VDX

Virtual Desktop Extender

At Setup > Integration > Ivanti Products > VDX, you can enable integration for Virtual Desktop Extender. The Virtual Desktop Extender merges local applications and a remote desktop into a single workspace. This technology eliminates the need to switch between a local and remote desktop providing an optimized user experience. This is useful if you run applications that do not function properly in a server-based computing environment, or if you have other reasons to keep some applications running locally.

With the Virtual Desktop Extender, a virtual channel is created between the session and the locally installed desktop extender as soon as a session is initialized. If the user has been granted access to an application that is installed locally, that application will be presented in the end user's session.

To configure an application to run from the local desktop using VDX, select Run as Workspace Extension at its Properties > General tab.

Configuration

Enable Virtual Desktop Extender (VDX) integration - Enable or Disable the integration of VDX with Workspace Control. If disabled the VDX functionality remains intact, but is no longer managed by Workspace Control.

• Enable VDX Engine - Enable or Disable the VDX Engine. This disables VDX altogether, not just the integration with Workspace Control.
• Let VDX override Workspace Extender - If both VDX and the RES Workspace Extender are installed, this option will force Workspace Control to use VDX.
• Hide client taskbar at session start
  Autodetect - Uses the settings as they are used in the scenarios as described in the VDX documentation.
  Yes - Hides the local taskbar when starting a remote session.
  No - Shows the local taskbar when starting a remote session.
• Show already running client applications
  Autodetect - Displays running client applications that would be obscured when starting a remote session.
  Yes - Allows applications windows from applications that were running before the VDX session started to be managed by VDX.
  No - Only new applications windows from applications that were not running before the VDX session started will be managed by VDX.
  Exception: In case applications share the same process (e.g. explorer.exe and iexplorer.exe), newly started application windows will not be managed by VDX if the process was already running at the start of the VDX session.
  When choosing Yes or Autodetect, running client applications can be freely moved in and out of the session by users.
• End running client applications at log off - Ends any applications that are running on the client when logging off.
• Windows keys passthrough - Allows the use of the following keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Windows in VDX sessions:
  • Windows key
    Open / Close Start Menu
  • Windows key+E
    Open Windows Explorer
  • Windows key+R
    Open Run dialog box
  • Windows key+M
    Minimize all windows
  • Windows key+D
    Show desktop
  • Windows key+<nr>
    Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number (from left to right). If the program is already running, switch to that program.
  • Ctrl+Esc
    Open / Close Start Menu
  • Ctrl+Shift+Esc
    Open Task Manager

Note: When Windows keys passthrough is enabled for user sessions running on Microsoft Windows 8/8.1 and 2012/2012 R2, the Alt+Tab key combination to switch between application windows, does not work.

• Let users access client start menu through VDX - Enable this option to show the start menu of the client in an alternative start menu, accessible from the VDX tray icon on the remote desktop. The client start menu offers a Search option. This enables VDX users to search for applications easier by typing in (part) of the application name.
• Let users access client desktop through VDX - Enable this option to show the desktop shortcuts of the client in an alternative start menu, accessible from the VDX tray icon on the remote desktop.
• Let users access client notification area through VDX - Enable this option to show the notification area of the client in an alternative start menu, accessible from the VDX tray icon on the remote desktop.
• Mode
• a (recommended): Enables VDX to run in the reverse seamless mode and supports Microsoft Windows 8 / 8.1 and 2012 / 2012 R2.
• b: Enables VDX to run in reverse seamless mode. This mode is not supported for Microsoft Windows 8 / 8.1 and 2012 / 2012 R2.
• Disabled: Enables VDX to run in native "Extender mode". Extender mode means that local applications run seamlessly within the remote desktop, but the local application windows are not managed by VDX: the local applications are not part of the Z-order, but they are present on the taskbar as if they are running in the remote desktop. Switching to Extender mode can be useful when you are dealing with applications that cannot properly be managed by VDX.
• Disable virtual Z-order for the following processes - Excludes specific local processes from the remote session. This forces classic behavior: Application on top of the remote session or the remote session on top of the application. Enter the process names separated by semicolons (;) (example: proc1.exe;proc2.exe;proc3.exe). This setting can only be configured for Mode: b.
• Ignore the following client processes - Ignores running client processes from VDX integration. These applications will not be available through VDX and/or the client desktop / client Start Menu folders. Enter the process names separated by semicolons (;) (example: proc1.exe;proc2.exe;proc3.exe). This setting can be configured for Mode: b and Mode: disabled.
• Custom message for the run balloon - Allows you to adapt the title and message of the information balloon that is displayed with the VDX icon in the notification area.