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Launch and Connect to Your Windows VM

With you VM template now created, and assigned to a project. You now can connect to your project, and launch the Windows VM workload. From there we can begin installing windows, and setting up our golden image.

Step 1: Launch Your Workload

1. Launch Workload
  1. Navigate to the project you have assigned your new Windows VM Workload.
  2. Navigate to the Workloads table in Hubble
  3. Click Request to open the catalog
  4. Find your Windows VM workload and click Create

vm workload hubble

Step 2: Monitor the launch

Your VM will begin launching. The status shows a progress bar with resource counting (e.g., "⅗ ready"). You will also see progress wheels for some of our resource actions. Giving you insight into how much longer until the VM is ready. Hovering over the progress wheels will show the percentage complete.

vm-status

Whats Happening
  1. Orion imports your ISO via HTTP (this can take several minutes depending on your connection)
  2. Once import completes, the VM boots
  3. All associated resources provision and initialize
Details Panel

Click the dropdown arrow on your workload to see the expanded details panel.

This includes:
- Resources table showing all components (ConfigMaps, DataVolumes, PVCs, Ingress, VirtualMachine, etc.)
- Current state of each resource
- Node assignment for each resource
- Last event for troubleshooting
- Actions available for each resource type

Tip

To learn more about our available actions, see our resource actions documentation

Note

ISO import time depends on your internet connection and the ISO size. For a 5.7 GB Windows ISO, expect 5-15 minutes. You only have to do this once per Windows ISO version.

Step 3: Connect to the VM

Once the VM shows as ready, click the Connect button. For this particular workload you will be presented with a couple of different connection options.

Connection Options

Connection options can very between workloads and is dependent on how the author of the workload configured the chart. For this Windows VM example, you will see the ability to connect directly to an HTTP endpoint, as well as a port option. Once connected we will walk through the windows installation process.

For this initial Windows installation, select the VNC option.

Option Use Case
URL/Name (VNC) Initial setup and maintenance only
Port For RustDesk and other VDI connections (primary use)

Warning

VNC is for installation and maintenance only. Performance is poor and not suitable for regular work. Once Windows is installed and RustDesk is configured, use the Port connection for actual VDI work.