Using VDI with Standard Display Adapter

[Whistler]

Hi,

 

I don't know if this is possible or not? We've got an old DL380 G5 server in our office that isn't being used. This will eventually be replaced however we're wanting to trial Citrix.

 

We've been given 2 iPad's as a donation (iPad 2, 16GB) and 4x Thin Clients which we're planning to use a endpoint devices with Citrix.

 

We're planning to install XenServer to the DL380 and use a free trial of Citrix XenDesktop to look at it's possibilities.

 

However, from the XenDesktop - we're going to want to play YouTube on the Thin Clients. Is there such a way we can configure the Thin Client to have the YouTube video rendered on the device itself (using the internal graphics card) rather than on the Server? We have no third-party Graphics Cards on the Server itself, so wanting to render all videos on the Thin Client, if possible?

 

Might be asking a stupid question, but wanting to know what our options are?

 

In short: 4x thin clients, DL380 - wanting to play video on thin clients without assigning graphics cards to DL380 - possible?

 

Thanks.

[kmount]

Hi,

 

It depends more on the type of thin client as to whether it can be used for client side rendering.

 

In particular you want to ensure you're using HDX - https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX136588?recommended

 

What spec is the DL380 G5 - you need to be careful of the CPU here too.

[PotNoodleTech]

As Kmount said = the client is 75% key when it comes to rendering videos in real time - the server 25% (as long as the sever is well specified enough, if it is underspecified then it doesn't matter what clients you use, performance will be poor) generally thin clients are not great at client side rendering, not sure about ipads.

 

However, regardless of your client spec, the server takes a heavy CPU hit when rendering real time video. It's very CPU intensive.

 

When it comes to using GPU acceleration for VDI (i.e a Nvidia / AMD server card) what it basically does is allow the "video rendering" to be done entirely on the GPU, which frees up a large amount of server CPU and also client CPU, and generally makes video playback properly smooth even on low spec clients.

 

it is however expensive to implement.

 

My advice if you want to play youtube all day long is to buy some refurbished fat clients for £100 each from somewhere like ict-direct.co.uk

 

If it's for a test, then go for it and have fun but don't expect stellar results.