Create an OS Layer (XenServer)

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 create a virtual machine in XenServer to serve as the OS Machine, then export the OS to the ELM's network file share, and import the OS 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 for the ELM

Prepare your OS Image

1. In XenServer, create a Windows Server 2012 R2 VM, specifying a valid network adaptor.
2. Log into the new VM.
3. Turn off Windows Automatic Updates.
4. Download the Unidesk OS Machine Tools.
5. 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.
6. Double-click the executable to copy the scripts and files to C:\Windows\Setup\scripts.
7. Create a snapshot of the VM.
8. From the C:\Windows\Setup\scripts folder, run the included Setup_x64.exe file on the VM to install the Unidesk tools.
9. Shut down the new VM.
10. Log into a system that has access to the ELM's Network File Share.
11. Log into XenCenter and select the Infrastructure view.
12. Shut down the VM, then right-click the VM and choose Export.

13. For the Location value, select the ELM's Network File Share.

14. For the Format, choose the OVF/OVA Package.

15. Complete the wizard, no specific values required for the remaining choices. The Export runs.

16. To see the status of the Export, click the Notifications view in the bottom left corner of the XenCenter UI.

17. In the wizard that opens, select the name of the file that will be created, the directory in which you would like to store the file, and the format Folder of files (OVF). The 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 Network File Share where you downloaded the XenServer .VHD files.
4. In the OS Disk Details tab, click Browse to select the *.VHD 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.