You are here: Gold Images > Install > Install a Linux Gold Image

Installing a Linux Desktop Gold Image

For a list of supported guest operating systems, see the VERDE Configuration Planning and Installation Guide. To join a Linux image to Active Directory, you'll need to install Centrify Express on the Gold Image. The steps to perform that action are listed below. Lastly, before attempting to install a Linux Gold Image, confirm the VERDE VDI User Tools and the SPICE Client are installed.

User accounts should not be created inside the Gold Image.

QXL Driver Guest-Specific Requirements

When creating Linux Gold Images, install the following (32-bit and 64-bit versions) guests from the VERDE Management Console by choosing the Linux option from the Operating System menu:

  • CentOS/RHEL 6.x and 7.x
  • Ubuntu 12.04, 14.04, and 16.04
  • Linux Mint 18

Due to Ubuntu system limitations in version 12.04, Ubuntu 12.04 virtual desktops do not support the latest version of KVM. It is still possible to run Ubuntu 12.04 virtual desktops in VERDE but additional configuration steps must be followed to set the virtual desktop to use an earlier version of KVM.

  1. In the VERDE Management Console, navigate to the Gold Images screen and create a Ubuntu 12 gold image. Select "Linux" in the "Operating System" field.
  2. After the Gold Image has been created in the VERDE Management Console, open a terminal window to modify the settings.local file.
  3. In the terminal window, navigate to the gold image install directory '/home/vb-verde/verde-orgs/<org id>/gold/<Image Name>'. Open the settings.local file and set 'WIN4_MACH_TYPE="4".
  4. Save the file. Then start the OS installation process from the VERDE Client or the VERDE User Console.

Post-Installation Scripts

When installation is complete and the image restarts, open the CD named VERDE mounted on your desktop, and run the script Install_VERDE_Guest_Tools.

If setting up a CentOS 7.x image you must be logged in as a root user to execute the post-install script.

Setting up the VERDE system to Dynamically Join Linux Gold Images to Active Directory

VERDE offers the possibility to dynamically join Linux Gold Images to Active Directory. This means that each time a Linux virtual desktop initializes, it will register with Active Directory where a computer object will be created. The virtual desktop leaves the domain when it shuts down.

To be able to dynamically join a Linux virtual desktop -Gold Image - to AD, a third-party software is required in the Gold Image. VERDE currently supports Centrify Express for Active Directory (AD) integration.

If you are using another third-party software (for example, Powerbroker), you will have to do a "static join" instead. In this case, the Gold Image itself joins the Active Directory domain, and the virtual desktops will inherit the trust relationship established with the Gold Image. While this simplifies and eliminates the need to create additional resources in AD, a drawback of this approach is that the administrator has to schedule a Gold Image "leave and rejoin domain" operation before the "lease" expires (ninety (90) days); otherwise users will not be able to log in.

To install Centrify Express for Active Directory (AD) integration:

  1. In the VERDE Management Console, navigate to the Gold Images screen. Under the "Actions" column, select “Check Out” in the row of the Gold Image.
  2. Open a new browser in the Gold Image and download "Centrify Agent for CentOS Linux" from Centrify.
  3. Extract the tar package: tar xvzf centrify-suite-<version>-<platform>.tgz.
  4. Run the ./install-express.sh script. The default options are acceptable unless needed for customization. After the script has completed processing, the Gold Image will reboot.
  5. Back on the VERDE Management Console, on the Gold Images screen, check in the Gold Image.
  6. On the server, open a terminal window. Go to the gold image directory, '/home/vb-verde/verde-orgs/<org id>/gold/<Image Name>' and open the settings.local file. Change the 'WIN4_LINUX_AD_AGENT' value to 'Centrify'. Save the file.