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How to Access VMWare Horizon Desktop (VDI) from off-campus

What is VDI and Why Use It:

VDI (Virtual Desktop Interface) is a technology using VMWare Horizon software and state-of-the-art technologies to provide a flexible desktop experience. It offers flexibility, mobility, quicker deployment/upgrade cycles, and reduced hardware costs.

Essentially, each VDI session is hosted on GNTC back-end hardware which provides the operating system and all necessary software as part of the delivered desktop environment. It can be accessed on-campus or off from dedicated VDI hardware clients (found in some computer labs and instructor stations), or pretty much any laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

Besides the accessibility aspect, this solution can reduce student and faculty costs as the desktop is delivered complete with commonly required software such as Microsoft Office.  Together, these features and benefits should allow faculty, staff, and students to be more flexible and successful.

How to Access VMWare Horizon Desktop from Home

  1. From your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, simply open a web browser and navigate to the URL https://StaffPC.gntc.edu
  2. You will see the VMWare Horizon Screen and the options of installing the VMWare Horizon Client or simply using HTML to access it.  
    In most access scenarios, VMWare Horizon HTML Access is recommended and provides excellent functionality without needing to install the Horizon Client.  

    VDI Screen 1

     
  3. After choosing VMWare Horizon HTML Access, you will be sent to Okta for multifactor authentication.

     
  4. After Okta authentication, you will be prompted for your GNTC login credentials.

     
  5. You will then be connected to a standard Windows operating system desktop.

 

Saving Your Work

Remember that all desktop sessions are non-persistent. This means that the Windows environment is refreshed at each login with no data retention. All work to be saved should be saved to your GNTC OneDrive location.  

You must log in with your GNTC faculty/staff credentials to access this storage location. Syncing for OneDrive is optional for faculty/staff, but never to be used for student lab PCs or VDI Horizon desktops. See the OneDrive page for more information.