--- myst: html_meta: "description lang=en": "Pooling together a group of fixed infrastructure that can be launched as a single endpoint as presented on the user dashboard in Kasm Workspaces." "keywords": "Kasm, Pooling, Server, RDP, Fixed, Static, KasmVNC" "property=og:locale": "en_US" --- ```{title} Pools ``` # Pools Pools can be used to group a set of similar fixed systems together, so they can be treated as a single Workspace for user access. Users will see a single Workspace icon on their dashboard, but their session will get distributed to an available server in the pool. Each server in the pool can be set to support 1 or more concurrent sessions. Kasm automatically distributes the sessions evenly over the servers. Pools can also be used to auto scale servers using a supported [VM provider](./vm_providers.md). Auto scaling can be used to automatically provision [Servers](./servers.md) or [Docker Agents](../agent_settings.md). ```{note} If your license includes auto-scale configs, you will have 3 links underneath the table for **All AutoScale Configs**, **All VM Provider Configs** and **All DNS Provider Configs**. These allow you to see all of the configs available and make changes, but the recommended approach is to use the **Edit** option on a specific pool. ``` ```{image} /images/compute/pools.png ``` ## Create Pool - Click the **Compute** item in the navigation menu. - Select the **Pools** option in the dropdown menu. - Select **Add** from the top right of the **Pools** table. ```{image} /images/compute/create_server_pool.png ``` Provide a name for your server pool. The type can either by [Docker Agent](../agent_settings.md) or [Server](./servers.md). ## Servers List **This list is only shown for Pools of type Server** This list is almost identical to the [Servers](servers.md) list with the exception that only servers that are assigned to this pool are shown. Use the assign button to assign existing servers to this pool. ```{image} /images/compute/server_list.png ``` ## Docker Agents List **This list is only shown for Pools of type Docker Agent** This list is almost identical to the [Agents](../agent_settings.md) list with the exception that only servers that are assigned to this pool. Use the assign button to assign existing agents to this pool. ```{image} /images/compute/agent_list.png ``` (autoscale_configuration)= ## AutoScale Configurations ```{note} This feature requires an Enterprise license. Please contact your Kasm Technologies representative for details. ``` Kasm has the ability to automatically provision and destroy {term}`Servers ` and Docker {term}`Agents ` based on user demand. The auto scale configuration differs slightly between Servers and Agents. ```{image} /images/compute/autoscale_list.png ``` In this section you can **Assign** or **Add** AutoScale configurations, if you add an AutoScale configuration it will automatically be assigned to this pool with the **AutoScale Type** and **Pool** both set and prevented from being changed. Clicking Add button on the Auto Scale Configuration table will walk you through a Wizard. The first step is the auto scale configuration, which is slightly different between a Server pool and a Docker Agent pool. ### AutoScale Config (Server Pool) This section covers the auto scale configuration step of the Wizard for Pools of type Server. ```{image} /images/compute/create_autoscale_server.png ``` ```{eval-rst} .. table:: General Auto Scaling Settings :widths: 200 +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Name | Description | +=============================================+===================================================================================================================================================================+ | **Name** | Name for the AutoScale config . | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **AutoScale Type** | The type of AutoScale confog this is, either a Docker Agent or a Server. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Pool** | Which pool this AutoScale config is attached to. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Enabled** | Whether to enable this config or not. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Deployment Zone** | Which zone this AutoScale config applies to. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Connection Type** | Whether to use KasmVNC or RDP. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Connection Port** | Which port to connect on. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Connection Username** | Which username to connect to the server with. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Connection Password** | Which password to connect to the server with. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Connection Info (JSON)** | Any extra connection info. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Create Active Directory Computer Record** | Whether to create an active directory record or not. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Reusable** | Whether the connection reusable. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Minimum Available Sessions** | The minimum available sessions there are. | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Max Simultaneous Sessions Per Server** | Max sessions per server allowed | +---------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ``` #### Create Active Directory Computer Record As covered in the above table, the Auto Scaling configuration for a Server Pool allows you to automatically join new VMs to an active directory domain. If the checkbox for **Create Active Directory Computer Record** is checked two additional fields will be shown, **LDAP Config** and **Active Directory Computer OU DN**. ```{image} /images/compute/join_to_domain.png ``` Kasm Workspaces creates the AD Computer record, but it **does not join the computer to the domain**, this needs to be done on the system itself. When Kasm creates the AD record, a temporary randomly generated password is created which can be used on the target VM to join it to Active Directory. Kasm can inject this password in a PowerShell script on the VM. That PowerShell script needs to be executed when the VM starts up, in order to complete the process of adding the VM to Active Directory. Below is an example PowerShell script, the special tags `{ad_join_credential}` and `{domain}` will be replaced by Kasm with the randomly generated password and domain name respectively. This script is placed in the [VM Provider](./vm_providers.md) configuration in the Startup Script field. ```powershell $joinCred = New-Object pscredential -ArgumentList ([pscustomobject]@{{ UserName = $null; Password = (ConvertTo-SecureString -String '{ad_join_credential}' -AsPlainText -Force)[0] }}) Add-Computer -Domain "{domain}" -Options UnsecuredJoin,PasswordPass -Credential $joinCred -Force -Restart ``` ```{note} Some cloud providers will automatically execute this startup script when the VM boots, making it easy to get auto AD joining working end-to-end. Other cloud providers, such as Azure, do not automatically execute this script. See the details of each [VM Config Provider](./vm_providers.md). ``` **LDAP Config** The LDAP Config drop down allows you to select which [LDAP configuration](../ldap.md) to use to add the computer record to Active Directory. The LDAP Configuration does not have to be enabled, this allows you to one LDAP configuration for Authentication and another for AD Computer record creation. If using LDAP for end-user authentication to Kasm Workspaces, the administrator can also configure single-sign on to the Windows systems. **Active Directory Computer OU DN** This is the DN of the Active Directory Computer OU that you would like the computer records placed in. #### Single Sign-On to Windows Systems via LDAP When users login to Kasm via [LDAP Authentication](../ldap.md), they are able to create sessions to Windows systems that are joined to the same Active Directory domain and are configured for SSO credential pass-through. In the above table covering the Auto Scale configuration fields for Server Pools are the **Connection Username** and **Connection Password** fields. Place the value `{sso_username}` in the **Connection Username** field and place the value `{sso_cred}` in the field **Connection Password** in the Auto Scale configuration for the Server Pool. This requires that all users accessing servers in this Server Pool are authenticated to Kasm using LDAP authentication. See our Windows Deployment Guide video for a walk through of this topic and more. ### AutoScale Config (Docker Agent Pool) This section covers the auto scale configuration step of the Wizard for Pools of type Docker Agent. ```{image} /images/compute/create_autoscale_agent.png ``` ```{eval-rst} .. table:: General Auto Scaling Settings :widths: 200 +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Name | Description | +=================================+===========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================+ | **Name** | Name for the AutoScale config . | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **AutoScale Type** | The type of AutoScale confog this is, either a Docker Agent or a Server. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Pool** | Which pool this AutoScale config is attached to. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Enabled** | Whether to enable this config or not. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Deployment Zone** | Which zone this AutoScale config applies to. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Standby Cores** | The number of standby cores that the system should try to keep "always available" at any given time in addition to any that is needed to satisfy the Staging Config requirements. If the number of available cores falls below this number, more Agents are created. If the number of available cores rises above this number, Agents are deleted as long as it wont result in the number of available | | | cores falling below this number. A value of 0 indicates no additional standby compute is created. The AutoScaler will only provision enough compute according to the Staging Config requirements. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Standby GPUs** | The number of standby GPUs that the system should try to keep "always available" at any given time in addition to any that is needed to satisfy the Staging Config requirements. If the number of available GPUs falls below this number, more Agents are created. If the number of available GPUs rises above this number, Agents are deleted as long as it wont result in the number of available | | | GPUs falling below this number. A value of 0 indicates no additional standby compute is created. The AutoScaler will only provision enough compute according to the Staging Config requirements. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Standby Memory (MB)** | The amount of memory (in MB) that the system should try to keep "always available" at any given time in addition to any that is needed to satisfy the Staging Config requirements. If the amount of available memory falls below this number, more Agents are created. If the amount of available memory rises above this number, Agents are deleted as long as it wont result in available amount | | | falling below this number. A value of 0 indicates no additional standby compute is created. The AutoScaler will only provision enough compute according to the Staging Config requirements. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Downscale Backoff (Seconds)** | This setting prevents prevents the system from downscaling (deleting Agents) for this amount of time (in seconds) when needed. This is useful for preventing the system from thrashing up and down if the available resource hover around an interval that would typically trigger autoscaling. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Agent Cores Override** | When an Agent is created, the compute resource (e.g AWS EC2 / Digital Ocean Droplet) will have a set amount of CPU and Ram as defined by the cloud provider's instance type. This setting should typically be set to match the instance type but can be set to a preferred value. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Agent GPUs Override** | When an Agent is created, the compute resource (e.g AWS EC2 / Digital Ocean Droplet) will have a set number of GPUs as defined by the cloud provider's instance type. This setting should typically be set to match the instance type but can be set to a higher number to allow oversubscribing. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Agent Memory Override (GB)** | When an Agent is created, the compute resource (e.g AWS EC2 / Digital Ocean Droplet) will have a set amount of CPU and Ram as defined by the cloud provider's instance type. This setting should typically be set to match the instance type but can be set to a preferred value. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **NGINX Cert** | The PEM encoded SSL certificate to use for the kasm_proxy role on the created Agents. This cert should be a wildcard for the Base Domain Name (e.g \*.agents.kasm.example.com) | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **NGINX Key** | The PEM encoded SSL Key to use for the kasm_proxy role on the created Agents. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Register DNS** | If enabled, the Agent's IP will be registered in DNS. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | **Base Domain Name** | Define a base name for the automatic DNS registration for the Agent. The system will create a full name using .. If the Base Domain Name is "agents.kasm.example.com", the full DNS name generated will be .agents.kasm.example.com (e.g 123abcd.agents.kasm.example.com). This Base Domain Name, must already be a registered DNS zone within the cloud provider's DNS system. | +---------------------------------+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ``` ```{include} /guide/compute/vm_providers.md ``` ```{include} /guide/compute/dns_providers.md ```