Demystifying VMware Horizon Instant Clones: A Deep Dive

[Ramesh V]

In the realm of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), VMware Horizon stands as a pioneer, offering a range of features that enhance the user experience and streamline management. One of its most innovative offerings is Instant Clones, a technology that revolutionises the way virtual desktops are provisioned and managed. In this blog post, we'll explore how Horizon Instant Clones work, their benefits, and the steps involved in their deployment.

Understanding Instant Clones

Instant Clones are a type of virtual machine (VM) that are created from a master image, known as a golden image, in a matter of seconds. Unlike traditional full clones, which require significant time and resources to deploy, instant clones are lightweight and share the same underlying storage as the master image. This results in faster provisioning times and reduced storage consumption.

How Instant Clones Work

The process of creating an instant clone involves several key steps:

1. Master Image Preparation: The first step is to create a master image, which is a fully configured VM that serves as the template for all instant clones. This image is optimized and contains all the necessary applications and settings.

2. Instant Clone Creation: When a user requests a desktop, Horizon uses the master image to create an instant clone. This process involves creating a differencing disk for each clone, which stores the unique changes made by the user.

3. User Customisation: Once the instant clone is created, Horizon applies user customisation, such as personal settings and data, to the clone. This ensures that each user has a personalised desktop experience.

4. Delivery and Management: The instant clone is then delivered to the user, who can access it as they would a traditional desktop. Horizon manages the lifecycle of the clone, including updates and maintenance, ensuring that the master image remains pristine.

Benefits of Instant Clones

• Rapid Provisioning: Instant clones can be provisioned in seconds, reducing the time users wait for their desktops to be ready.

• Efficient Resource Usage: By sharing the master image's storage, instant clones consume significantly less storage space compared to full clones.

• Simplified Management: With a single master image to manage, administrators can easily update and patch all desktops, streamlining maintenance tasks.

• Scalability: Instant clones can be quickly scaled up or down based on demand, making them ideal for dynamic environments.

Deploying Instant Clones

To deploy instant clones in your VMware Horizon environment, follow these steps:

1. Prepare the Master Image: Create and optimize a master image that will serve as the basis for all instant clones.

2. Configure Instant Clone Settings: In the Horizon Console, configure the settings for the instant clone pool, including the number of desktops, provisioning settings, and user entitlements.

3. Set Up vCenter Server Privileges: Horizon administrators must create a custom role in vCenter Server with the necessary privileges to manage instant clones.

4. Deploy the Instant Clones: Once the settings are configured, deploy the instant clones. Horizon will create the clones from the master image and manage their lifecycle.

Conclusion

VMware Horizon Instant Clones represent a leap forward in VDI technology, offering unparalleled speed, efficiency, and scalability. By understanding how instant clones work and following the deployment steps outlined in this blog post, you can harness the full potential of this innovative feature, providing your users with a seamless desktop experience while simplifying administrative tasks. Remember, the key to successful VDI management lies in continuous learning and adaptation to the latest technologies and best practices.

[StephenWagner7]

Still surprises me how many organizations are scared to make the jump, over concerns of profile/setting persistence, thinking that these do not persist. But they do!!! 🙂 

 

This shows the importance of working with a partner who has the experience to not only demo and showcase the technology, but also to implement and provide training (if needed) to maintain the solution afterwards.

[Ivan de Mes]

I agree with you Stephen. Even though in The Netherlands not a lot of customers are concerned about profiles anymore. But you have to be precise about definitions, context, components and impact.

To be honest, I don't fully agree with number 3) in the "How Instant Clones Work" section. In the context of instant clones, user customizations, like personal settings and data, normally become available after the instant clone desktop has been delivered (during/after user logon) to the user. And it's not the Horizon component that does the personalization. But maybe I'm a little too precise. 😁

Furthermore, it is a clear overview. 👏🏼