Create an OS Layer (vSphere)

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.

To create an OS Layer, you need to create a virtual machine in vSphere to serve as the OS Machine, download the OS to a network file share, and then import theOS into Unidesk to create the OS Layer.

Before you start

Before you can create an OS Layer, you'll need to:

• Deploy the Unidesk ELM
• Configure a Network File Share

Prepare your OS Image

1. In vSphere, create a Windows Server 2012 R2 VM, specifying a network adaptor of VMXNet3.
2. Log into the new VM.
3. Check to see if the operating system is configured with a VMXNet3 card, and if not, change the setting to VMXNet3. Then restart the system and ensure the new network adapter setting is working.
4. Turn off Windows Automatic Updates.
5. Download the Unidesk OS Machine Tools.
6. If you are not going to be publishing to PVS or Azure, you should run the Unattend.exe to build your unattend.xlm file for use in machine creation.
7. Double-click the executable to copy the scripts and files to C:\Windows\Setup\scripts.
8. Create a snapshot of the VM.
9. From the C:\Windows\Setup\scripts folder, run the included Setup_x64.exe file on the VM to install the Unidesk tools.
10. Shut down the new VM.
11. Log into a system that has access to the ELM's Network File Share.

12. Open the vCenter console and find VM.

13. Right-click the VM and select Template > Export OVF Template. This preserves any snapshots you may have done.
14. In the wizard that opens, select the name of the file that will be created, and the directory in which you would like to store the file and format: "Folder of files (OVF)". Files are downloaded to the Network File Share.

Import the OS Image into a new OS Layer

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, select the file share where you downloaded the vSphere OVF file that you exported in the above procedure.
4. In the OS Disk Details tab, click Browse to select the OVF file that you downloaded to your file share.
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 OS Wizard values

• 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 Layer.

• Version Description - (Optional) Enter a description of the version.
• Max Layer Size - (Optional) Maximum layer size in gigabytes. Layers are thin provisioned, and will grow as needed, up to the maximum size. The default Max Layer Size is 100 gigabytes. If the version you are creating could requires more space, change this to a realistic value.
• Select a Connector configuration - (Required) Specify a Unidesk Connector for the platform where you'll be publishing your Layered Images. For example, if you're publishing to vSphere or PVS, select the vSphere or PVS connector with the credentials required to access the account. If the Connector 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 Connector configuration, select it and click Edit.
• Packaging Disk Filename - (Required) The name of the Packaging Machine you created in your environment.