Prepare AWS
To assist with the smooth integration of your AWS platform with the HyWorks Controller, use the following references:
Supported Feature Matrix
| Feature | Sub Feature Category | Sub Feature | AWS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deploy pool with existing VMs | - | - | Yes |
| Desktop VM Provisioning | Clone Type | Linked Clone | Not Applicable |
| Full Clone | Yes | ||
| Clone from Snapshot | - | No | |
| Disk persistence | Persistent VM Deployment | Yes | |
| Non-persistent VM Deployment | No | ||
| Enable DVM Reset | No | ||
| Deployment Setting | Only resource group, not Location | ||
| Customization | Both (Sysprep and Hyprep) | ||
| IP Address Filter | Yes | ||
| Shared hosted desktop provisioning and automated deployment | Yes | ||
| Automated power management and scaling | Yes | ||
| Desktop Power Operations | - | - | Yes |
| Operating Systems Support on Provider | Windows Desktops | Windows 7 | Yes |
| Windows 8.1 | Yes | ||
| Windows 10 | Yes | ||
| Windows 11 | Yes | ||
| Windows Servers | Windows Server 2008 R2 | Yes | |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | Yes | ||
| Windows Server 2016 | Yes | ||
| Windows Server 2019 | Yes | ||
| Windows Server 2022 | Yes | ||
| Linux Desktops | CentOS 7 | Yes | |
| Ubuntu 16.04/1 | Yes | ||
| Ubuntu 18.04/1 | Yes | ||
| Ubuntu 20.04/1 | Yes | ||
| RHEL v7.9 | Yes |
Pre-requisites
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AWS Account ID: The AWS Account ID is the unique identifier of an account created and granted as an IAM User.
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AWS Secret Key: An AWS secret is a password known only to your IAM User. It protects your resources by granting tokens only to authorized requestors.
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AWS Access ID: The Access Key ID is part of Access keys, which are long-term credentials for an IAM user. The AWS Secret Key and AWS Access ID together form the Access keys.
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Region: The region is a physical location worldwide where virtual Desktops will be stored.
Configure AWS IAM User
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To configure an AWS IAM Identity and Access Management user, follow these steps:
Step 1. Login to AWS Management Console.
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Go to the AWS Management Console.
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Log in with your root account or an IAM user with the necessary permissions.
Step 2. Navigate to IAM.
Step 3: Create a New IAM User
- In the left navigation pane, click on Users.
- Click on the Create user button at the top right of the page.
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Specify the User Name and click on Next.
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For Example:
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Username: hyworks_aws
Note
If you create programmatic access through access keys, you can generate them after creating this IAM user. Learn more
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On the screen below, select the Attached policy directly option and add the permission policies below.
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| Name | Type | Used as |
|---|---|---|
| AmazonEC2FullAccess | AWS managed | Permissions policy |
| AWSConnector | AWS managed | Permissions policy |
| ResourceGroupsandTagEditorFullAccess | AWS managed | Permissions policy |
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Set permissions boundary - optional and then Select Next.
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Review and create.
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Add a new tag, which is optional, and then select Create User.
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Select View user.
- Click on Create Access Key to create a new Access Key.
Note
To view or use the existing one, go to the Security Credential tab if it has already been created.
- Select Other and click on Next.
- Set the Description tag, which is optional, and click on Create Access Key.
- Retrieve access keys, Download the .csv file, and click Done.
- Summary of Access Key
Note
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The downloaded CSV will contain the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. HyWorks controller required a Secret access key to connect to AWS.
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Internet Access is required on the HyWorks Controller to connect to AWS.
Step 4: Log in to HyWorks Controller and Go to Settings > Configure > Connector > Add.
- Click on Add.
- Add AWS Details, select the Region where Gold VM is located, and click on Test Connection. Once the Session Provider is reachable. Click on Add to continue.
- Wait for the synchronization. Once completed, the AWS connector status will be green and Reachable. The desktop counts are shown below.
- To create a New VDI/SHD Pool, Go to VDI > Pools > Add Desktop Pool, Add the required details, and select Session Provider as AWS_production-Subscription, which was added in previous steps.
Note
As shown above, the session provider's name can be set per requirement.
- Go to Deployment Tab Select a Source VM, click on Browse Gold/Master Image
Note
Gold Image VDI/SHD needs to be pre-created before provisioning new VMS from Gold/Master image using HyWorks Controller.
- A list of VMs will be shown; select the correct GOLD/Master Image and click OK.
Note
- If the VM is powered on, it will be powered off to clone the VM from Gold/Master Image, and then click OK.
- Ensure that Session Host Software on SHD and DVM tools on VDI are installed on Gold/master Image.
- Ignore DVM status. If Gold/Master Image is powered off and the required software/tools are installed, ignore it and click on continue. Press OK and continue.
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Click Next once the Gold/Master image is selected, and go to Customization.
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Add the required details on the upcoming screen and click on Finish.
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Once Cloning is completed, the new VDI/SHD will be listed in Pools.
For more information, refer to Create an IAM user in your AWS account
Configure Controller for Domain Account Authentication in Proxy server
Note
If the Internet is not available directly, then follow the below steps to configure the Internet via Proxy Servers for HyWorks Controller.
Make the following configurations in the Controller when configuring the proxy server on the Controller and the AWS-based Desktop Provider is being used.
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Install the controller service using this account (not the Local System account)
- The account should be configured as "Logon as Service."
- Configuration can be done at the time of installation or later.
- The specified account will be used to authenticate through the proxy server.
- Whitelist URLs are mentioned above.
Fig: Configuration post-installation
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Verify the above configuration in the HyWorks controller:
x:\Program Files (x86)\Accops\HyWorks\Service\EDC.Service.exe.config
Fig: Configuration file change
Note
- A relogin is needed to apply the changes mentioned above.
Desktop Operation Support
| Operation | Support | Status on AWS | Status on HyWorks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power On | Yes | Powered On | Powered On |
| Power Off | Yes | powered Off | powered Off |
| Shutdown | Yes | powered Off | powered Off |
| Restart | Yes | Restart | Restart |
| Reset | No | - | - |
| Refresh (Desktop Information on HyWorks) | Yes | - | Update VM details, call the DVM agent |
| Re-Create (single VM from Desktop VMs page) | Yes | - | - |
Limitation with AWS Handler
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Change the Location (the current VM will be cloned in the source VM location)
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The Gold Master Disk should be a managed disk.
Multi-availability Zone Deployment Requirements
For fault tolerance, the customer may try to deploy HyWorks Controllers or its other components, e.g., session host servers or personal virtual desktops.
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HyWorks will not require any special configurations when being deployed in a distributed manner across availability zones.
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Appropriate port requirements for effective communication between HyWorks components must be maintained for deployments across different availability zones.