With the release last month of HDX 3D for Professional Graphics as a feature of XenDesktop, Citrix now offers two alternatives for delivering high-end 3D graphics from hosted applications. Let's compare these two solutions.

HDX 3D Pro Graphics on XenDesktop

Our premier solution for 3D professional graphics is based on hosted Windows desktops and works with either the XenDesktop 3 or XenDesktop 4 Desktop Delivery Controller. HDX 3D Pro Graphics features our most advanced technologies for data compression, making XenDesktop the best solution on the market for delivering 3D graphics to remote workers. For top level performance, we offer GPU-based compression, leveraging NVIDIA graphics processors with 96 or more CUDA cores. The compression level is automatically adjusted based on bandwidth. Just below that is CPU-based JPEG XR compression (no special GPU required). JPEG XR (the 'XR' stands for 'Extended Range'), formerly known as HD Photo, is an ISO/IEC standard for high dynamic range image encoding. These compression options are supported by the HDX 3D online plug-in for Windows, a special version of the ICA client. With advanced compression and other clever innovations, HDX 3D Pro Graphics delivers a good experience even at 2 Mbps and 200 ms roundtrip latency. And, of course, it delivers a high definition "like local" experience on high bandwidth, low latency connections.

Application compatibility is excellent with HDX 3D Pro Graphics because the applications run on a standard Windows XP operating system (and Windows 7 support is in development). It doesn't matter whether the applications use DirectX/Direct3D or OpenGL or whatever. HDX 3D supports True Color, important when a very large number of colors, shades, and hues need to be displayed, as with high quality photographic images or complex graphics. Customers are already using HDX 3D to work with models with more than a million parts, and 64-bit OS support is coming soon, which will enable huge amounts of memory to be addressed.

These comments from our customers sum it up best:
• So far this is the only product to have anywhere near acceptable performance
• Everyone is loving it
• 50 to 75% better than our existing solution
• In pure Swedish, it is "sh$@#ing good"!
• At 1.5 Mbps it is still very usable
• We have been extremely impressed

HDX 3D on XenApp for Windows Server 2008

For many organizations, HDX 3D on XenApp provides a great solution for delivering professional graphics, since Windows Server 2008 now enables a graphics card to be used for 3D rendering on Terminal Services / Remote Desktop Services. While hardware acceleration is limited to DirectX/Direct3D-based applications, that may be all you need depending on the specific applications your end users require. OpenGL based applications are CPU-rendered but they perform much faster on 64-bit Windows than on 32-bit so you may find that to be adequate. Of course, if you really need hardware acceleration for your OpenGL applications, go with HDX 3D Pro Graphics on XenDesktop.

Compression options with HDX 3D on XenApp are not quite as extensive as on XenDesktop but are generally sufficient for intracontinental WAN access. The highest level of compression is obtained by selecting Heavyweight JPEG, a special variant of JPEG that uses arithmetic encoding instead of the normal Huffman encoding. It gives a further reduction in bandwidth of around 10 to 20% without changing the pixel quality at all (compared to standard JPEG), at the cost of higher CPU consumption. With Progressive Display, users get a responsive experience even over WAN/Internet connections because images are delivered with lossier compression while being moved and quickly resolve to full resolution when motion stops.

A single graphics card in the server can support multiple concurrent users, depending on their usage characteristics. I spoke with a customer using an entry-level NVIDIA FX 370 GPU and they support four concurrent users on an HP 360 G5 server with a dual-core Xeon processor and 4 GB of memory running 32-bit Windows Server. They estimate that they will be able to support 12 to 16 simultaneous users on a dual quad-core server with 64-bit Windows Server and 32 GB of memory. Again, it depends on the application and the work profile of the users. A more powerful GPU, like the NVIDIA FX 5600 or 5800, will help with scalability, too.

HDX 3D on XenApp supports lossless compression (important in Healthcare), but color depth with DirectX hardware acceleration is currently limited to 16-bit High Color. True Color support (16 million colors) is offered with CPU-based rendering, and True Color with GPU hardware acceleration is planned for the near future, making HDX 3D on XenApp a great option for delivering PACS applications over hospital campus networks.

A Look Ahead

How will these technologies evolve in the future? 64-bit Windows XP and Windows 7 support is planned for HDX 3D Pro Graphics on XenDesktop, and True Color support is coming soon for HDX 3D on XenApp. Windows Server 2008 R2 is likely to bring some benefits, too. And as the graphics and hypervisor vendors introduce GPU virtualization, we expect to leverage that on both XenApp and XenDesktop; some exciting progress in this area is already happening in the lab. Expanding the VM Hosted Apps feature of XenApp to encompass 3D graphics apps would be a natural step.

Tell Us about Your Experience with HDX 3D

If you're using either of the HDX 3D technologies described above, I'm sure other customers would like to hear your story. Please tell us about the 3D applications you deliver, your data center and network, and how your users are benefiting.

Derek Thorslund
Citrix Product Strategist, HDX

As announced on August 31st, HDX 3D for Professional Graphics is now available for download. There's also lots of great documentation on HDX 3D Pro Graphics now on our Support site (scroll down to the bottom of the Product Documentation for XenDesktop 3 page). Or if you are just looking for a high-level overview, be sure to visit hdx.citrix.com.

Here are some highlights of this new XenDesktop feature:

• Supports the delivery of 3D professional graphics applications, both OpenGL and DirectX based, which need graphics hardware (GPU) acceleration for optimal performance.
• Works as an add-on to XenDesktop 3 and XenDesktop 3 Feature Pack 1.
• Automatically adjusts compression based on bandwidth and available resources. Delivers full HDX user experience on a LAN (100 Mbps) and very usable, interactive experience over a WAN (2 Mbps or above, with up to about 200 ms roundtrip latency). Makes desktop virtualization viable and practical for design engineers, architects, and other professional graphics users.
• Supports high resolution monitors (e.g. 1920 x 1200). For best results over limited bandwidth WAN connections, resolutions of 1280 x 1024 or below are recommended.
• Provides a real-time image quality configuration tool with an easy way to switch between a sharper image or smoother motion (great when working on  a limited bandwidth connection).
• HDX 3D host workstation (e.g. blade or rack workstation in the data center) is supported on Windows XP SP3 32-bit Professional.
• HDX 3D online plug-in for Windows (client) is supported on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista. The plug-in is supported on both 32-bit and 64-bit OS versions.

Download a free Eval and try it out!

Derek Thorslund
HDX Product Strategist

I was recently chatting with one of my contacts in the GIS space about 3D graphics delivery from XenApp and XenDesktop, and he passed on an intriguing observation from a mutual customer. Apparently, on the same hardware, OpenGL applications perform much better under 64-bit Windows Server than they do under the 32-bit OS.

ESRI ArcScene, for example, is a 32-bit OpenGL application with 3D graphics. Running on XenApp, the graphics rendering is done in software -- that is, by the CPU -- since Windows Terminal Services does not provide GPU acceleration for OpenGL (you'll need our Prism technology for that). The rendered graphics can then be delivered over a WAN/Internet connection using HDX 3D Progressive Display. On 32-bit Windows Server, the performance of the 3D rendering was disappointing, but on the 64-bit OS it is very usable. I'm not sure why; we have a hunch that it might be thanks to the 64-bit OS being able to leverage the SSE4 registers on the CPU.

If you have any insights on this, or any experience running OpenGL apps on XenApp under Windows Server 64-bit, please share your comments!

Derek Thorslund
HDX Product Strategist

In this 4-minute video I interview Nitin Desai, team lead for the 3D professional graphics subproject of our Apollo multimedia virtualization initiative, and he demonstrates a high-end CAD application - CATIA V5.19 from Dassault - running on XenDesktop with graphics hardware acceleration. This technology, available as a Tech Preview, enables organizations to deliver DirectX and OpenGL applications and large 3D models over DSL-like network connections while keeping their intellectual property safe within the data center.

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization

It is always exciting when the first emails start to come in with feedback on a new software release. A few weeks ago, the Apollo team put out a second Tech Preview release of our accelerated bitmap remoting technology for 3D graphics acceleration on XenDesktop. This release introduced support for delivering 3D professional graphics applications -- both OpenGL and DirectX based -- over a DSL-like WAN/Internet connection (1.5 - 6 Mbps). With this new technology, companies can keep their intellectual property safe in the delivery center while enabling workers to access 3D applications remotely, even from another continent. Here are some of the early comments:

• "We have been extremely impressed by early results while testing the Apollo Tech Preview with [Autodesk] Revit Architecture." -- Global architectural firm, testing over high latency trans-Atlantic WAN links.
• "The [test subjects'] reactions are positive so far. At 1.5 Mbps it is still very usable." -- Major software vendor.
• "So far this is the only product to have anywhere near acceptable performance." -- Top tier system integrator.
• "[We're] doing user testing and so far everyone is loving it." -- Diversified manufacturer of commercial and defense products.

Based on the positive response, we are now accepting additional organizations into our Tech Preview Program. So if you'd like to "kick the tires", please complete the application form at www.citrix.com/apollo3Dgraphics.

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization

Did you miss the Apollo Accelerated Bitmap Remoting demo at Synergy in Houston? Click here to view a brief video recorded by Vishal Ganeriwala, featuring "yours truly" and Daniel L'Hommedieu from our Engineering team.

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization

The Apollo team is busy developing several new technologies for multimedia virtualization. Details of the upcoming Tech Preview release of Apollo Accelerated Bitmap Remoting have now been posted on the Citrix.com web site. This technology expands Citrix's capabilities for high-end professional graphics and 3D medical imaging beyond OpenGL. This video demonstrates Accelerated Bitmap Remoting delivering Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit Architecture and Google Earth over ICA, leveraging the graphics processor on a Windows Vista host.

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization

Remember the great demo video of OpenGL graphics acceleration that Lee Laborczfalvi did for us at the iForum App Delivery Expo? Project Pictor has come a long way since. The Pictor technology has been incorporated into a new Citrix product called Virtual Design Studio. And the beta program for Virtual Design Studio has now been announced. Citrix is now inviting customers in the Manufacturing sector who use Dassault CATIA v5 to participate in our White Glove Beta Program, scheduled to run from April 15 through June 30, 2008. For details, check out the beta invitation on our corporate web site.

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization

Our project Apollo technology for remoting Vista Aero and any multimedia application that can run on Vista just keeps getting better. This video gives you a sneak peek at the latest version of Apollo, demonstrated by Juan Rivera (Citrix Development Manager) in the Tech Lab at Citrix Summit 2008 in Orlando.

In this 5-minute video, Citrix architect Lee Laborczfalvi demonstrates technology from project Pictor, a key component of the Citrix Multimedia Virtualization Initiative. Pictor leverages high performance GPU hardware to accelerate interactive 3D graphics applications built on OpenGL, a widely used graphics API that offers a broad set of rendering, texture mapping, special effects and other powerful visualization functions. OpenGL is commonly used by CAD/CAM/CAE, GIS (geographic information), medical imaging and data visualization applications. Click here for a video demonstration of Pictor from the Tech Lab at iForum 07 - The App Delivery Expo.

Up until December 14, 2007, Citrix is recruiting select customers and partners who use Dassault CATIA to participate in a 2-day Design Council for Pictor. Participants will preview and test early Pictor technology at the Citrix office in Santa Clara, California, interact directly with the Citrix Pictor team, provide feedback and influence the future direction of the solution. For further information, please contact Citrix Product Manager Debbie Fox (Deborah.Fox@Citrix.com) or Product Marketing Manager Michael Chang (Michael.Chang2@Citrix.com).

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization

(Click to watch Lee demonstrate the Pictor technology -- and stay tuned for a bonus feature at the end)

The Tech Lab is always one of the highlights of iForum. It provides a tremendous opportunity for customers, partners and industry analysts to speak directly with Citrix engineers who know the ins and outs of our technologies. This year, in support of the Citrix Multimedia Virtualization Initiative, we are planning to showcase a wide range of multimedia virtualization technologies, many of which are still baking in our R&D ovens. This blog post provides a sneak peek at what you'll be able to see (and hear) if you're attending the iForum 07 App Delivery Expo in Las Vegas, October 22-25, 2007. There may be last-minute adjustments so I won't make any guarantees but here's a brief preview that I'm sure will whet your appetite if you're interested in the delivery of multimedia applications and desktops.

SpeedScreen Progressive Display
The latest in a series of half a dozen SpeedScreen technologies, SpeedScreen Progressive Display optimizes the user experience for graphics-intensive applications like PACS and GIS. When the user scrolls an application window or moves a graphical object, SpeedScreen Progressive Display first sends lower resolution images. Then it sends the full resolution image once the motion stops. The result is a very responsive user experience, even over a WAN connection. As a side benefit, this approach also reduces network bandwidth consumption by up to 93%.

SpeedScreen Multimedia Acceleration on Windows Server 2008
The upcoming release of Windows Server 2008 introduces Media Foundation -- Microsoft's next generation multimedia platform -- to Windows Server. SpeedScreen Multimedia Acceleration, which provides high quality synchronized audio-video delivery by leveraging client-side resources, will be ready for this technology evolution.

OpenGL acceleration
Project Pictor is tackling the challenge of delivering high-end CAD applications built on the OpenGL 3D graphics API by leveraging server-side graphics processing hardware.

Vista Aero theme support
Running Vista Aero on your PC? This new technology will ensure that applications delivered by Presentation Server blend seamlessly onto your Aero desktop.

Vista Aero desktop remoting
This could be one of the most attention-grabbing demos in this year's Tech Lab. Even if your organization's move to Vista is still a ways off, you'll be impressed that Citrix engineers are developing technologies to deliver virtual Vista desktops that include the full Aero experience ('glass' effects, Windows Flip 3D animations, etc.). Even more exciting is the ability to deliver Vista Aero to end points that are not Vista Premium Ready, including thin clients and PCs running Windows XP.

WPF and DirectX application remoting
Not just your typical business applications . . . You'll be surprised at what our engineers can remote with this new technology, still under development.

"Ulysses" audio codec
You'll want to put on the headphones so you can hear this one. The new "Ulysses" codec delivers excellent sound quality at a fraction of the bandwidth of the current ICA audio codec. More on this in my next blog post.

Cisco VoIP softphone on Presentation Server
Cisco and Citrix have been working together to achieve compatibility of the Cisco voice-over-IP softphone, IP Communicator, with Presentation Server. This demo will show you how it works. If you're interested in the virtualization of softphones, you'll also want to visit HP's booth to check out streaming of the Cisco softphone to an HP thin client.

So give yourself plenty of time . . . There's a lot to see at this year's iForum Tech Lab!

Derek Thorslund
Product Strategist, Multimedia Virtualization