Horizon View

Installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server

A quick look at Installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server with the installation process as well as screenshots detailing the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server install.

As we have already covered, VMware Horizon 7.5 is a major step forward for VMware VDI as it provides all the latest and greatest features and functionality and integration with the latest vSphere release – vSphere 6.7. In the post VMware Horizon 7.5 Released with New Features, we covered the new functionality in addition to vSphere 6.7 support, Horizon 7.5 on VMware Cloud on AWS, vSphere 6.7 Instant Clone support, Help Desk Tool Support, Linux Agent and many other new features. In this post, we will take a look at Installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server.

VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Requirements

Before we look at installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server, let’s take a look at the requirements.  First, the hardware requirements.  VMware documents the following hardware requirements for Horizon 7.5:

Hardware Component

Required

Recommended

Processor

Pentium IV 2.0GHz processor or higher

4 CPUs

Network Adapter

100Mpbs NIC

1Gbps NICs

Memory

Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit

4GB RAM or higher

At least 10GB RAM for deployments of 50 or more remote desktops

Memory

Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit

4GB RAM or higher

At least 10GB RAM for deployments of 50 or more remote desktops

For supported operating systems, the following Windows Server operating systems are supported:

Operating System

Version

Edition

Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

64-bit

Standard

Enterprise

Datacenter

Windows Server 2012 R2

64-bit

Standard

Datacenter

Windows Server 2016

64-bit

Standard

Datacenter

For virtualization software requirements, VMware provides the great resource of the VMware Product Interoperability Matrices that allow quickly finding the supported versions of vSphere products that interoperate with other products.  For Horizon 7.5, the following ESXi versions are supported.

VMware-Product-Interoperability-Matrix-Horizon-7.5-Compatibility
VMware Product Interoperability Matrix Horizon 7.5 Compatibility

Installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server

For the purposes of Installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server, in this lab, I am using a Windows Server 2016 guest operating system.  First things first, whichever supported Windows Server operating system you choose as the platform for Horizon 7.5, make sure you have it fully patched.

Patching-Windows-Server-2016-for-Horizon-7.5-Installation
Patching Windows Server 2016 for Horizon 7.5 Installation

Now that we know the requirements of the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server and a fully patched Windows Server 2016 platform, we can begin installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server.  The Horizon Connection server is a 64-bit installation that is fairly lightweight.  Weighing in at 233.05 MB, pretty small by today’s standards.

Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-Installation-File
Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Installation File

The connection server installation is a very straightforward and easy install.  It is basically a “next, next, finish” process with only a few user inputs.

Kicking-off-the-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-Install
Kicking off the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Install

First things first, accept the EULA.

Accept-the-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-EULA-during-install
Kicking off the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Install

Next, we can select the destination folder.  For most, the default here will suffice.

Select-the-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-Destination-Folder-during-install
Select the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Destination Folder during install

On the Installation Options, you can choose the type of Horizon 7.5 connection server instance you want to install.  Also, you can select to Install HTML Access as well as specify whether you will be using IPv4 or IPv6.

Selecting-the-Standard-Horizon-Connection-Server-in-the-Install-Options
Selecting the Standard Horizon Connection Server in the Install Options

Specify the Data Recovery password that will be used to recover a backup of the Horizon 7 Connection Server.

Configuring-a-Data-Recovery-Password-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server
Configuring a Data Recovery Password Horizon 7.5 Connection Server

Next, you can allow the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server installation to automatically provision Windows firewall with the needed ports.

Automatically-configure-the-Windows-Firewall-during-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-installation
Automatically configure the Windows Firewall during Horizon 7.5 Connection Server installation

Logins to the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server will have to be authorized. On the Initial Horizon 7 Administrators screen, select the local Administrators group option or enter the name of a domain user or group that will be initially allowed to login and granted full administrative rights.  Below, in the home lab, I am simply allowing a domain administrator.  In production, you will most likely want to setup Horizon specific groups.

Configure-Horizon-7.5-Administrators-during-installation
Configure Horizon 7.5 Administrators during installation

Choose whether or not you want to join the User Experience Improvement Program.

Choose-whether-or-not-to-join-the-VMware-CEIP-program
Choose whether or not to join the VMware CEIP program

The install has everything it needs to begin installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server.

Installation-of-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-Ready-to-Begin
Installation of Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Ready to Begin

Installation of Horizon 7.5 Connection Server begins.

Installation-of-VMware-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-begins
Installation of VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server begins

Very shortly, the Horizon 7.5 Connection Server installation will complete.

Installation-of-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-Completes
Installation of Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Completes
Login-to-Horizon-7.5-Connection-Server-Console
Login to Horizon 7.5 Connection Server Console

Takeaways

As shown in this quick post, installing VMware Horizon 7.5 Connection Server is a piece of cake. The installation is similar to previous versions of Horizon and is basically a simple wizard process to get the Connection server portion installed. The integrated support for vSphere 6.7 as well as VMware Cloud on AWS will certainly spurn along the adoption of this new version of VMware’s VDI product. Stay tuned for more VMware Horizon 7.5 posts.

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Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee is the Senior Writer, Engineer and owner at Virtualizationhowto.com, and a 7-time VMware vExpert, with over two decades of experience in Information Technology. Having worked for numerous Fortune 500 companies as well as in various industries, He has extensive experience in various IT segments and is a strong advocate for open source technologies. Brandon holds many industry certifications, loves the outdoors and spending time with family. Also, he goes through the effort of testing and troubleshooting issues, so you don't have to.

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