Features and Enhancements in HyWorks v3.4-SP2 Release

This release notes section highlights the new features and improvements introduced in HyWorks v3.4-SP2.

HyWorks Enhancements and Features

Smart File Transfer and Clipboard with Management from HyWorks Controller

HyWorks now introduces smart mechanisms to efficiently transfer data between the client and the remote server during sessions. This new integration offers the following benefits:

1. Centralized Control: Manage settings centrally through the HyWorks Management Console.

2. Granular Control: Fine-tune controls over content type, size, and file types.

3. Clipboard Direction Control: Configure the clipboard direction to allow data transfer from client to remote desktop or from remote desktop to client, both ways, or to disable it altogether.

Important

• The smart clipboard and file transfer features are available only for Windows desktop clients.

• These features require the latest Workspace client version, 7.0.0.1022 or later, along with the latest Client Session Extension version - 3.4.0.49.

USB Redirection Control from HyWorks Controller Management Console

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 introduces a management option for creating USB profiles, allowing for granular control over USB redirections. This includes:

1. Policy Definition: Create policies based on USB device class, subclass, protocol, VID, and PID.

2. Controlled Usage: Configure device usage with options such as: never redirecting, always redirecting, or allowing the user to choose.

3. Default Policy: Set a default policy for devices not matching the specified criteria.

Important

This feature currently works only with built-in USB redirection drivers and is integrated with Windows desktop clients (version 7.0.0.1022 or later).

Import and Push Desktop Policy from HyWorks Controller Management Console

The new feature allows for integrating policy profiles from the HyWorks Controller Management Console, which are sent to the respective desktops before a session begins. The supported file format is .pol files.

Additionally, there is an option to automatically log out the user if the policy is not applied successfully. Administrators can create or update policy files using the "Policy Plus" tool.

Task View for Desktop Sessions on HyWorks Controller Management Console

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 introduces a feature that allows administrators to view detailed task information for a desktop session through the Management Console (Management Console > Monitor > Desktops). This feature also allows for the selective killing of processes running in a user's session.

The available options include:

1. Kill Processes: Terminate processes with or without the user’s consent.

2. Manual Refresh: Fetch the latest task information with an option to view the last refresh timer.

3. End Process Tree: Terminate a process along with all its child processes.

4. Custom User Messages: Display a custom message to the user when prompting for consent to kill a process.

5. Default Consent Timer: Set a default timer to display the consent prompt.

Note

The task list does not refresh automatically and requires the administrator to refresh it manually.

Integration of Proxmox (Preview) Connector

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 now includes support for Proxmox as a connector, offering the following features:

1. Desktop Pool with Non-Provisioned Desktops: Support for desktop pools that do not require pre-provisioned desktops.

2. Provisioning Options:

   1. Persistent and non-persistent personal desktop pools.

   2. Persistent and non-persistent shared hosted pools.

   3. Clone Types: Support for both Linked Clones and Full Clones.

   4. Clone from Snapshot.

   5. Recompose desktops.

3. Desktop Power Operations: Manage power states of desktops.

4. HyLabs Support: Integration with HyLabs for lab management.

Important

• This integration is currently in preview mode, with more features planned for future releases.

• Modifying deployment settings is not supported; cloned VMs will be created based on the Gold Master configurations.

Scheduled Actions Support from HyWorks Controller Management Console

The scheduled actions feature has been integrated into v3.4-SP2, allowing administrators to schedule operations on desktop VMs. This feature is accessible through a dedicated page: Management Console > Schedules. Administrators can perform the following scheduled actions with or without user notifications:

1. Personal Desktops:

   1. Move to version

   2. Power operations

2. Shared Desktops:

   1. Mark Active/Inactive

   2. Move to version

   3. Power operations

Important

The scheduled actions feature requires the HyWorks Action Processor and Scheduler to be installed, configured, and enabled.

Send Message

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 allows administrators to send notifications to users in desktop sessions. This action can be initiated from the following pages in the Management Console:

1. VDI > Desktops > Personal

2. VDI > Desktops > Shared

3. Monitor > Sessions > Desktops

Note

The send messages feature is not available for Linux-based desktop sessions.

Trusted Launch Virtual Machines Provisioning Support on Azure

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 now supports provisioning virtual machines on Microsoft Azure with the Security Type set to Trusted launch virtual machines. Previously, cloning operations failed with this security type and only worked with the standard security type.

Static VIP Assignment from Management Console

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 introduces support for VIP assignment to users through CSV import. This feature can be accessed from the Management Console at:

• Management Console > VDI > Session Servers > CSV Operations > Import > Permanent VIP Assignment

Administrators can also export the current VIP assignments using:

• Management Console > VDI > Session Servers > CSV Operations > Export > Permanent VIP Assignment

Make Multiple Session Host Servers Inactive/Active from the Management Console

HyWorks Controller v3.4-SP2 offers a CSV-based method to mark multiple session host servers as active or inactive. This feature is accessible from:

• Management Console > VDI > Session Servers > CSV Operations > Import > Active Status

Administrators can also export the current status using:

• Management Console > VDI > Session Servers > CSV Operations > Export > Active Status

Classification Rules to have Directory Group Support

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 introduces support for directory groups in classification rules. Previously, devices were classified based only on MAC, LAN, and WAN rules. This new feature allows access to HyWorks resources based on the user’s group membership, even if the connection originates from devices not listed in the allowed devices.

Desktop Client UI Control

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 introduces additional UI controls for Workspace clients:

1. Show Battery Indicator: Option to display the battery indicator on the client UI or not.

2. Launch Client in Maximized View: If enabled, the desktop client will launch in a maximized view.

3. Show Session Logoff Option During Client Logoff: Provide an option for end users to see a session logoff option during client logout.

4. Enable Auto-Removal of User Session on Single Session Disconnect: This setting determines whether the user session should be removed when only one desktop session is disconnected.

5. Auto-Removal Timer on Single Session Disconnect: This timer displays the time to remove the user session upon disconnection of the only assigned desktop.

6. Change Password: Option to show the "Change Password" option on the client UI.

Allowing Reconnections from Inactive Session Host Servers

HyWorks Controller v3.4-SP2 includes advanced settings to control reconnection behavior:

• Reconnect on Same Session for Inactive Server: This setting can be found under Management Console > Settings > General > Advanced Settings. If set to True, HyWorks will permit reconnections from inactive servers.

Option to Reduce Deployed VMs in Desktop Pool

When deleting provisioning VMs, a prompt will now appear to reduce the pool count accordingly. Previously, the system would deploy new VMs during a pool update because the count was not reduced.

HyLabs Features and Enhancements

Integration with Azure Virtual Desktop

HyWorks v3.4-SP2 now supports single—and multi-session desktop delivery on Azure through AVD integration. Like other connectors, HyLabs can deploy, manage, and connect virtual machines on AVD.

Note

AVD integration requires additional permissions and configurations on Azure and the HyLabs portal. Relevant configuration documents will be published online soon.

Gold Master CSV to use Connector Name during Import

In previous versions, the Gold Master CSV import used the Host Address field for importing Gold Masters. In v3.4-SP2, the process has been improved to also consider the connector name when importing Gold Masters using CSV files.

Help-text is updated for Self-study preparation time control to reflect the operation correctly.

Special Command Line Options in Connection Profile

HyWorks Controller v3.4-SP2 introduces an option to override commands for the following settings:

1. Multimedia > Audio Mode

2. Multimedia > Microphone

3. Multimedia > Enable Video Redirection

How It Works:

• When the administrator clicks the Override Custom Command Line button, they can specify a custom command line for a particular protocol.

• This custom command line will be applied only to the specified protocol, while other protocols will continue to use their default commands.

• Administrators can add a custom command line for up to two protocols.

Logging and Reporting

Option for Administrator to Download Logs of All Organizations

Previously, administrators could only download logs for the current organization. With the improved behavior in v3.4-SP2, administrators with the appropriate privileges can now download logs for all organizations.

Downloaded Logs to have Organization Information

Downloaded logs will now include organization information, providing context about which organization the logs pertain to.

Integration of Different Session Ids on HySecure, HyWorks Controller, and HyWorks DVM Tools and Sending it to ARS

In a typical production deployment, all modules—HySecure, HyWorks Controller, and HyWorks Desktop Agent—will provide unique session identifiers. These identifiers are:

1. GCId: Associated with the HySecure user session, communicated to the client from the Gateway.

2. CCId: A unique identifier for the Controller user session.

3. VCId: A unique identifier for the remote desktop session on the session host server.

4. LogSId: A unique identifier for the logs generated.

AUEM (Advanced User Experience Monitoring) will send logs and details to ARS (Analytics and Reporting System) using these identifiers, facilitating the creation of visualizations for information such as client details, Round-Trip Time (RTT), and more.

Management Console Enhancements

Object Type Column in Admin Users Page

In HyWorks v3.4-SP2, a new column will display the object type on the Management Console > Users > Admin Users > Administrators page, providing clearer information about each administrator user.

Challenge to be prompted for Power Operations on Deployed Shared Hosted Desktops

Administrators will now be prompted with a challenge when initiating power operations on shared hosted desktops from the Management Console > VDI > Desktops > Shared page. This prompt is designed to prevent accidental actions that could result in connection loss or unsaved data loss for users.

Nutanix Flow Categories Renaming

The "Nutanix Flow Categories" label in the HyWorks Controller Management Console has been renamed to Nutanix Categories for better clarity.

Default Entitlement Type Change

When creating a new desktop pool, the default Entitlement Type has been changed to User-based, aligning with typical use cases.

Hiding Group Information in Registered Users and Logs

A new advanced configuration allows administrators to hide user group information on the Registered Users page. Previously, this information was visible without any control.

• Settings Path: Management Console > Settings > General > Advanced > Hide User Groups.

Source IP of Management User Logon

HyWorks logs will now include the source IP address of the system from which an administrator logs into the HyWorks Controller Management Console, enhancing security and traceability.

Different Filename Format for Shadow File for App and Desktop Sessions

HyWorks Controller v3.4-SP2 introduces different file name formats for application and desktop sessions, replacing the previous common format.

Informative Message on Updating Secret for Azure Connector in HyWorks

When changing the secret information on the HyWorks Controller, an appropriate informative message will now be displayed, guiding administrators through the additional actions required to ensure the updated secret takes effect.

Desktop Pool page to show count of Connected/Disconnected/Active Sessions

A new column has been added to the Desktop Pools page to display the total number of sessions and the count of active and disconnected sessions for each desktop pool, providing a quick overview of session statuses.

Performance and Scalability

Reducing the Impact of Heartbeats and Registration

In previous versions, HyWorks Controller managed display settings for various endpoint types, including those where users worked in desktop mode (e.g., Windows and Linux desktops in desktop mode). These devices sent display attributes with every heartbeat, leading to continuous read-write operations in the database, which impacted performance.

HyWorks Controller v3.4-SP2 introduces improvements to ignore these display details for specific devices, thereby reducing database operations and enhancing overall performance.

Releases of VM Scale Booster, Session Recording Manager, Scheduler, and Action Processor

The HyWorks v3.4-SP2 release includes the latest versions of the Session Recording Manager (SRMS), Scheduler, and Action Processor modules, with the following major enhancements and feature updates:

1. Migration to .NET Core 8.0.X: The latest Scheduler, Action Processor, and Session Recording Manager versions have been upgraded to .NET Core 8.0. Previous versions were based on .NET Core 3.1, which is no longer supported.

2. SSL-based Communication with Message Queue: The newest versions of VM Scale Booster, SRMS, Scheduler, and Action Processor now support SSL-based communication with the message queue. Earlier versions only supported non-SSL configurations.

3. Enhanced Support for Japanese Environment: The installers now provide improved support for Japanese environments, addressing previous issues encountered during installation.

4. Installer Enhancements: The installers for these modules now feature improved descriptions, screens for message queue configuration, version details, and more.

5. Support for Schedule Actions and Send Message: The latest releases of Scheduler and Action Processor integrate to support the features "Scheduled Actions" and "Send Message."

New Features and Enhancements in DVM Tools and Session Host Server in v3.4-SP2

The latest releases of DVM Tools and Session Host Server in v3.4-SP2 come with several new features and enhancements:

1. Improved Mechanisms for Removing Direct RDP Sessions:

   • The new DVM agent features enhanced mechanisms to identify direct RDP sessions.

   • This feature is controllable via registry settings and requires the latest versions of the client or HyLite to function properly.

2. Support for USB over Network:

   • The updated DVM Tools now support USB redirection over the network using a built-in USB redirector.

   • Currently supported only on Linux-based clients and Windows personal virtual desktops.

   • This feature is controlled via registry settings and requires additional network ports to be opened between the client and virtual desktops based on configuration.

3. Support for GCId, CCId, and VCId Integration:

   • The latest DVM Tools, integrated with AUEM v3.4.0.370, now share GCId, VCId, and CCId details, along with RTT, client information, etc., with ARS.

   • These IDs allow for the unique identification of sessions and the preparation of important visualizations.

4. Support for USB Redirection in AUEM Tray:

   • The AUEM tray now includes the ability to view a list of connected devices along with the connection method (e.g., over RDP or the network) through the built-in USB redirection method.

5. Support for Sending Messages:

   • When paired with the latest AUEM, the latest agents now support displaying notifications to end-users as initiated by administrators from the management console.

6. Task Manager and Process Management:

   • The updated agents provide support for sharing running task details with the controller and can terminate processes, displaying a consent prompt to users within the session.

7. Logout Exclude List:

   • A multi-string registry is now available on the Session Host Server, preventing the termination of a session if any of the processes listed are still running.

8. Improved Logic for Adding Computer Accounts to Groups:

   • An improved logic now ensures that the same Domain Controller (DC) used to join the desktop to the domain is also used to make the computer account a group member.

   • This helps avoid issues with computer objects not found during group addition operations in environments with multiple DCs.

9. Installation Enhancements:

   • During the upgrade or installation of DVM Tools, the presence of a Session Host Server will be detected, prompting the configuration of the "Enable SHD Mode" setting.

   • If DVM Tools are installed alongside a Session Host Server, this registry setting must be "True."

10. Separate Logs for HyPrep:

    • Separate HyPrep and Sysprep log files are now available for desktop customization-related logs.

    • Previously, these logs were written alongside desktop agent logs.