This information describes how to install, configure, and maintain Horizon Connector. The connector software is the interface between the Horizon online identity and access management service and your onsite Microsoft Active Directory server. The connector can also provide Horizon users access to Windows applications captured as VMware ThinApp packages.
This information is intended for organization administrators. The information is written for experienced Windows and Linux system administrators who are familiar with VMware virtual machine technology, identity management, entitlement, and directory services. SUSE Linux is the underlying operating system for the connector virtual appliance. Knowledge of Linux is essential to configure the connector directly and to perform system-level functions, such as configuring network settings, time settings, and log files. Knowledge of other technologies, such as VMware ThinApp and RSA SecurID, is helpful if you plan to implement those Horizon features.
Before you can install the connector, an operator creates your account and provides you with the authentication code. You then obtain the connector virtual appliance in order to install and configure the connector. The process involves a variety of tasks and you can deploy Horizon in several different ways. A key distinction in deployments is in the mode of authentication you choose. See Introduction to Horizon. An important deployment factor depends on if you choose to provide Horizon users with access to Windows applications captured as ThinApp packages. The flowcharts that follow illustrate two Horizon deployments at different levels of specificity. Together, the flowcharts provide a sense of the variety involved in deploying Horizon.
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Horizon Connector Installation and Configuration Flowchart: The installation and configuration flow of a generalized deployment of the connector |
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Horizon Connector with ThinApp Installation and Configuration Flowchart: The installation and configuration flow of a deployment of the connector integrated with ThinApp |
See Installation and Configuration Flow of the Connector Integrated with ThinApp for information about installing and configuring Horizon integrated with ThinApp.
Horizon Connector Installation and Configuration Flowchart provides a broad overview of the tasks involved in installing and configuring the connector. Early in the installation process, you must choose to install the connector in Service Authentication mode or Connector Authentication mode. Choose Connector Authentication mode if you want either Kerberos or NTLMv2 to authenticate interactions between users' browsers and the User Portal.
In the connector Web interface, you can make most configurations using the setup wizard as indicated in the flowchart. However, you have the option of skipping many of those configurations, such as for Kerberos, until after you have completed the setup wizard. Then, on the Advanced tab of the connector Web interface, you can configure the features you skipped and you can edit configurations you made previously.
Horizon Connector with ThinApp Installation and Configuration Flowchart provides an overview of the tasks involved in integrating the connector with ThinApp. Review this flow if you want to provide users with access to Windows applications captured as ThinApp packages. See ThinApp Packages for an introduction to integrating Horizon with ThinApp.
In the connector Web interface, you can make most configurations using the setup wizard as indicated in the flowchart. However, you have the option of skipping many of those configurations, such as for Kerberos, until after you have completed the setup wizard. Then, on the Advanced tab of the connector Web interface, you can configure the features you skipped and you can edit configurations you made previously.
Providing Horizon-user access to ThinApp packages requires a variety of configurations. Some of those configurations do not directly involve the connector. The following configurations are required to integrate Horizon with ThinApp:
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Capture Windows applications as ThinApp packages. See ThinApp 4.7 or later documentation, such as Using VMware Horizon Application Manager to Manage Deployment and Entitlement of ThinApp Packages (ThinApp Horizon Integration Guide) and ThinApp User's Guide. |
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Create the Windows applications network share to store the ThinApp packages. See Create a Windows Applications Network Share for ThinApp Packages |
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Configure Kerberos in Active Directory. See Prepare Kerberos for the Connector |
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Configure the Join Domain page of the connector Web interface. See Configure Join Domain |
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Configure the Kerberos page in the connector Web interface. See Configure Kerberos |
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Configure the Windows Apps page of the connector Web interface. See Configure Windows Apps |
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Enable IdP Discovery by configuring IP address ranges for the connector instance using Horizon Administration in the service. See Horizon Administration Help. |
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Verify that the Horizon Agent is properly configured on users' Windows system. See Horizon User Help. |
The preceding list of tasks are not required for Horizon to function, but they are required to properly integrate Horizon with ThinApp.
