---
title: "VMware vSphere for On-Premises Workspot Deployments"
slug: "vmware-vsphere-for-on-premises-workspot-deployments"
updated: 2024-08-08T18:01:40Z
published: 2024-08-08T18:01:40Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.workspot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# VMware vSphere for On-Premises Workspot Deployments

**Workspot-VMware vSphere Integration Overview**

**Note:**This document is old, but the information is still largely correct.

Workspot-VMware vSphere Integration enables the provisioning and managing of VDI desktops from **Workspot Control** [1](https://kb.workspot.support/temporary-active-directory-integration$footnote1). **Control** provides a simple interface with easy access to VMware ESX / ESXi hypervisor and virtualization server - VMware's platform for implementing and managing virtual machine (VM) infrastructure on a large scale.

### **Prerequisites and Configuration Notes**

The following are general prerequisites:

- VMware vSphere 7.0 or later.
- vCenter Server. See [VMware vSphere Documentation](https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/index.html) for more information.
- vCenter account for provisioning VMs, see [Workspot vSphere Integration vCenter Privileges](/v1/docs/workspot-vsphere-integration-vcenter-privileges) for details.
- Sufficient resources: CPU, memory, storage, and networking.
- DHCP provided IPs.
- A Template and Customization Specification for the VDI desktops.
- Workspot's Enterprise Connector installed and AD synchronization enabled. See the [Workspot Enterprise connector](/v1/docs/workspot-enterprise-connector).

Configuring **Control** involves the following steps for **VMware vSphere Integration**:

1. **Read The Instructions**
2. **Add Datacenter**and provide a name that describes the datacenter. Note: "Cupertino DC" is used in this example where DC is short for *Data Center*.
3. **Add Configuration** for the ***Active Directory*** configuration type.
4. **Add Configuration** for the ***VMware vSphere*** configuration type.
5. **Add Pool**to provision Virtual Machines (VMs).
6. **Assign Desktops**in the pool to users from (a) users defined in **Workspot**, (b) users defined in Active Directory, (c) or users listed in a spreadsheet that is imported. For this guide, the only method (a) is shown.

### **Control Configuration for VMware vSphere Integration**

1. ### **Read the instructions**: Navigate to ***Control:: Resources > VDI(0)*** and review the **Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Setup** panel, as shown in Figure 2 below.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/b2648acf-4b24-4280-8153-5b6d72f9cee9.png)

Figure 2 - Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Setup - First Time Use
2. **Add Datacenter:** Navigate to ***Company > Datacenter*** click the **Add Datacenter** button.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/68c68637-5815-4885-9577-6f9dfa952fff.png)

Figure 3 - Name this Datacenter

Provide a meaningful name to identify the Datacenter's profile. For example, "Cupertino DC" where DC is short for *Data Center*. Click the **Save** button. The Datacenter profile is displayed. note the **Add Configuration** button will be disabled until the Connector is online. Refer to Figure 4 below.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/11f4dd07-616c-4129-aa35-55db7b625e40.png)

Figure 4 - Add Datacenter Completed - Enterprise Connector Not Installed After the **Enterprise Connector** that matches the **Integration Key** has been installed, the **Add Configuration** button is enabled, the **Connector Version** is filled in, and the **Connector Status** is shown as *Connected*. Refer to Figure 5 below.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/201eeb6e-1286-4c88-8c5a-abd2ddc66888.png)

Figure 5 - Add Data Center - Enterprise Connector Installed, Version and Statis Available
3. **Add Configuration for*Active Directory*:** Navigate to ***Company > Datacenter*** and click on the **Add Configuration** button. A panel titled **"Add a Configuration for the *<datacenter name>* datacenter"** is displayed.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/298e7fee-ad45-46bf-a79d-373e409c575d.png)

Figure 6 - Add a Configuration to the Cupertino DC Datacenter
  1. Provide a meaningful name to identify this configuration profile, "CORP AD" is used in this example. Select *Active Directory* as the **Configuration Type**.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/08214c5c-0036-4fea-9697-960946039e1a.png)

Figure 7 - Add Configuration - Active Directory - Configuration Type
  2. To sync the status of deleted and disabled Active Directory users with **Control**, set **Sync Deleted and Disabled Users** to "Yes". (Note: Navigate to ***Users > Users*** to see the *AD Status* associated with an individual **Workspot** user. See Figure 11.)

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/a9772971-58e3-4847-a9b3-1801cf098538.png)![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/f5b43f96-a657-4ee5-a5d6-bac72d204675.png)

Figure 8 - Add Configuration - Active Directory - Synchronize Member Accounts
  3. Successful creation of an **Active Directory** configuration displays the status message shown below.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/4da33678-f16c-416b-bf78-877184d09c06.png)

Figure 9 - Add Configuration - Active Directory - Datacenter configuration created successfully
  4. Click on the **Sync Now** button to update the status of **Workspot Client** users who have accounts in the **Active Directory** domain.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/1051f288-c27c-4a7a-8f3e-e868e4a1d33c.png)

Figure 10 - Add Configuration - Active Directory - Sync is Initiated... For the purposes of this guide, an *Operations Test* account was created in the *workspot.com* **Active Directory**. The email address *opstest01.workspot.com* was assigned to this account. This member self-registered using a **Workspot Client** using the assigned email address. and is listed as an *Active* user under their ***AD Status*** in ***Users***.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/9a1e50e9-1ce1-4c5b-9451-4be815532894.png)

Figure 11 - Add Configuration - Active Directory - Post-Synce, AD Status Figure 12 shows the *E-mail* entry in **Active Directory** that is used by the **Workspot Enterprise Connector** to identify the user.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/573c3d14-a384-49af-a861-c257d2000c81.png)

Figure 12 - Active Directory - Enterprise Connector Compatible E-mail Entry
4. **Add Configuration for*VMware vSphere*:** Navigate to ***Company > Datacenter*** and click the **Add Configuration** button.
  1. Provide a meaningful **Name** to identify this configuration profile, "VMware vSphere" is used in this example. Select *VMware vSphere* as the **Configuration Type**.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/dc84729f-9c4e-46bc-9b44-00a0d7d64e9f.png)

Figure 13 - Add Configuration - VMware vSphere - Configuration Type and Name
  2. Enter the **vCenter Server Address** (IP address) - the FQDN or hostname of the vCenter web console may be used as well. The **vCenter Address**, shown in Figure 15 below, is the NETBIOS name "vCenter".
  3. Configure to **Allow Self Signed Certificates** or do not allow.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/2d62dc2a-871a-4358-964b-534e53254b2b.png)

Figure 14 - Add Configuration - VMware vSphere - Host, Certificate
  4. Enter **User Name** and **Password** for the vCenter administrator account used for provisioning VMs.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/db6cd788-1562-4bec-8d08-6c72c7f4b46f.png)

Figure 15 - Add Configuration - VMware vSphere - Service Account for Provisioning Virtual Machines (VMs)
  5. Click on the **Save** button. The "Datacenter configuration created successfully" message is displayed and the VMware vSphere configuration panel shows the **Configuration Type**, **Host**, and **User Name**.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/6aa04724-0d03-42d1-8dc2-b64a71fa95eb.png)

Figure 16 - Add Configuration - VMware vSphere - "Datacenter confi created successfully"
5. **Add Pool:** Navigate to ***Resources*** > ***VDI*** to provision Virtual Machines (VMs). Click on the ***Add Pool*** button. Optionally, you may click on the **VDI Setup** link in item (4.) of the instructions, as shown in Figure 2, to arrive on the same page.
  1. Navigate to ***Resources*** > ***VDI*** and click on the **Add Pool** button. Provide a **Desktop Pool Name** and **Select a Config**. *Note that the****Desktop Pool Name*** *will be the VDI desktop display name in the user's Workspot.*

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/dcaef78d-a50d-4e3d-8022-d128d5575e6c.png)

Figure 17 - Add Pool - Create Your Virtual Desktops Select the **vCenter** config to display the related fields.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/325eec31-791b-4bc9-9edc-b9e9570464d1.png)

Add Pool - VMware vSphere - Specific Parameters
  2. Click on the **Search** button to display the list of available templates, then click on the **Select** button next to the desired template.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/0d9b9af4-c7d6-4298-8f59-3cffa9ce8f76.png)

Figure 18 - Add Pool - Select a Template

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/a3504caa-a1d4-49e8-8234-83a9318791e3.png)

Add Pool - Host of Cluster

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/9f77b101-a69d-47b0-b266-9d85300c6603.png)

Add Pool - Resource Pool

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/2e8ed5e6-2def-4eff-9efb-8fc7eae9474e.png)

Add Pool - Datastore

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/e033dc86-53b5-46ea-880c-952129b67dc1.png)

Add Pool - Get customization for VM image
  3. Enter the **Number of Desktops** to provision. Enter the **Naming Prefix** and **Suffix Length** that is used to uniquely name each virtual desktop during provisioning. Click on the **Upload an icon** link to use a custom icon for the desktop in Workspot Ciient.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/e6e26910-d896-4ca4-a213-e293d72023ee.png)

Figure 19 - Add Pool - Enter Final Parameters for Pool

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/f6df9026-002a-4b7b-adbf-65ae27c28a13.png)

Figure 20 - Add Pool - Upload an Icon
  4. Manage Virtual Desktops and Check Progress during provisioning.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/dd914728-0fb1-4125-88f5-998185929593.png)

Figure 21 - Add Pool - Manage Virtual Desktops - Check Progress

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/51eb2988-c809-4856-93d6-f7a663b66d8a.png)

Figure 22 - Add Pool - Virtual Desktops Creation Progress - 0% - Waiting for IP...

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/14c82686-c4a2-49d1-9adb-373cf4b898f8.png)

Figure 23 - Add Pool - Virtual Desktops Creation Progress - 0% - Powering On...

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/2541725f-57f4-4fbe-abc8-741b3e087055.png)

Figure 24 - Add Pool - Virtual Desktops Creation Progress - 67% - Online

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/82323061-fe70-4f68-8f8a-fe9500325926.png)

Figure 25 - Add Pool - Virtual Desktops Creation Progress - 100% Complete
  5. After completion of pool creation, click on the **< Back to Pool Details** link to see the list of virtual desktops provisioned for the **Ops Windows 10 E Desktop Pool (3)**.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/7b83c89b-8d89-459f-9755-e839ad78302e.png)

Figure 26 - Add Pool - Manage Virtual Desktops - Back to Pool Details
  6. Logging into vCenter and going to **VM > Table**, the virtual desktops provisioned through **Control** are listed.
  7. Once the first pool has been created, the **Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Setup** instructions are no longer displayed and in its place, the list of available pools.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/6f50e8d9-8a2a-4297-985d-300d63aaac0d.png)

Figure 28 - Add Pool - Manage Virtual Desktop Pools (1) List
6. **Assign Desktops:** Navigate to ***Resources*** > ***VDI*** to assign VMs. Click on the ***Assign Desktops*** button. Click on name of the pool to open the **Manage Virtual Desktops**.
  1. Click on the name of the pool from where you want to assign the VDI desktops.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/37f264dc-55a9-4877-8090-109dce41e895.png)

Figure 29 - Assign Desktops - Ops Windows 10 E Desktops Pool (3)
  2. In Figure 29 above, all three (3) provisioned desktops were selected. Clicking on the **Assign Desktops** button, the tabs shown under **All Users** act as search filters. Click on the **Workspot** tab to search users that are already registered with your company in **Control**.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/ca69e098-b514-441b-8c18-5ea74df11534.png)

Figure 30 - Assign Desktops - "Assign Selected Virtual Desktop(s) to New User Desktops:" tool
  3. Entering "demo" shows the two users with names or emails that include "demo". Select the check boxes next to the users, then click the arrow to pick those users to be assigned desktops, then click on the **Assign** button.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/82b7741e-ba94-4f27-bcfc-b4669aa96135.png)

Figure 32 - Assign Desktops - Using the "Workspot" filter and user assignment tool
  4. In this example, two desktops were assigned, one desktop to each user.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/ec334f63-084d-4f3e-a2be-55d6a7d506e6.png)

Figure 33 - Assign Desktops - Manage Virtual Desktop Pools detail status table
  5. Summary status is displayed for the pool by clicking on the **< Back to Desktop Pools** navigation link shown in the figure above.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/219926ac-a975-4a9d-98b9-9c43ec26adfa.png)

Figure 34 - Assign Desktops - Manage Virtual Desktop Pools summary status table
  6. Navigate to ***Users > User Details :: Assigned Virtual Desktops***. Note that desktops assigned to users are listed for their account.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/ad9153e1-c8de-4f56-94f2-b717a1fc3a68/Images/Documentation/b033b97f-80d1-4cc4-b015-1d9b554bd869.png)

Figure 35 - Assign Desktops - Users < User Details :: Assigned Virtual Desktops

[1] **Control** is Workspot's cloud-based, comprehensive management solution. Integrated with hypervisor platforms, **Control** simplifies the automatic provisioning of VDI desktops, and management of configurations and policies applied to the desktops.