FSLogix Settings and Configuration

FSLogix is a user profile container technology (FSLogix Profile Containers) that allows users to switch virtual desktops session host without losing access to their own customizations. With FSLogix, you can use OneDrive and the indexed search functionality in virtual desktops. This option was not available for the legacy RDS User Profile Disks (UPDs).

The FSLogix profile container is based on two components:

• FSLogix application. To learn more, see What is FSLogix?

• FSLogix configuration via GPO or registry. To learn more, see this Microsoft article.

By default, Nerdio Manager automatically installs the FSLogix application when a new session host VM is created, or an existing one is re-imaged, which is the most common use case. You can choose the FSLogix profile version for your NMM install.

Depending on your needs, you can deploy and configure FSLogix profiles using the following methods:

• Account level:

  • Deploy FSLogix Profile per Account: This method allows you to define FSLogix profile configurations for individual customer accounts.

  • Deploy FSLogix Profile per Host Pool: This method allows you to customize FSLogix profile configurations per individual host pool within a single customer account.

• MSP (global) level:

  • Deploy Global FSLogix Profiles: This method allows you to centrally manage the FSLogix profiles across multiple customer accounts.

Deploy FSLogix Profile per Account

You can define FSLogix profile configurations for individual customer accounts. This allows you to create a single FSLogix policy that you can reuse across multiple host pools within an individual account.

To configure FSLogix settings for an account:

1. At the Account level, navigate to Settings > Integrations.

2. In the FSLogix Profiles storage tile, select Add.

   

3. Enter the following information:

   • Name: Enter the FSLogix profile name.

   • Global profile: Ensure Skip use of Global configuration is defined, and you are not using any of the existing global profile settings.

   • Use Cloud Cache: Select this option to enable the FSLogix Cloud Cache.

     Note: Cloud Cache allows you to specify multiple profile storage locations. It asynchronously replicates the profiles and makes the profiles available in multiple storage locations at the same time. So, if one of the locations is not available, the session host automatically fails over to one of the alternate locations. To learn more, see Cloud Cache Overview.

     Warning: For performance reasons, it is strongly recommended that your storage is configured to use Premium SSD disks when Cloud Cache is enabled. Standard SSD disks might be sufficient only in very small environments or for testing scenarios.

   • Use Azure Page Blobs: When using Cloud Cache, select this option to use storage account blob containers to store user profiles. These containers are accessed using storage account access keys.

   • Configure session hosts registry for Microsoft Entra Joined storage: Select this option to enable the Entra ID Kerberos functionality and Entra ID account credentials loading. To learn more, see Enable the Microsoft Entra Kerberos functionality.

   • Exclude the Nerdio stored admin account from FSLogix: Select this option to prevent local admin's profile creation in the FSLogix storage location.

     Note: The Nerdio stored admin account can be found at the Account level, Settings > Portal > Portal Environment tile.

     

   • Exclude the domain admin account from FSLogix: Select this option to prevent domain admin's profile creation in the FSLogix storage location.

     Note: When FSLogix is having issues on a session host, you can still sign in with the excluded local admin or domain admin account for troubleshooting purposes.

   • Domain admin username: Provide the domain admin username.

     Note: When specifying the domain admin username, you can use either the user principal name format (username@domain.tld) or the down-level logon name format (DOMAIN\UserName).

   • FSLogix version: From the drop-down list, select the FSLogix version you want to install across the session hosts within that single account.

     Note: By default, the most recent FSLogix version is predefined and marked as "Latest". You can select the latest version or any older version, as per your requirements.

     Warning: The version you select can only be installed if your session hosts are created from the desktop image with no FSLogix app pre-installed. Otherwise, the version you define in this field will be ignored.

   • FSLogix Profiles path (VHDLocation): Enter a UNC path for the file share: \\[[STORAGEACCOUNTFQDN]\[FILESHARE].

     Note:

     • Example UNC path: \\aadjazfileswinhart.file.core.windows.net\profiles

       To copy the UNC path:

       1. At the Account level, go to Azure Files.

       2. From the action menu next to the file share, select Copy UNC path.

     • You can specify up to four paths. In addition, use the arrows to change the paths order. The profiles are created in all of the locations you specify.

     • When using Azure Page Blobs, from the drop-down list, select an Azure Files share for the FSLogix storage location.

   • FSLogix Registry Options: From the drop-down list, select whether you want to work with Common settings or All settings of the FSLogix install.

     • For Common settings:

       

       • In the Value column, enter the setting's value.

       • Select Reset to reset the setting.

     • For All settings:

       

       • In the Configuration column, enter the setting's value.

       • Select Clear to set a specific setting to Not configured.

       • Select Clear all to set all the settings to Not configured.

       • Select Reset to Nerdio defaults to set all the settings to Nerdio defaults.

   • Configure Office Container to redirect Microsoft Office user data: Enable this option to redirect only those areas of the profile that are specific to Microsoft Office.

     Note: Office Containers separate Microsoft Office data (for example, OST files) from the overall user profile for easier troubleshooting. Office Containers and Profile Containers are stored in separate VHDX files, and can be stored on different file shares. See this Microsoft article for details.

     • FSLogix ODFC container path ($VHDLocation): Enter a UNC path for the file share.

       • When using Azure Page Blobs, select an Azure Files share from the drop-down list.

     • FSLogix ODFC container Registry Options: From the drop-down list, select whether you want to work with Common settings or All settings of the FSLogix configuration that will be applied when a session host VM is provisioned, and FSLogix is installed. Modify the configurations as needed.

   • Redirections: Enable this option to enter the redirections that you want to include in the profile for reuse across customer accounts.

   Notes:

   • See this Microsoft article for more information about redirections.

   • When customizing the FSLogix settings per host pool, additionally select Apply to existing hosts. For details, see Deploy FSLogix Profile per Host Pool (step 6).

4. Once you have entered all the desired information, select Ok.

The first profile you configure at the Account level is automatically set as default, and is applied once you enable the use of FSLogix profiles for individual host pools. You can change the default profile on the Settings > Integrations page, in the FSLogix Profiles storage section.

Deploy FSLogix Profile per Host Pool

For individual host pools, you need to enable the use of FSLogix profiles. Once enabled, the default profile is applied automatically. You can select any other available FSLogix profile, or customize FSLogix profile configurations, for that individual host pool.

To customize FSLogix settings for a host pool:

1. At the Account level, navigate to AVD > Host Pools.

2. Locate the host pool you wish to work with.

3. From the action menu next to that host pool, select Properties > FSLogix, and then enable the Use FSLogix profiles option.

   Note: If this option is not enabled, Nerdio Manager does not install the FSLogix profile container application on newly created VMs when they are deployed in this host pool. Existing VMs are not affected.

   

4. From the drop-down list, select the FSLogix profile to use.

   Note: To customize the FSLogix settings, you must select Custom. Otherwise, you cannot change the settings for this individual host pool.

5. Define other options as described in Deploy FSLogix Profile per Account (step 3).
6. Apply to existing hosts: Select this option to apply your customizations to existing hosts. Otherwise, the changes only apply to new or re-imaged hosts.

   • Process hosts in groups of: Enter the number of concurrent actions to execute during this bulk operation.

   • Number of failures before aborting: Enter the number of failures that should cause the process to stop.

   • Messaging: Enable the Messaging option to send messages to active users.

     • Delay: From the drop-down list, select the number of minutes to wait after sending the message before starting the process.

     • Message: Enter the message you want to send to the users.

7. Once you have entered all the desired information, select Save or Save & close.

View FSLogix Profile Version for Host Pools and Session Hosts

Once you have configured the FSLogix version for your customer account, by default the same FSLogix version is applied on newly created host pools or session host VMs, or re-imaged hosts on existing host pools.

To view the FSLogix version number for your host pool and session hosts:

1. At the Account level, locate the host pool you wish to work with.

2. From the action menu, select Properties > FSLogix.

   

3. To view the FSLogix version number for a session host in your host pool, select Manage Hosts.

   

Deploy Global FSLogix Profiles

Nerdio Manager allows you to create a global FSLogix Profile at the MSP level, and then assign it to your customer accounts. This allows you to centrally manage the FSLogix profile across multiple accounts.

To deploy a global FSLogix profile configuration:

1. At the MSP level, navigate to Settings > Integrations.

2. In the Global FSLogix Profiles storage tile, select Add.

3. Enter the following information:

   

   • Name: Enter the FSLogix global profile's name.

   • Manage Profile path: Select this option if you want to include the profile's path in the global profile for reuse across accounts.

     

     • Cloud Cache:

       • Use Cloud Cache: Select this option to enable FSLogix Cloud Cache in the host pools, and the session hosts within those host pools, that use this FSLogix profile.

       • Use Azure Page Blobs: Select this option to use storage account blob containers to store user profiles. These containers are accessed using storage account access keys.

     • Profiles path:

       • Configure session hosts registry for Microsoft Entra Joined storage: Select this option to enable Entra ID Kerberos functionality and Entra ID account credentials loading.

       • FSLogix Profiles path (VHDLocation): Enter a UNC path for the file share: \\[[STORAGEACCOUNTFQDN]\[FILESHARE].

         Note:

         • Example UNC path: \\aadjazfileswinhart.file.core.windows.net\profiles

           To copy the UNC path:

           1. At the Account level, go to Azure Files.

           2. From the action menu next to the file share, select Copy UNC path.

         • You can specify up to four paths. In addition, use the arrows to change the paths order. The profiles are created in all of the locations you specify.

         • When using Azure Page Blobs, from the drop-down list, select an Azure Files share for the FSLogix storage location.

   • Manage Registry Options: Select this option to include the FSLogix Registry settings in the global profile for reuse across customer accounts.

     • Registry Options > FSLogix Registry Options: From the drop-down list, select whether you want to work with Common settings or All settings. Modify the configurations as needed.

       

   • Manage Redirections: Select this option.

     • Redirections: Enable Redirections, and then enter the redirections that you want to include in the global profile for reuse across customer accounts.

       

   • Manage FSLogix version: Select this option to define the FSLogix version for your global profile.

     • Version > FSLogix version: From the drop-down list, select the FSLogix version.

       

   • Manage ODFC path:

     • Use Cloud Cache: Select this option to enable FSLogix Cloud Cache in the host pools, and the session hosts within those host pools, that use this FSLogix profile.

     • Use Azure Page Blobs: When using Cloud Cache, select this option to use storage account blob containers to store user profiles. These containers are accessed using storage account access keys.

     • FSLogix ODFC Container path (VHDLocation): Enter a UNC path for the file share.

       • When using Azure Page Blobs, from the drop-down list, select an Azure Files share for the FSLogix storage location.

       

   • Manage ODFC Registry Options:

     • ODFC Registry Options > FSLogix ODFC Container Registry Options: Modify as needed.

     

   • Manage exclusions:

     • Exclude the Nerdio stored admin account from FSLogix: Select this option to prevent local admin's profile creation in FSLogix storage location.

     • Exclude the domain admin account from FSLogix: Select this option to prevent domain admin's profile creation in FSLogix storage location.

       

       Note: When FSLogix is having issues on a session host, you can still sign in with the excluded local admin or domain admin account for troubleshooting purposes.

4. Once you have entered the desired information, select OK.

You can now Assign Existing Global FSLogix Profiles to Accounts.

Assign Existing Global FSLogix Profiles to Accounts

Once you have configured a global FSLogix profile, you can now assign that profile to individual customer accounts.

To assign a global FSLogix profile to accounts:

1. At the MSP level, navigate to Settings > Integrations.

2. In the Global FSLogix Profiles storage tile, locate the FSLogix profile you wish to work with, and select assign.

   

3. When prompted, select the customer account(s) from the drop-down list.

   

4. Once you have assigned the global FSLogix profile to one or more accounts, log into your customer account(s).

5. Repeat the following steps for each customer account:

   • At the account level, navigate to Settings > Integrations.

   • In the FSLogix Profiles storage tile, select Add.

     

   • Global profile: From the drop-down list, select the global FSLogix profile.

     Note: When a global profile is selected, all the fields are populated with the global profile's information. You may use the global settings or update them as per your customer's requirements.

   • Sync managed settings with Global configuration: Select this option to automatically sync any changes made to global profile to this profile.

   • See Deploy Global FSLogix Profiles for detailed information about the other settings.

6. Once you have entered the desired information, select OK.

Edit an Existing FSLogix Profile

Nerdio Manager allows you to edit existing FSLogix profiles.

To edit an existing FSLogix profile:

1. At the MSP or Account level, navigate to Settings > Integrations.

2. In the Global FSLogix Profiles storage / FSLogix Profiles storage tile, locate the FSLogix profile you wish to work with.

   

3. Select the profile name to display the edit window.

4. Make all your desired changes and select OK to save the changes.

Remove an Existing FSLogix Profile

Nerdio Manager allows you to remove existing FSLogix profiles.

To remove an existing FSLogix profile:

1. At the MSP or Account level, navigate to Settings > Integrations.

2. In the Global FSLogix Profiles storage / FSLogix Profiles storage tile, locate the FSLogix you wish to work with, and select Remove.

   

3. In the confirmation dialog box, select Confirm.