Getting started with pools
First let me say that I am not a red hat virtualization expert - hence the reason I am asking for help.
We currently use red hat virtualization for servers, but are looking to expand into a few desktop for remote home users.
I have some basic questions that hopefully you can help with. I have looked online - but all the guides I found were pretty basic.
I would like to create a pool of 5 - stateless windows 7 desktops for example. I have a template built.
I have added a pool, selected my sealed template, entered the domain etc and they build correctly.
The question I have is - how do I get these "stateless" clients on the windows domain? I would like them to be domain members so that they pull group policies etc.
If someone can point me to a good guide it would be appreciated - all I have found is how to create the pool of VM's - nothing that goes specifically into having them joined to the domain and in a specific OU, sysprep etc.
Thanks!
John
Responses
Hi John,
I provide mostly Linux desktops but I have been trying out Windows 7 desktops as well. I haven't found a comprehensive guide but I can tell you what I have working.
RHEV has the concept of a "first run" in which a Sysprep-ed clone runs through the Setup process. Setup should find your answer file which instructs it to join the domain. The answer file is retrieved from /etc/ovirt-engine/sysprep on RHEV-M and provided to the VM on a virtual floppy as described in the RHEV 3.4 User Guide.
I have been using a configuration named MachineObjectOU in the answer file. I believe that RHEV-M can automatically create the machine objects but mine have been pre-created.
Thus far, I have been doing the "first run" one by one for each clone using Run Once. When running in the Admin Portal, the default is not to run stateless. If you attach a [sysprep] floppy in the Boot Options, then you can specify Domain, Time Zone, and Alternate Credentials in the Initial Run options.
I would be interested in finding out if there is a more automated way to do the "first run". Obviously, the answer file and SetupComplete.cmd script must be completely automated for this to work.
See also Solution #1616236 - "How to use sysprep for Windows VMs?"
Welcome! Check out the Getting Started with Red Hat page for quick tours and guides for common tasks.