How to create Remote PC Pool

Information

How to add multiple Remote PCs to RAS Farm simultaneously?

Resolution

The Remote PC Pools feature allows you to achieve this goal. It allows adding Remote PCs either from a list stored in .csv file or from Active Directory Organizational Unit. In the last case, the pool membership will be updated dynamically whenever you add new computers to the OU.

To add a new Remote PC Pool please do the following:

1. Go to RAS Console → Farm → VDI → Providers and click on the Plus icon:
   
    
2. Choose Virtualization VDI provider type and click Next:
   
    
3. Select Remote PC in the Type drop-down list. In the Address field, specify FQDN or IP address of a server that will manage Remote PC pools. This must be a server with RAS VDI Agent installed. You can use the RAS Publishing Agent server, since it has the RAS VDI Agent built in, but it can be any other server running a dedicated RAS VDI Agent. Enter the account name in the UPN format (e.g. administrator@domain.local). This must be a domain user account with sufficient rights to manage individual remote PCs that will be assigned to this host. Using a local Windows account is also possible with some limitations and only when using the static PC assignment. Using a domain account is recommended. Enter the account password and an optional description. Click Next and then click Finish:
   
    

The wizard closes and the Provider Properties dialog opens where you need to configure the new VDI provider. You can configure it now or you can configure it later by right-clicking the host on the Providers tab and choosing Properties.

In the VDI subtype drop-down list, select how Remote PCs will be assigned to this VDI provider, so they can be later added to a Remote PC pool. The following options are available:

• Static – using this approach, Remote PCs are assigned to the VDI provider by entering their FQDN or IP address (one by one) or by importing a list from a CSV file.
• Dynamic – this approach assigns PCs using the information from Active Directory. All you have to do is specify an organizational unit (OU) containing computer accounts to be assigned to the host.

Depending on which VDI subtype you select on the Properties tab (see above), the Remote PCs tab will look different.