VMware Identity Manager and reconnect to RDSH Apps

VMware Identity Manager is a VMware solution to bring applications under one roof with single sign on capabilities.

The problem that i encountered with it is that when you want to reconnect to running applications you basically need to start an application on the portal to get your session back. So you left WordPad, Adobe Reader and Word running, disconnected, went home and to reopen that session you start WordPad, again. Now you end up with your session back and an extra instance of WordPad next to your already open applications in that session.

This is unwanted behavior for a user and hits the inner UX. User needs to close that bonus app. To solve this i created a reconnect option by starting CMD prompt and shutting it down directly 🙂
The user is unaware of the process because it happens so quick, it’s not seen.
If CMD is not an option you will need to find an alternative application that can be started and shutdown via command line.

in your RDHS server, create a shortcut to with parameters:
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c quit

Change the icon to whatever you like or pick one from the shell32.dll:
%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll

Place new shortcut in “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs” on your RDSH machines/template.

Now in horizon admin, create a new application linked to that shortcut and name it Reconnect.
After synching with your IDM portal you have a nice “Reconnect” application.

Now when you want to reconnect to an open session just hit that reconnect app and you get all you apps back without starting a new one 🙂