RemoteFX, VDI and Lync 2010

My new PC just arrived and I can now test RemoteFX (a.k.a. Calista) technology, introduced with Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Detail description of this new feature can be found here:  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817578(WS.10).aspx

I could not test it earlier, because there are some harsh hardware requirements if we are to use it DVI environment. Anyhow, my new machine complies and my goal is to test RemoteFX USB redirection, especially using Lync certified devices connected to RDP client while in Remote Desktop session to a Personal Virtual Desktop, hosted on Windows 2008 R2 SP2 Hyper-V.

There were several guides I read and used to configure my test environment:

Deploying Microsoft RemoteFX on a Single Remote Desktop Visualization Host Server Step-by-Step Guide: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817586(WS.10).aspx

Deploying Microsoft RemoteFX for Personal Virtual Desktops Step-by-Step Guide: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817611(WS.10).aspx

Deploying Microsoft RemoteFX for Virtual Desktop Pools Step-by-Step Guide: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817591(WS.10).aspx

Configuring USB Device Redirection with Microsoft RemoteFX Step-by-Step Guide: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817581(WS.10).aspx

Deploying Microsoft RemoteFX on a Remote Desktop Session Host Server Step-by-Step Guide: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817595(WS.10).aspx

Finally, from my home I established RDP session with Windows 7 SP1 virtual machine hosted in my data center at school. Of course, I selected which USB devices I want to allow to be redirected.

First thing I’ve noticed when RDP started – my virtual machine immediately began installing drivers. Once the installation completed I checked Device Manager and… indeed the devices connected to my home pc were present on the remote machine.

***Note the display driver – sure sign RemoteFX is in action.

My home devices are also present in Devices and Printers.

Let’s see if Lync client will allow me to configure any of those as audio and video device.

This is so cool. I have my Aastra phone and Plantronics Bluetooth headset present. My camera is also present and working, although apparently using HD camera over WAN link is one bad, bad idea.

…Lync even will allow me to “hot swap” my devices (since they are present here).

 

Lastly, I placed federated call to my wife’s phone next to me in our home office.

 

As usual, this was just a POC. I will “deep dive” this summer – this is very attractive new technology, which I believe could be implemented in Georgia Military College’s student labs. We shall see…