Note
The feature is in Public Preview.
Single-user dynamic desktop host pools provide each user a dedicated host VM for the duration of their session. Once the user logs off, the desktop is returned as an available session host to the pool and can be used by other users. Auto-scale can be flexibly configured to maintain a certain amount of available desktop capacity during various times of day and remove it (scale in) when no longer needed. When auto-scale is turned off, session hosts can be manually added to and removed from the host pool.
Note
By default, the Auto-scale option is disabled. When you enable auto-scaling, you can configure the desktop template (image, sizing, network), and set criteria for host pool sizing, scaling logic, scale-in restrictions, and messaging.
To enable Nutanix host pool auto-scaling:
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Locate the dynamic Nutanix host pool you wish to work with, and select its Auto-Scale tab.
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Enter the following information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Auto-scale timezone
Drop-down list
Select the time zone for the auto-scale process.
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Under Hosts Will Be Provisioned Based on the Template for Pool, enter the following information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Name
Text field + drop-down list
Type the name for newly added hosts, and select whether to use a Prefix or a Pattern.
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Prefix can be used when creating multiple session hosts. The Prefix limit is 10 valid Windows computer name characters; a unique 4-character alphanumeric suffix is automatically appended (for example,
AVDHOST-s72h). Do not add a "-" to the Prefix. -
Pattern can be used to specify an advanced naming convention. Characters must be enclosed in
{}—#for sequential numbers,?for random alphanumeric characters (for example,AVDHOST{###}→AVDHOST000..AVDHOST999;AVDHOST-{???}→AVDHOST-d83, etc.).
Resource group
Drop-down list
Select the resource group for the Arc-connected machine resource.
Location
Drop-down list
Select the Azure region for the Arc resource.
Nutanix Prism Central
Drop-down list
Select the Prism Central instance.
Nutanix network
Drop-down list
Select the Nutanix network.
Image
Drop-down list
Select the Nutanix VM Template to use as the golden image for new session hosts.
Use the "staged" image version
Toggle
Toggle on to use the staged (not-yet-finalized) version of the selected image.
CPU sockets
Drop-down list
Select the CPU sockets for new session hosts.
Cores per socket
Drop-down list
Select the cores per socket for new session hosts.
RAM (GB)
Drop-down list
Select the RAM for new session hosts.
Nutanix categories
Drop-down list (multi-select)
Optional. Assign Nutanix categories/tags to newly created hosts.
Add Secondary Data Disk
Toggle
Optional. Toggle on to assign a secondary data disk to newly created hosts.
VM naming
Drop-down list
Select the naming mode for newly added hosts.
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Re-use names: attempt to reuse previously-used names.
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Standard names: use the next available name.
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Unique names: always use a unique name.
Automatically re-image used hosts
Drop-down list
Select whether hosts are automatically re-imaged when returned to the pool. Disabled by default.
Note
Changes to the template will apply to newly created or re-imaged host VMs.
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Select the Default Schedule or Alternative Schedule tab, and enter Alternative schedule details if needed (Days, Dates, etc.).
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Select the Auto-scale profile:
UI Element
Type
Description
Auto-scale profile
Drop-down list
Select a shared profile, or Custom to configure the settings below manually.
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Enter the following Host Pool Properties information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Session limit per host
Text field
Maximum sessions per host before a new host is started.
Load balancing
Drop-down list
-
Breadth First spreads users evenly across hosts.
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Depth First fills one host before starting the next.
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Enter the following Host Pool Sizing information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Measure type
Drop-down list
Select how host pool sizing values below are measured (for example, Count).
Active host defined as
Drop-down list
Select the active host definition. AVD agent Available is recommended over "VM started."
Base host pool capacity
Text field
Number of session host VMs always part of the pool.
Min active host capacity
Text field
Minimum number of running hosts always available.
Burst beyond base capacity
Text field
Extra host capacity created above the base when demand requires it.
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Enter the following Scaling Logic information for Auto-Scale Trigger 1:
UI Element
Type
Description
Auto-scale trigger type
Drop-down list
Select the auto-scale trigger for event-based scaling. Example shown: Spare (available) desktops.
Maximum host pool sessions
Calculated value (read-only)
Cap on total sessions across the pool, calculated from host pool sizing.
Maintain up to X spare (available) desktops
Drop-down list + text field
Select when the target spare-desktop count applies (for example, Always), and type the number of spare desktops to maintain.
Note
CPU usage and RAM usage triggers are not supported on AVD Hybrid host pools.
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Enter the following Scale in Restrictions information:
Note
This feature is in Public Preview.
UI Element
Type
Description
Stop or remove (scale in) hosts only from
Drop-down list
Select when scale-in may occur (for example, Any).
Scale in aggressiveness
Drop-down list
Select High, Medium, or Low.
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Enter the following Rolling Drain Mode information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Rolling drain mode
Toggle
Toggle on to enable rolling drain mode. Disabled by default.
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Enter the following Pre-Stage Hosts information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Pre-stage hosts
Toggle
Toggle on to enable host pre-staging. Disabled by default.
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Enter the following Messaging information:
UI Element
Type
Description
Send a warning message to users on the host
Drop-down list
Select the number of minutes before scaling in that the warning message should be sent (for example, 10 minutes).
Message content
Text field
Type the message to send to users before scaling in a host. For example: "Sorry for the interruption. We are doing some housekeeping and need you to log out. You can log in right away to continue working. We will be terminating your session in 10 minutes if you haven't logged out by then."
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Enter the following Auto-Heal Broken Hosts information:
Note
Auto-scale can automatically attempt to repair "broken" session hosts by restarting, running scripted actions (for example, re-installing the AVD agent), and deleting/recreating them.
UI Element
Type
Description
Auto-heal broken hosts
Toggle
Toggle on to enable auto-heal. Disabled by default.
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Toggle Auto-scale On at the bottom of the page, and select Save.
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