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Using the vCenter Server virtual machine as a VMware View unmanaged desktop (1027224)

Purpose

This article provides the VMware View Agent installation steps that allow you to create desktop pools with physical or unmanaged computers that are actually managed virtual machines.

Resolution

When you install the View Agent on a physical machine, the agent automatically registers the machine as an unmanaged desktop. When you install the View Agent on a vCenter virtual machine, it is registered as a managed desktop.
 
If you want to emulate the behavior of a physical machine on a virtual machine, you must change a specific setting during the View Agent installation.
 
To create desktop pools with physical or unmanaged computers that are actually managed virtual machines:  
  1. Open a Windows command prompt on the virtual machine on which you want to install View Agent.
  2. Navigate to the location of the View Agent installer.
  3. Run the command:

    VMware-viewagent-4.5.0-xxxxxx.exe /v"VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=0"

    Note: The VDM_VC_MANAGED_AGENT=0     option in this command ensures that a virtual machine is registered as an unmanaged desktop. The executable file mentioned in the command can be of View Manager 4.5 and later.

  4. Complete the steps in the interactive installation.
  5. When the installation completes, reboot the virtual machine.

The installation creates:

  • The View Agent installation log (%TEMP%\vminst.log_date_timestamp)
  • The MSI installation log (%TEMP%\vmmsi.log_date_timestamp)

Additional Information

For more information on the scripted installation, see the View Manager 4.5 Administration Guide.

Update History

05/23/2013 - Added the new product versions and added a note about the fact that the executable can be view 4.5 and above.

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