Configurations for GPU-Enabled Desktop Templates

Overview

This document outlines the required configurations necessary to properly configure desktop images for GPU-enabled desktop templates. Some of these steps must be performed by Expedient.

GPU Desktop Image Configuration

Base images

All desktop images that are to be used for GPU-enabled desktops must have a GPU device added to the VM. This functionality is not exposed in the Horizon admin portal. If you are using an Expedient-provided image for your GPU desktops, the image will include a GPU device. An Expedient team member can confirm this for you if you are unsure. If you wish to build your own base image, you must contact Expedient to have a GPU device added to the VM. Contact the Expedient Operations Support center by opening a ticket to indicate that you have created a new GPU desktop image within Enterprise Workspace and you wish to have us add the GPU device. Please provide the name of the VM as well as the desktop sizing information for the GPU size you have purchased and wish to have attached to the image.

When a GPU device is added to the VM for a desktop image, the GPU device has an associated GPU size profile. If you have purchased multiple GPU desktop sizes you will need one desktop template for each GPU size profile.

NVIDIA GPU driver

All desktop images that are to be used for GPU-enabled desktops must have the NVIDIA grid driver installed. The driver can be downloaded from the Expedient download site.

https://download.expedient.com/eew

username: expedient

password: publ1c

Once you have downloaded the driver installer, start the installation wizard on the image you will be using for GPU-enabled desktop templates. Use the wizard option to perform a clean installation and restart the VM after the driver install wizard completes. After the VM is online again you can confirm from the NVIDIA control panel applet that the vGPU is detected and the driver is loaded.

NVIDIA license token

Once you have installed the NVIDIA grid driver on your desktop image, you must install an NVIDIA license token. Expedient should provide you with this token file during the initial delivery of your GPU desktop environment but if you need the token file the Expedient Operations Support Center can provide it for you.

Once you have the license token file, copy it to the following directory on your desktop image.

C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\vGPU Licensing\ClientConfigToken

Once the token file is copied to that location, restart the NvDisplayContainer service

Validate NVIDIA license

You can validate the NVIDIA license is installed correctly by running the following from a command line. The command should return the installed license.

C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nvidia-smi.exe

Next steps

Once you have the GPU device attached to the VM, the NVIDIA grid driver installed, and the NVIDIA license file installed, you can then proceed to convert your desktop image to a template to be used for provisioning GPU-enabled desktops.