Linux virtual desktops have proved to be ideal for developers, users of graphics-intensive software, and others. For example, if organizations need to outsource offshore programmers and grant them secure, remote access to development environments from any device, leveraging the Linux virtual desktop with Citrix can be a perfect option.
In this blog post, we will look at new features we introduced in our 2212 Linux VDA release that greatly improve the HDX user experience and simplify how you can deploy and manage Linux virtual desktop environments.
Support for RHEL 9.0 and Rocky Linux 9.0
We are excited to share that Citrix Linux VDA now supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Rocky Linux 9.0 beginning with the 2212 release. As a result, customers can enjoy the latest features included in these distributions with better performance. Additionally, some customers may be able to take advantage of RHEL’s Extended Update Support (EUS), which is now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Standard and Premium subscriptions as an add-on only for version 9.0.
Take a look at our best practices to ensure you always stay up to date with supported Linux VDA platforms.
Session Recording for Linux: Now in Preview
Session Recording is an easily deployable feature that allows you to take advantage of screen-recording and event-capturing capabilities to help maintain security compliance. Now with the 2212 release, we’ve embedded Session Recording in the Linux VDA (in preview)! You can simply turn it on, and the Linux VDA will convert recorded HDX sessions into Session Recording files. You can then download these files, manage them in the Session Recording server, and play them back through the Session Recording player.
Please note that this current preview feature only supports session recording and playback capabilities. Session Recording policies and events are not yet supported.
Improved 3D Graphics Performance
In addition to supporting the selective H.264 hardware encoding feature, we are continuously working to improve our performance with 3D graphics. With the 2212 release, Citrix has improved performance for both vGPU and remote PC scenarios.
We are excited to introduce improved data transfer efficiency between the GPU and the Linux system memory. We have also reduced latency in 3D graphics rendering and hardware encoding. These enhancements optimize hardware resource utilization and significantly improve the performance of frames per second (FPS). For example, in a lab test, we have seen that ¼ of the window size of a 4k display will get 25 FPS. And for a 2k display, it’s about 40 FPS. For more information, see our H.264 hardware encoding product documentation.
Additionally, we’ve enhanced hardware acceleration for specific non-virtualized GPUs from NVIDIA for remote PC and GPU passthrough scenarios. Per our lab testing, the FPS supported by the Linux VDA is nearly the same as a bare metal scenario. For more information, see our product documentation on non-virtualized GPUs.
USB Device Redirection Enhancements
With the widespread popularity of USB devices, we want to ensure users can connect the device they need with the best possible performance to complete their work. However, our previous USB redirection had some limitations, such as a need for more support for USB 3.0 and certain devices. By leveraging the USB/IP protocol, Citrix has made the following enhancements for USB device redirection:
- Easier deployment. In most cases, the USB/IP kernel module is released with Linux kernel version 3.17 and later. Admins are not required to build the kernel module by default.
- USB 3.0 support. Lab testing has shown that USB 3.0 redirection is 100 percent faster than USB 2.0 redirection.
- Higher bulk transfer efficiency. Our lab tests have shown that bulk transfer efficiency has increased by an average of 34 percent. This boost is more prominent for high-latency environments.
- Support for more USB devices. New device support includes the TD-RDF5A Transcend USB device and the composite USB device, and the Yubico YubiKey OTP+FIDO+CCID.
New Features to Simplify Your Deployment
Extending Easy Install GUI to Include MCS Configuration
Previously, onboarding the Linux VDA required many manual steps to install and configure the environment, which may have resulted in misconfigurations and lengthy troubleshooting times. Citrix provides a GUI-based Easy Install tool, which helps admins check their environment and install dependencies and guide them through the configuration of domain-join and runtime variables. This tool has simplified the onboarding process and increased efficiency for many of our customers.
In the 2212 release, we’ve extended the Easy Install GUI to include MCS configuration functionality so admins can also configure Machine Creation Services (MCS) variables by using the GUI interface. This is also beneficial for Citrix Linux VDAs in a non-domain-joined deployment that relies on MCS, and the GUI feature extension simplifies the non-domain joined deployment experience.
New Database Options Now Available (Experimental)
Previously, every Linux VDA deployment required a PostgreSQL DB installation. Unfortunately, this is complex and can potentially conflict with a developer’s PostgreSQL DB service.
As an experimental feature, you can now use SQLite in addition to PostgreSQL with your Linux VDA. You can also switch between SQLite and PostgreSQL by editing /etc/xdl/db.conf after installing the Linux VDA package. We also support the PostgreSQL DB port customization feature in the 2212 release.
Get Started
We’re excited about the many features we have rolled out in Linux VDA 2212 to improve both the experience for users and admins! We encourage you to start testing the new capabilities in your environments today. If you aren’t currently leveraging Linux within your environment, get started by requesting a demo. For more information on Linux VDA 2212, check out our product documentation.
