Create an OS Layer (network file share)

In this article:

The Unidesk Operating System (OS) Layer contains the Windows Operating System that is assigned to any Unidesk Layered Images you create using that OS Layer. Once created, you can use the OS Layer to build as many Layered Images as you want.

The OS Layer includes a virtual machine in your infrastructure running the Unidesk-supported Windows Operating System that you want to use for your Layered Images. You can import the OS from the Network File Share attached to the Unidesk ELM.

Create an OS Machine

To create an OS Layer:

• Prepare the OS in your hypervisor
• Create a VM in your hypervisor to serve as the OS Machine.
• Import the resulting OS Disk into Unidesk to create the OS Layer.

Prepare the OS

To prepare the OS image:

1. After the new server machine has been successfully created, reboot the machine, and log into it remotely.

2. Turn off Windows Automatic Updates (Control Panel -> System and Security -> Windows Update -> Change Settings).

3. From the new machine, open a web browser, navigate to the Unidesk Download Center for your platform, and download the Unidesk OS Machine Tools.

4. Rename or delete the "Unattend.wsf" file in the C:\Windows\OEM directory.

5. On the new server machine, run the setup_x64.exe file to install the Unidesk drivers on the OS Machine.

6. Ensure this machine is not joined to a domain.

   Note: Session Hosts will join a domain when you provision them from a Layered Image.

7. (Optional) Shut down the new OS Machine.

   Notes:

   • You must perform any pending reboots to the OS machine before importing the OS Disk.
8. Copy the OS image to the Network File Share for importing into a new OS Layer.

Import the OS Image

To import an OS disk into Unidesk:

1. In the Unidesk ELM, select Layers > OS Layers and click Create OS Layer in the Action bar. This opens the Create Operating System Layer Wizard.

2. In the Layer Details tab, specify a Layer Name and Version, both required values. Optionally, you can enter Descriptions of the Layer and Version, and change the Max Layer Size to accommodate the OS you are going to import. For details, see more about these values below.

3. In the Connector tab, choose Network File Share.

4. In the Import Disk Details tab, enter the required values. Enter the name of the OS disk residing on the file share, or click Browse to select it.

5. In the Icon Assignment tab, select an icon image to assign to this Layer.

6. In the Confirm and Complete tab, review the details of the OS Layer, enter a comment if required, and click Create Layer. If you enter comments, they appear in the Information view Audit History.

When the task completes, the new OS Layer in the Unidesk Management Console displays a Deployable status.

Reference: Create Operating System Layer Wizard values

• Layer Name - (Required) A name that will let you know what app(s) the layer will be used for, for example, 2012_64_OS. Layer Names can be from 1 to 100 characters in length.
• Layer Description - (Optional) Enter a description of the OS Layer.

• Version - (Required) This can be the version of the OS Layer or a version you assign to the Layer. This value is displayed in the Details view of the OS Layer. It may be useful to include the date in the version name. Version names can be from 1 to 100 characters in length.

• Version Description - (Optional) Enter a description of the OS version.
• Max Layer Size - (Optional) Lets you specify how large the OS is that you are going to import. The default is 30 GB.
• Select a Connector Configuration - (Required) Specify a Unidesk Platform Connector for the platform where you'll be publishing your Layered Images. For example, if you're publishing to Azure RD Session Host, select the Azure RDSH connector with the credentials required to access the account. If the configuration you need is not listed, add a New one and select it from this list. If you want to change the settings of a Platform Connect, select it and click Edit.
• Resource Group - (Required) The name of the Azure Resource Group containing the OS Import disk.
• Virtual Machine Name - (Required) The name of the server machine you created in Azure.
• OS Disk - (Required) If you chose a file share in the Connector tab, enter the path to the *.vhd file here or click Browse to select it.
• Icon Assignment - You can select a default image or browse to select an image of your own. Icon images must have a .jpg or a .png file format.