Section 1 – Install and Configure Horizon Server Components

Objective 1.1 – Describe techniques to prepare environment for Horizon

This is a very odd objective to work through. I think the word “techniques” is what is throwing me off. To me, the word should be “requirements” and is asking the test taker what is required to prepare the environment for the installation of VMware Horizon 7.

According to the Horizon 7 Installation guide, “Horizon Connection Server has specific hardware, operating system, installation, and supporting software requirements.” (Reference: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.7/horizon-installation/GUID-858D1E0E-C566-4813-9D53-975AF4432195.html) I would also add licenses to this list as not all features are supported in all versions.

Hardware Requirements – https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.7/horizon-installation/GUID-332CFB83-784A-4578-9354-888C0538909A.html

Supported Operating Systems – https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.7/horizon-installation/GUID-30AA88CF-8CDF-42E5-97D4-D75B2171434B.html

Virtualization Software Requirements – https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.7/horizon-installation/GUID-BB3405C3-7026-47BE-A994-0E2C01651BBF.html

Network Requirements – https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.7/horizon-installation/GUID-2EC85E02-D6A8-4A75-B8B2-E7A6AE62E7CC.html

The three editions of Horizon 7 are Horizon Standard, Horizon Advanced, and Horizon Enterprise.

Objective 1.2 – Determine procedures to install Horizon Components

The following link provides a high level overview of the installation procedures. https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.7/horizon-getting-started/GUID-C4C7ACB1-2283-4D6B-92CB-058DA94A4F2F.html

Objective 1.3 – Determine steps to configure Horizon Components

The link in Objective 1.2 has links to each step that help with the configuration of the components. So far though, the components have not been listed. Below is a list of a few of the components of Horizon 7.

• View composer – used if linked clone desktops are going to be deployed
• Horizon Connection server – this is the server that clients use to connect to the Horizon environment
• JMP (Just-In-Time Management Platform)
• Horizon Agent
• Horizon Client
• ThinApp
• App Volumes

Objective 1.4 – Analyze End User Requirements for Display Protocol Performance

End user requirements for display protocol performance are limited to the way the client connects to the virtual desktop. The three display protocols offered are VMware Blast Extreme , PCoIP, and Microsoft RDP. Clients that connect to the desktop with HTML Access use Blast Extreme, and not PCoIP or Microsoft RDP.

For more information choosing a display protocol, reference the following VMware Doc, here.

Objective 1.5 – Diagnose and solve issues related to connectivity between Horizon server Components

This objective seems to be calling out the ports and protocols that are used within the Horizon environment. There are a lot of them as this technology ties together a lot of different components. Also, the firewall will have to be taken into account and configured appropriately. If the components are configured in the local area network or DMZ, this should cut down on the configuration needed at the edge and also provide for a more secure installation.

Here is a link to the VMware docs for the communications protocols.

Default Ports

Protocol	Port
JMS	TCP port 4001 TCP port 4002
AJP13	TCP port 8009
HTTP	TCP port 80
HTTPS	TCP port 443
MMR/CDR	TCP port 9427
RDP	TCP port 3389
SOAP	TCP port 80 or 443
PCoIP	TCP port 4172 UDP ports 4172, 50002, 55000
USB redirection	TCP port 32111
VMware Blast Extreme	TCP ports 8443, 22443 UDP ports 443, 8443, 22443
HTML Access	TCP ports 8443, 22443