Share via

Deploying Microsoft RemoteFX on a Single Remote Desktop Virtualization Host Server Step-by-Step Guide

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1

About this guide

Microsoft® RemoteFX™ is included as part of the RD Virtualization Host role service, and it enables the delivery of a full Windows user experience to a range of client devices including rich clients, thin clients, and ultrathin clients. RemoteFX renders content by using graphics processing units (GPUs) that are present on the server and then shared across multiple virtual desktops. RemoteFX renders a range of content including DirectX and all types of multimedia, and it is optimized for LAN-based networks.

This step-by-step guide walks you through the process of setting up RemoteFX on a single RD Virtualization Host server with a virtual desktop that is accessible by using Remote Desktop Connection (RDC). During this process, you will deploy the following components in a test environment:

  • A Remote Desktop Virtualization Host (RD Virtualization Host) server that uses RemoteFX

  • An RemoteFX-enabled virtual desktop

This guide includes the following topics:

For a downloadable version of this document, see the Deploying Microsoft RemoteFX on a Single Remote Desktop Virtualization Host Server Step-by-Step Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=203256) in the Microsoft Download Center.

Prerequisites

When implementing RemoteFX, consider the following:

  • The RemoteFX server and the RemoteFX-enabled virtual desktop must meet the RemoteFX hardware requirements. For more information about the hardware requirements for deploying RemoteFX, see Hardware Considerations for RemoteFX (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=191918).

  • Ensure that the hyper-threading technology is enabled in the BIOS of the RD Virtualization Host server.

  • Configure the proper RAM as required. Per the Windows® 7 requirements, if you are using an x86-based virtual machine, you must configure at least 1024 megabytes (MB) of RAM. If you are using an x64-based virtual machine, you must configure at least 2048 MB of RAM.

  • Ensure that you are running the matching build of Windows Server® 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) on the RemoteFX server, Windows 7 with SP1 on the virtual machine, and Windows 7 with SP1 on the client computer.

  • Ensure that there is a LAN connection between the client and the RD Virtualization Host server.

  • Ensure that the Windows Aero® desktop experience is enabled on the RemoteFX-enabled virtual desktops.

Scenario: Deploying RemoteFX on a single RD Virtualization Host server that is accessible by using Remote Desktop Connection

We recommend that you first use the procedures provided in this guide in a test lab environment. Step-by-step guides are not necessarily meant to be used to deploy Windows Server features without supporting deployment documentation, and they should be used with discretion as stand-alone documents.

Upon completion of this step-by-step guide, you will have a personal virtual desktop that uses RemoteFX. You can then test and verify this functionality by connecting to the personal virtual desktop from RD Web Access as a standard user.

The test environment described in this guide includes three computers that are connected to a private network by using the following operating systems, applications, and services:

Computer name Operating system Applications and services

CONTOSO-CLNT

Windows® 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Remote Desktop Connection

RDVH-SRV

Windows Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)

RD Virtualization Host, RemoteFX, Hyper-V™

VD1-CLNT

Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Virtual machine

 

The following documents can assist you in configuring RemoteFX: