Amazon WorkSpaces Primer

This curriculum provides an overview of the features and functions of Amazon WorkSpaces, focusing on key fundamental concepts and settings to accelerate in deploying Amazon WorkSpaces. It includes a tour of the main user interface and a review of the essentials steps to deploy cloud desktops using Amazon WorkSpaces.

• Course level: Intermediate
• Duration: 80 minutes

Activities

This curriculum includes presentations, e-learning interactions, demonstrations, videos, and knowledge checks.

Curriculum objectives

In this course, you will learn to:

• Review the aspects in preparing for an Amazon WorkSpaces deployment.
• Configure network and access settings for Amazon WorkSpaces.
• Apply Active Directory design considerations to effectively manage Amazon WorkSpaces for users.
• Launch an Amazon WorkSpace by using a supported directory service options.
• Determine how to effectively use a bundle and image to deploy Amazon WorkSpaces.
• Manage an Amazon WorkSpaces deployment to effectively integrate with your IT environment.
• Monitor the health of an Amazon WorkSpaces implementation using CloudWatch metrics.

Intended audience

This curriculum is intended for:

• Desktop/VDI managers and administrators responsible for developing and maintaining remote desktop environments.
• Technical professionals who work with, or would like to work with, cloud-based virtualization.

Prerequisites

We recommend that attendees of this curriculum have:

• Completed Introduction to End User Computing course
• Familiarity with virtualization and virtual operating systems.
• Familiarity with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) or Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)
• Familiarity with Directory Services
• Conceptual knowledge of cloud computing

Curriculum outline

The curriculum contains seven self-contained modules that can be completed in any order and used as a reference as needed.

Module 01: Preparing to Deploy Amazon WorkSpaces

• Amazon WorkSpaces deployment workflow
• Amazon WorkSpaces deployment best practices
• Prepare an AWS Account(s)/AWS Organizations
• Service level limits
• Identity and Access Management (IAM) Policies for Amazon WorkSpaces

Module 02: Networking and Access to Deploy Amazon WorkSpaces

• Overview of WorkSpaces networking
• Management interface control
• Primary interface networking
• Selecting regions
• Internal networking
• External networking
• Monitoring

Module 03: AWS Directory Services

• AWS Directory Services connection options
• Active Directory design considerations
• Registering a directory with Amazon WorkSpaces
• Active Directory domain service deployment scenarios
• Setting up Active Directory administration tools
• Enabling Self-Service WorkSpace management capabilities for users

Module 04: Launching a WorkSpace

• Launching considerations and options
• Launching an Amazon WorkSpace using AWS Managed Microsoft AD
• Launching an Amazon WorkSpace using Simple AD
• Launching an Amazon WorkSpace using AD Connector
• Launching an Amazon WorkSpace using a Trusted Domain
• Identifying the user experience

Module 05: Amazon WorkSpaces Bundles and Images

• Elements of an image
• WorkSpaces Storage
• Create a Custom WorkSpaces Image and Bundle
• Update a Custom WorkSpaces Bundle
• Copy a Custom WorkSpaces Image
• Delete a Custom WorkSpaces Bundle or Image
• Bundle Management

Module 06: Managing Your WorkSpaces

• Adding or removing users to a WorkSpace
• Modifying the running mode of a WorkSpace
• Rebooting a WorkSpace
• Restoring and rebuilding a WorkSpace
• Deleting a WorkSpace

Module 07: Monitoring Your WorkSpaces with Amazon CloudWatch

• Monitoring Using CloudWatch Metrics
• Amazon WorkSpaces Metrics
• Dimensions for Amazon WorkSpaces Metrics
• Viewing WorkSpaces Metrics
• Monitoring with CloudWatch Events