vSpace Pro Installation - Tips, References and Process Detail

vSpace Pro Installation - Tips, References and Process Detail

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The following article is a detailed process and tips for installing our vSpace Pro platform (vSpace Pro LTS, vSpace Pro Enterprise Edition).   
As an additional supplement,  this article will deal with all other aspects of Pre-Deployment and vSpace Host deployment.

 1. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE STARTING

• Use the right Operating System.  Use our   Compatibility Matrix as reference to find if your Windows or Linux OS is compatible with our platform.  Also, if you will use Microsoft Windows to share multiuser sessions, check the reference page for   Microsoft Windows Multiuser Licensing.  This article will focus on the Windows installation. 
• Use a clean, fresh, formatted server.  If the purpose of this server is to share sessions, (multiuser) then, a recent install of a fresh compatible Server OS is best. After, motherboard drivers install should follow. These should be fully installed and updated directly from the manufacturer's website, eliminating the need for OS generic drivers.  On the OS, install Windows Updates as well.   
• Delay antivirus installation.  You can include the antivirus program after our platform has anchored fully in the host computer and registration has taken place.  
When you contact support for any installation issues or troubleshooting purposes, the host should also be antivirus free.   
• Open up your firewall.  It is recommended to turn off your firewall during installation.  After opening the firewall and for all security software and hardware we provide a comprehensive list of ports and executables you will need to keep open for the correct operation of vSpace in your network and also for the vSpace Manager to communicate with our cloud services. These are mentioned  here. 
• Online connection 24/7 is needed. It is assumed that if you are using vSpace Pro, you were always have an uninterrupted internet connection. This is important for the proper synchronization of your local environment with our cloud services. If this is not in place, your environment may not work as intended or may eventually stop working. If you are in an environment where there is no Internet connection, and never will be, there is an option for vSpace to work, under certain conditions. This is mentioned at the end of this article.   

WARNING About Aged Devices:  (manufactured prior to January 1, 2015) 
Your account will need to be properly licensed with vSpace AMP in order to connect to vSpace Pro according to our  compliance policy. 

Also, an environment that includes aged devices, will  require a permanent online connection. (Aged devices will not work in an off-line setting, even if vSpace AMP  has been associated to the account.)


2. KNOW HOW VSPACE PRO WORKS

Our platform consists of 4 main parts interacting together: 

vSpace Pro Basic Scheme
1.  Clients.  vSpace Pro delivers sessions to a wide array of hardware and software products.   
2.  vSpace Server.  Our platform installs on the PC, deploys our UXP 2.0 connection protocol to the clients for session access and provides at the server a modern admin console with an intuitive user interface and user experience.  
3.   vSpace Manager.  Think of it as a broker.  Through it, you can centrally manage your local software licenses and premium features allocation to connected vSpace Servers.  For more info, check out  this article.  vSpace manager can be installed on the same vSpace host or can reside in a separate computer, depending on your needs, we'll discuss this below and different scenarios are discussed  here.  
4.   Management Portal.  This is your cloud based dashboard and services, all accessible through   www.ncomputing.com.  It provides remote access to your NComputing software licensing, premium features and more, via any web browser.
Please note: The vSpace Manager and the Manager Portal synchronize daily.  A fluent internet connection is needed.

3. PLATFORM PREP

Download vSpace Pro.
You will need to download the vSpace software from our ncomputing.com website.
 

You will notice that there are two versions available to you. Here are the differences between them: 
 
vSpace Pro 11.x LTS Edition is the basic version of our platform and is free to use if your NComputing thin clients were manufactured after January 1, 2015. 
If you have older devices, you cannot use vSpace Pro 11x LTS Edition. Rather, you will need to subscribe to vSpace AMP to use vSpace Pro Enterprise Edition and receive the benefit of Amp licensing to allow your aged devices. Please refer to our AMP compliance section for details.

vSpace Pro Enterprise (Version 12.x) is the fully featured version of our platform and requires an AMP for vSpace Pro subscription.  Here is a comprehensive list of its superior features: 
  1. LATEST WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT
  2. CENTRALIZED MANAGEMENT & EXPRESS DEPLOYMENT
  3. SUPPORT WIDE RANGE OF THIN CLIENTS AND SOFTWARE CLIENTS 
  4. ENHANCED VCAST STREAMING TECHNOLOGY
  5. MULTIVIEW, BROADCASTING AND BLOCK ALL
  6. UXP TURBO PROTOCOL SUPPORT (enhanced multimedia playback) 
  7. DUAL MONITOR SUPPORT (for select devices). 
  8. ENHANCED SMART CARD SUPPORT
  9. GO BIG - LARGE DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT
  10. SMART BOARD AND MULTI-TOUCH
  11. ENHANCED AUDIO QUALITY
  12. HEALTH MONITORING
If you install vSpace Pro Enterprise Edition, will be set on trial mode, which allows for only 5 users to connect. To lift the 5 user limit, a subscription to AMP for vSpace Pro is required for every thin client in your deployment.

Enable the Management Portal.  While you are visiting our website, or downloading the software, access the Management Portal tab.  You may get to a welcome screen where it invites you to create user profiles for your Management Portal account.  This can be done later using this article.  
Once you arrive to your dashboard for the first time, your account will be enabled and the management portal will display access icons which will give access to our store and your dashboard.  Also, your Management Portal account will now be expecting registration from your new vSpace server(s) when you use under your account's log in credentials.  



it is important not to skip this step as if your Management Portal account has not been accessed ever online, it may not allow the registration of your server under your credentials. 




4. PLATFORM INSTALLATION

What's inside the downloaded compressed folder.  
1. You have the MSI installer package. (This is the software installer)  
2. Release Notes.
3. index2.txt and L300 firmware file (usually named: "L300_FW_ver...").  These two are needed for firmware update for L Series devices.
4. catalog.txt and M300 firmware file (usually named: "M300_FW_ver...").  These two are needed for firmware update for M Series devices.
5. rx-update.txt and rx300 firmware file (usually named: "rx300-...").  These two are needed for firmware update for RX300 devices
About the firmware files.  At some point, you will need to update the firmware of your access devices. This topic will be discussed later.  However, the firmware files are clearly provided in the download for certain special migration cases. 
For example, if you are coming from vSpace 7, you will need the firmware files ahead of time to migrate the terminals to the new firmware version before any installation of vSpace Pro can occur.  Another example would be if your devices are needing a direct FTP update.

Make sure to read the Release Notes before installing.  These contain very important information regarding the installation specific to the version vSpace. Please take the time to check this documentation before installing the software.

For First time install.  If you are installing vSpace for the first time on this host you can begin the process of installation. 
If you are u pgrading from older version of vSpace.  Open vSpace Manager, click your username in the top right and select the UNREGISTER option. Failure to do so will prevent you from registering the new installation. Then, r emove the previous installation of vSpace from the host computer completely and reboot. then you can install the new version. 

SOFTWARE INSTALL PROCESS
1. Unzip the folder (Right click > Extract or use your favorite unzipping utility)  


2. Double click the MSI installer.  Make sure that you have the highest privileges on installation. You will need to use the main Admin account on your computer. 
If you run into local privileges issues or you prefer to install the MSI package, via command line with Admin Privileges, please see this article.








3. The vSpace Manager Installation wizard will display.  

During the install, "Express Installation" is the default. This implies that both the vSpace Server Software and the vSpace manager will be installed on this computer.  This is good in standalone or single server environments. If you choose this default option, jump to the next section.  

The alternative option is "Custom Installation" in which you will be presented with an explanation of the different scenarios and configuration for installation as you click through the installer.  The use of this would be in a multiple server scenarios.  We will visit this these options next.  

Under the custom option, in the next screen, the installer will show you different schemes that you can choose for the install of the software over a single or multiple servers. In the first graphic shown below, you have the  "stand alone" server, that will have both the vSpace Software and vSpace Manager installed. We mentioned this on the "Express Installation" default option. 

Beginning the multiple server scenario, you can still have the single server setup with both vSpace (so, it can also provide sessions) and the vSpace Manager. (acting as the master or broker of information, services and licenses for other vSpace Servers).  However, all other adjacent vSpace Servers, will only have installed the vSpace Server software, omitting the vSpace Manager portion.









During the Custom Installation, the wizard will offer you both vSpace Server software and the vSpace Manager software with checkboxes, as shown below, so you can decide which ones to install on each server.  


It is not supported nor encouraged to install the vSpace Manager in multiple servers under the same LAN. This can lead to unpredictable issues as there will be many brokers trying to manage your environment.   Make sure that you only have one broker per local conglomerate of vSpace Servers.

Moving to the next example, when you have much more vSpace Servers to set up, you can dedicate a PC to carry only the vSpace Manager softwar, this way, the resources will only be limited to the brokering of the information and they will be no duality on this PC rendering sessions as well. Dedicating a PC as a vSpace Manager is a good option for local, dense environments with multiple servers.  


On very large deployments, like a multi branch business or school district, you can have many clusters of servers with a vSpace Manager brokering each conglomerate LAN sector.        

Returning to the installation process, we will base this article on the basic installation, which is the default if you have a single server basic setup.

FINISHING THE INSTALLATION
You may see a few "Windows Security" screens confirming the installation of our drivers. 


The system will also warn you of the need to reboot at the end of the process. 

Reboot when the installer is done. 


LINKING EVERYTHING TOGETHER

Once you reboot the computer, you will need to start piecing everything together. vSpace will do the heavy lifting, but, you will need to make sure that everything is lined up.  

First, we need to register. open the vSpace Manager application. Please be sure to register, as it is a required process . 
Launch the vSpace Manager (You can launch the vSpace Manager from the Start Menu Search Bar or Programs list)  and you will see the Registration Wizard.  

Follow the prompts and register with your already created account used to login to the ncomputing.com website. Your server will immediately be associated with your account. 

NComputing.com / Management Portal Accounts are unique and when you register a server to a particular account, it becomes permanently associated to it, unless you format your server or ask technical support to help you, your vSpace Server cannot be linked or migrate to another account.  

Once you have registered, then, open the vSpace Console. Select Manage Servers and make sure that your server is there and is green-lit.

The last step will be to connect the terminals. For as long as these are in the local LAN and under the same subnet, (the first three octets of their IP address match the devices will find their vSpace server in your network.

For multiple servers deployment, if you only installed the vSpace Manager, make sure you register it so it can be linked to your account and be ready to receive connections of the other vSpace Servers. If you only installed the vSpace Software, when you launch it for the first time, (after the installation and reboot) it will display a connection window. You will be able to enter the IP address of your vSpace Manager. Once you do, your vSpace Server will connect to the vSpace Manager and will be ready for devices to connect. 

Next, let's connect your NComputing devices. 

If you are using a hardware device, it should discover your vSpace Server, nevertheless, every time you install a new version, or update your software, you need to always update the firmware of your devices. 

Generally, as soon as the vSpace Console discovers the devices, you will be able to push the firmware to them. Try to do that with one of the terminals, upon success, then you can start working on the rest.  

The process for the L Series devices is described here.  
For RX Family of devices, use these instructions to update. 

It is essential to have the exact matching firmware build with every version of vSpace.  When the firmware is mismatched, certain functions may not work or the access devices may refuse to connect.

If you have a device with an NComputing Client software like vSpace Pro Client or LEAFOS, be sure that you have the latest version of your client software installed.

Feel free to search our knowledgebase or contact support for more information on these topics.  

ADDITIONAL NOTES ABOUT REGISTRATION 

• Remember that "a lways on", internet connection is assumed. As mentioned before,  vSpace Pro is a platform that requires online connection.  Therefore the registration should be done online, always. 
• If you have no online connection at the site of deployment.
In rare cases where there is no online connection, like a secure facility or in a remote village, "Off-line Registration" is available in vSpace 11.x LTS.  
Off-line registration is only offered on vSpace Pro 11.x LTS Edition.
This will freeze the platform to a current state when the registration took place.  Any changes done in the platform will require another Off-line Registration.  This choice needs to be carefully calculated. If later on, an internet connection is detected in the server, it will detect a discrepancy as Internet is not supposed to be allowed in your server. Your environment will be locked up until you contact tech-support for assistance.    
Remember the warning About Aged Devices: (manufactured prior to January 1, 2015)

Even properly licensed with  vSpace AMP for vSpace Pro according to our compliance policy, an online connection is required.  These devices cannot be used in a server with no internet connection and they will not benefit from an off-line registration setting.   

5. OPERATING SYSTEM CHORES


AFTER INSTALLING

1. Create users like you would on any regular computer. For Server OS, here is a quick tutorial:
Note: Make sure you got unique credentials and passwords for all your Windows Users. Your users will not be able to login if they don't have a password in their sessions.).
Also, using the same user credentials for multiple terminals is not supported and not encouraged). 
2. Add permissions for interactive access. In your OS Group Policy, You will need to add your users to the Remote Desktop Users Group. Here is how: https://support.ncomputing.com/portal/en/kb/articles/windows-error-message-requested-session-access-is-denied 

MICROSOFT LICENSING

If you are using a Microsoft Windows operating system, you will need to be aware of Licensing requirements.  
• About Microsoft Licensing and NComputing products:

In short:  Desktop type operating system (Windows 7, 8.1, 10, 11) is best suited for  VDI 1:1 deployments, meaning, one thin client accessing one operating system.  Server type (2008 R2, 2012, 2016, 2019, 2022 and Multipoint Server) will be prefect for  MultiUser deployments, which is, sharing one operating system and delivering sessions to multiple thin clients. Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022 and Windows 11 are supported only on vSpace Pro Enterprise Edition
  
A   MultiUser  scenario, will require CAL licenses and the proper familiarity to setup a   Licensing Server.  Our documentation here will help you:   
• For Server 2008 R2
• For Server 2012
• For Server 2016
If you have any questions regarding this document or any of its topics, feel free to  contact tech-support . We'll be glad to help.    



REV 05/2023


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