Importing Desktop Pools

Introduction

You can use arbitrary devices as Workspot Desktops if they are reachable from the Workspot Client via the RDP protocol. This is useful when, for whatever reason, they cannot be created by Workspot Control in the usual way.

If these desktops can run the Workspot Agent service, installing the Agent and importing them as a Custom Cloud Pool is the preferred option, since Agent allows the desktops to be monitored and to some extent managed. See Custom Clouds and Custom Cloud Pools.

Otherwise, you can import them as Agent-less Desktops. Workspot cannot monitor or manage these Desktops, but each Desktop will appear in the Workspot Client of its assigned user. To the users, they behave like ordinary Workspot Persistent Desktops.

This article describes importing and using Agent-less Desktops.

Advantages

• Supports your existing desktops as they are, without migrating or reconfiguring them.

• Works with desktops on which Agent is not supported (due to the device’s architecture, OS, or release version).

  • Note: Operation with untested platforms cannot be guaranteed.

Limitations

• Almost no monitoring via Control, Watch, or Trends, because Agent does most of the monitoring, and it is not present.

• Little management is available. In addition to importing the entire pool, almost the only options available are removing a desktop from the pool.

• No policies are associated with the pool.

• The desktop must support user logins using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

These pools are appropriate for desktops that are maintained and monitored by other means and whose user assignments are stable.

Importing a Desktop Pool

Importing an Agent-less Desktop Pool is done from the “Resources > Cloud Desktop Pools > Import Pool” page. The basic process is:

• The desktops should already exist.

• Choose one of the two methods of obtaining a list of desktops (“From CSV” and “From Config”).

  • If using “From CSV,” create a .csv file with the required configuration.

• Give the pool a name, select the Gateway/VPN options, and pick a login option.

• Import the list of desktops.

• Select which desktops on the list to add to the pool.

• Click “Save.”

Details are given below.

Importing Desktops With the “From CSV” Method

Creating the .CSV File

This method uses a fixed-format .csv file.

• Click the “From CSV” radio button on “Resources > Cloud Desktop Pools > Import Pool.”

• Use the “Download Sample CSV” button to get a .csv file to use as a template.

  • The order of the fields is: Desktop Name, Desktop IP Address, CPU Count, RAM, Disk, User ID (email address), Firstname, Lastname

  • Control requires that the username ([email protected]) be an existing user visible to Workspot Enterprise Connector (that is, part of your AD domain).

  • Control will create a duplicate Workspot user account if the Firstname and Lastname don’t match Connector’s records.

  • The IP address must be correct, or the Client will not be able to connect.

  • Control uses the Desktop Name, CPU Count, RAM, and Disk only for display purposes. It makes no decisions based on them.

• Click the “Upload” link to upload the .csv file.

• Select some or all of the desktops from the .csv file and click “Import.”

• Set the Desktop Pool Name, Route Through Gateway, Gateway/VPN, and Login Type fields as usual. (See Control:  Desktop Pools for more information).

• Optional: Set a description and a non-default Pool Icon.

• Hit “Save.” You should be returned to the “Cloud Desktop Pools” page and see a status banner announcing success.

Importing Desktops With the “From Config” Method

The “From Config” method requires that your desktops already exist in a Private Cloud that is known to Control. Control will discover the list of desktops for you. That is:

• The Cloud has an entry in Control under “Setup > Cloud > Private Clouds.”

• There is a supported hypervisor configuration under “Setup > Cloud > Private Clouds > cloudname > Configs.”

To Import desktops with the “From Config Method”:

• Click the “From Config” radio button on “Resources > Cloud Desktop Pools > Import Pool.”

• Select your Cloud from the “Select Private Cloud” pull-down menu.

• Select your Cloud Config from the “Select a Config” pull-down menu.

• The rest of the procedure is the same as “From CSV,” above.

Using Desktops in Imported Pools

The Workspot Client connects to an Imported Desktop using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), the same protocol used by the Windows “Remote Desktop Connection” application and many others. Your Desktops must enable users to sign in remotely via RDP.

To Workspot Client users, their assigned Imported Desktops are the same as any other desktops. Their icons appear in the Workspot Client and clicking on them launches the Desktop.

Monitoring Imported Pools

Because they are not running the Workspot Agent, The Desktops are not monitored by Workspot Control, Watch, or Trends. This is reflected in a lack of log messages and in missing or blank fields in desktop and pool status pages.

Events logged by the Workspot Client appear as usual.

Managing Imported Pools

Workspot Control has no administrative access to the Desktops, so they are managed by whatever non-Workspot methods you have in place.

Editing Pools

Editing existing pools in Control is limited to removing Desktops from the Pool (which means that Control forgets about them; nothing is done to the desktops themselves), changing the Gateway selection and Login method, and minor tasks such as changing the Client icon.

Updating Pools

You can also rename the Pool, which is useful when you need to update it; for example, by adding new desktops and new users:

• Rename the existing pool

• Create a new pool with the updated desktops and their user assignments.

• Test the new pool.

• Delete the old pool (deleting the pool does nothing to the desktops, just Control’s records).

Related Documents

• Control:  Desktop Pools.

• Custom Clouds and Custom Cloud Pools.