Learn more about the new graphics delivery modes
and user experience to improve
have My colleague Gabriel Nguyen and I wrote this comprehensive post , to help you to better influence graphics in the latest XenApp and XenDesktop versions to understand the changes.
XenDesktop 7.x was released for a while and has a number of improvements, including new display technologies such as desktop composition Redirection (the development of Aero Redirection) and H.264). This new delivery methods were on the desktop composition feature is introduced, introduced in Windows Vista and have fundamentally the way applications display pixels on the screen (read more) changed.
If you're Technologies or if you used no idea about the codec to transmit Citrix unfamiliar with these new ads, they can be found in Citrix Virtual Desktop Manual 7.x. Many sections are relevant to both XenApp and XenDesktop. Read more about it in Amit blog series (part 7).
With that said, have you ever wondered if any of these display modes is used by default? Or what operating systems are compatible with these modes? Do you also have the wide range of graphic guidelines in Citrix Studio notice (Or wondered which ones apply to the delivery mode you want to use for your VDAs)? If all or even resonates one of these questions with you, this blog will be useful
We have these problems addressed and will deliver on realistic applications "out of the box," a tutorial:
- I would like to 5 for Windows Server to migrate XenApp 03 XenDesktop 7.x Windows Server 08 R2 VDAS in a very low bandwidth environment, how can I configure my graphics directives?
- I would like to migrate from 5.6 to XD XD 7.x, how should I put my new policy?
The Big Three (quick reminder)
There are now three main HDX ICA delivery methods in 7.x XenDesktop and XenApp:
- desktop composition Redirection (DCR)
- H.264 enhanced Super codec
- legacy graphics mode
Each graphics mode has its advantages and disadvantages, and again the Citrix Virtual desktop manual 7.x will help you.
desktop composition Redirection (DCR)
DCR is only in XenDesktop with client OS VDAS (Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.x), in conjunction with Windows endpoints. Historically, individual applications would draw make calls on our legacy display driver, which in turn generate HDX (thin wire) protocol to perform would draw on the end user device. With DCR we do Desktop Window Manager (DWM) level are now working with the help of the GPU on the user device to scan the Windows desktop UI. This graphic mode requires DirectX compatible Windows endpoint. DCR is basically an improved version of the Aero Redirection XenDesktop 5.x
NOTE: For now, only Windows Vista, 7 and 8.0 / 8.1 supports endpoints. A prototype of DCR for Mac OS was shown at Citrix Synergy conference, but that is not yet available on the market.
H.264 enhanced Super Codec
The HDX Super Codec is an amalgam of codecs optimized for different types of data. From XenApp / XenDesktop 7.x super codec has an adaptive H.264 encoder extends the Windows 8/2012 new display architecture and the way it attracts window support. From Windows Vista from, although GDI is still supported, it is considered a legacy API from Microsoft. The Citrix Legacy Display Driver is optimized, however, to published GDI commands with successive Windows operating system GDI has transitioned to be a software implementation and not directly supported in the Windows Display Driver.
Although Windows 7 provided a mechanism for loading and using the Citrix Legacy Display Driver, which is no longer available from the Windows 8. Therefore implemented Citrix improved Super Codec, adaptive H.264 technology use that was previously only in the XenDesktop HDX 3D Pro VDA. , Further improvements also as an additional lossless quality text display technology
IMPORTANT have been introduced: when the end point of a non-H.264 aware Receiver runs, we have ensured a relapse "compatibility mode". In "normal use" (the visual quality is as high, medium or low) compatibility mode relies to a large extent on compressed JPEG transfer. Although compatibility mode using JPEG compression, it can be intense bandwidth and we would recommend you use this to avoid as the primary delivery mechanism to the current time.
compatibility mode use is most commonly seen when users have failed (or not) to update their receivers, we would a receiver at least as recent as the server installation of XenDesktop recommend always strong with.
legacy graphics mode
This is the Citrix display mode, used in previous XA / XD versions. Many improvements have been over the years, such as progressive display (PS 4.5 and above), extra color compression (XD4 FP1 and later), Adaptive Display (XD5.5 / XA 6.5 HRP1 and above) introduced, etc ... operation to supply systems with GDI (Windows 7/08 R2 and earlier), it is one of the most efficient modes as far as relates to bandwidth usage.
OS vs display
The following is a compatibility matrix shows which display mode can be used on any operating system.
| OS | DCR | H.264 ** | H.264 compatibility mode | legacy graphics mode |
| Windows 8 | Yes | Yes ** | Yes | NA |
| Windows 7 Aero | Yes | Yes ** | Yes | Yes * |
| Windows 7 | NA | Yes ** | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Vista Aero | Yes | NA (reason: VDA 5.6 only) | NA (reason: VDA 5.6 only) | Yes * |
| Windows Vista | NA | NA (reason: VDA 5.6 only) | NA (reason: VDA 5.6 only) | Yes |
| Windows XP | NA | NA (reason: VDA 5.6 only) | NA | Yes |
| Windows 2012 (R2) | NA | Yes * * | Yes (not recommended) | Yes (limited) |
| Windows 08 R2 | NA | Yes ** | Yes | Yes |
| comments | Only on DirectX capable endpoints of Windows and requires a high bandwidth. | "Visual quality" on "Lossless" or "Lossless Build" will disable H264, and use the compatibility mode instead of | bandwidthintensive intensive ~~ POS = HEADCOMP -. t o avoid the current time | Restrictions on Server VDAS: on Server 2012, we can use the Legacy driver but the legacy code is not for the manner optimized Server 2012 performs graphics - so than those with legacy mode on Server 2012 is not highly recommended at the present time and should testing before implemented (and not to forget to implement the optimizations: FPS, Lossy compression, etc ..) restrictions VDAS workstations: not deliver desktops Aero, not compatible with Windows 8 and higher than Windows 8 does not support the XPDM driver mode |
(*) When was the legacy graphics mode was activated from politics for a VDA, DCR may still be used as long to deliver
1 for compounds Aero. was DCR not disabled (through the policy as well)
2. The endpoint is DCR-capable.
3. The Aero theme has been applied in the meeting
(**) In addition to the requirement operating system, requires one of the following H.264 Receiver versions .:
| OS | Windows | Mac OS X | Linux | Android | iOS | Chrome OS |
| minimum requirement for H.264 | 3.4 and later | 11.8 and later | 13.0 and later | 3.5 | 5.9 | 1.4 |
Please note that we get the best performance recommend using the latest receiver versions.
We would also like you DeferredUpdateMode called to warn about a setting. This setting is default to support later for Windows Receiver 3.4 and to enable H.264. However, some customers still running Presentation Server 4.0 farms (Windows and Unix) and disabled DeferredUpdateMode an update to fix a problem. Please note, if you do this, you will not be able to use H.264 to your XenApp / XenDesktop 7.x farms.
If your environment OS and receiver requirements are met to provide one of the three display modes, ask yourself at some point will be how the delivery mode that you use to confirm effective! You can now Citrix Director, HDX Monitor or WMIC commands (to access information about WMI) to use for this. This will not only issue the delivery mode of the session, but also all the graphic configuration. We also published a support article to explain all this: How to determine HDX display mode
Citrix graphic guidelines vs display
You've probably noticed the large number of Citrix graphic guidelines which actually makes you wondering which are valid, are used for each delivery mode. Well, pulled a matrix for you will help you:
| policy | user / | DCR | H.264 | H.264 compatibility mode | legacy graphics mode | comment |
| desktop composition visual quality | user | X | ||||
| desktop composition Redirection | user | X capable of enabling VDAS /endpoints H.264 | Disable DCR mode on DCR (or H.264 compatibility mode) | |||
| display memory limit | computer | X | X | X | ||
| display mode degrade preference | computer | X | ||||
| Dynamic Preview window | computer | X | X | X | This function applies only to seamless applications (Published Apps or App Local Access) | |
| image caching | computer | X | ||||
| legacy graphics mode | computer | X | This policy legacy graphics mode | |||
| maximum color depth | computer enable | X | ||||
| notify users if the experience degrade | The computer is | X | only for RDS Valid | |||
| Persistent cache treshold | computer | X | ||||
| Queuing and tossing | computer | X | ||||
| extra color compression | user | X | extra color compression is an optimization that save on the size of lossy compressed images up to 20%, but on expense of quality. The off makes some images, such as text over a complex background appear sharper. | |||
| Extra color compression threshold | user | X | ||||
| heavyweight compression | user | X | ||||
| Lossy compression level | user | X | ||||
| Lossy compression level threshold | user | X | ||||
| minimum image quality | user | X | Valid for legacy Adaptative display only :. it sets the minimum acceptable quality for transient (moving) images | |||
| moving picture compression | user | X | Enables or disables Adaptative display | |||
| Progressive compression level | user | X | When enabled, adaptive disabled and switch to progressive display | |||
| progressive compression threshold | user | X | ||||
| target framerate | user | X | X | X | ||
| target minimum framerate | user | X | Valid for legacy Adaptative display only: it uses this setting to determine if the quality of the transient (moving) to drop images. | |||
| Visual quality | user | X | X |
from the
We the closely Citrix TRMs (Technical Relationship Manager) work with our customers advise them and help them to get fixed their problems. A part of our role, explains our technologies to customers. Many customers do not appreciate getting that the server operating system upgrade, for example, by 2012 means an operating system with Microsoft is the way of the display is available and has changed as a result of behavior and the bandwidth can change.
In the following case studies, we will try and explain how we would a customer talk by displaying changes in XenDesktop 7.x introduced A typical real customers have legacy constraints themselves such as:
- limited bandwidth
- Some end-users with old thin clients
- Unmanaged end users forget their receivers
- old hardware
- management processes want to upgrade for example, that all servers have the same
We must also manage expectations of what an upgrade is configured so designed to achieve; if you are involved in such an update, always evaluate the existing means, both technically as Bandwidth used, delivered frame rate, but if the customer and end users are satisfied with the user experience
1 st use case. Migrating XenApp 5 x 64 for Windows 03 on XenDesktop / XenApp 7.x on Windows 08R2
Environment:
- Several thousand users in thousands of branches
- Low bandwidth (1 mbps) for up to 10 users per branch
- currently XA 5 03 x64 farm that works well and meets the end user
- web application, intranet, office applications and Business applications
from 7 to move to a new XD .x infrastructure with Hosted shared desktops on Windows 08 R2 noticed, the customer that ICA sessions are much more bandwidth compared to XenApp consume 5 sessions.
The object here is the customer to help find a graphics configuration that provides the same ease of use and bandwidth consumption than their XA infrastructure. There are two important facts that should not be neglected:
- With XenDesktop 7.x with 08 R2 working with the default settings means that H.264 or H.264-compatibility mode, depending on the recipient is used version
- change from Windows 03 Shared on Windows 08 R2 Hosted desktops implies a richer experience improvements introduced by Microsoft (display mode vs OS section above), taking into account the graphics. Richer experience means more bandwidth
Because customers relate to the same bandwidth consumption as in their XenApp to keep 5 Farm, we would advise them to legacy mode to be activated. This will give them 5 supply and some high compression legacy policies enable
the same user experience as in XenApp. Note: In this case, legacy mode was the best solution, since no complex graphics (was displayed animations, videos, etc ...) in the meetings. In some other cases would be much more efficient H.264 relates to a legacy mode until the bandwidth, but at the same time it is a much better user experience than deliver the legacy mode. However, you need to be aware that if you will not have the correct recipient Version your sessions again fall on H.264 compatibility mode consume a lot of bandwidth and should be avoided. If you read Amit blog articles, he published some bandwidth test results conducted supported with Login VSI and H.264 receiver.
Now we want to leave to our application.
The 1 st was point to changes XenApp version and thus the mode change setting. To reduce the bandwidth that uses the following configuration was:
| setting | value |
| extra color compression | Enables |
| threshold extra color compression | Standard |
| image caching | Enables |
| legacy graphics mode | Enables |
| Lossy- compression level | No |
| maximum color depth | 16 bits per pixel |
| menu animation | prohibited |
| Persistent cache threshold | Standard |
| Queuing and tossing | Enabled |
| frame rate target | 15 fps |
| view window contents while pulling | prohibited |
| Progressive compression level | medium |
Please note that this is only an example. A more aggressive configuration are implemented, the bandwidth consumption could more (at the expense of ease of use)
The 2 nd point was to reduce over changing operating systems. As mentioned earlier, Windows 08 R2 is much richer than Windows 03. A very striking example sketched window. Even if you window contents while dragging you hide will find that window outlines in Windows 08 are very different R2 on Windows 03 with the background mixes compare this outline (wallpaper, icons on the desktop, other Windows, etc ...) and it will consume excessive bandwidth when to move the windows.
For some customers, we would recommend a setting called MouseTimer reduce only the bandwidth. This parameter is basically a buffer on the client side and is set for a certain period send MouseTimer only mouse movements. In most cases we have the attitude MouseTimer to 0ms reduces bandwidth by half to find while Windows drag!
Another important note, we recommend "mouse shadows under mouse pointer" to disable in high latency environments.
2 nd application: Migrating from XenDesktop 5.6 with Windows XP and 7 on XenDesktop catalogs 7.x with Windows 7 catalogs
Migration from Windows XP to Windows 7 is pretty close to moving from Windows 03 to Windows 08 R2 (1 st application explained above). In addition, although XenDesktop 5.6 is a much more recent product as XenApp 5, it uses legacy graphics mode. Therefore XD XD 5.6 to 7.x easily migrating XA 5 to XD / XA 7.x could be compared and the recommendations that we showed in the 1 st use case are for this application is considered good.
the big difference of the migration path, however, would. The migration of XD 5.6 to 7.x is as easy as applying a Feature Pack. Customers sometimes do not realize that they move with implications for the CPU in a whole new range of display technologies, bandwidth etc ...
say let a customer has a set of Windows 7 delivered VDIs of XD 5.6 and intends to upgrade XD 7.x. In this case, he is trying DDCs and VDAS update 5.6 to 7.x and apply the same policy as in XD. If he has very limited bandwidth, he may face what could be an unwanted surprise. Depending on its endpoints it is (possibly in compatible mode) with H.264 or DCR, which will have a significant impact on bandwidth consumption compared to the legacy mode.
Of course, there are many customers who do a lot of free bandwidth and improved infrastructure and users are often amazed by the enhancements that can be seen with the richer graphical experience and higher frame rates, they can achieve ,
Takeaway
If you have a migration project to XA / XD 7.x:
- you should do an inventory of your endpoints and determine which display mode by default in XD used 7.x (through the matrix control, we are provided)
- should the customer's existing farm performance benchmark to their expectations as manage CPU, bandwidth and frame rates delivered, ie know what they are happy with today
- If some of the display modes you do not use cases or infrastructure resources in terms of bandwidth and CPU fit to return Legacy mode *
- If you have a want to go further and to reduce bandwidth in legacy mode, you can apply an aggressive configuration as we st in the 1 case use exposed. You can also do the trick MouseTimer mentioned above use (this parameter is a must in a very reduced bandwidth)
- Do not forget "mouse shadow under cursor pointer" in high latency environments to disable
(*) Please note that legacy graphics mode is NOT our general recommendation. Legacy has been exposed a good fit above for the reasons mentioned above. In other cases, the probably most commonly, H.264 is a better choice will be. On the other hand only DCR is currently recommended in high-bandwidth environments.
Since Legacy mode is a server-wide policy, we have to establish a good practice early, when a customer is ready to silo users found on different servers with different shipping methods. http://bramwolfs.com/2012/05/08/adaptive-display-whats-in-the-game-and-do-we-need-to-fine-tune/ /blogs/2011/08/29/your-user-experience-over-wan-gets-even-better-introducing-adaptive-display-and-gdi-remoting/
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