2V0-51.23 VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

VMware Blast policy settings are stored in the registry key HKLM\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware Blast\Config on the remote desktops or RDS hosts that use the VMware Blast display protocol. These settings can be configured by using the VMware Blast ADMX template file (vdm_blast.admx) and applying it through Microsoft Group Policy Object (GPO). Some of these settings can be changed in real time, which means that they take effect immediately after the policy is applied, without requiring a reboot or a reconnection of the Horizon Client. However, some of these settings cannot be changed in real time, which means that they require a reboot or a reconnection of the Horizon Client to take effect.

The effect of changing any VMware Blast policy that cannot be changed in real time is that the Microsoft GPO update rules apply and GPOs are updated manually or by restarting the Horizon Agent. This means that the new policy settings will not be applied until one of the following events occurs:

The Horizon Agent service is restarted on the remote desktop or RDS host. This can be done manually by using the Services console or the command-line tool sc.exe, or automatically by using a scheduled task or a script.

The remote desktop or RDS host is rebooted. This can be done manually by using the Restart option in Windows, or automatically by using a scheduled task or a script.

The Group Policy refresh interval is reached. This is a configurable time interval that determines how often the system checks for and applies new or changed GPOs. By default, this interval is 90 minutes for domain members and 5 minutes for domain controllers, with a random offset of 0 to 30 minutes. This interval can be modified by using the Group Policy refresh interval for computers setting in the Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy folder of the Group Policy Management Console.

Therefore, to ensure that the VMware Blast policy settings that cannot be changed in real time are applied as soon as possible, it is recommended to restart the Horizon Agent service or reboot the remote desktop or RDS host after applying the policy.

References: VMware Blast Policy Settings, Group Policy refresh intervals, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) supports two-factor authentication and can be integrated with VMware Horizon to secure administrative access to the Horizon Console. RADIUS servers authenticate users based on a combination of something they know (a password) and something they have (a token or mobile app-generated code), providing an added layer of security for administrative logins.

App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that allows administrators to assign applications to users and groups in Horizon. App Volumes uses virtual disks called packages to store and deliver applications. When a user logs on to a desktop, the App Volumes agent attaches the assigned packages to the desktop and merges them with the OS disk. The user can then access the applications as if they were natively installed.

In this scenario, Adobe Acrobat 11 has been assigned to a user as an App Volumes package. When the user logs on to VM25, which already has Adobe Acrobat 11 natively installed, the App Volumes agent attaches the package to VM25 and creates a shortcut on the user desktop. However, the package does not overwrite or conflict with the natively installed application. Instead, when the user clicks on the shortcut, the App Volumes package for Adobe Acrobat 11 is opened and runs in an isolated environment. This allows the user to use different versions of the same application without affecting each other or the OS. References: App Volumes Architecture and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

Application Profiler is a tool that analyzes the registry and file system locations where the settings for a particular application are stored, and creates a Flex configuration file for use with Dynamic Environment Manager. Application Profiler is installed using VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Enterprise Setup Wizard and explicitly selecting local drive installation1. This option allows you to install Application Profiler on a separate machine from the Dynamic Environment Manager Agent or Management Console. Alternatively, you can install Application Profiler on the same machine as the Dynamic Environment Manager Agent or Management Console, by selecting network share installation1.

VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Agent and the Application Profiler can be installed on the same machine, but it is not recommended. This is because the Dynamic Environment Manager Agent might interfere with the profiling process by applying settings to the application being profiled1. Therefore, it is best to use a clean system for profiling applications.

Application Profiler is not installed automatically when installing VMware Dynamic Environment Manager FlexEngine or Management Console. FlexEngine is the component that applies the user environment settings during logon, logoff, and session reconnect or disconnect events2. Management Console is the component that allows you to configure and manage the user environment settings2. Neither of these components requires Application Profiler to function. Application Profiler is an optional tool that helps you create Flex configuration files for applications that are not included in the predefined settings library1. References:

VMware Dynamic Environment Manager Overview2

Using Application Profiler1

To entitle users and groups to pools, you need to perform the following steps:

During pool creation in the entitlement pane, click on add, search for users and groups in the Active Directory, continue and finish the pool creation. This option allows you to entitle users and groups to a desktop or application pool at the same time as you create the pool3.

Navigate to Inventory > Desktops > check mark a pool > click on Add Entitlement. This option allows you to add entitlements to an existing desktop or application pool after you create the pool4.

Navigate to Users and Groups > Entitlements > click on Entitlements > click on Add Entitlements, search for users and groups in the Users pane and add the desired desktop pool in the next pane Desktop Pools. This option allows you to review and manage the entitlements for users and groups from a single location5.

The other options are not required or valid for entitling users and groups to pools. Running the Active Directory entitlement script in the golden master is not necessary as Horizon 8 automatically synchronizes with Active Directory domains that are configured in Horizon Console6. Specifying the desired Active Directory OU for the VMs during pool creation does not automatically add the preconfigured associated user group to the Horizon entitlements as you still need to select the users or groups from the search results7. References := 3: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Add Entitlements During Pool Creation 4: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Add Entitlements After Pool Creation 5: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Review and Manage Entitlements 6: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Active Directory Requirements for Horizon Connection Server 7: VMware Horizon 8 Documentation: Create an Automated Desktop Pool

The two options that are available for the administrator to make the shortcut available to all desktop pool users, while minimizing ongoing administrative effort, before updating the desktop pool golden image are:

Copy the shortcut to c:\users\Public\Desktop. This option will place the shortcut in the public desktop folder, which is shared by all users who log on to the same computer. The public desktop folder is normally a hidden folder, so the administrator needs to enable the option to show hidden files and folders in File Explorer1. This option does not require any additional software or configuration, but it will only work for the existing desktops in the pool. If new desktops are added or refreshed, the shortcut will not be copied automatically.

Configure a Shortcut with DEM (Dynamic Environment Manager). This option will use the DEM console to create a shortcut configuration that will apply the shortcut to the user’s desktop during logon2. The administrator needs to install and configure DEM on the Horizon environment, and create a configuration share and a profile archive share for storing the DEM settings3. This option requires more initial setup, but it will work for any desktop in the pool, regardless of whether it is new or refreshed. It also allows more flexibility and control over the shortcut properties and conditions.

The other options are not valid or feasible because:

Copying the shortcut during user provisioning to a non-writeable App Volume will not work because App Volumes are used to deliver applications, not shortcuts. App Volumes are virtual disks that are attached to the virtual machines at runtime, and they contain application files, registry entries, and settings4. Copying a shortcut to an App Volume will not make it appear on the user’s desktop.

Copying the shortcut to the Windows Default Domain Controller Policy will not work because this policy is used to configure settings for domain controllers, not desktops. The Default Domain Controller Policy is a Group Policy Object (GPO) that is linked to the Domain Controllers organizational unit (OU) in Active Directory, and it contains security settings that are applied to all domain controllers in the domain5. Copying a shortcut to this policy will not affect any desktops in the Horizon environment.

Configuring a Shortcut with Horizon View Client will not work because Horizon View Client is used to connect to remote desktops and applications, not to create shortcuts. Horizon View Client is a software application that runs on various devices and platforms, and it allows users to access their virtual desktops and applications through a secure connection6. Configuring a shortcut with Horizon View Client will not make it appear on the user’s desktop.

References:

How to make a desktop shortcut available for all users in Windows 101

VMware Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) 2306 – Carl Stalhood2

VMware Tech Zone Antivirus Considerations in a VMware Horizon Environment: exclusions for Horizon View, App Volumes, User Environment Manager, ThinApp3

App Volumes Overview

Default Domain Controller Policy5

VMware Horizon Clients Documentation6

Enabling Quiesce Mode in the Unified Access Gateway (UAG) Admin UI is the recommended approach for minimizing downtime during maintenance or upgrades when the UAG is part of a load-balanced cluster. Quiesce Mode allows the UAG to stop accepting new connections while allowing existing sessions to continue until they naturally end. This ensures minimal disruption to users and allows for a controlled upgrade process.

In VMware Horizon, predefined roles such as Inventory Administrators and Desktop Pool Administrators are designed to provide granular access control within the Horizon Console. Inventory Administrators typically have permissions related to managing the overall inventory of virtual desktops and applications, whereas Desktop Pool Administrators are specifically focused on managing and configuring desktop pools, including their settings, assignments, and provisioning.

For instant-clone operations in Active Directory, the user account used by VMware Horizon needs specific permissions to manage computer objects effectively. These include the ability to create and delete child objects and computer objects, as well as read and write all properties of those objects. These permissions ensure that Horizon can create, modify, and clean up computer accounts associated with instant clones, facilitating seamless desktop provisioning and management.

Roles and permissions are a way of controlling the access and actions of administrators and users in Horizon. By default, Horizon provides two predefined roles: Administrators and Read Only Administrators. However, a high-level administrator can create custom roles with specific privileges to suit different needs and scenarios. To create a custom role, the administrator needs to follow these steps:

In the navigation pane under the Settings section, click on Administrators > Roles and Permissions.

In the Roles and Permissions page, click on Add.

In the Add Role pane, enter a name for the role in the Role Name text box.

In the Privileges section, select the checkboxes for the privileges that you want to assign to the role. You can expand or collapse the categories to view or hide the sub-privileges. You can also use the Select All or Deselect All buttons to select or clear all the privileges in a category.

Click on Save to create the custom role.

The custom role will appear in the Roles and Permissions page, where you can edit or delete it as needed. You can also assign the custom role to users or groups in the Users and Groups page. References: [Create Custom Roles] and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

VMware Horizon's Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) allows for the creation of Horizon Smart Policies with conditions that can be applied based on various criteria, including time of day. By utilizing DEM, an administrator can create policies that restrict certain actions, such as saving data to client devices, outside of specified business hours (5PM to 9AM in this case), thus achieving the desired control over user activities based on the time of day.

On a VMware vCenter managed virtual machine, the VMware Horizon Agent knows which Connection Server it should register with during the Instant Clone pool creation process by querying VMware Tools for a Guestlnfo Variable during the cloning process. The Guestlnfo Variable is a custom property that is set on the parent virtual machine and contains the FQDN of the Connection Server. When the parent virtual machine is cloned, the Guestlnfo Variable is copied to the clone and read by the Horizon Agent. The Horizon Agent then registers with the Connection Server specified in the Guestlnfo Variable12.

The other options are not correct for this scenario:

Administrator provides this information in the “Add Pool” creation wizard. This option is not correct because the administrator does not need to provide the Connection Server information in the “Add Pool” creation wizard. The administrator only needs to select the vCenter Server, data center, cluster, resource pool, datastore, network, and snapshot of the parent virtual machine. The Connection Server information is already embedded in the parent virtual machine as a Guestlnfo Variable3.

Horizon Agent retrieves this information from an DNS SRV record. This option is not correct because the Horizon Agent does not use DNS SRV records to find the Connection Server during the Instant Clone pool creation process. DNS SRV records are used by Horizon Client devices to discover Connection Servers when they connect to a Horizon environment. DNS SRV records are optional and can be configured by the administrator to simplify client connections4.

Administrator provides this information in the Horizon Agent Installation Wizard on the master image. This option is not correct because the administrator does not need to provide the Connection Server information in the Horizon Agent Installation Wizard on the master image. The administrator only needs to select the features and options that are required for the desktop pool, such as VMware Horizon Instant Clone Agent, VMware Dynamic Environment Manager, VMware App Volumes, and so on. The Connection Server information is set on the master image after it is converted to a parent virtual machine by using a PowerShell script5.

References:

Instant Clones: How Does It Work?

Instant Clone Domain Administrator Account

Create an Automated Instant-Clone Desktop Pool

Configuring DNS Service Records for Horizon Connection Server

Install Horizon Agent on a Virtual Machine

[VMware Horizon 8.x Professional]

[VMware Horizon Architecture Planning]

Administrator: Performs all administrative functions and applies to an Access Group.

Inventory Administrator: Performs all desktop, session, and pool-related operation.

Local Administrator: No rights to manage Cloud Pod or the Global Data Layer.

To access the settings and status of a pool in VMware Horizon, an administrator would navigate to the Inventory > Desktops section of the Horizon Console. By selecting a specific pool, the administrator can view detailed information in the Summary section, including Pool Settings and the status of the image used during the pool's deployment, providing insights into the pool's configuration and operational status.

For a global entitlement to include local desktop pools, the settings and configurations of the global entitlement must be compatible with those of the local pools. If there is a mismatch in settings, such as display protocol, user assignment type (dedicated or floating), or other critical configurations, the local pools will not appear as selectable options when adding them to a global entitlement.

VMware App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that allows administrators to assign applications to users and groups in Horizon. App Volumes uses virtual disks called packages to store and deliver applications. When a user logs on to a desktop, the App Volumes agent attaches the assigned packages to the desktop and merges them with the OS disk. The user can then access the applications as if they were natively installed.

App Volumes is a suitable solution for deploying an application to specific users in an instant-clone desktop environment with the following characteristics:

The application needs to be updated very frequently: App Volumes allows administrators to update applications in real time by using the update or push-image operations. These operations replace the existing packages with new ones that have the latest updates applied, without affecting the user data or settings. The updated packages are delivered to the users at the next login or refresh.

The application needs to be installed as soon as possible: App Volumes allows administrators to install applications quickly and easily by using a clean packaging system and capturing the application installation process. The resulting package can be assigned to users or groups immediately, without requiring any recomposing or rebooting of the desktops.

The application is not multi-user aware: App Volumes allows administrators to deliver applications that are not multi-user aware by using writable volumes. Writable volumes are user-specific virtual disks that store user-installed applications, data, and settings. Writable volumes can be attached to desktops along with application packages, and they can isolate the user-installed applications from the system-installed applications.

The other options are not suitable for meeting the requirements:

VMware Horizon Published Application: This option allows administrators to publish applications from RDS hosts to users in Horizon. However, this option requires a separate RDS infrastructure and licensing, and it does not support instant updates or writable volumes for user-installed applications.

VMware Dynamic Environment Manager: This option allows administrators to manage user profiles and policies in Horizon. However, this option does not deliver or update applications, and it does not support writable volumes for user-installed applications.

VMware ThinApp: This option allows administrators to package applications into portable executables that can run on any Windows system without installation. However, this option requires a separate packaging process and licensing, and it does not support instant updates or writable volumes for user-installed applications.

References: App Volumes Architecture, Updating Applications in Real Time, Writable Volumes Overview, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]

JPEG/PNG - Still images.

H.264: Rapidly moving content and motion graphics such as streaming video, video editing, and gaming.

HEVC: Rapidly moving content on a low bandwidth resource.

Proprietary Blast codec: Low-motion graphics, high-quality graphics such as Photoshop, and AutoCAD.