Offline RAC is a reinstall after crash (RAC) task that is driven by the agent rather than by the manager. Virtual desktops are recomposed frequently, that is, whenever the golden template is updated and the disk is reset, any changes to the virtual desktop since the previous reset are effectively voided. For virtual desktops, the agent and not the manager is responsible for the creation of the RAC job container. When the disk reset occurs, the agent initiates an Offline RAC to restore any software that has been deployed to the agent.
For Offline RAC, the software delivery agent contains a file system-based software state database. This database contains the following information about each installed software package:
This software state database is maintained by the software delivery agent and updated each time a software job is executed. If an uninstallation is successful, the records for that particular software package are removed. If enabled, the software state database always reflects the current software delivery state of the agent.
The software state database also inherits the installation history of the golden template on which the virtual desktop is based. The software state database is split into two parts, one for golden template use and one for cloned instance use. The template part of the software state database is stored on the system disk of the golden template. Any software jobs targeting the golden template use this database only. When the virtual desktop is cloned, its agent only uses the instance software state database to track its state.
Because the system disk of a cloned virtual desktop is destroyed during a recompose or refresh operation, the instance software state database cannot be stored there. This database must be stored in a different location, controlled by common configuration policy, for example, either in the user data disk of a VMware View linked clone or on a file server accessible from the virtual desktop.
Important! Administrators must ensure that the software state database is always accessible during the standard software job management and while performing offline installation, when the instance software database is on a network share.
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