Inside Horizon 8 2406: Optimizing efficiency, performance, and management

Welcome to the Omnissa Horizon^® 8 2406 release highlights blog. This release includes many new features and enhancements designed to streamline IT administration, improve user experience, and optimize resource management. From advanced app delivery updates with App Volumes to improved Blast performance and innovative management capabilities, the 2406 release empowers administrators with greater control and efficiency, while providing end users with superior performance and seamless connectivity. Read on to discover how these updates can transform your Horizon environment.

Accelerate virtual desktop deployments

The Horizon 8 2406 release includes features for faster desktop delivery, robust application management, and improved efficiency across virtual environments. With expanded support for Amazon WorkSpaces Core and persistent desktops, you can simplify IT management and reduce costs.

Deliver Horizon 8 desktops faster with Amazon WorkSpaces Core

The Horizon 8 2406 release improves the joint Horizon 8 and Amazon WorkSpaces Core, solution, enabling faster, scalable, and cost-effective desktop delivery. With automated pool provisioning, IT admins can use automated pools to configure and deploy desktop pools from the Horizon 8 console, reducing setup time and complexity. This hybrid solution can easily scale, allowing customers to adjust pool capacities and desktop types (persistent or non-persistent, floating, or dedicated) globally, as needed, all through the Horizon 8 console. Additionally, advanced power management settings help reduce AWS infrastructure costs by enabling efficient resource usage and tailored power schedules. To learn more about this solution, read the announcement blog. 

Efficiently deliver apps to persistent desktops

App Volumes 2406 introduces persistent desktop support. This update extends the efficient one-to-many provisioning model to classic Windows desktop environments, including virtual machines (VMs) that do not get refreshed at logoff in solutions like Omnissa Horizon and Citrix Virtual Desktops. This model helps IT reduce image management and app management time, while reducing storage costs.

Cut app management costs with App Volumes for Windows 365 and AWS

Because of the aforementioned persistent desktop support, App Volumes 2406 provides compatibility with Windows 365 and Amazon WorkSpaces Core, bringing all the powerful features of App Volumes to these cloud environments. This enhancement ensures seamless management across Omnissa Horizon, Citrix, Microsoft, and Amazon virtual desktop and app environments, providing an efficient application management solution that reduces management costs across on-premises and in the cloud.

Enhance control of the app lifecycle

The introduction of persistent desktop support also brings improved lifecycle management in App Volumes 2406. The Replicate Application Packages in Specific Stages feature allows administrators to precisely control which application packages are replicated and when, ensuring that only necessary packages reach production. Additionally, the technology preview of new Apps on Demand capabilities empowers end users to select specific package versions during app launch, providing the flexibility to test or use specific application versions, making application management more dynamic and user centric. Learn more about how to configure multiple assignments here.

Simplify license activation for Horizon SaaS customers

The Horizon 8 2406 release allows Horizon SaaS customers (e.g., if you purchased Horizon Standard Plus Subscription, Horizon Enterprise Plus Subscription, or Horizon Universal Subscription) to activate their license key through the Horizon console before deploying the Horizon Edge Gateway, simplifying the license activation process. However, customers who want to take advantage of the capabilities of the SaaS services on the Horizon Control Plane next-gen, such as Image Management Services for Horizon 8, must deploy a Horizon Edge Gateway. 

Power your virtual workspace with improved performance features

The Horizon 2406 release introduces new performance capabilities designed to help maximize efficiency and flexibility across your virtual environments. From new Blast optimization templates to boosted frames per second (FPS), these features are crafted to elevate multimedia performance and provide smooth collaboration across platforms.

Efficient network management with Blast optimization templates

New Blast optimization templates integrate with Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) pre-built profiles, offering optimal image quality, frames, and bandwidth settings tailored to specific network profiles such as high-speed LAN, low-speed WAN, and so on. These templates can be easily applied to VMs via DEM profiles, enabling administrators to efficiently deploy the correct bandwidth settings according to user requirements. Whether dealing with high or low bandwidth scenarios, the different Blast profiles provide administrators with an efficient way to apply the appropriate values for each use case and help minimize configuration time, regardless of which codec is being used.

Expand GPU choice with support for AMD

This release expands our GPU ecosystem support by adding AMD hardware encode capabilities using the AMF encode APIs for Horizon Cloud, including rendering and hardware encoding for AMD v620 GPUs. By supporting AMD alongside NVIDIA and Intel, we give you the ability to choose the GPU that best suits your needs, providing the flexibility and performance required for cloud-based virtual desktops and applications.

Boost performance with increased FPS

Elevating the Horizon user experience to unprecedented levels, Blast can now achieve 120 FPS, significantly improving multimedia and high-end graphics performance, on both Windows and Mac systems. Graphics designers and video editors can now have rich experiences as they work seamlessly on their design and multimedia applications.

Figure 1: Blast delivers a smooth and enhanced experience with support for 120 FPS, elevating multimedia and high-end graphics delivery.

HP Anyware for Omnissa Horizon 8 now available

As part of the Horizon 8 2406 release, HP Anyware for Omnissa Horizon 8 with PCoIP® Ultra is now available. This integration allows IT administrators to leverage the remote performance and graphics experience of PCoIP Ultra along with seamless brokering from HP Anyware clients within the Horizon environment. HP has also announced support for the Blast protocol with HP Trusted Zero Clients. Horizon 8 and Horizon Cloud customers can use locked-down zero clients with the superior remote experience of Blast. Watch a demo and learn more here.

Collaborate efficiently with Teams 2.1

We are excited to announce official support for the new Microsoft Teams client (2.1). The new Teams has backward compatibility support all the way back to Horizon 2111. We strive to help ensure end users have access to the most up-to-date applications, even within virtual environments.

Discover the newest management capabilities

Explore how the latest updates in Horizon 2406 can improve your hybrid environment, streamline virtual desktop management, and simplify operations with new tools and capabilities. From seamless Entra ID hybrid join support to new REST APIs for lifecycle automation, these features are designed to improve efficiency, control, and security across your IT infrastructure.

Streamline connectivity with Microsoft Entra hybrid join managed mode

The Entra ID hybrid join feature enhances connectivity by providing a smoother domain join to both on-premises and Azure Active Directory (AD) environments. Previously, support was limited to federated ADFS mode for all types of pools and managed mode for non-instant clone pools. With this update, we added support for managed mode for all types of pools, including instant clone pools. Admins can configure desktops to wait for the hybrid join process to complete, ensuring that the Entra ID is fully operational before allowing user connections. This update ensures a seamless integration and improved management of hybrid environments.

Gain flexibility and control over native Microsoft Azure VMs

Admins can now create manual pools in unmanaged mode using VMs in Microsoft Azure, providing enhanced flexibility for your cloud infrastructure. Unmanaged mode allows VMs to be created and managed outside of the typical automated Horizon provisioning process and can be useful when a specific configuration is needed. Pre-created Azure VMs are registered with Horizon to enable management and optimization of virtual desktop resources, allowing admins to tailor configurations and to scale to meet specific organizational requirements.

Improve management efficiency with folder and nav capabilities

Improving Horizon Client usability is always a priority, so the 2406 release introduces a new folder feature and navigation sidebar, making it easier to manage multiple remote applications and desktops. This feature allows for the creation, renaming, addition, and removal of remote desktops and applications to better organize large numbers of entitlements. These entitlements can be saved in multiple folders, providing organizational flexibility. Moreover, the folder configuration saves to the Horizon 8 server, ensuring consistent management and configuration regardless of the Windows device in use. The new sidebar and folders provide more straightforward navigation and efficient management. Check out this demo to see how it works. 

Figure 2: The redesigned sidebar features two sections for better organization. The Navigation Area allows users to navigate between remote desktops, applications, favorites, and folders. The Client Control Area includes client-related features such as help, settings, and software updates.

Get FIDO2 WebAuthN redirection, now available for macOS

This release introduces the FIDO2 Redirection feature for Mac Client and Agent, allowing users to leverage local endpoint FIDO2 components in remote desktops and applications. This provides smooth integration and improved security across platforms by controlling application access to endpoint FIDO2 authenticators in remote desktops.

Simplify pool and VM management with new administrative controls

Horizon 2406 introduces two features designed to simplify pool and VM management for administrators. The first feature provides the option to disable user access to a pool without halting desktop provisioning, giving admins more flexibility. Previously, disabling a pool meant that both user access and desktop provisioning were stopped, making it difficult to patch or update the pool without disrupting end-user activities. With this new feature, admins can disable end-user access while continuing to provision desktops, allowing for uninterrupted maintenance and updates. In addition to being able to reset/restart multiple instant clone (IC) VMs from the console, now admins can shut down multiple IC VMs. This feature provides more efficient VM management, optimizing resource use, particularly in environments with limited resources.

Optimize traffic flow with Home Site Redirection for CPA

Home Site Redirection addresses Cloud Pod Architecture (CPA) inter-site and hair pinning traffic issues by redirecting end users from a connected site to their designated home site without having to reauthenticate through the Unified Access Gateway. This ensures that end users are directed to the appropriate pod without inefficient rerouting through other pods, reducing backend traffic and efficiently connecting them to the right pod.

Automate lifecycle management with RESTful APIs

As part of Horizon's ongoing RESTful API expansion, the latest release introduces a set of powerful APIs that streamline lifecycle management across your Horizon infrastructure. These APIs can be used to automate the installation and upgrade processes for Horizon Connection and Enrollment Servers, offering a more efficient, modern alternative to legacy, manual methods. By embracing an API-first approach, organizations can automate repetitive tasks, reducing the potential for human error and speeding up deployments. These APIs are designed for flexibility, allowing seamless integration with any orchestration engine you prefer, so you can tailor automation workflows to meet the unique needs of your environment. The result is increased efficiency, consistency, and control over your Horizon infrastructure.

Unlock automation and consistency with Terraform support

To complement the lifecycle management APIs, we are introducing support for Terraform through the new Omnissa Horizon Terraform Provider. For those utilizing Terraform for Infrastructure as Code (IaC), this integration allows you to effortlessly automate and manage the installation and upgrade processes for Horizon Connection and Enrollment Servers. With Terraform, infrastructure management becomes more predictable, consistent, and scalable. IaC enables you to build, change, and manage your infrastructure safely, ensuring a consistent and repeatable approach to infrastructure management. Whether you are scaling your deployment or performing routine updates, the Terraform provider integrates seamlessly with Horizon’s API-driven automation, unlocking new levels of efficiency and control. The Omnissa Horizon Terraform Provider is available on GitHub, where you will find sample Install and Upgrade scripts to get you started. 

Conclusion

That covers all the highlights for Horizon 8 2406. As with each release, the Omnissa Horizon team strives to reduce administrative overhead, enhance user experiences, and optimize resource management. Explore the full capabilities of this release by referring to our Horizon 2406 release notes. 

Taking advantage of new features as they are released is one benefit to upgrading to our Horizon subscription license. You can download version 2406 by visiting the Omnissa Customer Connect site.