In this post, I will show you how to create VDI collections on Windows Server 2022. VDI, which stands for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, is a technology that enables users to access a virtualized desktop environment hosted on a remote server or data centre. VDI users can access these resources remotely through a network connection. Please see The following servers in this deployment are not part of the deployment Pool: Create an RDS Session Host and Collection.

The differences between virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and Remote Desktop Environment are as follows:

In the VDI setup, there an isolated environment made available to the user. In the RDS setup, a remote desktop host server will provide a shared environment to several users who will connect to the same server and therefore share resources (CPU, RAM, etc.).

A virtual machine is started and dedicated to the user in VDI infrastructure. This makes each VDI user to have access to dedicated resources and uses a Desktop version of Windows like Windows 10. 

Virtualization is based on Hyper-V and the connection for the RDS Server is made through the Windows RDP client.

Deploying a VDI environment requires that you add the remote desktop services role using the virtual machine-based deployment option. Add a hyper-v role to be added and create a template in the hyper-v manager also. The template is what you will use to deploy the VDI. After creating the hyper-v template, you need to ensure that there internet connection. See how to Create Hyper-V Virtual Switch for your hyper-v template.

Creating a VDI Collection on Windows Server 2022

As with remote desktop host servers, you must create a collection to provision virtual desktops (VDI). If you have met all the prerequisites stated above, now is the time to create a collection. To do this follow the below steps:

You can read more about RDS in these previous posts, How to install RDS via Quick Start , determine the Remote Desktop Client Version and Remove a Remote Desktop Service collection.

Step 1 Open to the RDS console in the Server Manager Dashboard

Step 2 – Select “Collections” and then “Tasks” from the right side of the screen and click on "Create Virtual Desktop Collections"

2-create-rds-vdi-collections — Creating VDI Collections

Step 3 – On the before you begin screen, click “Next” to continue

3-click-on-next — Creating VDI Collections

Please see How to Set a Static IP Address in Windows 11, how to Remove Remote Desktop Services Role on Windows Server, and How to add and remove RDS Collection.

Step 4 – Specify a unique name for your VDI

4-specify-the-collection-name — Specifying VDI Name

Step 5 – On the Collection Type, specify the type as ” Pooled virtual desktop collection” and click on Next to continue.

5-specify-collection-type — Specifying the Collection Type

Step 6 – On the Virtual Desktop Template tab, pick the template you created previously and click on “Next” to continue.

6-select-your-template — Specifying the VDI Template

Step 7 – On the Virtual desktop setting tab, select “Provide unattended installation settings” and click on “Next” to continue.

7-specify-the-vd-settings — Specifying VD Settings

Step 8 – On the Unattended Settings tab, specify your time zone, Active Direct and the AD DS organizational Unit that you want to drop your VM

8-specify-the-unattended-installation-settings-1 — Specifying VD Settings

Step 9 – Specify the number of Virtual Desktops to be created

9-specify-users-and-user-groups — Specify the number of Virtual Desktops

Step 10 – Review the number of Virtual desktop allocations and click on “Next” to continue

10-specify-virtual-desktop-allocation — Specify the number of virtual desktop allocation

Specify Virtual Desktop Storage

Step 11 – Specify Virtual Desktop Storage and click on "Next" to continue

11-choose-the-default-location — Specifying Virtual Desktop Storage

Step 12: You may choose to enable the user profile disk and point the storage to a NAS storage or uncheck the “Enable user profiles disks” and continue.

Specifying Iser Profile Disks

Step 13: Confirm selections and click on “Create”

Step 14: On the deployment progress page, serve yourself some coffee and relax for it to complete.

14-virtual-desktop-deployment-in-progress

Feel free to close this window as well.

15-close-the-progress-windows-and-allow-it-create-on-the-background

You can choose to close this dialogue box and check progress in the deployment details screen.

Step 15: Check the Task status details on the collections tab

Step 16: The VDI now changes from pending to creating and complete

Virtual Desktop has been created

After deploying your VDI, the VM will be accessible by users via a fully qualified domain name that looks similar to <YourServerName.YourDomainName.com>

In this post, you have learned the step-by-step guide on how to create a fully functional Virtual Desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment for your workspace.

I hope you found the post on how to Create VDI Collections on Windows Server 2022 useful. Please feel free to leave a comment below.

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Comments (6) on “How to Create VDI Collections on Windows Server 2022”

Mathieu says:

29/01/2024 at 6:03 PM

Good morning,
Very interesting article! However I encounter a problem, I want to create a VDI Collection with Windows 11 as a template. After SYSPREP, when creating the collection, the templates are empty… Do you have an idea to solve my problem?

PS: I try with Windows 10 pro and entreprise too, it’s same.

Thanks !

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1. Imoh Etuk says:
  
  29/01/2024 at 7:21 PM
  
  Hello Mathieu,
  
  Thank you for your comments. Sorry for the experience you are having. Have you tried running Sysprep in GUI mode? That’s to run “sysprep.exe,” press the Enter key, and then select the options from the drop-down menu. If the problem persists, you may consider reloading the OS. Overall, Sysprep works perfectly with Windows 10 Pro 22H2.
  
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  1. Mathieu says:
    
    29/01/2024 at 10:57 PM
    
    Thank you for your prompt response !
    
    Indeed, I tried SYSPREP with the GUI interface, with PowerShell and finally with CMD on the three OS mentioned in my first comment. Nothing works… I feel like I’ve tried everything (even reinstalled Win Server 2022…). I’ve been trying to figure out where my problem is coming from for three days.
    
    I try tommoro with 10 22H2. I’ll keep you informed 🙂
    
    Thanks again !!
  2. Imoh Etuk says:
    
    10/02/2024 at 4:29 PM
    
    Hi Mathieu,
    
    I trust you’re doing great today.
    
    I am checking to see if you have been able to resolve this issue.
  3. Siddeek says:
    
    01/04/2024 at 6:13 PM
    
    Good Day,
    
    Open dos command under administrator privilege, navigate to the Syspreg directory and execute the following command:
    
    sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /mode:vm /shutdown
    
    This always work for me, if any failures , check the setupact.log in the Sysprep/Panther directory.
    
    It will indicate where the errors occurred during the sysprep process.
  4. Christian says:
    
    01/04/2024 at 9:27 PM
    
    Thank you for sharing with the community!