TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise - Image Management (VM Pools)

TruGrid Image Management (VM Pools) - Install, Configure & Use Guide

A feature of TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise

1. What is “VM Pools”?

VM Pools is the image-management feature inside TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise software.
VM Pools lets you point TruGrid at one prepared "master" virtual machine and then automatically build, name, domain-join, and maintain a whole group of identical virtual desktops from it. TruGrid does the repetitive work: it clones the machines in your VMware environment, gives each one a unique name and identity, joins them to your Active Directory, and places them in a security group so the right people can sign in. When it is time to update the image, TruGrid can rebuild the desktops from a new version for you.
There are two kinds of pool - one where every user keeps their own desktop, and one where desktops are shared and reset clean after each use. Both are explained in the reference table later in this guide.

2. Server specifications (new installations)

TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise has two parts that run on a server in your environment:

The Data Collector (Data Collector) - a background service that does the work, and
**TruGrid DC CONFIG (**DC CONFIG) - the desktop app you use to set it up and upgrade it.

For a new installation we recommend a dedicated server:

A dedicated server running Windows Server 2022 or later.
4 virtual CPUs and 32 GB RAM, minimum.
A separate, high-performance disk (not the operating-system disk) to hold the database. When you use a dedicated disk for the database, you set its location on the SETTINGS page of the DC CONFIG application.

**NOTE: During TruGrid evaluation you can host TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise on a server that is already running TruGrid Sentry. This is NOT recommended for production. The Data Collector's work and the database's resource use can affect Sentry's ability to broker user connections. ** |

3. Install or upgrade, and configure VM Pools

3.1 Update TruGrid DC CONFIG

a. On the server you will use for TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise (or the server already running it), close the TruGrid DC CONFIG application if it is open. Download the latest version of the TruGrid DC CONFIG application and overwrite the existing copy.
b. Open the updated TruGrid DC CONFIG application. On the main DASHBOARD, the DATA COLLECTOR SOFTWARE box shows the installed version, the included version, and an "Upgrade available" note when the two differ.

The DC CONFIG Dashboard. The Data Collector Software box shows an upgrade is available.

**c. UPGRADE. **Under DATA COLLECTOR SOFTWARE, click the UPGRADE button
This stops the TruGrid Data Collector service and updates the software, but it does not restart the service for you. Click the WINDOWS SERVICE tab and start the Data Collector service.

**IF THE SERVICE WILL NOT START (or is slow to stop for the upgrade): **Open Windows Services, stop the "TruGrid RDS Manager Data Collector" service manually, then come back and click UPGRADE. When the upgrade finishes, start the "TruGrid RDS Manager Data Collector" service again. ** |

3.2 Connect Active Directory and VMware (vCenter)

Go to the HYPERVISOR CONNECTIONS tab and supply two accounts:

An Active Directory account **so TruGrid can join each new virtual machine to your domain.
A vCenter account **so TruGrid can create and manage the virtual machines in your VMware environment.

a.      Enter the Active Directory account and save it.
b.      Add your vCenter connection (server address and the vCenter account).
c.      TEST - **Use the TEST function on both. A green PASS confirms each account has the permission VM Pools needs. Fix anything marked as missing before you continue - the test tells you exactly what is required.

The Hypervisor Connections tab: the AD account, the vCenter connection, and the Test buttons.

4. Before getting started: the two kinds of VM Pool

VM Pools supports two pool types. Choosing the right one is the most important decision, because it cannot be changed after the pool is built. Use this table to decide.

	Non-persistent (Hot Desk / Shared)	Persistent (Personal desktop)
Best for	Shared desktops, task workers, kiosks, training rooms - anywhere a clean desktop every time is ideal.	Knowledge workers who need their own desktop, installed apps, and files that stay put.
Who uses each VM	Any user signs in to any free VM in the pool.	Each user gets their own dedicated VM.
User data between sessions	Wiped on logoff / recycle - every session starts pristine.	Kept - the user's data and changes persist.
How VMs are built	Linked clones that share one read-only master image (fast to build and update; each VM adds only a small delta).	Full clones - every VM gets its own complete copy of the image.
Valid master-image sources	A powered-off VM, or a snapshot.	A template, a powered-off VM, or a snapshot.
Image updates	Yes - TruGrid rebuilds the desktops from a new image version for you (recompose).	Not offered - rebuilding would erase each user's saved data.
Recycle / reset	Returns each VM to its clean baseline on power-off, when the host drains to zero sessions, or on a schedule. Manual reset is always available per VM.	Not applicable - data is meant to persist.
Active Directory	VMs keep their AD identity across recycles (disable machine-account password changes via a GPO on the pool's OU).	Standard domain-joined computer accounts.

**PREPARE YOUR MASTER IMAGE FIRST: **Whichever type you choose, build a "gold" virtual machine first: install and update Windows, install your applications, install TruGrid AGENT, install VMware Tools. For non-persistent pools, take a snapshot of the finished, powered-off gold VM - that snapshot is what the linked clones are built from. It is a requirement that the “gold” image be able to successfully run SysPrep, otherwise it cannot be used by TruGrid to create clones. ** |

5. Using Image Management: create and manage VM Pools

You create and manage pools from the TruGrid RDS Manager Enterprise CLIENT (not from DC CONFIG).
a.      On the computer where you run the CLIENT, close the running version. Download the latest version and overwrite the existing copy.
**b.      VM Pools: **Open the CLIENT and go to the VM Pools page
c.      Click “+ Create Pool” to launch the four-step wizard.

The VM Pools page in the CLIENT. Click + Create Pool to begin.

6. Walkthrough A: create your first Non-persistent pool

A non-persistent pool is the quickest way to see VM Pools work end to end. The wizard has four steps shown across the top: Persistence, Source, Pool config, and Review.

Step 1 - Persistence

a. Non-persistent (Hot-Desk / Shared) **Choose the card, then click Next. Remember: this choice is permanent for the pool.

Step 1 - the Non-persistent card selected.

Step 2 - Source

a. Discover sources. **Pick your Hypervisor connection and click
b. Use the filter chips (a snapshot is the typical choice for non-persistent) and select your prepared snapshot in the list. Click Next.

Step 2 - choosing the master-image snapshot.

Step 3 - Pool config

a.      VM Pool Name. **Enter the desired name – this is the Active Directory security group for the pool. Type an existing group name or type a new name and TruGrid will create the group in the organizational unit (OU) you choose below.
b.      Choose the AD organizational unit, the number of VMs, and the naming pattern (for example RDSM-## becomes RDSM-01, RDSM-02, and so on).
c.      Recycle policy. **Set the desired policy for when to return each VM to a pristine state. Returning to a pristine state on power-off / restart is always on. You can also recycle when a host empties out, or on a daily/weekly schedule.
d.     On the right, choose where the VMs live in VMware: the vCenter folder, datastore, and network. Click Next.

Step 3 - pool identity, sizing, recycle policy, and VMware placement.

Step 4 - Review

a. Provision. Check the summary, then click PROVISION. TruGrid builds the linked clones, customizes and domain-joins each one, adds them to your security group, and snapshots a clean baseline used for recycling. You can watch progress on the pool's detail page.

Step 4 - review and Provision.

Example of Health Non-Persistent VM Pool

7. Tips for your first pool

Test your accounts first. A green PASS on both the AD and vCenter tests (Section 3.2) prevents almost every first-run problem.
Start small. Create a pool of 2-3 VMs for your first test so you can watch the whole build quickly, then resize it up once you are happy.
Pick the pool type deliberately. It cannot be changed later. When unsure, re-read the table in Section 4.
Naming and OU matter. The VM Pool Name becomes an AD security group; if it does not exist, TruGrid creates it in the OU you choose - and the pool's VMs are added to it automatically.
Watch the pool detail page. It shows each VM moving through cloning, customizing, joining AD, and Ready. If a VM stops with an error, the message tells you what to fix, and you can retry just that VM.
Non-persistent only: keep AD identity stable. Apply a Group Policy on the pool's OU that disables machine-account password changes, so recycled VMs keep their domain identity.
Deleting is permanent. Deleting a VM or a pool removes the virtual machines from VMware and their computer accounts from Active Directory. The app warns you before it does this.

Updated on: 19/06/2026

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