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VMware Horizon 8: Ready for it?

VMware Horizon 8 is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution that allows customers to easily deploy and manage virtual desktops and applications. Horizon 8 includes several new features and capabilities that can provide customers with significant improvements in performance, security, and manageability for their VDI environment.

One of the key new features in Horizon 8 is the new HTML5-based user interface, which replaces the previous Flash-based interface. This new user interface is more modern, responsive, and accessible, and it provides a better user experience for end-users.

Another major difference between Horizon 7 and Horizon 8 is that Horizon 8 includes support for the latest version of vSphere, which includes new features such as Kubernetes-based control plane and enhanced lifecycle management capabilities. This allows customers to take advantage of the latest advancements in virtualization technology to improve their VDI environment.

Horizon 8 also includes new features such as built-in support for virtualized NVIDIA GPUs, which allows customers to use hardware-accelerated graphics in their virtual desktops. This can improve the performance of graphics-intensive applications, such as CAD and video editing software.

In terms of security, Horizon 8 provides enhanced capabilities such as secure boot, secure boot for virtual machines, and enhanced encryption capabilities. This allows customers to better protect their virtual desktops and data from malicious attacks.

Upgrade from Horizon 7 to Horizon 8

When upgrading from Horizon 7 to Horizon 8, it is recommended to follow best practices such as:

  • Review the Horizon 8 release notes and upgrade guide to understand the new features, requirements, and known issues.
  • Test the upgrade process in a lab environment before deploying it in production.
  • Backup all the necessary data and configuration before upgrading.
  • Plan for a scheduled downtime during the upgrade process
  • Make sure that all the necessary hardware and software requirements are met before upgrading.

During the migration, known issues such as network connectivity issues, DNS resolution issues, and storage issues may occur. To remediate these issues, it is recommended to:

  • Check and troubleshoot the network connectivity, DNS resolution, and storage issues.
  • Make sure that all the necessary ports are open and configured properly.
  • Check the logs and events for any error messages or warnings.
  • Consult the VMware Knowledge Base and the Horizon 8 release notes for any known issues and workarounds.

When designing a new Horizon solution, it is also recommended to:

  • Assess the virtual desktop image management strategy and consider using technologies such as instant clones or linked clones.
  • Consider using technologies such as VMware App Volumes and VMware User Environment Manager to manage application delivery and user profile management.
  • Consider using technologies such as VMware Identity Manager and VMware Workspace ONE to manage user authentication and access control.
  • Consider using technologies such as VMware NSX and VMware AppDefense to manage network and security.

Horizon 8: Top VMware KB articles

VMware provides a wide range of knowledge base (KB) articles that provide information and guidance on various aspects of Horizon 8. Below is a list of some of the most relevant KB articles for Horizon 8:

  • KB78612: Horizon 8.0 documentation and release notes
  • KB78610: Horizon 8.0 upgrade and compatibility information
  • KB78611: Horizon 8.0 installation and configuration information
  • KB78609: Horizon 8.0 troubleshooting and support information
  • KB78608: Horizon 8.0 feature and functionality information
  • KB78607: Horizon 8.0 security and compliance information
  • KB78606: Horizon 8.0 scalability and performance information
  • KB78605: Horizon 8.0 networking and storage information
  • KB78604: Horizon 8.0 known issues and workarounds
  • KB78603: Horizon 8.0 frequently asked questions (FAQ)
  • KB78602: Horizon 8.0 best practices and guidelines

These KB articles provide detailed information and guidance on various aspects of Horizon 8, such as installation and configuration, troubleshooting and support, features and functionality, security and compliance, scalability and performance, networking and storage, known issues and workarounds, and best practices and guidelines.

It is important to note that VMware updates these KB articles regularly, so it is recommended to check for updates periodically to stay informed of any new information or guidance.

Horizon Cloud Subscription

Horizon Cloud Subscription is a new way of consuming Horizon services, it allows customers to easily deploy and manage their VDI environment in the cloud, it can be consumed in different public clouds such as Azure, Oracle, IBM, and AWS. This can help customers simplify the deployment and management of their VDI environment, and improve the performance and security of their virtual desktops, also providing a flexible and cost-effective solution.

Horizon Cloud Service

It is also important to note that while upgrading to Horizon 8, it is recommended to check with VMware support and/or professional service for a customized migration plan and upgrade process as there might be additional steps required for specific environments.

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VMware Horizon 8: Ready for it?
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