Horizon: Install, Configure, Manage

Delivered by an Omnissa Certified Instructor, the Horizon 8: Install, Configure, and Manage course teaches IT professionals to effectively install and configure the components of Horizon 8. Learners will also gain practical skills to solve a broad range of business challenges through a combination of hands-on labs, simulations, and interactive lectures.

Key takeaways

After completing this course, participants will have the knowledge with:

  • Understand the course scope, structure, and role-based outcomes for Horizon 8 installation, configuration, and management.
  • Explain Horizon 8 architecture, components, and connection workflows used to deliver virtual desktops and applications.
  • Install and configure Horizon Connection Servers to authenticate users and broker desktops and applications.
  • Create and manage Horizon desktop pools to deliver consistent and scalable virtual desktops.
  • Install and configure Horizon Client to provide secure end-user access to desktops and applications.
  • Install and configure the Horizon Agent on Windows systems to enable desktop and application delivery features.
  • Build and optimize Windows gold images for standardized Horizon desktop deployment.
  • Configure RDS server farms and published applications to deliver shared desktops and apps.
  • Prepare and deploy Linux virtual desktops using Horizon 8.
  • Deploy and configure Unified Access Gateway to enable secure external access to Horizon resources.
  • Monitor Horizon environments and support users using built-in helpdesk and troubleshooting tools.
  • Configure content and device redirection to balance security and user experience.
  • Design and scale Horizon pods to support growth and performance requirements.
  • Implement multi-pod and multi-site Horizon architectures for global availability and resiliency.
  • Plan and perform Horizon backups, recovery, and upgrades to maintain operational stability.
  • Integrate additional Horizon authentication options to strengthen access security.

Prerequisites

Recommended:

  • Understand fundamental Networking / Storage and Infrastructure concepts
  • A working knowledge of Horizon 8
  • A background in End-User Computing

Target audience

Intermediate to advanced practitioners that design, install, manage, optimize, and troubleshoot enterprise desktops and applications in their environment.

1 Course introduction

  • Introductions and course logistics
  • Course objectives

2 Horizon 8 overview and architecture

  • Introduction to Horizon 8
  • Horizon 8 components and architecture
  • How an internal connection works
  • How an external connection works

3 Horizon Connection Server

  • Planning and prerequisites
  • Connection Server overview and installation
  • Initial configuration of the Connection Server
  • Register resource capacity
  • Additional recommended configuration

4 Horizon desktop pools

  • About desktop pools
  • Provisioning desktop pools
  • Customizing clones
  • Creating desktop pools
  • User entitlements
  • Updating desktop pools

5 Horizon Client

  • Horizon clients and their features
  • Installing the Horizon Client
  • Configuring the Horizon Client
  • Upgrading the Horizon Client

6 Horizon Agent for Windows

  • Features of the Horizon Agent for Windows
  • Installing and Configuring the Horizon Agent for Windows
  • Applying policies to the Horizon Agent
  • Horizon Integrated Printing
  • Upgrading the Horizon Agent

7 Building a golden image for Horizon

  • Outlining the role of a golden image in VDI
  • Implementing optimizations in a Windows image
  • Building a Windows golden image

8 Horizon 8 server farms and published apps

  • Explain Horizon 8 farms
  • Provision server farms
  • Walkthrough of farm wizard
  • Deploy and configure Horizon published applications
  • Deploy and configure published apps on demand

9 Linux on Horizon 8

  • Explain and summarize the features of the Horizon Agent for Linux
  • Install and configure the Horizon Agent for Linux
  • Apply policies to the Horizon Agent for Linux
  • Configure printing for Linux
  • Perform upgrades of Horizon Agent for Linux
  • Build a Linux golden image

10 Unified Access Gateway for Horizon deployments

  • What is Unified Access Gateway?
  • Deploying Unified Access Gateway
  • Configure two-factor authentication

11 Monitor Horizon 8 and use the Helpdesk

  • Monitor the infrastructure with the Horizon 8 console
  • Manage and troubleshoot user sessions
  • Collect Horizon log files

12 Content and device redirection with Horizon 8

  • Redirection functions and benefits
  • Device redirection
  • Client drive redirection
  • Web content redirection

13 Horizon 8 pod scaling, redundancy, and load balancing

  • Recognize the design principles and best practices for scaling a Horizon 8 pod
  • Implement multiple Connection Servers for scale and resilience
  • Implement multiple Unified Access Gateways for scale and resilience

14 Multiple Horizon 8 pods and multiple sites

  • Configure Cloud Pod Architecture

15 Backup, recovery, and upgrading Horizon 8

  • Implement backup and recovery for Connection Servers
  • Perform an upgrade of a Horizon 8 pod
  • Perform an upgrade of Unified Access Gateways

16 Additional authentication options with Horizon 8

  • User authentication options on Connection Servers
  • Configuring integration with Omnissa Access
  • True SSO

This course prepares participants for certification by providing both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience with Omnissa Horizon.

The course is mapped to the Omnissa Certified Professional Desktop (OCPD) certification and supports participants in building the skills required to work with enterprise-grade Horizon environments.

Is this course suitable for both on-premises and cloud environments?
Yes. The course covers Horizon deployments across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud-based scenarios.

Is this a hands-on course?
Yes. Approximately 55% of the course consists of practical labs and real-world exercises.

How long does the course last?
The course is delivered over five days as instructor-led classroom training.

Is the course available on-demand?
Yes. The course is offered in both instructor-led and on-demand formats.

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