6 rules you should consider when using View Composer

The View Composer is a component which helps you to save time and money but from a technical view it does add more complexity to your IT environment. Due to that there are some rules you should consider when using the View Composer.

1. If you’ve created the folder for the Linked Clones in your vCenter don’t edit it with the vCenter Client afterwards! All actions should be done via the View Administrator Console. Additionally you should manage all administrative task in the View Administrator whenever possible. This will safe you from unwanted errors due to accidental configuration changes in the vCenter Client. For example if you delete objects/folders in the vCenter, this could affect the View installation.
2. If you’re using more than 120 Linked Clones you’ve to change the vSwitch configuration on your ESX server. A vSwitch does have 120 ports configured by default.
3. The View Composer supports a maximum of 8 vSphere Hosts in a cluster. This is a limitation of the VMFS filesystem depending caused by the LUN locking. Please check the VMware View Reference Architecture for more information. If you need more then 8 vSphere Hosts you should setup more clusters.
4. Depending on the frequency in which you’re using the View Composer functions Refresh, Recompose and Rebalance, you should decrease the lease time for IP addresses on your DHCP server. If the lease time is configured to high it’s likely that you run out DHCP leases. This could affect the creation/recreation of the Linked Clones. Also make sure that DNS is working properly because this is essential for the View Composer.
5. If you’re using the Distributed Switch instead of the standard vSwitch you should consider the following information. All Linked Clones in a pool are based on the same master image. This master image had have a network port assigned on the Distributed Switch what means that also the copies (the Linked Clones) are configured with the same port. This behaviour is correct because the Distributed Switch is configured to use static bindings by default. The resolution is easy! Just configure the port group policy to use ephemeral/no port binding. This allows the VM’s to use a free port of the vDS and prevents them from conflicts.
6. The last important point is the licensing. Whenever you use Linked Clones you should also use a volume license and Key Management Service (KMS) for your Windows 7 client operating system. This helps you to activate the desktops when needed and prevents you from connection errors.

Source: http://www.thatsmyview.net/2011/05/17/6-rules-you-should-consider-when-using-view-composer/

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