Horizon Workspace comes as a vApp containing several virtual appliances which handle different jobs. The first rule for installing Horizon Workspace is: Get your DNS working! After that the configuration is quite easy. All setup for the vApp is done on the Configurator virtual appliance which propagates the settings to the other appliances. This information is sent via the SSH port which means that all appliances must be reachable from the Configurator via port 22. But what about the other services on the appliances? How do they communicate to each other? The following diagram gives you an overview of the open ports needed in your Horizon environment.

Please note that a few ports are configurable. This includes the connection to the database, the Active Directory, theView and SMTP server and last but not least the vCenter.

Before deploying Horizon Workspace ensure that you have a minimum of 6GB RAM and 32GB Storage available. You may need additional storage for the data appliance.

Create DNS Records

An IP address with reverse lookup (PTR) and a DNS entry must be available for each virtual appliance. I am using Microsoft DNS on my Windows 2008R2 Active Directory Controller in my lab. Create a new A records in your forward lookup zone for each virtual appliance.
Note: Mark the “Create associated pointer (PTR) record” to create a linked PTR record in your Reverse Lookup Zone.

Check you newly created DNS configuration using nslookup.

Note: DNS must be working properly, otherwise the configuration will fail !

Create Resource and IP Pool

Create a new Resource Pool using vSphere Client. If not already available, you need to create a new IP Pool. Ensure that your DNS configuration matches with the IP Pools properties.

Deploy Horizon Workspace

Horizon Workspace is OVA packaged as a multi-virtual machine vApp. It can be directly deployed to VMware vCenter. The vApp includes five virtual appliances.

1. configurator-va (Horizon Workspace Configurator virtual appliance)

• The initial configurations tasks are performed by the configurator-va. All configurations are distributed to the other virtual appliances in the vApp.

2. service-va (Horizon Workspace Manager virtual appliance)

• Provides the Web Interface to administer user, groups and resources.

3. connector-va (Horizon Workspace Connector virtual appliance)

• This va is responsible for user authentication, directory synchronization, ThinApp catalog loading and View pool synchronization

4. data-va (Horizon Workspace Data virtual appliance)

• This virtual appliance manages the 100% on premise solution for controlling user based files. Similar like Dropbox.

5. gateway-va (Horizon Workspace Gateway virtual appliance)

• Is the single endpoint for all end user communication.

In vSphere Client go to File > Deploy OVF Template and respond to the wizard prompts. Select Power On After Deployment at the end of the wizard.

Open the console of the configurator-va and follow the installation instructions. The configurator-va is verifying your network configuration. If your DNS and reverse lookup configuration is incorrect the installation will fail and you have to fix your DNS issues first. If anything went well you’ll get the following screen.

The wizard continues and you need to enter the following informations:

• Global Root password for all virtual appliances
• SMTP Server Name and Port (If you do not have SMTP in you lab you can specify any external SMTP Server for testing purposes)
• External Gateway Name and Port
• vCenter IP Address, Port, Admin User and Password

Finished

After the wizard has completed you will get the Success page with the URL of the Horizon Workspace Root CA. I suggest to download the PEM file with your favorite browser.

Congratulation ! You’ve finished the Part 1 of the Installation.