With the release of Horizon DaaS 9, VMware introduced two new appliances the Horizon Version Manager (HVM) and the Horizon Air Link (HAL). The HVM is the automation appliance, based on Rundeck automation. The HAL is the resource manager for the management appliances. With the release of a new version of Horizon DaaS 9, these two appliances must be replaced if a new version is available. Because VMware is always innovating they are adding new features, scripts, and codebases to every new version it would be advised that if you are in the process of installing a new version of Horizon DaaS to make sure you are using the correct version. Check if an updated version of the HVM and HAL is available at my VMware.

Below I will explain how to replace the appliances and assign it to the Horizon DaaS environment.

Removing the old appliances

Removing the old appliances is pretty easy. Just shutdown the appliances and remove them from disk in the vCenter.

Importing the Horizon Version Manager

The new version of the HVM will be installed by using the Deploy OVF Template within vCenter.

Follow the OVF wizard and choose the Datacenter, Resources, Datastore and one of the last things fill-in the password and IP configuration.

Once the import is completed start the appliance.

!!Note: Do not forget to transfer all Debian files, JSON, latest_rev.txt, and appliance template OVA from the folder in your file share to /opt/vmware/hvm/install-upgrade. There are nine files in total. Also, you need to change the JSON file permission as mentioned in the Horizon DaaS https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-DaaS/services/horizondaas.install910/GUID-A5A34575-81C2-49C7-8400-433E11F8A5E3.html

Deploy the Horizon Air Link appliance

Once the HVM appliance is up and running connect to the Rundeck web interface via: https://<HVM IP>:4443 and login with the username Rundeck and the password chosen in the OVF wizard.

• Click project and select Horizon DaaS.
• Click jobs and select job number one Horizon-Air-Link Installer

!! NOTE !! For a DaaS installation at this point you will need to upload the DaaS software and templates to the HVM appliance. This will not be explained is this blog.

HAL information

1. Select the Horizon Air Link ova by browsing towards the ova file
2. Fill-in the hostname and appliance password
3. Fill-in host-IP, netmask, and gateway
4. Fill-in the vCenter-Server, vCenter-username, and vCenter-password
5. Fill-in datacenter and cluster name
6. Fill-in network name and choose network-switch-type
7. Fill-in datastore

Select Run Job Now in the top right corner. Deployment will start.

Once the deployment is succeeded you will need to resync the API key between the Horizon Air Link appliance and the service provider appliances.

Horizon Air Link Resync

Login to Rundeck:

• Go to projects and select Horizon DaaS
• Go to jobs and select Horizon-Air-Link resync

Fill-in the information of the form

• Primary Service provider IP
• Password for the Desktone User

Select Run Job Now in the top right corner. Resync will start.

The Horizon Version Manager and Horizon Air Link appliances are now good to go and can be used to deploy new or upgrade or patch existing Horizon DaaS Environments.

If there are any questions on these steps or you are stuck at one point please leave a comment.