Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2003 Whats New
Since last week Citrix’s latest version of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops software became available for the public. This blog will go into some detail in what is new with this version.
Workspace Environment Management (WEM) on-premises release lifecycle aligns with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. Each release will reach End of Maintenance (EOM) 6 months after general availability (GA), and End of Life (EOL) 18 months after GA. Workspace Environment Management (WEM) on-premises release lifecycle aligns with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. Each release will reach End of Maintenance (EOM) 6 months after general availability (GA), and End of Life (EOL) 18 months after GA. The table below shows an example of the lifecycle timeline for the existing releases.
As of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2003, current releases of that product do not support VDAs (machines that deliver apps and desktops) on the following hosts: Amazon Web Services (includes VMware Cloud on AWS).
Link to documentation:
Link to download:
Changes in host support for Current Releases
As of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2003, current releases of that product do not support VDAs (machines that deliver apps and desktops) on the following hosts:
- Amazon Web Services (includes VMware Cloud on AWS)
- CloudPlatform (refers to the original Citrix software platform)
- Microsoft Azure (includes Azure Resource Manager and Azure Classic)
What is supported:
For Current Release (CR) customers, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 supports the host and virtualization resources listed in each release’s system requirements documentation.
For example, the supported hosts for the latest (newest) CR are listed in that release’s system requirements.
For Long Term Service Release (LTSR) customers, Citrix continues to support the hosts listed for each of those releases. Some of those LTSRs support VDAs on one or more cloud hosts that are no longer supported on CRs.
Mac vino lip pencil. For example, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 1912 LTSR (and its cumulative updates, when released) supports the hosts listed in that release’s system requirements.
Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) 2003
Version 2003 of the Windows VDA for Multi-session OS and the VDA for Single-session OS includes the following enhancements (in addition to the VDA installation and upgrade items listed previously in this article).
Enhanced browser content redirection routing using new proxy configuration options
We have added other configuration options for the proxy settings on the VDA. You can choose from these options:
Direct or transparent – Routes browser content redirection traffic through the VDA and forwards it directly to the web server hosting the content.
Citrix Workspace 2004
Explicit proxy (was previously included) – Routes browser content redirection traffic through the VDA and forwards it to the specified web proxy.
Citrix Workspace 2012 Download
PAC files – Routes browser content redirection traffic through the VDA and forwards it to the web proxy determined by evaluating the specified PAC file.
Enhanced Build to lossless
Build to lossless is enhanced with automatic image detection. Previously, Build to lossless assumed a lossy-first approach. In that approach, all moving imagery is encoded using H.264 (or H.265) and then is progressively sharpened to lossless when movement ceases. Sometimes staying lossless is preferable. The new automatic image detection feature performs some light image analysis on each frame. This feature determines whether to send the frame lossless; thus, skipping the lossy-first step.
To revert to lossy-first, set this registry key on the VDA:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARECitrixGraphics
Name: BTLLossyThreshold
Type: REG_DWORD
Rdh driver download. Data: 0
Multi-Stream virtual channel stream assignment
In previous releases, you used a registry setting to change the virtual channel assignment when using multi-stream ICA. This release includes policy settings for assigning virtual channels
Enhanced support for electron-based apps in multi-session OS VDA
We now support electron-based apps. Electron is an open-source framework for developing desktop GUI applications. For example, Microsoft Teams and Slack.
Wait for printers to be created before an application starts
The wait for printers to be created feature is now available for Citrix Virtual Apps. Using a PowerShell cmdlet running on a Delivery Controller, you can specify that all printers be created before the app is started
The following command will make the VDA Login not to wait for printer creation
The following command will make the VDA login, to wait for printer creation
Drag and then drop files between a Citrix session and a local endpoint (for evaluation only)
Dragging and then dropping files between a Citrix session and a local endpoint is available for evaluation. You can drag and then drop files, groups of files, directories, groups of directories, or a combination of files and directories to and the same client on the session. This ability applies to a desktop session or a seamless app. This includes the desktop, Explorer window, and some applications. This feature does not support all apps. For example, you can drag a file out of a compressed (zipped) folder, but not into one.
IMPORTANT:
The feature requires a minimum of Citrix Workspace app 2002 for Windows. This feature is included for customer evaluation only and is disabled by default.
Some known limitations:
You cannot drag a file from a client desktop into a Firefox or Internet Explorer browser window inside a desktop session.
You cannot drag and then drop into a zipped folder, into an application shortcut, a message from a seamless application to a client desktop, or into a seamless Outlook message if dragged quickly from a client.
To enable drag-and-drop, make the following registry setting on the host:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesCtxDNDSvc
Name: Enabled
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: non-zero
After you enable the registry value, and if using the required Citrix Workspace app version, drag-and-drop is enabled after the next session logon.
Citrix Workspace 2003 Pro
Loss tolerant mode
IMPORTANT:
Lumen. The feature requires a minimum of Citrix Workspace app 2002 for Windows. This version of the VDA will support it when it becomes available.
Loss tolerant mode uses a new transport protocol to enhance the user experience in challenging network conditions
Loss tolerant mode enhances the user experience for users connecting through networks with high latency and packet loss. It accomplishes this by using the EDT Lossy transport protocol.
Initially, sessions are established using EDT. If the latency and packet loss thresholds are reached or surpassed, the applicable virtual channels switch from EDT to EDT Lossy, while leaving the other virtual channels on EDT. If the latency and packet loss decrease below the thresholds, the applicable virtual channels switch back to EDT.
The default thresholds are:
Packet loss: 5%
Latency: 300ms (RTT)
Loss tolerant mode is enabled by default and can be disabled using the loss tolerant mode setting. Adjust the packet loss and latency thresholds using the loss tolerant mode thresholds setting.
Requirements:
- Citrix Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) 2003
- Citrix Workspace app 2002 for Windows
- Session reliability enabled
Upgrade: Effects of changes in supported SQL Server versions
Changes in supported database versions can affect Citrix upgrades. Site databases: SQL Server 2008 R2, 2012, and 2014 are no longer supported for the site database. (This includes the monitor and configuration logging databases.) Local host cache database: SQL Server version 2014 is no longer supported for the local host cache database
Install and upgrade: Personal vDisk install and upgrade no longer allowed
The Personal vDisk (PvD) component can no longer be installed or upgraded. PvD no longer appears in the VDA installers’ graphical interface. From the command line, including the /baseimage option causes the command to fail. The installation media no longer contains the PvD software.
Install and upgrade: Windows Server 2012 R2 no longer supported for Controllers, Studio, Director, VDAs, and Universal Print Server
You can no longer install or upgrade Delivery Controllers, Studio, Director, VDAs, or the Universal Print Server on Windows Server 2012 R2 machines
Install and upgrade: 32-bit Studio installer no longer available on installation media
The Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops installation media no longer contains the 32-bit Studio installer.
This article is intended to capture known issues with Windows 10 v2004 and 20H2 that have been identified so far through Citrix internal testing and customer reports.
Note:
- This is a live article and is updated as and when new information is available.
- This article also outlines issues seen with Windows 10 20H2. Unless explicitly specified, issues seen with Windows 10 v2004 are seen with Windows 10 20H2 also.
Known Issues
The following are the known issues:Issue 1
Issue Description
Citrix User Profile Manager (UPM) may stop working after Windows 10 with VDA installed is upgraded to v2004 OR it may break the native Windows applications like notepad, calculator etc when UPM is configured on fresh install of v2004.
[TPV-2706]
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.
Solution
This issue is fixed in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2003 and later versions.
Issue 2
Issue Description
Printers part of Citrix Universal Print Server (UPS) are not mapped within ICA session of Windows 10 v2004 VDA.
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is causing the printer mapping failure.
Solution
This issue is resolved with the Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection signature updates released around June 2020.
Issue 3
Issue Description
On Virtual Machine's (hosted on vSphere) with VM version 14 and boot option EFI, a failure may be seen when you upgrade Windows 10 machine to v2004 with an error “We can’t tell if your PC is ready to continue installing Windows 10. Try restating the setup”
[TPV-2703]
Installing the latest VMWare tools 11.0.0.x before attempting to upgrade to v2004 resolves this issue.
Issue 4
Issue Description
On Windows 10 v2004 end point with Receiver/Workspace App, when a network interruption is caused by disabling the Network Interface from Control Panel, Session Reliability feature fails to work.
[RFWIN-15116]
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is making the Session Reliability to fall back to Auto Client Reconnect when the network is disrupted.
Solution
This issue has been fixed in Citrix Workspace App.
- Users on Current Release of Workspace App are advised to upgrade to version 2002 or its replacement that contains the fix.
- Users on the LTSR version of Workspace App are advised to upgrade to version 1912 or its replacement that contains the fix.
Issue 5
Issue Description
On Windows 10 v2004 end point with Receiver/Workspace App, when a network interruption is caused using Firewall, Session Reliability feature fails to work.
[RFWIN-15263]
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is making the Session Reliability to fall back to Auto Client Reconnect as soon as the the network is disrupted.
Solution
This issue has been fixed with KB4571744. Install this KB OR its replacement on end-points to resolve this issue.
Issue 6
Issue Description
ICA launch of Citrix VDA installed on Windows 10 Virtual Desktop v2004 fails OR ICA session disconnects within 2 minutes with error message “Idle Timer Expired “ or “Logon timer Expired”.
[TPV-3025]
Problem Cause
Changes in Windows 10 v2004 Operating System is causing this issue.
Solution
For Citrix VDA version 2006 and above:
Issue is resolved in KB4586853, Install this KB OR its replacement on your VDAs to resolve this issue.
For Citrix VDA versions before 2006:
ICA launch still fails and Citrix is working on fixing it. Please use the below workaround.
Workaround
The WDDM graphics display driver for Remote Desktop Connection which is enabled by default in Windows 10 v2004 and above needs to be disabled as it is not supported by the Citrix VDA. To disable, set the below policies through the group policies for your OU:
- Browse to Administrative Templates (Computers) -> Windows Components - > Remote Desktop Service -> Remote Desktop Session Host.
- Disable the setting “Use WDDM graphics display driver for Remote Desktop Connection”
Issue Description
A failure during component initialization may be seen when 7.15 LTSR VDA (with any CU) is upgraded to CU6 on Windows 10 v2004. This issue is not seen with a fresh install of CU6 VDA on Windows 10 v2004.
[LCM-7909]
Problem Cause
An error 'Failed to configure component 'ICA for workstation services' because it is not installed' is seen. Changes in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.
Solution
Citrix is working with Microsoft to resolve this issue.
Workaround
- Uninstalling the existing CU and installing CU6 resolves this issue.
- Upgrading 7.15 LTSR VDA to CU6 prior to upgrading VDA OS to Windows 10 v2004 is advised.
Issue 8
Issue Description
Following upgrade to Windows 10 v2004, user personalization layer (UPL) services will no longer be able to start during logon. This prevents user layer disks from attaching or being created when users log into their desktops. Note, this issue does not impact App Layering User Layers, it only affects user personalization layer for Virtual Apps and Desktops
[UNI-78456]
Problem Cause
During upgrade to Windows 10 v2004 Microsoft is removing the UPL service key and service from the Winlogon chain.
Solution
This issue is fixed in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 2009 or newer. This issue has also been fixed with the latest updates of 20H1/20H2.
Issue 9
Issue Description
App Layering fails to import a new OS Layer for Windows 10 v2004 with the error: “A failure occurred while importing the OS: Cannot handle more than two partitions on a disk.”
[UNI-79067]
Problem Cause
Importing Windows 10 v2004 as a new OS Layer fails due to Windows creating a recovery partition during installation which results in their being a total of three partitions for the image. This is greater than the maximum two partitions allowed for OS Import.
Solution
This issue is fixed in Application Layering 2009 or newer. Citrix recommends to upgrade the Enterprise Layer Manager (ELM) and do the import again.
Issue 10
Issue Description
Published images from App Layering running Windows 10 v2004 can take 5 minutes or longer to log into Windows and/or for the Start Menu to appear after login.
[UNI-79147]
Problem Cause
The issue is caused by missing dependencies between the App Layering uniservice, and the Windows Delivery Optimization Service (dosvc) and Storage Service (StorSvc).
Solution
This issue is fixed in Application Layering 2011 or newer. Citrix recommends to upgrade the Enterprise Layer Manager (ELM) and redeploy any images.
Issue 11
Issue Description
Audio redirection may fail after a reconnect of ICA session on Windows 10 Multi-session editions with Citrix VDA.
[CVADHELP-15804]
Problem Cause
Changes made in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.
Solution
There is no solution. Citrix is working on a fix to resolve this issue.
Issue 12
Issue Description
Upgrade to Windows 10 20H2 may fail on machines that are configured to have domain administrator profiles managed by UPM
[UPM-3083]
Problem Cause
Changes made in Windows 10 v2004 is causing this issue.
Solution
There is no solution. Citrix is working with Microsoft to resolve this issue.
Workaround
Ensure the domain administrator profiles are not managed by UPM before upgrading to Windows 10 20H2.
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