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Using the agent in a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

When using Snow Inventory Agent for Windows in a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), some configuration settings must be applied to ensure accurate capture of all activities on each virtual desktop.

VDI awareness​

To utilize the functionality for VDI and VDA license calculations in Snow License Manager or SAM Core on Snow Atlas, the computer needs to be aware that it is part of a VDI. To achieve this, use the following setting in the SystemSettings element of the agent configuration file:

<SystemSettings>
    <Setting key="env.is_virtual_desktop_infrastructure" value ="true" />
</SystemSettings>

Typically, you make this configuration during the creation of the agent installation package. As a Snow License Manager customer, you also have the possibility to modify the setting after deployment via the Snow Inventory Admin console.

Agent installation​

The Windows agent must be installed on all virtual desktops. This can be achieved either by installing the agent in the golden image (the archetypical version of a cloned disk), or by deploying it as a part of a VDI provisioning process.

Capture assurance​

For VDI environments, particularly for non-persistent VDI environments, Snow Software recommends performing at least two scan actions:

  1. Schedule a full scan after the VDI instance is started and has all relevant software deployed to it; for this purpose, it is possible to use the agent scheduler or any alternative method to run the following command, as described in Initiate a scan of online computers:

    sc.exe control SnowInventoryAgent5 128

  2. Execute one or more aggregations and sendings of metering data by running the following command, as described in Initiate a scan of online computers:

    sc.exe control SnowInventoryAgent5 132
    note

    This command can be included in a script, for example, the Windows logoff script or in the shutdown script for the VDI instance.

To ensure that all VDI sessions and application usage within the VDI are captured, a script needs to be executed as a part of closing down the Virtual Desktop session. The script will trigger the scan and send the result to a Snow Inventory endpoint before allowing the session to terminate. Depending on what infrastructure the VDI is running on, there are different solutions for running scripts as a part of the VDI decommission. Be aware that the sc command is asynchronous; Snow Software recommends implementing logic that allows the sc task to finish before shutting down/logging off. For more information, contact Snow Support.