Taking a look at the new HTML5 connector in Dell/Wyse vWorkspace 8.5

Dell/Wyse has released the latest version of their vWorkspace product this week, which is version 8.5! I have been upgrading a first environment this week, which went smooth.

For an overview of all that’s new in 8.5, see: http://documents.software.dell.com/vWorkspace/8.5/Whats%20New/

In this blog post I’ll focus on a specific new feature, the HTML5 connector. The HTML5 connector allows users to connect to applications or desktops without having to install a vWorkspace connector. HTML5 can be enabled or disabled for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux and Chrome OS.

Obviously the experience of running a RemoteApp or Desktop on a (installed) connectors or RDP client is much better than HTML5. In most use cases HTML5 will therefor not be the primary way of connecting. However, it does allows users to connect to applications or desktops without having to install a connector or client. Which makes a great way of providing a secondary or backup way of connecting in situations were users are not allowed to install or configure a client locally or just want to check a document real quick on a device they’ve never used before and don’t want to download, install and configure a connector or client first. Or, in case of using one of the few devices for which a vWorkspace connector is not available (like e.g. Windows RT).

HTML5 can be enabled an configured within the vWorkspace management console on a per client type level.

After doing so, you log on to vWorkspace Web Access (which is also improved to support scales to the size and orientation of the endpoint device).

You select a Remote App

And after logon we are now running multiple RemoteApps inside our browser, bases on HTML5, without installing any client.

Do note that in most scenario’s you will see NLA enabled in an environment. By default however, NLA is disabled for the vWorkspace HTML5 connector. To enable HTML5, edit the following file C:\inetpub\wwwroot\web\Freezer\Web.Config

And set EnableNLA to the value true.

KB: RemoteApp program pop-up window is hidden in Windows

Microsoft released a new Kb article today (2964832) in regards to incorrect opening of Remote Apps on clients running Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2.

“…Assume that you publish some RemoteApp programs on a remote desktop server. When you open a RemoteApp program from a client computer, the pop-up window of the RemoteApp program opens on top of other program windows, and then the window is hidden immediately behind the other windows…”

“…To resolve this issue, install the hotfix that is described in this article…”

Source & download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2964832

KB: Error when you try to change the properties of a published RemoteApp in Windows Server 2012

A new KB article (2862077) was released yesterday in regards to changing the properties of a Remote app inside the RDMS if this Remote App is installed on a non-system drive of the RD Session Host.

“…Consider the following scenario:

• You deploy Remote Desktop Service on a Windows Server 2012-based computer.
• A Remote Desktop Connection Broker is installed in the environment. The computer is joined in a session-based collection.
• You install an application on a non-system drive of the computer.
• You publish this application as a RemoteApp.
• You try to use Remote Desktop Management Server (RDMS) UI to change and save the properties of the RemoteApp.

In this scenario, the operation fails, and you receive the following message:

Cannot bind argument to parameter 'VirtualPath' because it is an empty string

This issue occurs because the script that RDMS UI calls receives an empty parameter unexpectedly…”

“…To work around this issue, use the Set-RDRemoteApp cmdlet to change the properties of the RemoteApp…”

Source & download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2862077/en-us?sd=rss

Dialog boxes & new windows displayed as blank in Office 2013 RemoteApps on a Win 2008 R2-RD Session Host

KB article about an issue when publishing Office 2013 as a Remote App on Windows Server 2008 R2.

“…Consider the following scenario:

• You have a Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer that has the Remote Desktop Session Host role service installed.
• You publish the RemoteApps applications on the computer by using Microsoft Office 2013.
  Note Office 2013 applications support the Remote Applications Integrated Locally (RAIL) feature.
• You connect to the Office 2013 application from a client computer.
• You to perform an operation in the Office 2013 application that creates a window.

In this scenario, the newly created window is not rendered and displayed as blank.

For example:

• When you try to create new items in Outlook 2013, an unusable blank window appears. Therefore, you must switch to another application and then switch back to Outlook 2013 to create an item.
• When you close an Office application that has unsaved data, a dialog box is displayed to remind you to save the file. In this situation, the dialog box is displayed as blank. Therefore, to correctly view the dialog box you have to save the data or close the application by using the keyboard…”

Source and download: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2786923/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134