Vmware horizon agent linux

Install Horizon Agent for Linux on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Linux VDI Guest

In this post, I’m going to provide instructions and a guide on how to install the Horizon Agent for Linux on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. This will allow you to run and connect to an Ubuntu VDI VM with VMware Horizon View.

In the past I’ve created instructions on how to do this on earlier versions of Ubuntu, as well as RedHat Linux, but it’s getting easier than ever and requires less steps than previous guides.

I decided to create the updated tutorial after purchasing an AMD S7150 x2 and wanted to get it up and running with Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and see if it works.

I also highly recommend reading the documentation made available for VMware Horizon: Setting Up Linux Desktops in Horizon.

Requirements

• VMware Horizon View 8 (I’m running version 2103)
• Horizon Enterprise or Horizon for Linux Licensing
• Horizon VDI environment that’s functioning and working
• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Installer ISO (download here)
• Horizon Agent for Linux (download here)
• Functioning internal DNS

Instructions

1. Create a VM on your vCenter Server, attached the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ISO, and install Ubuntu
2. Install any Root CA’s or modifications you need for network access (usually not needed unless you’re on an enterprise network)
3. Update Ubuntu as root
   apt update
   apt upgrade
4. Install software needed for VMware Horizon Agent for Linux as root
   apt install openssh-server python python-dbus python-gobject open-vm-tools-desktop
5. Install your software (Chrome, etc.)
6. Install any vGPU or GPU Drivers you need before installing the Horizon Agent
7. Install the Horizon Agent For Linux as root (Enabling Audio, Disabling SSO)
   ./install_viewagent.sh -a yes -S no
8. Reboot the Ubuntu VM
9. Log on to your Horizon Connection Server
10. Create a manual pool and configure it
11. Add the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS VM to the manual desktop pool
12. Entitle the User account to the desktop pool and assign to the VM
13. Connect to the Ubuntu 20.04 Linux VDI VM from the VMware Horizon Client

And that’s it, you should now be running.

As for the AMD S7150 x2, I noticed that Ubuntu 20.04 LTS came with the drivers for it called “amdgpu”. Please note that this driver does not work with VMware Horizon View. After installing “mesa-utils”, running “glxgears” and “glxinfo” it did appear that 3D Acceleration was working, however after further investigation it turned out this is CPU rendering and not using the S7150 x2 GPU.

You now have a VDI VM running Ubuntu Linux on VMware Horizon View.

7 Responses to “Install Horizon Agent for Linux on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Linux VDI Guest”

[…] Update – May 3rd 2021: Click here for an Updated guide for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with VMware Horizon! […]

[…] Install Horizon Agent for Linux on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Linux VDI Guest […]

Hi, what do I need to do to install Horizon Agent on a real computer with Linux (Ubuntu 20.04.2)?
I install open-vm-tools*, try to install the client, confirm the EULA, but then it crashes again and just says: install vmware tools and crashes …

I actually don’t think this is supported. While you can install the Horizon Agent on a Physical Windows PC, I don’t believe you can on a Linux PC.

Hi, do you know if it would be possible to install Horizon Agent on Debian ?

The list of supported Operations Systems are below:
-Ubuntu 20.04 and 18.04 x64
-Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Workstation 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 x64
-Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Server 7.8, 7.9, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 x64
-CentOS 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 x64
-SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) 12 SP3, 15 SP1, and 15 SP2 x64
-SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 12 SP3, 12 SP5, 15 SP1, and 15 SP2

After updating the ubuntu 18.04 kernel from 5.3-62 to 5.4-87, strangely I can’t connect to the ubuntu vdi machine. It always generates an error “all ubuntu desktops in your sources are busy. Please try after some time or contact system administrator”

Источник

Docs

—> share-line

—> —> —> —> plus

To install Horizon 7 for Linux, your Linux system must meet certain requirements for the operating system, Horizon 7 , and vSphere platform.

Supported Linux Versions for Horizon Agent

The following table lists the Linux operating systems that are supported for Horizon Agent.

Table 1. Supported Linux Operating Systems for Horizon Agent

Linux Distribution	Architecture
Ubuntu 16.04, 18.04, and 20.04 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Workstation 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.10, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 CentOS 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.10, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4	x64
NeoKylin 6 Update 1	x64
SLED 12.x SP1/SP2/SP3	x64
SLES 12.x SP1/SP2/SP3/SP5	x64

Required Platform and Horizon 7 Software Versions

To install and use Horizon 7 for Linux, your deployment must meet certain requirements for the vSphere platform, Horizon 7 , and the Horizon Client software.

Table 2. Required Platform and Horizon 7 Software Versions

Platform and Software	Supported Versions
vSphere platform version	vSphere 6.0 U2 or a later release vSphere 6.5 U1 or a later release vSphere 6.7 or later release
Horizon environment	Horizon Connection Server 7.13
Horizon Client software	Horizon Client 5.5.0 for Android Horizon Client 5.5.0 for Windows Horizon Client 5.5.0 for Linux Horizon Client 5.5.0 for Mac OS X Horizon Client 5.5.0 for iOS (iPad Pro) HTML Access 5.5.0 on Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer Zero clients are not supported.

TCP/UDP Ports Used by Linux Virtual Machines

Horizon Agent and Horizon Clients use TCP or UDP ports for network access between each other and various Horizon server components.

Table 3. TCP/UDP Ports Used by Linux Virtual Machines

Source	Port	Target	Port	Protocol	Description
Horizon Client	*	Linux Agent	22443	TCP/UDP	Blast if Blast Security Gateway is not used
Security Server, Horizon Connection Server, or Access Point appliance	*	Linux Agent	22443	TCP/UDP	Blast if Blast Security Gateway is used
Horizon Agent	*	Horizon Connection Server	4001, 4002	TCP	JMS SSL traffic.

To allow users to connect to their Linux desktops, the desktops must be able to accept incoming TCP connections from Horizon Client devices, security server, and Horizon Connection Server .

On Ubuntu and Kylin distributions, the iptables firewall is configured by default with an input policy of ACCEPT.

On RHEL and CentOS distributions, where possible, the Horizon Agent installer script configures the iptables firewall with an input policy of ACCEPT.

Make sure that iptables on an RHEL or CentOS guest operating system has an input policy of ACCEPT for new connections from the Blast port, 22443.

When the BSG is enabled, client connections are directed from a Horizon Client device through the BSG on a security server or Horizon Connection Server to the Linux desktop. When the BSG is not enabled, connections are made directly from the Horizon Client device to the Linux desktop.

Verify the Linux Account Used by Linux Virtual Machines

Account Name and Account Type lists the account name and account type used by Linux virtual machines.

Table 4. Account Name and Account Type

Account Name	Account Type	Used By
root	Linux OS built-in	Java Standalone Agent, mksvchanserver , shell scripts
vmwblast	Created by Linux Agent installer	VMwareBlastServer
Linux OS built-in or AD user or LDAP user	Python script

Desktop Environment

Horizon 7 for Linux supports multiple desktop environments on different Linux distributions. Supported Desktop Environments lists the default desktop environments for each Linux distribution and the additional desktop environments supported by Horizon 7 for Linux.

Table 5. Supported Desktop Environments

Linux Distribution	Default Desktop Environment	Desktop Environments Supported by Horizon 7 for Linux Desktops
Ubuntu 18.04/20.04	Gnome	Gnome Ubuntu, K Desktop Environment (KDE), MATE
Ubuntu 16.04	Unity	Gnome Flashback (Metacity), KDE, MATE
RHEL/CentOS 6.x	Gnome	Gnome, KDE
RHEL/CentOS 7.x	Gnome	Gnome, KDE
RHEL/CentOS 8.x	Gnome	Gnome
SLED 12 SP1/SP2/SP3	Gnome	Gnome
SLES 12 SP1/SP2/SP3/SP5	Gnome	Gnome
NeoKylin 6 Update 1	Mate	Mate

When using RHEL/CentOS 7.x and Ubuntu 20.04/18.04/16.04 distributions, SSO fails to unlock a locked KDE session. You must manually enter your password to unlock the locked session.

1. Install the supported Linux distribution’s operating system with the default desktop environment setting.
2. Run the appropriate commands in Commands to Install Desktop Environments for your specific Linux distribution.
   Table 6. Commands to Install Desktop Environments

   Linux Distribution	New Default Desktop Environment	Commands to Change the Default Desktop Environment
   RHEL/CentOS 6.x	KDE
   RHEL/CentOS 7.x	KDE
   Ubuntu 20.04/18.04/16.04	KDE
   Ubuntu 20.04/18.04	MATE
   Ubuntu 16.04	MATE
   Ubuntu 16.04	Gnome Flashback (Metacity)

3. To begin using the new default desktop environment, restart the desktop.

If you enabled SSO on a Linux desktop that has multiple desktop environments installed, use the following information to select the desktop environment to use in an SSO session.

• For Ubuntu 20.04/18.04/16.04 and RHEL/CentOS 7.x, use the information in SSODesktopType Option to set the SSODesktopType option in the /etc/vmware/viewagent-custom.conf file to specify the desktop environment to use with SSO.
  Table 7. SSODesktopType Option

  Desktop Type	SSODesktopType Option Setting
  MATE	SSODesktopType=UseMATE
  GnomeUbuntu	SSODesktopType=UseGnomeUbuntu
  GnomeFlashback	SSODesktopType=UseGnomeFlashback
  KDE	SSODesktopType=UseKdePlasma
  GnomeClassic	SSODEsktopType=UseGnomeClassic

• For RHEL/CentOS 6.x, for the SSO login session to use KDE, remove all the desktop startup files, except for the KDE startup file, from the /usr/share/xsession directory. Use the following set of commands as an example. After the initial setup, the end user must log out or reboot their Linux desktop to use KDE as the default desktop in their next SSO session.
• For RHEL/CentOS 8.x, for the SSO login session to use Gnome Classic, remove all the desktop startup files, except for the Gnome Classic startup file, from the /usr/share/xsession directory. Use the following set of commands as an example. After the initial setup, the end user must log out or reboot their Linux desktop to use Gnome Classic as the default desktop in their next SSO session.

If you disabled SSO on a Linux desktop that has multiple desktop environments installed, you do not need to perform any of the previously described steps. The end users have to select their desired desktop environment when they log in to that Linux desktop.

Network Requirements

VHCI Driver for USB Redirection

The USB redirection feature has a dependency on the USB Virtual Host Controller Interface (VHCI) kernel driver. To support USB 3.0 and the USB redirection feature, you must perform the following steps:

1. Download the USB VHCI source code from https://sourceforge.net/projects/usb-vhci/files/linux%20kernel%20module/.
2. To compile the VHCI driver source code and install the resulting binary on your Linux system, use the commands in the table that follows these steps.

Table 8. Compile and Install USB VHCI Driver

Linux Distribution	Steps to Compile and Install USB VHCI Driver
Ubuntu 20.04/18.04	Install the dependency packages. Compile and install the VHCI drivers.
Compile and install the VHCI drivers.
Install the dependency packages. Compile and install the VHCI drivers. (RHEL/CentOS 8.x) To ensure that the VHCI drivers work properly with USB redirection, configure signing settings for the USB driver. Create an SSL key pair for the USB driver. Sign the USB driver. Register the key for UEFI Secure Boot. To set up UEFI Secure Boot in the vSphere console, reboot the system. For more information, see https://sourceware.org/systemtap/wiki/SecureBoot.
SLED/SLES 12 SP2 The output is the name of the kernel package currently installed. If, for example, the package name is kernel-default-3.0.101-63.1 , then the current kernel package version is 3.0.101-63.1. Install the kernel-devel , kernel-default-devel , kernel-macros , and the patch packages. Compile and install the VHCI drivers.

In addition, observe the following guidelines:

Источник