Step 6 - Connect to Directory Service

Note: this step is optional and not required for the default Pano Express installation but is highly recommended.

The initial setup of Pano Express does not integrate Pano Manager and vCenter Server with your network's Directory Services server (e.g. Microsoft Active Directory). This default configuration would only support each Pano Zero Client directly connecting to a specific DVM using a Device Based DVM Collection and doesn't let you use the other User-based DVM Collections supported by Pano Manager.

When you login under this default configuration you are connected to the Windows OS in the DVM (associated to the Pano Zero Client you're using) using a single predefined Windows user account.  This is convenient but also introduces a number of management and provisioning limitations (see section below) which prevents you from taking advantage of all of the potential benefits of Pano System virtual desktops. 

Because of these limitations you may want to immediately integrate Pano Manager with a Directory Service, which will enable access to all of the user-based features of the Pano System.  For a list of supported directory services, see [HelpTopic:Supported Directory Services].  To connect Pano Manager to your Directory Service, follow the steps in [HelpTopic:Connect Pano Manager to Directory Services].

Note that you cannot run a directory service on the Pano Express servers even though they have a Windows Server VM. You would need to install a separate server running Window Server or other software if you do not already have a Directory Service server running on your LAN.

Note: Running without a Directory Service

Running your Pano Express installation without connecting it to a Directory Service (which is the default) places some limitations on how your users can connect to different DVMs. The main limitation is that users cannot be authenticated by Pano Manager and therefore User-Based Collections will not be available. You will only be able to use Device-Based Collections (Automated Login, Different Accounts w/Automated Login and Windows Login Collections). 

In this case by default each Pano Zero Client will be directly connected to a specific DVM in an Automatic Login collection.  This mirrors how standard physical PCs behave but to blocks you from some of the benefits of virtual desktops.  For example, users can't roam from one Pano Zero Client to another, logging into their DVM no matter where they are.  This is especially useful when you have Pano Zero Clients installed in a conference room or other shared use areas.

User Based DVM Collections also allow you to use Pooled Desktops where users are assigned a standardized desktop from a pool when they login.  This has the advantage of giving users a fresh DVM in case their current one, for example if it was damaged or infected with malware, as well as minimizing some of the provisioning overhead.  With the default Device Based assignment, when a DVM is damaged, the Pano Zero Client it is tied to is essentially out of commission until you recreate the DVM and reassign it to that specific Pano Zero Client.

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