In April, Citrix released Linux VDA 2104, which included key features that enhanced the customer journey to the cloud, removed roadblocks to adoption, and improved the user experience. Some of those enhancements included:

  • Support for non-domain joined VDAs in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops service, enabling users for non-AD scenarios
  • Addition of the MATE desktop environment, a lightweight desktop environment that provides great performance, into our support list along with GNOME and KDE desktop environments
  • Supported smartcard on Ubuntu and PBIS on multiple Linux distros

Now, with the release of Linux VDA 2106, we’re rolling out new features to help our customers solve business challenges around using Linux VDA as a whole solution to replace workstations and provide a unified user experience for employees accessing business critical resources from anywhere.

Here are some highlights of what’s new in the Linux VDA 2106 release.

Support for HDX Webcam Video Compression

Universal USB redirection, available with Linux VDA to support webcam usage, requires high bandwidth and low latency for mass, uncompressed, and unoptimized data transfer. With the new Webcam Redirection feature, available now, video conferencing apps running in Linux VDA sessions can use their webcams with HDX webcam video compression, enabling improved performance, especially under poor network conditions.

This feature is enabled by default. Customers should always use HDX webcam video compression, if possible. See our HDX webcam video compression documentation for more information.

Graphics Quality Slider

When working in an office environment, displaying high quality graphics isn’t a problem. But network conditions can vary when users are working remotely.

With Linux 2106, users can adjust graphics policies based on their own experience. Typically, IT admins set graphics policies for specific machine catalogs or based on conditions. Citrix HDX automatically tunes the performance and, depending on the network condition, balances between image quality and responsiveness. But customers often prefer better image quality, especially when running graphically intensive design applications. We’ve added a graphics quality slider, in the graphics status indicator tool, that runs in your virtual Linux sessions. The slider helps the user achieve the right balance between image quality and interactivity on their own.

End users can move the slider to change the image quality. The feature also offers the option to “let the system decide” to leverage the intelligence of HDX, or “pixel perfect” to switch to lossless mode.

Please note, if you set Visual Quality policy to Always in Citrix Studio, you can’t use the slider.

See our graphics quality slider documentation for more information.

Linux VDA Self-Update

We heard from customers that maintaining and upgrading VDA versions for different VMs could be challenging, especially for those inaccessible from IT admins.

The Linux VDA 2106 release includes a self-update feature that will update your Linux VDA software for you, immediately or at a scheduled time. This is especially helpful when you create Linux VDAs in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Standard for Azure.

After you enable this feature, your VDAs can automatically update the software because the VDA package and configuration file are hosted on Azure storage. And we’re continuing to work on ways to make upgrading your VDAs simpler to manage and update.

See our Linux VDA self-update documentation for more information.

Odds and Ends

In this release, we’ve also added support for PBIS for joining MCS-created machines to Windows domains. Customers can choose PBIS as their Active Directory integration method and enjoy the convenience of MCS. We also verified and added support for MCS to create Linux VMs on Nutanix AHV. Nutanix AHV is now officially supported by Linux VDA.

Finally, we will be providing a Long-Term Service Release for Linux VDA. For upgrading to our upcoming LTSR and using our new features, consider a distribution support list to plan your deployment early. The support list for LTSR will be based on our Current Release (CR).

Disclaimer: The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion and are subject to change without notice or consultation. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions or incorporated into any contract.