Horizon 8 2309 is now available and offers new enhancements and innovations that meet the evolving needs of admins while improving the end-user experience. From offering streamlined workflows and security to Horizon client performance and smoother experience, it’s another exciting release. Read on to find out what’s new and how it can make your Horizon virtual desktop and app environment even better.
Multi-site support for instant clones
Instant clones will now support multiple sites and domain controllers, allowing customers to avoid manual configurations and eliminate customization errors. The newly integrated Microsoft Sysprep customization automatically selects sites for computer account creation and simplifies domain joining in multi-site environments. Administrators can also implement pre-shutdown and post-synchronization scripts seamlessly, maintaining the adaptability found with ClonePrep customization. Furthermore, the option for manual site selection remains available, offering flexibility to cater to varied administrative needs and preferences.
Automatically select domain site in multi-site and multi-domain environments with Microsoft Sysprep
Customers facing instant clone customization errors in their multi-site and multi-domain controller environments no longer must configure site names manually to avoid such errors, detailed here in KB2147129. Admins can use Sysprep guest customization (without pre-created computer account) to automatically select the Active Directory domain site for instant clone pool creation. This can be done at a pool or global level. This guest customization method leverages Microsoft Sysprep to pre-create computer accounts and perform domain joins. The option to manually select a domain site to pre-create computer accounts will still be available.
Figure 1. Admins can use Sysprep guest customization to automatically select the Active Direct domain site for instant clone pool creation.
Adding pre-shutdown and post-synchronization scripts with Microsoft Sysprep customization
Admins can now set pre-shutdown and post-synchronization scripts when using Microsoft Sysprep customization just as they do with ClonePrep customization. This is useful when you want to switch from ClonePrep customization to Sysprep customization to avoid instant clone customization errors (KB2147129) in your multi-site and multi-domain controller environment.
Figure 2. Setting pre-shutdown (power-off) and post-synchronization scripts when using Microsoft Sysprep customization.
Full clone support for Windows 10 and Windows 11 OS upgrades
For customers running persistent VMs utilizing full clones, 2309 allows upgrades to Windows 10 and Windows 11 Guest OS on Full Clones while retaining the Horizon Agent installed in place. This means administrators can upgrade persistent VM operating systems without the need to reinstall the Horizon Agent, thus providing a more straightforward workflow. For more information see KB 2148176.
Single application launch limit with Horizon
Administrators can enable single application launch limit for an application pool to prevent each end-user from launching more than one instance of an application through the Horizon Client. The feature can improve the end-user experience for some applications by allowing only one instance of an application to be open, versus having several copies running at one time.
Enhanced resource allocation with load index-based approach in Horizon
Building on the CPA Session Load Distribution Policy released in 2306, 2309 now has an index-based policy to enable a more balanced distribution of user sessions based on load. This feature allows customers to maintain balanced resource usage across pods and more equitable resource allocation.
App Volumes Manager in Amazon Marketplaces
App Volumes Manager is now available in the Amazon Marketplace, making it even easier to get started with a free trial. It automatically sets up a database and file shares, allowing for a quick proof of concept (PoC). When you are ready, you can easily activate it with your own enterprise license.
App Volumes Manager in Microsoft Azure Marketplaces
App Volumes Manager is now available in the Azure Marketplace, offering a streamlined way to access our software. This feature provides a convenient, quick setup with an automatically configured database and file shares, allowing for a hassle-free PoC as you explore the capabilities of App Volumes Manager in the Azure cloud. Should you decide to proceed, you can readily apply your own enterprise license to activate it.
App Volumes Manager certificate acceptance via Thumbprint
To simplify adding an App Volumes Manager configuration to Horizon, 2309 allows admins to accept the SSL certificate by using a thumbprint. This user-friendly approach enables admins to rapidly restore system functionality using a thumbprint in situations where SSL certificates have lapsed. Additionally, it provides an effortless way to add an App Volumes Manager to Horizon for testing purposes, without the need to configure App Volumes Manager with a CA-signed certificate first.
Improved security check at the connection server
Connection servers usually do not have internet access and are therefore unable to perform certificate revocation list (CRL) checks. Now, using a service account, CRL prefetch service can be configured on the connection servers (CS), allowing the download of CRL from CRL Distribution Point, even if they lack direct internet access. This allows the CS to actively perform checks and block any requests associated with revoked or untrusted certificates, ensuring heightened security measures.
Continued transition to REST APIs
The transition to REST APIs continues, and we have now achieved ~95% parity with SOAP-based APIs. Additionally, our Administrator console is quickly progressing to utilize REST APIs. As of 2309, both the Desktop Pool and Application Pool menu bar actions have been updated to this new standard. This transition to REST APIs ensures a more efficient, standardized, and streamlined interaction for administrators. All new RESTful APIs can be downloaded from the VMware Horizon Server API site.
Elevated network telemetry for Blast
Horizon 2309 provides deeper insights into your network’s performance with real-time observability, telemetry, and diagnostics for each remote session such as content drive redirection (CDR), USB, and others. Now, administrators can gain more granular information for efficient tracking, troubleshooting, and visibility. In addition, new counters for these features, such as incoming and outgoing bandwidth, will be displayed in the Windows Performance Monitor.
Additional enhancements on the Blast protocol and deprecating switch encoder
Several enhancements to the Blast protocol were introduced in 2309. Support for 3D graphics has been added to physical machines running Linux VDI, which provides end users with a richer experience. Additionally, performance gains were achieved at scale with optimized polling for mouse cursor events. Given the consistent improvements to the Blast codec over recent quarters, it is now a great alternative to the switch encoder feature, with its typical associated issues. As a result, the switch encoder will be deprecated in the upcoming 2312 release.
Horizon Windows Client now supports Windows 11 ARM devices
Building on the ARM support announced in the 2306 release last quarter, 2309 delivers additional improvements to ARM-based devices working with Emulation Compatible including USB support and enhanced performance. These advancements support laptops equipped with ARM chips, significantly expanding device support within Horizon and optimizing the end user experience.
Audio/video performance improvement on Chrome and HTML devices
Real-time audio and video (RTAV) have boosted performance on Chromebooks. Utilizing the WebCodec API, the Horizon Client is leveraging hardware encoding instead of software, resulting in a much better experience with RTAV on Chromebooks. Additionally, H.264 has been introduced as the codec for webcam redirection, which is necessary for redirecting multiple webcams.
Keylogger prevention installed by default
Introduced a year ago on Windows, the Keylogger provides additional security by preventing malware from recording keystrokes. This feature was originally selected at install time. With 2306, the feature will be installed by default and then turned on and off via an agent GPO. Even if the VM isn’t set to enforce keylogger prevention, we’ve now added an end-user setting that an end user can select to protect their keyboard.
Horizon OpenSSL 3.0 support
Now that OpenSSL 3.0 is Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) validated, Horizon is also moving to OpenSSL 3.0. This update takes advantage of the updated and improved OpenSSL 3.0 library, as it relates to safeguarding Horizon network communications. This helps ensure end-users can interact with confidence in the secure environment that Horizon provides.
Optimizing application access: Support for URI redirections in Horizon
Horizon 2309 provides support for URI redirections in Horizon, allowing specific applications to be opened locally. Administrators can set up rules to designate where apps should open by default. The feature enables seamless data transfer between the local machine and the remote application, providing users with the flexibility to open apps from the endpoint instead of the VM. This feature is beneficial for apps that perform better locally than on the VM, providing significant app flexibility and maintaining optimal VM performance.
Enhancing last-mile network insight: Horizon Client integration with DEEM
Horizon continues to integrate with the VMware Digital Employee Experience solution to help deliver valuable employee experience insights that improve the end-user experience. Initially supporting Windows (Mac support will follow in a future release), 2309 deepens the integration and provides insights into network performance, specifically in LAN and WAN latency. Tapping into the “last-mile” network information provides valuable insights into the performance and accessibility of virtual desktops and applications. Additionally, Horizon will collect data on Wi-Fi performance and latency and forward it to Workspace ONE Intelligence, providing customers with visibility into Wi-Fi performance and offering an understanding of their network’s capabilities and restrictions. With this information, admins can ensure smoother, more responsive access to virtual resources, enhancing user satisfaction and productivity. You can review the Digital Employee Experience for VMware Horizon documentation for more information.
That concludes the highlights of the 2309 release. We are super excited about these updates —they’re all about making your experience smoother, more secure, and better overall. We’ve packed in a lot, so dive in and explore these new features. For additional features, you can review the Horizon 8 2309 Release Notes. Also, check out the latest updates to other 2309 releases, such as App Volumes 4 2309 and Dynamic Environment Manager 2309.
Taking advantage of new features as they are released is one benefit to upgrading to our Horizon subscription license. Download version 2309 by visiting MyVMware.com.
