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Clone from Image with Azure and Compute Image Gallery Support (v3.6-SP1)

Azure provider supports creating a disk image of an existing deployed virtual machine. This image can then be used to deploy VMs in HyWorks desktop pools.

Image-based cloning is mandatory for graceful recompose because the disk image represents the VM state associated with a specific version of the desktop pool. In graceful recompose, these versions can be used to recreate one or more VMs as needed and based on availability.

Previously, HyWorks supported Azure image creation via the Controller UI using managed images, which caused slowness while provisioning multiple VMs from an image. As a result, operations such as recompose or the creation of large desktop pools experienced performance issues.

From v3.6-SP1 onwards, support for Azure Compute Image Galleries in HyWorks and HyLabs has been added.

  • Enables creation of Compute Image Galleries, specialized Image Definitions, and Image Versions from a Gold Master (GM) virtual machine.

  • Image Versions can be used for bulk VM creation, improving scalability, consistency, and reliability across Azure deployments.

To address performance limitations and OS customization issues, native support for Azure Compute Image Galleries has been introduced.

  • HyWorks Controller: v3.6-SP1 or later.

Below are the screens where administrators can manage Images and Image Versions:

HyWorks

  • Pools Page

    • Add/Edit Desktop Pool > Deployment Screen > Select option Clone from Image > Dialog will be displayed for Image management (Listing versions, selecting, creating a new version, or deleting existing)

  • Relevant Advanced Settings

    • Gallery Name, Publisher, and SKU values are configurable.

    • These values are used while creating Image Galleries and Image Definitions.

HyLabs

  • Gold Master (GM) Definition

    • Image Version creation and management are supported directly from the Gold Master page UI.

  • Reservation Wizard

    • Image Version creation and management are supported directly from the Reservation page UI.

How It Works

In HyWorks:

  1. Open the Add/Edit Desktop Pool wizard with the Provider set to Azure.

  2. On the Deployment screen, select a Gold Master or Source VM.

  3. Select the option Clone from Image and click Browse to view or select Images.

  4. The dialog provides Image Management options.

    1. Lists the existing versions. Select one and use the existing versions.

    2. Click Create Image.

      1. Enter Image Version and optional description.

      2. Click Save Image.

      3. Image creation starts on the Azure Portal.

      4. The UI displays a warning that the operation may take time.

        Note

        Image Version creation may take approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

      5. Once completed, the page auto-refreshes and displays all versions.

  5. Select the created or existing image Version and proceed with deployment.

Note

The administrator can also delete an existing version from the same dialog. Refer to this section for detailed steps and behavior of deletion.

With this integration, users can manage Azure images directly from HyWorks and HyLabs, enabling stable VM cloning using Image Templates and ARM-based deployments.

Backend Logic

  • Compute Image Galleries

    • System checks if the Gallery exists.

    • If not, it is created automatically when the Image Version is created. The gallery name is fetched from HyWorks Advanced Settings.

  • Specialized Image Definitions

    • The system checks whether the Image Definition exists.

    • If not, it is created automatically. The name matches the Gold Master VM. Publisher, Offer, and SKU values are fetched from HyWorks Advanced Settings.

  • Image Versions

    • A new version is created.

    • Version must follow the format: Major.Minor.Patch.

    • Stored within the selected Image Gallery and Image Definition.

Advanced Settings

The following Advanced Settings support Azure Image Gallery integration.

Advance Settings Description Possible Values Default Value
Azure Image Replication Mode Specifies the replication mode used in Azure Compute Gallery while creating an image from a VM. Shallow (0): Replicates metadata only; full image is copied on first use.
Full (1): Replicates the full image proactively to all target regions.		 0
Azure Gallery Name Specifies the Gallery Name for the Azure Compute Gallery image used by HyWorks. Maximum length: 15 characters. String, e.g., MyAzGallery Azure_HyWorks
Azure Image Publisher Publisher value required while creating the Image Definition for the Image Version. String, e.g., MyOrg Accops
Azure Image Offer Specifies the Offer name for the Azure Compute Gallery image used by HyWorks. String, e.g., HyWorks HyWorks
Batch Size For Template Based Cloning For Azure The maximum number of VMs that can be cloned in one batch using template-based cloning. Value must be between 1 and 400. Used for Azure image-based cloning, considering Azure API limits. Number 400

Image Version Management (Deletion)

When a user selects an Image Version, the Delete Version and OK options appear at the bottom of the page.

When Delete Version is selected:

  • Image Version deletion starts on the Azure Portal.

  • A warning message is displayed indicating that the operation may take time.

  • Deletion takes approximately 2 to 4 minutes.

  • After successful deletion, the page automatically refreshes and displays all available versions.

Special Handling Implementation

  • When an Image Version is selected for deletion, the system checks whether it exists on the Azure Portal.

    • If it does not exist, an error is displayed.

    • If it exists, deletion proceeds.

  • The system also checks whether the Image Version is mapped to any HyWorks Pool.

    • If mapped, deletion is blocked, and an error is displayed.

Limitations or Known Behavior

Controller Upgrade Behavior

  • Creation of Managed Images from HyWorks Controller for the Azure provider has been discontinued from v3.6-SP1.

    • Managed Images can no longer be selected for Azure image-based cloning.

    • Image Versions must be created or selected for cloning.

  • If a pool already exists using a Managed Image:

    • Recomposing or creating new desktops in the same pool will continue to use the previously selected Managed Image.

Network Preserve

  • Network Preserve is not supported with Image Version–based cloning.

  • If a pool is recomposed from image-based cloning to normal cloning, Network Preserve will still not work.

Reason:
Network details of ARM-deployed VMs cannot be stored because ARM deployments are bulk operations. Therefore, network details cannot be reused for normal cloning.

Hibernation Support

  • In v3.6-SP1, the Hibernation property of the Gold Master was not copied to cloned VMs.

  • This limitation was resolved in v3.6-SP1-HF1.1.

Trusted Launch Upgrade Scenario

If a Gold Master VM with existing Standard Image Definitions and Versions is upgraded to Trusted Launch from the Azure Portal:

  • A new Image Definition must be created specifically for Trusted Launch.

  • If not created, Image Version creation will fail from the Controller.

  • All new Image Versions must be created under the Image Definition configured with security type Trusted Launch.

Controller Limitation for TPM

  • Only Image Versions created under the Trusted Launch Image Definition will be available for cloning in the Controller once the GM is converted to Trusted Launch.

  • Older Standard-based Image Versions will not be visible in the Controller, though they remain available in the Azure Portal.