Horizon Composer-linked clone desktops are created from a virtual desktop master image. While a full clone is created from a vSphere template, creating linked clones requires a virtual desktop master image that is in the standard virtual machine format. Once the image is ready for deployment, the only requirement is that it is powered down and a snapshot of the image is created. A snapshot is required so that Horizon Composer can create the replica of the virtual desktop master image. This replica will be used as the base image for all of the linked clone desktops in the pool.

In addition, as the virtual desktop master image has a snapshot, the Horizon administrator will be able to power it on and make changes to it, while still retaining the ability to deploy additional desktops based on the condition of the desktop when the snapshot was taken. When it is time to deploy the updated image, you would simply take a second snapshot and recompose the desktops using the techniques described in Chapter 9, Performing Horizon Pool Maintenance. Assuming you left the initial snapshot in place, you could even recompose the desktops to that snapshot as well as the second one that you created.