How to create Windows VMs¶

This document covers everything that is necessary to launch a windows VM which can be accessed from the UZH network with a remote desktop client. Note that Windows Server images are ONLY available on the new ScienceCloud. The legacy ScienceCloud is no longer supported for Windows Server VMs.

Windows machines on ScienceCloud¶

You can start a Windows VM either with an interface on uzh-only network or using Floating IPs. Please refer to the Networking Options page for further details.

IMPORTANT:

We do not provide further support for windows than this documentation.

Setup a security group to enable access to windows machines with a "Remote Desktop" client

Login to ScienceCloud and/or go to the main page
Select "Network" in the menu on the left and then click on "Security Groups"
Click on "+ Create Security Group" in the top-right corner of the page and fill in the form:
- Name: choose a name (e.g., "RDP-windows")
- Description: write whatever you like or leave it empty
- Finally, click on "Create Security Group"
Search your newly created security group in the overview table, click on "Manage Rules" the right side
In the newly opened page, click on "+ Add Rule" in the top-right corner and fill in the form:
- Rule: select "RDP"
- Remote: leave at default ("CIDR")
- CIDR: select the IP range which should be allowed to connect to your windows instances. The easiest is to allow access from any machine in the UZH network ("130.60.0.0/16").
- Finally, click on "Add"
To access your instances from outside the university (e.g., from home) with VPN, repeat the previous step with the IP range: "10.0.0.0/8".

Launch a windows machine and enable remote desktop¶

Login to ScienceCloud and/or go to the main page
Select "Compute" in the menu on the left and click on "Instances"
Click on "Launch Instance" in the top-right corner of the page and go through the form:
- Details:
  - Availability Zone: leave at default ("nova")
  - Instance Name: choose a name (e.g., "myWindowsMachine")
  - Flavor: choose a flavor that fits your requirements (must have at least 2 CPUs)
  - Instance Count: choose how many instances you would like to start (e.g., 1)
  - Instance Boot Source: select "Boot from image"
  - Image Name: select "***Windows Server 2022 Standard (2025-05-15)"
- Access & Security:
  - Enable the security rule for the remote desktop you created before (e.g., "RDP-windows"")
  - There is no need to include an ssh key-pair as to begin with you will be using the ScienceCloud webinterface and a remote desktop client to connect to the instance
- Networking:
  - use UZH-only network if you do not need a floating IP for this instance. Warning: do not add this network if you plan to use a floating IP!
  - (optional) If you need a floating IP, select the network you created for the windows machines (e.g. "private-windows") - i.e. drag it from "Available networks" to "Selected networks"
- Finally, click on "Launch"
(optional) If you need a floating IP for this instance, search your newly created instance in the overview table and click on the arrow aside the "Create Snapshot" button on the right side, click on "Associate Floating IP" and fill in the form:
- IP Address: select an IP address (any IP starting with 172.23 is good).
  - NOTE: If there is no 172.23.X.X IP address available, press on the "+" aside the drop-down menu, select "uzh-only" as the pool to choose from and click "allocate IP"
  - Note down this IP as you will need to later to connect to the VM.
- Port to be associated: leave at default
- Finally, click on "Associate"
Click on your instance (e.g., "myWindowsMachine") in the left side of the overview table to open a page with details on your machine
Go to the "Console" tab and click on "Click here to show only console" - now you should see a "Change Password" screen.
IMPORTANT: Choose a secure password! The "Administrator" account can be used to access your system remotely as well!
- NOTE: when typing the new password, on the right side of the password field is an "eye" icon. This allows you to see the password in cleartext in order to make sure it's correctly typed.
Login as Administrator with your previously chosen password.
Once the windows desktop appears:
- Click on the "Windows" button in the bottom-left corner and click on "Settings" (the "cog" icon)
- there may be a line at the bottom warning about Activation. Click this: on first run, as long as the VM is connected to the UZH network, it will connect with the University licensing server and activate normally after a few seconds
- Click on "Accounts", then "Other Users"
- Follow the link "Add someone else to this PC" - this will open up a new window
- In this new window, add a regular user (e.g. "Rantanplan") - repeat as necessary. Close this window when complete
- IMPORTANT: The system already has some users that are needed by the system: "Admin" and "cloudbase-init" and "Public" - these should be left alone.
- Back in the Settings, click on "Home", and then "Remote Desktop" in the menu on the left
- Choose "Enable Remote Desktop"
- Click on "Select users that can remotely access this PC"
- Choose the users who will have remote access
- Finally, click on "OK" and close all the remaining windows
Close the browser tab/window - the consle should no longer be needed.

Allow multiple logins of a single user¶

Per default, a user can only be logged-in once. If one connects with a user which is currently logged-in, the first connection will be terminated (i.e., the other person will be kicked out).

Access your windows machine from another computer with a remote desktop client¶

How to access your windows machine depends on the remote desktop client

If you are not at the UZH, connect to the UZH network with VPN first.

Windows: This should have a "Remote Desktop Connection" utility already built in.
- Search for the app in the Start Menu
- Enter the VM's IP address in the "Computer" field
- Click "Show options" at the bottom
- Enter your username in the "User Name" field - Check "Allow me to save credentials" if needed
MacOS: Microsoft Windows App available through the App Store:
- Start the program
- Click on "New" and fill in the form:
  - Connection name: choose a name (e.g. "myWindowsOnScienceCloud")
  - PC name: provide the floating IP you associated before (the IP starting with 172.23)
  - User name: the name of the user (e.g. "Rantanplan")
  - Password: the password (e.g. the "Rantanplan" password you specified while creating the user)
  - Optional: click on "Redirection" and add a local folder to share with the Windows VM (you will be able to transfer data from and to this folder)
  - Leave everything else as it is and close the form (with the red close button in the top-left corner)
- Select the newly created connection and click "Start"
- Note: The "Verify Certificate" warning can be ignored
Linux: different tools can be used, remmina is a feature rich Remote Desktop Application for Linux
- Start the program
- Click on "New" and fill in the form:
  - "Server": provide the IP address of the Windows instance you'd like to connect to (typically, the IP starting with 172.23)
  - "User Name": the user name you have created to allow connections (typically not Administrator)
  - "Password: you can either enter the password and store it in your Remmina connection configuration or password will be asked during the connection process
  - For standard configurations leave the following options with their default settings:
    - "Domain", "Resolution", "Color depth"
  - "Save" the new connection type
- Select the newly created connection and click "Connect"
- Note: The "Verify Certificate" warning can be ignored

SSH on Windows¶

Follow this Guide for configuring OpenSSH server access to Windows installations.