Horizon View

VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 Installation and Configuration

A look at VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 Installation and Configuration including installing and setting up a connection to vCenter Server

With this potentially being the “year of VDI” with the Coronavirus making organizations think about how employees can access remotely, VMware Horizon View is a powerful solution for VDI access. The latest and greatest release is Horizon View 7.11. In this post we will take a look at VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 Installation and Configuration including how to get the initial connection to vCenter Server configured.

VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 Requirements

Supported operating systems that are supported with VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 are the following:

Operating SystemVersionEdition
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP164-bitStandardEnterpriseDatacenter
Windows Server 2012 R264-bitStandardDatacenter
Windows Server 201664-bitStandardDatacenter
Windows Server 201964-bitStandardDatacenter

To check the interoperability with other VMware products and Horizon View 7.11, be sure to visit the VMware Interoperability Matrix found here:

Most environments will have hardware that will meet and exceed the hardware requirements, however, if you are in question, take a look at the following hardware recommendations:

VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 Installation and Configuration

Below is a screen grab of the details when downloading Horizon Connection Server 7.11 from My VMware.

VMware-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11-download-details
VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 download details

After downloading the file shown above, I copied it over to a fresh Windows Server 2019 server and ran the installer. The Connection Server installer is a straightforward next, next, finish type process.

Launching-the-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11-installation
Launching the Horizon Connection Server 7.11 installation

EULA…

Accepting-the-EULA-for-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11-installation
Accepting the EULA for Horizon Connection Server 7.11 installation

Select your installation directory for the install.

Select-the-installation-directory-for-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11
Select the installation directory for Horizon Connection Server 7.11

For most, the Installation Options screen will be straight foward, but this is where you can select the type of Connection Server you want to install. You can see the additional options here: Replica Server, Security Server, and Enrollment Server. Also, here is where you specify HTML access and which IP protocol version you will use.

Select-the-Horizon-Connection-Server-installation-type-and-IP-configuration
Select the Horizon Connection Server installation type and IP configuration

Data backups are protected in your Horizon 7 Connection Server by a password. Here is where you set up the password for restoration.

Configure-a-data-recovery-password-during-the-installation
Configure a data recovery password during the installation

The screen displays the port requirements for the Horizon Connection Server for the various functionality. Below is a listing of the ports needed:

SOURCEDESTINATIONNETWORK PROTOCOLDESTINATION PORTDETAILS
Horizon ClientHorizon Connection ServerTCP443Login traffic.SSL (HTTPS access) is enabled by default for client connections, but port 80 (HTTP access) can be used in some cases. See HTTP Redirection in Horizon 7 in Horizon 7 Security.
Horizon AgentTCP22443Blast Extreme.
UDP22443Blast Extreme.
TCP4172PCoIP.
UDP4172PCoIP.
TCP3389RDP.
TCP9427Optional for client drive redirection (CDR) and multimedia redirection (MMR).By default, when using Blast Extreme, CDR traffic is side-channeled in the Blast Extreme ports indicated previously. If desired, this traffic can be separated onto the port indicated here.
TCP32111Optional for USB redirection.USB redirection traffic can also be side-channeled in the Blast Extreme ports indicated previously. See note below.
BrowserHorizon Connection ServerTCP8443Horizon 7 HTML Access.
Workspace ONE Access ApplianceTCP443Workspace ONE Access login and data traffic.
Both88iOS single sign-on (SSO).
TCP5262Android single sign-on (SSO)
TCP7443SSL certificate authentication.
Workspace ONE Access ConnectorTCP443This port is required only when a connector is being used in inbound mode (outbound mode is recommended).If Kerberos authentication is configured on the connector, this port is required.
Select-how-you-want-to-configure-the-needed-Windows-firewall-rules

Next up, choose the domain group that you want to be enabled as Horizon administrators.

Authorize-a-domain-user-or-group-as-Horizon-administrators

Make you selection on the CEIP program for customer experience….

Choose-your-preference-for-the-CEIP-program
Choose your preference for the CEIP program

Ready to begin install.

Ready-to-install-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11
Ready to install Horizon Connection Server 7.11

After a couple of minutes, the installation should complete successfully….

Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11-installed-successfully
Horizon Connection Server 7.11 installed successfully

Use Horizon Console Setup vCenter Connection

The first thing you need to do once you have installed the Horizon Connection Server software is browse out via HTTPS to the FQDN of your Horizon Connection Server. Here you will be presented with the choice to use the new Horizon Console (HTML5) or use the legacy Horizon Administrator (Flex) connection. Of course we are going to us HTML5 😉

Launching-the-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11-admin-interface

Under Settings > Servers we find the option to click vCenter Servers > Add.

Adding-a-vCenter-Server-connection-to-your-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11
Adding a vCenter Server connection to your Horizon Connection Server 7.11

This begins the Add vCenter Server wizard. First, enter the connection information for vCenter.

Entering-the-vCenter-Server-address
Entering the vCenter Server address

View the vCenter Server certificate.

Accept-the-vCenter-certificate
Accept the vCenter certificate

Accept the vCenter Server certficate.

Confirm-accepting-the-vCenter-Server-certificate

Choose Horizon Composer server connection information, or choose Do not use Horizon Composer.

Configure-Horizon-Composer-Server-settings
Configure Horizon Composer Server settings

Configure storage settings by selecting settings for Reclaim VM disk space, Enable Horizon Storage Accelerator.

Configure-storage-settings
Configure storage settings

Ready to add the vCenter Server connection.

Ready-to-add-the-vCenter-Server-connection-to-Horizon-Connection-Server-7.11
Ready to add the vCenter Server connection to Horizon Connection Server 7.11

The vCenter Server connection has been added to your Horizon Connection Server.

vCenter-Server-successfully-added-to-Horizon-Connection-Server
vCenter Server successfully added to Horizon Connection Server

Wrapping Up

In this quick walk through of VMware Horizon Connection Server 7.11 Installation and Configuration, we have seen how to install Horizon Connection Server 7.11 as well as how to get your vCenter Server connection added to the server.

Stay tuned for more refreshed articles looking at Horizon View 7.11 functionality and configuration.

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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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