Instructions for connecting to the Weston Schools Virtual Desktop Environment Notes: You will have to have administrator permission on your computer in order to install a VMWare Client application which enables your computer to communicate securely with the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment. You will have to be authorized to use the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment. To access the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment, please follow these detailed instructions: 1. Prior to accessing the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment, make sure you have access to the Internet on your computer. One way to do this is to navigate to the Weston Schools home page at URL: http://www.westonps.org NOTE: You will not be able to access the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment unless you have access to the Internet from your computer. Do not continue with these instructions if you cannot access the Internet. Please contact your computer support person or Internet provider if you need assistance. 2. Once you have access to the Internet, navigate to the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment login page at URL: https://desktop.westonps.org. PLEASE NOTE that the URL uses the HTTPS prefix and not the usual HTTP. 3. The very first time you access the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment on a particular computer; the following page will be displayed indicating that the View Client application, which allows secure communications with the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment, has not been installed. On subsequent visits to the virtual desktop environment on the particular 1 P a g e
computer, this page will be skipped and you may continue in these instructions at step 24 elsewhere in this document. 4. Accept the default for installing the client only, and click on the Download button: 5. A page will be displayed with instructions for installing this secure client. Notice that you may get an information bar requesting permission to download the application as is shown here: 2 P a g e
6. When the following pop-up appears at the bottom of your screen, click on the Run button to download the secure client application to your computer: 7. You will be prompted to accept whether or not the program may make changes to your computer. Click yes. NOTE: If the following message is displayed, you will not be able to continue and must have someone who is an administrator of the computer you are working on install the software first. Please contact your computer support person for assistance and perform this procedure again at that time. 3 P a g e
8. Click on the Next button to continue the installation 9. If the End User Patent Agreement screen is displayed, click the Next button to continue 4 P a g e
10. In the License Agreement window, FIRST click on the radio button to indicate that you accept the license agreement, and SECOND, click on the Next button to continue 11. On the Custom Setup page, you may accept the defaults, so simply click on the Next button to continue 5 P a g e
12. On the default server page, FIRST enter the name of the server for the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment, and SECOND click on the Next button to continue 13. On the Enhanced Single Sign On page, you may accept the defaults so simply click the Next button to continue. 6 P a g e
14. On the Configure Shortcuts page, you may accept the defaults so simply click the Next button to continue 15. You are now ready to install the View Client for secure communications with the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment, so click on the Install button to continue. 7 P a g e
16. The application will install, so please be patient 17. When the application has been installed, the following screen will be displayed. Click on the Finish button to continue. 8 P a g e
18. You must restart the computer for the installation to complete. Please click on the Yes button. 19. After the computer reboots, log in and start your Internet Browser 20. Make sure you have access to the Internet on your computer. One way to do this is to navigate to the Weston Schools home page at URL: http://www.westonps.org NOTE: You will not be able to access the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment unless you have access to the Internet from your computer. Do not continue with these instructions if you cannot access the Internet. Please contact your computer support person or Internet provider if you need assistance. 21. Once you have access to the Internet, navigate to the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment login page at URL: https://desktop.westonps.org. PLEASE NOTE that the URL uses the HTTPS prefix and not the usual HTTP. 9 P a g e
22. If the VMWare View Client application has installed properly, it will be started and the virtual desktop login screen will be displayed. FIRST, enter your Weston username and password in the appropriate text boxes and make sure the domain is westonps THEN click on the Login button to continue. NOTE: if the following screen appears you have not been authorized to use the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment. Please check that you have entered your Weston Schools Windows username and password correctly and try again. If you still receive this message, please contact your school librarian during normal school hours so they can verify your access level. 23. Once you are authenticated and the client has established a connection to the Weston Schools virtual desktop environment, a list of available virtual desktops will be displayed. Scroll down if necessary and click on the Standard virtual desktop. You should then click on the Connect button to be connected to the Standard virtual desktop. NOTE: In this example for a high school student, there are four virtual desktops available: Standard is the usual desktop most students will access. It has the Microsoft Office 2010 Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) as found on the school physical computers along with other applications useful to all students. CAD Technology is similar to the computers in the G4 Technology classroom and should only be accessed by students in the Technology classes. Graphics Technology should only be accessed by students in the Graphic classes as it contains applications needed by them. Enhanced HS contains the Microsoft 2010 Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and other applications useful to students in special programs within the High School. Only students enrolled in these special programs should access this virtual desktop. 10 P a g e
24. The VMWare client will connect your computer to the selected virtual desktop. This may take a minute so please be patient 25. Once connected to the desired virtual desktop, a new window will open and you will be connected to the virtual desktop. Note the bar at the top of the page reminds you that you are no longer working on your physical computer, but are now connected to a virtual desktop! 11 P a g e
26. You may minimize or restore down the virtual desktop so that you may access you physical computer when needed. NOTE: Please DO NOT simply close the virtual desktop using the X button at the upper right corner of the screen, but rather click on the Start button of the virtual desktop to Log Off. Logging off will insure that the virtual desktop resource is available for others to use. For TEACHERS using virtual desktops, YOU MUST LOG OFF so that your files will synchronize with the file server failure to do this may result in loss of your work. 27. The options on the bar at the top of the VMWare Client virtual desktop screen include Options and Connect USB Device Clicking on the Options button will display a menu. There are three options you should be aware of: i. Send Ctrl-Alt-Delete will send that key-combination to your virtual desktop. Pressing those three keys on your physical computer, even if your virtual desktop is in full screen mode, will only send that key combination to your local computer. ii. Reset Desktop can be used to refresh your desktop connection in the very rare situation when the virtual desktop is no longer responsive iii. Disconnect and Log Off may be used as a one-click shortcut to logging off the virtual desktop. 12 P a g e
Clicking on the Connect USB Device link will display a menu. Currently, access to USB devices is disabled, so you will have to upload and download files to flash drives, memory sticks, etc. only while you are at school connected to a physical computer. 13 P a g e