Problem solve

Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Mitigate VDI performance issues with resource management

  To improve user experience, IT can take advantage of virtual desktop configurations that limit resource usage. This frees up resources for all desktops to perform basic functions. Continue Reading

• How to fix keyboard connection issues on a remote desktop

  When the keyboard for a remote desktop isn't working, sys admins will need to run through these steps to find the root cause of the problem and address it. Continue Reading

• Fixing issues with a computer mouse on a remote desktop

  Running a remote desktop comes with all sorts of hardware considerations for IT to address, including how the desktop interacts with local hardware, such as a computer mouse. Continue Reading

• How to fix a remote desktop microphone that's not working

  Hybrid work can create new technical issues for employees, and a remote desktop microphone not working is one frustrating possibility. Understand how to troubleshoot the problem. Continue Reading

• 6 steps for when remote desktop credentials are not working

  Without a solid connection, remote desktops simply cannot function. When there are remote desktop connection issues, IT administrators should follow these steps. Continue Reading

• How to approach Citrix performance troubleshooting

  Citrix performance issues can be difficult to deal with. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and troubleshoot them using various techniques, such as automation.Continue Reading

• Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops basic troubleshooting guide

  Without the proper troubleshooting process, IT would have to guess what the issue might be. However, a clear and consistent approach can provide fast and accurate results.Continue Reading

• Navigating VMware logs for troubleshooting

  IT administrators who run a VMware deployment should familiarize themselves with the troubleshooting logs, how to find them and what they mean.Continue Reading

• Setting up and troubleshooting multiple thin client monitors

  Thin clients generally require less attention from desktop administrators, but sometimes, IT needs to intervene to set up or troubleshoot a multiple monitor workstation.Continue Reading

• Understanding the difference between thin and thick clients

  How do thin and thick clients compare for licensing or flexibility? These two endpoint types each have their role in the enterprise, but they fit into organizations in very different ways.Continue Reading

• How to configure Remote Desktop in Windows Server 2008 R2 step by step

  Learn how to install and configure Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2008 R2 to use Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Gateway Manager.Continue Reading

• How to fix 8 common remote desktop connection problems

  When the connection between a desktop and its host fails, it's time to do some remote desktop troubleshooting. Check firewalls, security certificates and more if a remote desktop is not working.Continue Reading

• 5 reasons printer redirection causes Windows printing problems in RDS

  Windows printing problems are a pain. If you have printer redirection issues with the Remote Desktop Protocol in RDS, check user permissions, client requirements and more.Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot common VDI issues

  VDI administrators must be adept at troubleshooting various VDI issues. Sufficient planning can prevent some, but IT should be prepared to deal with a few common issues.Continue Reading

• Learn the Windows Virtual Desktop setup process

  Organizations looking to set up Windows Virtual Desktop machines can do so with Azure Resource Manager, but admins must ensure their environment has the necessary prerequisites.Continue Reading

• Three VDI challenges that can derail any project

  IT shops need to look out for complexity, cost and performance problems when they put a VDI implementation plan in place.Continue Reading

• VMware Horizon View troubleshooting guide for desktop admins

  IT pros can read this VMware Horizon View troubleshooting guide to learn how to set up desktop troubleshooting in Horizon and identify connection, UX and authentication issues.Continue Reading

• Understand VDI market shifts from traditional VDI to cloud

  As the VDI market shifts to cloud-based VDI and DaaS, it's important to understand the bigger picture. Understand the benefits and complexities of the changing market.Continue Reading

• Navigate Office 365 licensing issues with VDI

  Office 365 can come with some tricky licensing situations, especially for VDI admins. Explore this rundown of licensing issues and some potential solutions.Continue Reading

• Best practices to prevent RDP security issues

  IT can prevent RDP security issues in a few ways. Learn how to use Group Policy and other best practices to protect against an RDP-based attack, and learn about BlueKeep.Continue Reading

• How to manage Windows Virtual Desktop printing problems

  Windows Virtual Desktop printing is somewhat complicated. Learn about the products that can simplify print management for IT and make printing more seamless for end users.Continue Reading

• How to use PowerShell to track VDI resources

  It's never ideal to have underutilized servers in a VDI environment. Here's how IT pros can create a PowerShell script to track VDI resource utilization.Continue Reading

• Find alternatives when Citrix Smart Scale reaches end of life

  Citrix will retire Smart Scale in May 2019, and its replacement is only for Citrix Cloud customers. Here's how IT pros can find alternatives to this VDI power management tool.Continue Reading

• How app layering can overcome app virtualization challenges

  App layering allows IT to manage applications independently. Learn about the other benefits of app layering and how it differs from application virtualization.Continue Reading

• Top 4 challenges of hyper-converged infrastructure for VDI

  HCI and VDI often go well together, providing simpler scalability and flexibility for virtual desktops. But what happens when a VDI deployment has requirements outside the norm?Continue Reading

• Integrate legacy Windows applications with modern device capabilities

  Enabling virtual desktop users to open apps in the format that allows the apps to function best would be ideal, but there's work to do to enable this capability.Continue Reading

• How can IT improve its virtual application capacity plan?

  When IT deploys virtual apps, it must plan for the applications' capacity needs. Two common planning methods are monitoring app performance and load simulation.Continue Reading

• How VDI performance monitoring tools help IT

  When deciding on a VDI monitoring tool, IT must understand the unique functions and limitations of each tool. IT should find a tool that matches the exact needs of its organization.Continue Reading

• 5 decisions for application and desktop virtualization

  IT has to make several major decisions to ensure that it makes the most of its application and desktop virtualization deployment, such as selecting a hosting method and end-user devices.Continue Reading

• How can IT identify and manage VDI usage fluctuations?

  Unpredictable user behavior and boot storms can cause VDI resource usage fluctuations throughout the day. IT can take steps to identify and curtail the effects of these changes.Continue Reading

• How to make virtual desktop images easier to manage

  There are several common mistakes VDI shops make, including allowing users to gain elevated privileges, that make it more difficult to deliver a quality end-user experience.Continue Reading

• Can IT add digital watermarks to its virtual desktops?

  As part of a larger security strategy, watermarking virtual desktops can help IT discourage data leakage by adding user-specific text to each desktop.Continue Reading

• How to simulate a multisite network with VMware Workstation

  If you want to test out a WAN link between two networks with VDI, VMware Workstation can help. Here's how it works.Continue Reading

• Ready to start VDI capacity planning? Prove it

  Planning VDI capacity can be challenging and confusing. See if you have what it takes to plan for factors such as remote access and future changes.Continue Reading

• Six ways to simplify Citrix App Layering

  App layering can deliver a lot of benefits to IT administrators, but only if they know how to keep management simple. Start by understanding ELMs and keeping Windows up to date.Continue Reading

• Does deploying VDI affect other systems?

  VDI can affect areas of a company network, such as internet bandwidth. IT can mitigate the effects of VDI users by allocating resources and monitoring system performance.Continue Reading

• How can IT combat rogue RDP access?

  Hackers can gain remote access to users' desktops through RDP hijacking. As a result, IT pros must know what they can do to prevent such an attack.Continue Reading

• Get a jump on VDI issues with root cause analysis

  The right root cause analysis tools and methods can help IT identify the source of VDI problems and resolve them quickly to minimize the effect on user experience.Continue Reading

• Six VDI testing steps to take with any deployment

  Whether IT is upgrading an existing VDI deployment or implementing VDI, there are a series of tests it should run, including making sure users can access their virtual desktops.Continue Reading

• What root cause analysis software exists for virtual desktops?

  When trying to get to the bottom of virtual desktop problems, IT should turn to root cause analysis tools from vendors such as ControlUp and Lakeside Software.Continue Reading

• Four root cause analysis benefits VDI shops should know

  When it comes to pinpointing the source of a VDI problem, IT should turn to root cause analysis, which can also help enhance the user experience and save time.Continue Reading

• Get to know root cause analysis tools for VDI

  Not all VDI monitoring tools provide the same features. IT admins in search of a root cause analysis tool may want to turn to third-party vendors.Continue Reading

• What are the open source remote display protocol options?

  Fluctuating VDI costs can catch any organization by surprise. Consider open source remote display protocols to keep the price tag low and user experience high.Continue Reading

• How to handle increasing VDI graphics processing needs

  With more applications, including seemingly straightforward ones, such as Microsoft Word, going graphics-intensive, VDI shops must know how to deliver a quality user experience.Continue Reading

• Don't let network latency issues slow your VDI or DaaS roll

  Data can get to users faster if it is closer to them. As a result IT must keep that distance in mind when setting up a VDI or DaaS deployment.Continue Reading

• How does Office 365 VDI licensing work in nonpersistent deployments?

  Setting up Office 365 generally involves multiple devices. With nonpersistent VDI, the rules of the game change for IT admins.Continue Reading

• Roaming profiles help deliver a consistent virtual desktop experience

  Nonpersistent VDI strips users of their ability to customize their desktops. With user environment management methods such as roaming profiles, they can take some ownership back.Continue Reading

• Four problem areas to watch for when VDI troubleshooting

  When it comes to VDI, IT must be ready to troubleshoot common problems associated with virtual desktop performance, back-end infrastructure, product platforms and persona management.Continue Reading

• Don't let VDI network latency grind virtual desktops to a halt

  Network latency problems can make even the simplest tasks impossible on a virtual desktop. IT needs to use performance monitoring to identify the source of latency to fix the problem.Continue Reading

• Top five VDI-related help desk questions

  VDI has many benefits, but it will also open the flood gates for help desk questions from users: Why can't I login? Where am I printing? IT better have the answers.Continue Reading

• VDI hardware evaluation checklist

  Picking the right hardware for your VDI deployment is critical, but it doesn't have to be difficult. To start, check to see if your VDI software vendor has a list of compatible components.Continue Reading

• Do I need antivirus for VDI deployments?

  Virtual desktop environments aren't immune to viruses and malware, so it's important to have an antivirus tool and strategy in place before your deployment gets infected.Continue Reading

• Troubleshoot problems remotely with desktop shadowing

  Desktop shadowing tools come standard in Windows Server and Windows OSes, but you'll have to use different techniques for RDSH and VDI users.Continue Reading

• Breaking down VMware GPU virtualization options: Soft 3D, vSGA and vDGA

  VMware GPU virtualization options Soft 3D, vSGA and vDGA have different uses and benefits, but they all help companies reap performance rewards.Continue Reading

• Why remote connectivity problems happen and how to fix them

  Remote connectivity problems such as latency and bouncing have easy fixes that just take careful planning when you're setting up your VDI deployment.Continue Reading

• Preparing for an IT audit in your VDI environment

  When preparing for an audit in your VDI environment, the best defense is a strong offense. Find out what you need to archive and who's auditing.Continue Reading

• From VDI pilot to production: Four tips for the move

  Don't leave users out of the equation when you move from your VDI pilot project to the production environment.Continue Reading

• Making thin client performance priority No. 1

  Thin client performance is the key to a successful endpoint because it's the issue that most affects your end users.Continue Reading

• Three important VDI application deployment considerations

  Consider app compatibility and the frequency of updates when you choose VDI application deployment methods. Oh, and don't forget cost.Continue Reading

• How to load balance a Citrix or VMware VDI implementation

  Whether your VDI implementation is based on Citrix or VMware, certain load-balancing techniques will keep performance on target.Continue Reading

• How to handle peripherals support on virtual desktops

  Peripherals support can be especially tricky on virtual desktops because you often need redirection technology to make the devices work.Continue Reading

• A sampler of VDI-friendly Windows PowerShell scripts

  You can automate desktop provisioning, monitoring and more in a VDI environment, so check out these handy Windows PowerShell scripts for VDI admins.Continue Reading

• Where virtual desktops need certificate management

  Virtual desktops don't always trust certain security certificates, especially when applications are accessed through the Web.Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of using VDI for BYOD management

  Virtual desktop infrastructure eases the stress of managing employee-owned devices in the enterprise, but beware connectivity and compatibility snags.Continue Reading

• Taking advantage of VM snapshots in a virtual desktop environment

  With VM snapshots, you can make one desktop VM into many. Just watch out for performance when snapshotting in a virtual desktop environment.Continue Reading

• What's new in VMware View 5.1: Integration, storage, endpoint support

  VMware View 5.1 offers View Storage Accelerator and support for more types of endpoints. Even point upgrades can deliver surprising enhancements.Continue Reading

• The pros and cons of using storage virtualization for virtual desktops

  Thinking of virtualizing storage to improve virtual desktop performance? Here are the pros and cons of storage virtualization for VDI.Continue Reading

• Making Citrix XenDesktop play nice with a VMware hypervisor

  You can run XenDesktop on a VMware hypervisor, but what does that entail? Learn how clustering and vCenter Server work in a mixed VDI environment.Continue Reading

• Using passthrough disks for desktop VM storage? Keep 5 tips in mind

  Connecting desktop VMs to passthrough disks can enhance performance, but it does add complexity. Watch out for these five hang-ups.Continue Reading

• Why you need VDI training and how to go about it

  VDI requires new hardware and software, so make sure you get some VDI training and certifications under your belt before you deploy virtual desktops.Continue Reading

• Best practices for allocating resources to virtual desktops

  It's important to do a good job allocating resources to virtual desktops. Make sure you understand your VM system and allocate based on your users.Continue Reading

• What exactly is included in the Microsoft VDA license cost?

  The Virtual Desktop Access license lets users remotely access Windows from more types of devices, but it costs more than Software Assurance.Continue Reading

• VMware View components: What you need and how they work

  To use VMware View for VDI, you need a few different View components, including the View Agent, vCenter Server and View Connection Server.Continue Reading

• Zero client vs. thin client computing: Why zero clients are better

  Zero clients and thin clients both offer virtual desktop access, but they aren't the same when it comes to performance and scalability.Continue Reading

• Breaking down five desktop delivery methods

  There are a lot of ways to accomplish desktop delivery these days, and they all come in shorthand: VDI, SBC, DaaS and more.Continue Reading

• Four desktop virtualization use cases

  Knowing why you're deploying virtual desktops is the first step to success -- whether it's for better security, simplified management or BYOD support.Continue Reading

• Creating a golden image for VDI: 13 things to consider

  When you build a golden image for virtual desktops, make sure that virtual disk image has the proper security settings and pre-installed apps.Continue Reading

• User profile backup methods for virtual desktops

  First you need to decide whether it's worth backing up user data. If you decide yes, check out these user profile backup techniques.Continue Reading

• Choosing thin client devices: What to look for

  On the lookout for thin client devices? Don't forget to consider application compatibility, protocol support, features and cost.Continue Reading

• Four virtual disk formats every VDI admin needs to know

  VDI admins need to understand the underlying disk image files that store data in their environments. Learn about the four most common formats.Continue Reading

• Application and OS updates for virtual desktops: Not so simple

  Think virtual desktops make app and OS updates easier? Think again. Patching and updating virtual desktops can require more steps than physical ones.Continue Reading

• User profile management tools: 16 options to consider

  There are tons of user profile management tools out there. Check out these options to learn what they offer -- and which ones are free.Continue Reading

• How to install Microsoft RDS in Windows Server 2012

  When you're ready to install Microsoft RDS, keep an eye on each component. Some are mandatory in Windows Server 2012 and others aren't.Continue Reading

• How to ensure VDI network connectivity, security

  A virtual desktop isn't worth a nickel if a user can't connect to it. Keep your VDI network strong with traffic prioritization and security policies.Continue Reading

• GPU vs. CPU: Three ways to run graphics-heavy apps on virtual desktops

  It's a pain trying to accommodate graphics-intensive applications on a virtual desktop, but don't despair. There are ways to deliver these apps fast.Continue Reading

• Eliminating VDI network bottlenecks and latency issues

  On a VDI network, you want lots of bandwidth and low latency levels. To hit that target, learn what policies you need to put in place.Continue Reading

• How to emulate the Windows 8 touch interface on a virtual desktop

  You can use a virtual desktop to test the new OS, but it's tricky to mimic the Windows 8 touch interface.Continue Reading

• Configuring Remote Desktop Services roles for high availability

  Although Windows Server 2012 RDS comes with new high availability capabilities, configuring Remote Desktop Services HA is no simple task.Continue Reading

• Application virtualization Q&A: Streaming and remote app delivery

  Application virtualization can simplify upgrading and management. Just remember, streaming and remote apps are two different things.Continue Reading

• Using Portable-VirtualBox to run any OS from a USB device

  Portable-VirtualBox allows you to run OSes from a USB drive, which helps you test them for use in server and desktop virtualization environments.Continue Reading

• Turn to Microsoft RemoteApp Programs when VDI and RDS just won't do

  VDI and RDS aren't always the best fit for remote app delivery. For a lightweight approach, try Microsoft RemoteApp Programs in Windows Server 2012.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Using Windows PowerShell commands to manage virtual desktops

  Windows PowerShell commands aren't just for traditional desktops. Learn how to use PowerCLI, XenApp cmdlets and more to make VDI management a snap.Continue Reading

• VDI backup strategies: Copying, storing and securing virtual desktops

  If you’re not backing up your virtual desktops, here are a few VDI backup strategies that might make you re-think that decision.Continue Reading

• VirtualBox VM recovery: Two ways to salvage your data

  If you have to recover a VirtualBox VM, you're in for a grand old time. Keep these tricks in mind to help get your data back.Continue Reading

• Microsoft RemoteFX requirements in Windows Server 2012

  There are new hardware requirements for using RemoteFX in Windows Server 2012, but it's hard to find where to configure certain settings.Continue Reading

• Desktop virtualization comparison: VDI vs. Remote Desktop Services

  For desktop virtualization, you have a choice between the paths of VDI and Remote Desktop Services. Robert Frost took the road less travelled, but you don't have to choose just one.Continue Reading

• How to stagger your VDI project rollout: Start with a VDI POC

  Slow and steady wins the race. After analyzing a VDI POC, stagger your VDI project rollout so resources aren't overwhelmed and users can get used to the new technology.Continue Reading

• Five reasons a VDI project stalls: What's the holdup?

  Here's one way to send a VDI project down the tubes: Ignore the end user experience. See four more factors that can hit the brakes on your implementation.Continue Reading

• Reverse seamless windows: The secret to local apps on remote desktops

  Some apps just run better as local applications. Reverse seamless windows technology allows you to run apps locally while presenting them on remote desktops.Continue Reading

• How do you stop a VDI deployment in its tracks? Scale up!

  When a VDI deployment doesn't get past the pilot stage, scalability is often the culprit. A small VDI project is a completely different animal than a large one.Continue Reading