Step 3 - Prepare Desktop Virtual Machines

Duration: 1 Hour, depending on the number of DVMs you need to create and any delays due to Windows Update

I. Prepare to create your Desktop Virtual Machines

To create your desktop virtual machines (DVMs), retrieve your Windows operating system installation disk and Windows product license key.  If you have a slip-streamed Windows installation disc image that has the most recent service pack and all Microsoft-supplied updates since the service pack, the process of installing Windows may be much faster as most of the Windows Update downloading and processing will be skipped.

II. Create the Desktop Virtual Machines

To create the desktop virtual machines (DVMs), please follow one of the steps below depending on your hypervisor:

Follow the wizard’s instructions to create the initial virtual machine, specifying values for Name, CPUs, Memory and Disk Capacity that match the settings defined in your Test Plan and Use Cases.

This newly created virtual machine must reside in a folder by itself. Go to View -> Inventory -> Virtual Machines & Templates. Create a new folder and move the new virtual machine into that folder.

III. Install the Windows Operating System in the DVM

After creating each DVM, the Windows XP Professional or Windows 7 operating system will need to be installed. Follow the steps in the help:Install Windows.

IV. (VMware Platform Only) Install VMware Tools and set Hardware Acceleration

If running on the VMware platform, VMware Tools must be installed into each DVM to provide better network, virtual disk, and keyboard performance.  Please follow the steps in help:Install VMware Tools. VMware bundles the latest VMware Tools with vSphere. For detailed instructions, go to “Installing and Upgrading VMware Tools" in the VMware vSphere Basic System Administration Guide.

The Pano Direct Service requires that you also set the hardware acceleration by following the steps in the help:Set Hardware Acceleration.

For Windows 7 you must also disable Fast User Switching, Sleep and Hibernate by following the steps in help:Disable Fast User Switching and help:Disable Sleep and Hibernate

V. Install the Pano Direct Service

The Pano Direct Service provides the protocol support needed to access the DVM from a Pano Device or Pano Remote.  The Pano Direct wizard walks you through the installation of the Pano Direct Service. Install it into just one DVM initially because in the next step you need only one DVM to test connectivity. Please follow the steps in the help:Install Pano Direct.

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