Provision Networks is currently developing graphics acceleration for the Microsoft RDP Protocol. In my previous tests performed in June I tested the first prototype and was amazed at the improvement in end user experience over a limited bandwidth connection. This is key for Terminal Services and VDI deployments, as any remoting protocol looks great over a gigabit connection, but when users are connecting over DSL or 3G connections, graphical content and multimedia may be unusable.
Yesterday I received the second prototype build of our GDI Plus Graphics Acceleration for RDP. Once I got it installed I decided to compare the bandwidth usage to that of the standard Microsoft RDP 6 client.
My test setup included
- Client - Windows XP SP2 Professional with RDP Client 6.0 (San Diego, CA)
- VDI Host - Windows XP SP2 Professional (Reston, VA)
- Network Connection - Verizon BroadbandAccess Wireless Cellular Card + VPN
- NetLimiter Pro - used to measure data transmission
The content I tested was from the following Flickr Site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelbolt/sets/72157594253077556/
I launched the page, clicked on the Slideshow link and let the slideshow play thru to its completion. I did this with a standard remote desktop connection, then I logged off, logged back on and repeated the test with our GDI Plus compression enabled.
So what did I find?
- The Provision Networks GDI Plus accelerator compressed the bandwidth consumed by the RDP Display 8.5 to 1 over the standard RDP connection. The standard RDP connection sent 15,322,091 bytes to the client, whereas the Provision Networks accelerated connection sent only 1,793,232. It should be noted that when I performed the same task using my local Internet browser, it downloaded 2,016,251 bytes, so the Provision Networks acceleration used less bandwidth than running the same task locally.
- Completing the same tasks listed above took 100 seconds via the standard RDP connection and only 40 seconds with the Provision Networks Graphics Acceleration.
- Displaying the slideshow via the standard RDP was slow and choppy, whereas the accelerated slideshow played as if it were playing locally.
So what did I learn? RDP is not stupid. It dynamically adjusts the amount of data sent to the client based upon how much bandwidth is available. When I limited my network connection to 128Kbps, this same set of tasks consumed 4,737,020 bytes via standard RDP and only 1,026,072 bytes when compressed with Provision Networks’ GDI Plus acceleration. When I limited the connection to 20Kbps the standard RDP transmitted about the same amount of data, 5,051,238 bytes but the Provision Networks accelerated connection was still able to be compressed further, down to 741,966 bytes.
In my next demonstration I will show how different levels of compression affect bandwidth consumption, and end user experience. The RDP compression in this version is virtually lossless, when compared to the compression of Citrix ICA.
Provision Networks Enhanced RDP vs Citrix ICA Compression:
RDP struggles to display highly graphical content over a low bandwidth connection, which makes this compression technology even more important. Even on a low bandwidth connection, this flickr slideshow was head and shoulders better performing with GDI Plus acceleration than with standard RDP. RDP draws graphics sequentially from left to right, top to bottom in 64×64 pixel squares when starved for bandwidth. With Provision Networks RDP Compression, this is completely eliminated.
This compression dramatically improves the end user experience. In my next demo video I will compare this technology against Citrix ICA to debunk the myth that RDP is a inferior display protocol.
As of today, August 26, 2008 this technology is not a shipping product, but is slated to be released in the 4th quarter of 2008. This and other new technologies will be demonstrated at the Microsoft Virtualization Launch Event on September 8th in Bellevue, WA and at VMworld 2008 in Las Vegas, NV.
RDP Flickr Slideshow results:
Provision Networks enhanced-RDP Flickr Slideshow results:
Locally rendered Flickr Slideshow results:
RDP Flickr Slideshow results over 128Kbps connection:
Provision Networks enhanced-RDP Flickr Slideshow results over 128Kbps connection:
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August 26th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Patrick,
Very nice. Do you have any idea yet what will be required on the client side to see this performance? Any chance linux thin clients will be supported?
August 26th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
This is also being developed for Linux clients.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:19 am
This all sounds/looks great; no release date yet?
August 27th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Please refer to the last paragraph of the blog post. Thanks.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Will this technology require additional licenses to our VAS Enterprise licenses?
If yes, any information on pricing?
Thanks,
Tom
August 28th, 2008 at 7:33 am
Tom, this will be part of our EOP (Experience Optimization Pack) License, which retails at $40 USD per-CCU. EOP also includes local text echo, bi-directional audio, multimedia redirection and some other goodies that will be announced at VMworld 2008.
Michel Roth is your local SE, and he can bring you up to speed on this. He can be reached at MichelDotRothAtQuestDotCom.
Thanks.
August 29th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
We’ve been trying to implement the TCX multimedia drivers from Wyse on the V10L thin clients. Your solution seems to give the desired results. Any chance of this being compatible with the Wyse Thin OS?
August 29th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
We’re actively working Wyse on Provision Networks specific integration. I’ll let you know when I find out, but I know for certain that it will work on Windows Clients, and Linux support is being developed. I would imagine adding Java support is also on the radar.
This is very exciting.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Patrick,
We have a Windows 32-bit medical application that shows a slide show of jpeg ultrasounds within the application and it does terrible rendering of the images via RDP although the rest of the application works just fine via RDP. Will this solve our problem or will this product only work with graphics inside the web browser?
Thx,
Eric
September 1st, 2008 at 9:57 pm
So far I’ve tested this with Internet Explorer, Explorer, all Microsoft Office Applications, Acrobat Reader 9, MS Paint, Quicktime, and Google Earth.
This will definitely display the images smoothly while consuming dramatically less bandwidth.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Patrick,
Thanks for this update. Is EOP part of VAS Enterprise or is it additional?
September 10th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Hi Patrick,
The EOP was announced today on the Provision website. Just a couple of questions:
- Is there a trial download for this?
- Is it a separate download or part of the VAS 5.10 package?
- Can it be used as an add-on to regular Terminal Services, or do you have to use it in combination with VAS Standard/Enterprise? Meaning, is the EOP a separate product?
Thanks,
Dennes
September 10th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Dennes, I just checked and the new bits haven’t been made available via the website, but your local SE can get them to you. You’re in the Netherlands, so Michel Roth would be your contact, and he can be reached at MichelDotRothAtQuestDotCom.
Bi-directional audio and local text echo are part of the 5.10 client and server components for VDI and Terminal Services, MMR is in an updated client and PNtools that you can get from your SE, as are the RDP Graphics Acceleration Components.
I demonstrated the RDP Graphics Acceleration at the Microsoft Virtualization Launch and it was received very well by anyone that saw at. Even a few Citrix employees stopped by to see what was going on at our booth.
Currently EOP is only available as an add-on to Virtual Access Suite Desktop Services Edition and Enterprise Edition, but there has been talk about licensing these components separately. If this happens there would be another announcement, but currently they are tied to Virtual Access Suite.
Cheers.
September 12th, 2008 at 6:14 am
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November 27th, 2008 at 5:20 am
Where can I download/get the software for testing ?
December 28th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
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August 25th, 2009 at 2:39 am
I need this, but where can I trial??