Using XenApp 6.5 or XenDesktop 5.6 together with Microsoft Lync and IGEL Linux based Thin Clients

Very often i’ve heard from user’s that “someone” mentioned that it’s not possible to use current Citrix products together with Microsoft Lync and Linux based Thin Clients. Only this week i got this three times and it was alwaye possible to show that this is not true (with the right Linux Operating System and in a production environment, no faked demo!) in a very simple way.

What do you need?

– Citrix XenApp 6.5 or XenDesktop 5.6 with enabled HDX Realtime and Audio Mapping (no USB redirection required!)
– A IGEL Thin Client or migrated device with the IGEL LX/OS Firmware 4.09.100 or above and the Advanced Feature Set
– A Microsoft Lync infrastructure (client installed in the VM’s or the XenApp Server)
– A webcam, see this blog for supported devices and a regular Headset (USB/regular Audio connectors)

Enable HDX Realtime thru Citrix policies (Webcam support) on the server side and make sure that Audio is configured to min. medium or high qualitiy. On the Client side enable multimedia redirection incl. Webcam Support in the IGEL Setup->Global->ICA->Multimedia configuration.

Start the connection to the Server and start the Lync client? Doesn’t work with Linux looks different… I also tried Skype some Flash/Silverlight based applications and never good a issue. The required bandwith is quite low and should be fair for the most requirements.. If you don’t believe me, try it out by your own. It’s really awsome and the next time someone try to tell you that Linux can’t do it, you now that this is not true.

Enjoy
Michael

P.S.: I didn’t test vdi in a box, but it should not make a difference with the current version 5.02. Microsoft WebCam’s require a small extra configuration at the moment; in the default.ica on the webinterface server you need to configure in the wfclient section HdxWebCamFramesPerSec =15. Igel will add this soon to the configuration, see also http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX132924/