2V0-51.23 Sample Questions Answers

In VMware Horizon, the Pre-Launch feature allows for the initiation of applications immediately after user authentication, reducing the launch time of frequently used applications. By editing the application pool settings and enabling the Pre-Launch option, administrators can improve user experience by having critical applications ready as soon as the authentication process is completed.

To deploy a RDS desktop pool with the new standard of Windows Server 2019, the steps should be ordered as follows:

• Prepare the Windows Server 2019 golden image. This is the first step because you'll need a prepared OS image to base your RDS desktop pool on.
• Add an Automated Farm. Once your golden image is ready, you can set up an automated farm for the RDS desktop pool.
• Add a RDS desktop pool. Using the automated farm and the prepared golden image, you can now add the RDS desktop pool.
• Entitle AD users and/or groups. With the RDS desktop pool in place, the next step is to give Active Directory (AD) users and groups the necessary entitlements to access the desktops.
• Launch Horizon Client and verify access to RDS desktop. As the final verification step, launch the Horizon Client to ensure that you can access the newly created RDS desktop pool and that everything is functioning as expected.

So, the sequential order is: Prepare the Windows Server 2019 golden image -> Add an Automated Farm -> Add a RDS desktop pool -> Entitle AD users and/or groups -> Launch Horizon Client and verify access to RDS desktop.

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.

JPEG/PNG - Still images.

H.264: Rapidly moving content and motion graphics such as streaming video, video editing, and gaming.

HEVC: Rapidly moving content on a low bandwidth resource.

Proprietary Blast codec: Low-motion graphics, high-quality graphics such as Photoshop, and AutoCAD.

VMware Horizon's Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) allows for the creation of Horizon Smart Policies with conditions that can be applied based on various criteria, including time of day. By utilizing DEM, an administrator can create policies that restrict certain actions, such as saving data to client devices, outside of specified business hours (5PM to 9AM in this case), thus achieving the desired control over user activities based on the time of day.

A cloud implementation of a VDI solution over an on-premises solution is appropriate for the following scenarios:

• The organization needs to quickly scale-up in disparate geographical locations. A cloud VDI solution can provide faster provisioning, deployment, and management of virtual desktops and applications across multiple regions and data centers. A cloud VDI solution can also offer better performance, availability, and user experience for remote and mobile workers who need to access their desktops and applications from anywhere and any device12.
• The organization has limited CapEx budget. A cloud VDI solution can reduce the upfront capital expenditure (CapEx) required to purchase, install, and maintain the hardware and software infrastructure for a VDI solution. A cloud VDI solution can also lower the operational expenditure (OpEx) by shifting the responsibility of managing, updating, and securing the VDI infrastructure to the cloud provider. A cloud VDI solution can offer flexible and predictable pricing models based on usage, subscription, or consumption13.

The other scenarios are not appropriate for a cloud implementation of a VDI solution over an on-premises solution because:

• The organization already has infrastructure to support a VDI. If the organization has already invested in the hardware and software resources to support a VDI solution, it may not be cost-effective or feasible to migrate to a cloud VDI solution. The organization may also have existing policies, processes, and workflows that are tailored to the on-premises VDI solution and may not be compatible with the cloud VDI solution4.
• The organization needs to setup high availability and disaster recovery. While a cloud VDI solution can provide high availability and disaster recovery capabilities, it may not be sufficient or reliable for some organizations that have strict requirements for data protection, compliance, and business continuity. An on-premises VDI solution can offer more control, customization, and security over the backup, replication, and restoration of the VDI data and applications in the event of a disaster5.
• The organization controls highly confidential data. A cloud VDI solution may pose some risks or challenges for organizations that handle sensitive or regulated data, such as financial, healthcare, or government data. A cloud VDI solution may not meet the compliance standards or regulations that apply to the organization’s data. A cloud VDI solution may also expose the organization’s data to potential breaches, leaks, or unauthorized access by third parties. An on-premises VDI solution can provide more visibility, governance, and encryption over the organization’s data6.

References := 1: VMware: What is Desktop as a Service (DaaS)? 2: Parallels: VDI in the Cloud: Which Cloud VDI Product Is Right for You? 3: Microsoft Azure: What Is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)? 4: VMware: On-Premise vs Cloud: Which is Better for Your Business? 5: VMware: Disaster Recovery Solutions for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) 6: Microsoft Azure: Virtual desktop infrastructure security best practices

C:\Users\Waqas Shahid\Desktop\Mudassir\Untitled.jpg

The VMware Horizon component that needs to be deployed to allow users to log into VMware Workspace ONE Access and connect to remote desktops and applications without having to provide Active Directory credentials is the Enrollment Server. The Enrollment Server is a standalone service that integrates with VMware Workspace ONE Access and enables True Single Sign-On (SSO) for Horizon clients that are using non-AD-based authentication methods such as RSA SecureID, RADIUS, or SAML1. The Enrollment Server requests short-lived certificates on behalf of the users from a certificate authority (CA), and these certificates are used for authentication to the Horizon environment2. The Enrollment Server must be installed and configured in the same domain or forest as the Connection Server, and it must have an enrollment agent certificate that authorizes it to act as an enrollment agent2.

The other options are not valid or feasible because:

• A Replica Server is a Connection Server instance that replicates the Horizon LDAP configuration data from another Connection Server instance, and provides high availability and load balancing for user connections3. A Replica Server does not request or issue certificates for users, and it does not integrate with VMware Workspace ONE Access.
• A Security Server is a Connection Server instance that resides within a DMZ and acts as a proxy for external user connections to the Horizon environment4. A Security Server does not request or issue certificates for users, and it does not integrate with VMware Workspace ONE Access. Security Servers are deprecated in Horizon 8 and replaced by Unified Access Gateways (UAGs)4.
• A vCenter Server is a management platform that provides centralized control and visibility of vSphere hosts and virtual machines in the Horizon environment5. A vCenter Server does not request or issue certificates for users, and it does not integrate with VMware Workspace ONE Access.

References:

• VMware Horizon 8.x Professional by Vmware1
• Install and Set Up an Enrollment Server2
• Install a Replica Connection Server Instance3
• Install a Security Server4
• vCenter Server Overview5

VMware Horizon's Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) is designed to provide a consistent and personalized desktop experience for users across different sessions and desktops. DEM manages user profiles and policies dynamically, ensuring that user settings, preferences, and application configurations are consistent no matter which desktop a user connects to, thus meeting the requirement for a uniform desktop experience.

Access groups are a way of organizing and delegating the administration of machines, desktop pools, application pools, and farms in Horizon. By default, all these objects reside in the root access group, which appears as / or Root (/) in Horizon Console. A high-level administrator can create sub-access groups under the root access group and assign different permissions to different administrators for each access group. For example, a high-level administrator can create an access group called RDS Farms and assign the Inventory Administrators role to a junior-level administrator for that access group. This way, the junior-level administrator can see and manage all the RDS farms that are in the RDS Farms access group, but not the ones that are in other access groups or the root access group. Therefore, to correct the issue of a junior-level administrator not being able to see all RDS farms, a high-level administrator needs to make changes to the access groups and the permissions associated with them. References: Understanding Permissions and Access Groups and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

To enable the Senior Administrator's team, which is part of the "Horizon View Operators" AD group, to connect to vCenter and update the golden image, the Senior Administrator needs to assign the appropriate permissions in the vSphere Client. By adding the group to the vCenter Server with the necessary roles and privileges, members of the "Horizon View Operators" group will be able to access and modify the VMs required for maintaining the desktop pools in the VMware Horizon environment.

The user’s problem is that their settings for the e-mail client are not being saved across sessions. This means that their user profile, which contains their personal data, settings, and preferences, is not being preserved or synchronized properly. To solve this problem, the administrator can deploy one or more of the following options to manage user profiles in Horizon:

• VMware App Volumes Writable Volumes: This option allows users to store user-installed applications, data, and settings on a disk independent of the VM. Writable volumes can be attached to desktops along with application packages, and they can isolate the user-installed applications from the system-installed applications. Writable volumes can also be configured to capture specific files and registry keys by using the snapvol.cfg policy file. This option can help users retain their e-mail client settings on a writable volume that is attached to their desktop at each login.
• Persona Management: This option allows administrators to manage user profiles by using a remote repository that stores user profiles. Persona Management synchronizes the user profile between the remote repository and the local desktop at login, logout, and at regular intervals during the session. Persona Management also supports profile redirection, which allows administrators to redirect certain folders in the user profile to a network share or a writable volume. This option can help users access their e-mail client settings from the remote repository or the redirected folder at each login.
• VMware Dynamic Environment Manager: This option allows administrators to manage user profiles and policies by using a central share that stores user configuration files. Dynamic Environment Manager captures and applies user settings and preferences based on conditions and triggers, such as location, device, or application launch. Dynamic Environment Manager also supports profile archives, which allow administrators to back up and restore user profiles on demand or on schedule. This option can help users apply their e-mail client settings from the central share or the profile archive at each login.

The other options are not valid options for managing user profiles in Horizon:

• Roaming Profiles: This option is a native Windows feature that allows users to access their user profile from any computer in a domain by storing it on a network share. However, this option is not recommended for Horizon because it can cause long login times, profile corruption, and data loss due to its synchronous and overwrite behavior. Roaming profiles are also incompatible with instant clones and linked clones.
• Flexible profiles: This option does not exist in Horizon or Windows. It might be confused with Flex Profiles, which is a third-party product from Liquidware that provides profile management solutions similar to Dynamic Environment Manager.

References: Writable Volumes Overview, Configuring User Profiles with Horizon Persona Management, VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Overview, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

To expand a Writable Volume in VMware Horizon, the administrator needs to navigate to the Volumes > Writables section in the Horizon Console, select the specific volume, and choose the option to update or expand the writable volume. The new size specified must be at least 1GB larger than the current size to ensure there is enough space for the expansion process and to accommodate the growth of user data.

Writable Volumes are user-specific virtual disks that store user-installed applications, data, and settings. App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that uses Writable Volumes to deliver applications that are not multi-user aware. However, sometimes it might be necessary to prevent App Volumes from persisting specific data between sessions, such as temporary files, application updates, or registry keys. To do this, administrators can specify exclusions for Writable Volumes in a policy file called snapvol.cfg.

The snapvol.cfg file is a text file that contains policy settings for App Volumes. These settings determine which files and registry keys are captured or excluded by App Volumes. The snapvol.cfg file can be customized by administrators to suit different needs and scenarios. The snapvol.cfg file can be applied to both application packages and Writable Volumes.

To specify exclusions for Writable Volumes, administrators can use the following keywords in the snapvol.cfg file:

• exclude_uwv_file: This keyword excludes a file or folder path from being persisted on a Writable Volume. For example, exclude_uwv_file=\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++ excludes the folder location of Notepad++ from being overwritten during an update.
• exclude_uwv_reg: This keyword excludes a registry key or value from being persisted on a Writable Volume. For example, exclude_uwv_reg=\REGISTRY\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Notepad++ excludes the registry location of Notepad++ from being overwritten during an update.

The snapvol.cfg file must be uploaded to the Writable Volume by using the Update Writable Volumes feature in App Volumes Manager. The exclusions will take effect after the user logs off and logs back in to the desktop.

The other options are not valid files for specifying exclusions for Writable Volumes:

• config.ini: This file is used to configure the App Volumes agent settings, such as the App Volumes Manager address, the logging level, and the SSL certificate validation.
• svservice.log: This file is used to record the App Volumes agent log messages, such as the agent status, the package attachment, and the error messages.
• json.cfg: This file does not exist in App Volumes.

References: Writable Volume Exclusions, Policy Files (snapvol.cfg) in App Volumes, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

C:\Users\Waqas Shahid\Desktop\Mudassir\Untitled.jpg

A golden image must have a current snapshot to be used for cloning, and having multiple active snapshots can cause confusion and issues in the provisioning process. Additionally, selecting the correct Guest OS version is crucial for compatibility and optimal performance. These factors must be correctly configured for a VM to appear in the list of available golden images for provisioning.

VMware 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.

App Volumes is a suitable solution for deploying an application to specific users in an instant-clone desktop environment with the following characteristics:

• The application needs to be updated very frequently: App Volumes allows administrators to update applications in real time by using the update or push-image operations. These operations replace the existing packages with new ones that have the latest updates applied, without affecting the user data or settings. The updated packages are delivered to the users at the next login or refresh.
• The application needs to be installed as soon as possible: App Volumes allows administrators to install applications quickly and easily by using a clean packaging system and capturing the application installation process. The resulting package can be assigned to users or groups immediately, without requiring any recomposing or rebooting of the desktops.
• The application is not multi-user aware: App Volumes allows administrators to deliver applications that are not multi-user aware by using writable volumes. Writable volumes are user-specific virtual disks that store user-installed applications, data, and settings. Writable volumes can be attached to desktops along with application packages, and they can isolate the user-installed applications from the system-installed applications.

The other options are not suitable for meeting the requirements:

• VMware Horizon Published Application: This option allows administrators to publish applications from RDS hosts to users in Horizon. However, this option requires a separate RDS infrastructure and licensing, and it does not support instant updates or writable volumes for user-installed applications.
• VMware Dynamic Environment Manager: This option allows administrators to manage user profiles and policies in Horizon. However, this option does not deliver or update applications, and it does not support writable volumes for user-installed applications.
• VMware ThinApp: This option allows administrators to package applications into portable executables that can run on any Windows system without installation. However, this option requires a separate packaging process and licensing, and it does not support instant updates or writable volumes for user-installed applications.

References: App Volumes Architecture, Updating Applications in Real Time, Writable Volumes Overview, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

Instant clones are a type of virtual machines that are created by cloning a running parent VM in memory, without requiring a full disk copy. This allows for faster provisioning and updating of RDS hosts in a farm. Instant clones can be patched in a rolling process with zero downtime by using the push-image operation, which replaces the existing instant clones with new ones that have the latest patches applied. The push-image operation can be performed on a per-farm basis or on multiple farms at once. The push-image operation preserves the user sessions and data on the existing instant clones until they are logged off or disconnected, and then deletes them. The new instant clones inherit the same settings and assignments as the old ones. Therefore, to deploy a RDS farm that can be patched in a rolling process with zero downtime, the administrator should create an instant-clone RDS desktop farm. References: Instant Clones for RDSH in VMware Horizon 7.1 and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

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. References: [Optimizing Your VMware Horizon View 7.x Golden Image] and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

VMware Blast policy settings are stored in the registry key HKLM\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware Blast\Config on the remote desktops or RDS hosts that use the VMware Blast display protocol. These settings can be configured by using the VMware Blast ADMX template file (vdm_blast.admx) and applying it through Microsoft Group Policy Object (GPO). Some of these settings can be changed in real time, which means that they take effect immediately after the policy is applied, without requiring a reboot or a reconnection of the Horizon Client. However, some of these settings cannot be changed in real time, which means that they require a reboot or a reconnection of the Horizon Client to take effect.

The effect of changing any VMware Blast policy that cannot be changed in real time is that the Microsoft GPO update rules apply and GPOs are updated manually or by restarting the Horizon Agent. This means that the new policy settings will not be applied until one of the following events occurs:

• The Horizon Agent service is restarted on the remote desktop or RDS host. This can be done manually by using the Services console or the command-line tool sc.exe, or automatically by using a scheduled task or a script.
• The remote desktop or RDS host is rebooted. This can be done manually by using the Restart option in Windows, or automatically by using a scheduled task or a script.
• The Group Policy refresh interval is reached. This is a configurable time interval that determines how often the system checks for and applies new or changed GPOs. By default, this interval is 90 minutes for domain members and 5 minutes for domain controllers, with a random offset of 0 to 30 minutes. This interval can be modified by using the Group Policy refresh interval for computers setting in the Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy folder of the Group Policy Management Console.

Therefore, to ensure that the VMware Blast policy settings that cannot be changed in real time are applied as soon as possible, it is recommended to restart the Horizon Agent service or reboot the remote desktop or RDS host after applying the policy.

References: VMware Blast Policy Settings, Group Policy refresh intervals, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

In VMware Horizon, predefined roles such as Inventory Administrators and Desktop Pool Administrators are designed to provide granular access control within the Horizon Console. Inventory Administrators typically have permissions related to managing the overall inventory of virtual desktops and applications, whereas Desktop Pool Administrators are specifically focused on managing and configuring desktop pools, including their settings, assignments, and provisioning.

A Trusted Platform Module (vTPM) is a virtualized version of a physical TPM device that provides enhanced security for virtual machines. A vTPM device can be added to a virtual machine to enable features such as encryption, attestation, and key management. A vTPM device requires a Key Management Server (KMS) to store and manage the encryption keys.

To create instant clones VMs with a vTPM device, the vCenter Server user must have certain privileges in addition to those required for instant clones without a vTPM device. One of these privileges is Manage KMS, which allows the user to perform cryptographic operations on the vTPM device, such as cloning, decrypting, encrypting, migrating, and registering. The Manage KMS privilege is part of the Cryptographic operations privilege group on vCenter Server.

The other options are not required only for instant clones VMs with a vTPM device:

• Upgrade virtual machine compatibility: This privilege allows the user to upgrade the virtual hardware version of a virtual machine to support new features and capabilities. This privilege is required for instant clones VMs regardless of whether they have a vTPM device or not.
• Configure Host USB device: This privilege allows the user to configure USB devices on an ESXi host and attach them to a virtual machine. This privilege is not related to vTPM devices or instant clones VMs.
• Manage custom attributes: This privilege allows the user to create, edit, and delete custom attributes for vCenter Server objects. Custom attributes are user-defined fields that can store additional information about objects. This privilege is not related to vTPM devices or instant clones VMs.

References: Privileges Required for the vCenter Server User With Instant Clones, vSphere Virtual Machine Administration, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

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. References: App Volumes Architecture and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]