Preserve user data for a persistent disk

We can preserve users data with use of persistent disks, we can use them when setting up Automated Dedicated linked clone pools. When creating pool choose Automated Desktop Pool > Dedicated we will be present with setting for View Composer Disks in step 7. Select check box for Redirect Windows profile to a persistent disk specify size and Drive letter. As explanation below Windows profile will be redirected to persistent disk and will be not effected by View Composer operation.

Attach/Detach persistent disk(s)

We can Detached persistent disk from one Desktop VM and attached to another. We can detach disk from within Desktop pool setting under Inventory > Persistent disks select disk we want to detach and click Detach…

We can do same operation from View Admin > Inventory > Resources Persistent Disks we can see here all disks and detach which one is required. When selecting disk to detach we will be asked where we want to store this disk, we can use same storage or select other  datastore. Detaching Persistent disk from VM will remove that VM from inventory and create new one with empty persistent disk.

After compleated detach operation, persistent disk will be listed under Detached tab from here we can attach disk to other Desktop VM. Select which disk we want to attach and click Attach… new window opens when we can search for Desktop VM to attach disk.

 

 

Recreate a linked clone using a detached persistent disk

It is possible to recreate Desktop VM from detached persistent disk, doing this will create new VM in the pool and attach persistent disk and assign to user. Before doing this we need to make sure that there is no other Desktop VM in this pool assigned to the user. From Persistent Disks select detached disk and click Recreate Machine…

Restore a linked clone by importing a persistent disk from vSphere

We can import persistent disk to vCenter if we previously removed it from View Admin inventory. From within Persistent disks click Import from vCenter… select vCenter server, some info will be populate for us if View Admin detect only one choice like for example Datacenter. Click Browse to select persistent disk file. We can select different user to this persistent disk

Assign a detached persistent disk to a new pool/user

To attach disk to another pool or user select detached disk from list and select Edit.. and from drop down list select new Desktop Pool. Click Browse to browse for new user to assign

 

Configure privileges for managing persistent disks

We can create custom privilege role to enable user to manage Persistent disks.

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