere mode, you cannot revert it to the old API.
When you create a linked-clone pool, the ESX/ESXi version determines whether vSphere mode is available:
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You can enable vSphere mode if you select a cluster that contains ESX/ESXi 4 hosts only. If you plan to
have ESX/ESXi 3.5 hosts in the cluster, do not enable vSphere mode. You cannot provision, refresh, or
recompose a linked-clone pool created in vSphere mode if the cluster contains an ESX/ESXi 3.5 host.
You enable this feature by selecting the Use vSphere mode for View Composer check box when you
create a linked-clone pool.
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You must use vSphere mode if you select a single ESX/ESXi 4 host. You cannot deselect the Use vSphere
mode for View Composer check box.
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You cannot use vSphere mode if you select an ESX/ESXi 3.5 host or a cluster that contains an ESX/ESXi 3.5
host.
View Composer Support for Linked-Clone SIDs and Third-Party Applications
View Composer can generate and preserve local computer security identifiers (SIDs) for linked-clone virtual
machines in some situations. View Composer can preserve globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) of third-party
applications, depending on the way that the applications generate GUIDs.
To understand how View Composer operations affect SIDs and application GUIDs, you should understand
how linked-clone desktops are created and provisioned:
1 View Composer creates a linked clone by taking these actions:
a Creates the replica by cloning the parent virtual-machine snapshot.
b Creates the linked clone to refer to the replica as its parent disk.
2 View Composer and View Manager customize the linked clone with QuickPrep or a Sysprep
customization specification, depending on which customization tool you select when you create the pool.
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If you use Sysprep, a unique SID is generated for each clone.
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If you use QuickPrep, no new SID is generated. The parent virtual machine's SID is replicated on all
provisioned linked-clone desktops in the pool.
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Some applications generate a GUID during customization.
3 View Manager creates a snapshot of the linked clone.
The snapshot contains the unique SID generated with Sysprep or common SID generated with QuickPrep.
4 View Manager powers on the desktop according to the settings you select when you create the pool.
Some applications generate a GUID the first time the desktop is powered on.
For a comparison of QuickPrep and Sysprep customization, see “Choosing QuickPrep or Sysprep to Customize
Linked-Clone Desktops,” on page 82.
When you refresh the linked clone, View Composer uses the snapshot to restore the clone to its initial state.
Its SID is preserved.
Chapter 5 Creating Desktop Pools
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