VMware Horizon 8 (2212)

January 12, 2023
Thomas Poppelgaard
Horizon, VMware

VMware have released a new version of VMware Horizon 8 (2212), and this release is general available from January 2023. This is a major release, so I hope you like this article I put together. VMware have made some huge improvements in this release, which customers/partners are going to benefit from. Lets dig into what is new.

What is new in VMware Horizon 8 (2212)

VMware Horizon 8 2212 provides the following new features and enhancements

VMware Horizon Connection Server
VMware Horizon Agent for Linux
VMware Horizon Agent for Windows
VMware Horizon GPO Bundle
VMware Dynamic Environment Manager 2212
VMware Unified Access Gateway 2212
VMware App Volume 2212
VMware Horizon Clients 2212 for Android, Linux, iOS, Mac, Windows, HTML Access
VMware Horizon Cloud services 2212

Horizon 8 2212 is an Extended Service Branch (ESB). Approximately once a year, VMware designates one VMware Horizon release as an Extended Service Branch (ESB). An ESB is a parallel release branch to the existing Current Releases (CR) of the product. By choosing to deploy an ESB, customers receive periodic service packs (SP) updates, which include cumulative critical bug fixes and security fixes. Most importantly, there are no new features in the SP updates, so customers can rely on a stable Horizon platform for their critical deployments. For more information on the ESB and the Horizon versions that have been designated an ESB , see VMware Knowledge Base (KB) article 86477.

VMware Horizon 8 version 2212 includes the following new features and enhancements.

You can now enable or disable TrueSSO Trigger Mode in the add or edit SAML Authenticator workflow on the Horizon Console.
All Horizon Console grids can persist hide/unhide column preferences.
Horizon Console login username and domain can be persisted in browser storage.
Horizon administrators with Smartcard bypass privilege can authenticate and consume APIs even if connection server mandates Smartcard authentication.
Horizon 8 has been tested to work with Microsoft Defender Endpoint.

Virtual Desktops & Applications

Horizon 8 version 2212 in conjunction with App Volumes 4 version 2212 introduces Horizon Published Apps on Demand. With this new feature, administrators can use App Volumes applications directly in their instant-clone RDS farms. Now applications can be delivered dynamically to a generic Windows OS as users launch them. This greatly simplifies static image management and gives administrators the ability to reduce their application specific farms. This also brings the Horizon and App Volumes administration consoles closer together, allowing Horizon administrators to add App Volumes Manager servers and entitle applications to users without the need for duplicate entitlements in App Volumes. This feature creates an opportunity to reduce the time-consuming management of application installations on RDS Farms, and enables scenarios such as multiple users being able to use different versions of the same application while logged in to the same RDS Server.
Microsoft MAK licenses are now supported with Instant Clones.
For vTPM-enabled Instant Clone desktop pools, Horizon previously always used Mode A provisioning (Instant Clones with Parent VM) due to a bug in older ESXi versions. With the resolution of this bug, Horizon now also supports Mode B provisioning (Instant Clones without Parent VM) for vTPM-enabled desktop pools if all hosts in the cluster are running ESXi 7.0 Update 3f or later with Horizon 8 version 2212 or later.
When you create an automated pool of full clone desktops, you can now specify an active directory OU in which computer accounts can be created. Previously, computer accounts would get created in the default OU and administrators would manually move them after pool creation. This feature, which already exists for Instant Clone desktop pools, addresses this pain point for administrators.
Improved GPU performance on Physical Machines running Windows Server 2022 with Horizon Indirect Display Driver based setup.
The network settings for a create Instant Clone pool or farm workflow are now set to the network settings of a golden image instead of a snapshot. This simplifies management for administrators as they only have to keep track of network settings of a golden image rather than many of its snapshots.

VMware Horizon Connection Server On-Premises

- Alert mechanism for Forensics Select Hold feature
  
  The hold and release APIs for the forensics select hold feature have been enhanced to include the machine state for all desktops assigned to a held user. In addition, a new environment variable has been added to identify whether the user is a held user so that an administrator can trigger data collection scripts when a held user logs on to a desktop.
- Network enhancements for instant clone pools and farms
  
  Networks displayed during the create instant clone pool or farm workflow are now filtered based on the network type of the network configured in the snapshot’s preferred network adapter (Network Adapter 1 while the snapshot was taken).
- TrueSSO Trigger Mode has been added to the SAML 2.0 tab under Other Components in the System Health dashboard (Monitor > Dashboard).
- The new Enable Host Redirection setting sets the load balancer name and enable HTTP host redirection capability. When an HTTP request from a load balancer host reaches the Connection Server, the Connection Server responds with an external HTTP redirection URL. For subsequent requests, the Horizon Client directly connects to the Connection Server using the external URL, thereby minimizing misroutes that might occur at the load balancer.
- Pre-login message now requires administrator to acknowledge the message before proceeding to login.
- Encoder Name has been added to the Horizon Help Desk Tool in Horizon 8.
- View Unrecognized Session Count was added to the Connection Servers and Gateway Servers tabs in the System Health dashboard (Monitor > Dashboard) in the Admin Console. This allows administrators to troubleshoot random disconnections of end user sessions due to unrecognized requests received either at UAG or at the Connection Server.

VMware Horizon Agent 8 2212 for Linux

This release adds support for the following Linux distributions.
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Workstation 9.0
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Server 9.0 and 8.4
Beginning with this release, the following Linux distributions are no longer supported.
- RHEL Server 8.5
You can now install Horizon Agent on Linux virtual machines deployed in a vSphere 8.0 environment.
This release supports the use of Linux desktops and multi-session hosts in an IPv6 environment. Use the --ipv6 command-line option to install Horizon Agent with IPv6 support. The Subnet6 option in the /etc/vmware/viewagent-custom.confconfiguration file lets you specify the IPv6 subnet of the Linux machine.
For SSO logins, Linux desktops use the new VMware display manager and VMware greeter, instead of Gnome Display Manager (GDM) and X Display Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP), to control the login and launch of user sessions. The VMware display manager improves launch performance and eliminates problems with SSO that occurred previously from the dependency on GDM.
Smart card redirection now works with all versions of PC/SC Lite. The /etc/vmware/config file includes two new options, pcscd.maxReaderContext and pcscd.readBody, that let you configure reader context and message reading settings if you use a custom-built PC/SC Lite library.
This release supports smart card single sign-on (SSO). Smart card SSO enables users to launch desktop sessions automatically without entering their smart card credentials.
A new configuration file, /etc/vmware/viewagent-greeter.conf, allows you to configure the behavior of the VMware greeter in cases where True SSO or smart card SSO fails. The file also contains the PKCS #11 settings required for smart card SSO.

VMware Horizon Agent 8 2212 for Windows

Firewall logs are now included in the Horizon Agent log bundle that you generate on the Horizon Console.
Microsoft Teams Optimization is now supported on M1-based Macs in addition to Intel processors.
You can now install Horizon Agent on Windows virtual machines deployed in a vSphere 8.0 environment.
The UNC Path Redirection feature supports redirection from a remote desktop or published application to a client, and from a client to a remote desktop or published application.

VMware Horizon 8 2212 GPO Bundle

no new features

Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon

Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon

The Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon optimizes Windows images for virtual desktops and RDS hosts by disabling or tuning unnecessary services, tasks, settings and features typically present in a default Windows installation. As a result, the Windows OS Optimization Tool improves the performance of Horizon virtual desktops and published applications, reducing resource consumption and improving user experience.

VMware Dynamic Environment Manager 2212

Updated Components. This release updates the main product components. Application Profiler, Helpdesk Support Tool, and SyncTool are not updated for the 2212 release.
Extended Service Branch for Horizon. There are no new features added in this release. If you are using Dynamic Environment Manager 2209, there is no need to upgrade to Dynamic Environment Manager 2212 unless you want Horizon 2212 ESB aligned Dynamic Environment Manager release. See VMware Knowledge Base (KB) article 86477.

VMware Unified Access Gateway 2212

VMware Unified Access Gateway 2212 provides the following new features and enhancements:

Enhancements to deployment on cloud platforms.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
- Added support for deploying Unified Access Gateway image on a GCP project when the image is managed from a different project.
- Added support for GCP’s shared VPC configurations to be leveraged when deploying Unified Access Gateway on GCP.
Microsoft Azure
- Added capability for deployment to a specific availability zone on Microsoft Azure.
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Added support for deployment from AWS Cloud Shell.
Added support for deployment with PowerShell 7 (version 7.2.7) from an Ubuntu machine.
Added support in VMware Tunnel for IPv6 subnets in Server Traffic Rules and when performing validation of Device Traffic Rules.
When Unified Access Gateway is used as a service provider for SAML integration, Unified Access Gateway’s service provider identity will change when the TLS certificate is refreshed. This aids in the overall IDP and SP certificate refresh workflow and avoids production downtime.
Added support for configuring unique settings per Syslog or MQTT server definition.
Improved support for special characters in Workspace ONE UEM API server password.
Troubleshooting enhancements and logging improvements.
Updates to Photon OS package versions and Java component versions.

Supported versions of Windows 10 on Horizon Agent Including All VDI Clones (Full Clones, Instant Clones, and Linked Clones on Horizon 8 2212)

Windows 10 22H2 SAC (Pro, Education, Enterprise) Full support
Windows 10 21H2 SAC (Pro, Education, Enterprise) Full support
Windows 10 21H1 SAC (Pro, Education, Enterprise) Full support
Windows 10 20H2 SAC (Pro,Education,Enterprise) Full support
Windows 10 2004 SAC (Pro,Education,Enterprise) Not Supported
Windows 10 1909 SAC (Pro,Education,Enterprise) Not Supported
Windows 10 1903 SAC and earlier (Pro,Education,Enterprise) Not Supported
Windows 10 LTSC 2021 (Enterprise) Full support
Windows 10 LTSC 2019 (Enterprise) Full support
Windows 10 LTSB 2016 (Enterprise) Full support

For more additional information please read this knowledge article

VMware Cloud Connector

Applicable to customers with VMware Horizon Universal Subscription, Horizon Enterprise Plus Subscription, Horizon Standard Plus Subscription, Horizon Apps Universal Subscription, or Horizon Apps Standard Subscription.

The Horizon Cloud Connector virtual appliance is a required component for VMware Horizon to support the management of Horizon pods using Horizon Cloud Service.

Horizon Deployed on VMware Cloud on AWS

For a list of VMware Horizon features supported on VMware Cloud on AWS, see VMware Knowledge Base article 58539.

Horizon Deployed on Azure VMware Solution

You can select Azure as an installation option to deploy Horizon on Azure VMware Solution (AVS). SeeDeploying VMware Horizon 8 on Azure VMware Solution.

VMware App Volume 4 2212

Horizon 8 version 2212 in conjunction with App Volumes 4, version 2212 introduces Horizon Published Apps on Demand.

With this new feature, administrators can use App Volumes applications directly in their instant-clone RDS farms. Now applications can be delivered dynamically to a generic Windows OS as users launch them. This dynamic application delivery greatly simplifies static image management and gives administrators the ability to reduce their application specific farms. This feature also brings the Horizon and App Volumes administration consoles closer together, allowing Horizon administrators to add App Volumes Manager servers and entitle applications to users without the need for duplicate entitlements in App Volumes.

This feature creates an opportunity to reduce the time-consuming management of application installations on RDS farms, and enables scenarios such as multiple users being able to use different versions of the same application whilst logged in to the same RDS server.
When multiple users are logged in and using application packages, disks remain attached until the last user using the package logs out.
With multi-session operating systems, more than one package for an application can be delivered to a single Windows machine.

Compatibility to deliver more than one package to a single Windows machine depends on the application. The RDS package attachment option allows administrators to specify which applications should and should not have multiple packages from the same application delivered.
On the Edit Package window, in the App Volumes Manager admin UI, the Notes field can now be updated.
Login performance improvements using on-demand delivery with many applications.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 – new features

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for Android

Horizon Client for Android 2212 includes the following new feature.

UDP ports on Avi load balancer

UDP ports can be configured on the Avi load balancer.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for ChromeOS

Horizon Client for Chrome 2212 includes the following new features.

Server icons for primary host names only

By default, Horizon Client displays a server icon for the primary host only and hides the display of icons for any secondary host. Administrators can change this default behavior using a new Google Admin property, hideSecondaryServer.
Automatic USB redirection

New auto-connect settings allow users to configure automatic redirection behavior for client USB devices. With two new Google Admin settings, autoForwardUSBPolicy and enableAutoForwardUSB, administrators can configure global policies that define the default automatic redirection behavior for all users.
File upload and download policies

With two new Google Admin settings, allowFileUpload and allowFileDownload, administrators can configure whether users are allowed to upload or download files between a remote desktop and client device using the file transfer feature.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for iOS

Support for iOS16 and iPadOS 16

Horizon Client for iOS 2212 includes support for iOS16 and iPadOS 16.
UDP ports on Avi load balancer

UDP ports can be configured on the Avi load balancer.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for Mac

Horizon Client for Mac 2212 includes the following new features:

Multiple devices with the Real-Time Audio-Video feature supported on published desktops and published applicationsYou can now use multiple devices with Real-Time Audio-Video on published desktops and published applications when Horizon Client 2212 or later is connected to Horizon Agent 2209 or later. The display name of a redirected device now matches the actual device name.
UDP ports on Avi load balancer

UDP ports can be configured on the Avi load balancer.
Image adjustments for scanned data

You can now make image adjustments for data to be scanned to remote desktops.
Multiple device support for Real-Time Audio-Video (RTAV)

The RTAV feature now supports the use of multiple webcams, microphones, and speakers in a remote session.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for Linux

Horizon Client for Linux 2212 includes the following new features.

VMware Integrated Printing support on Raspberry Pi

The VMware Integrated Printing feature is supported for Horizon Client installed on Raspberry Pi 4 Model B devices running Stratodesk NoTouch Operating System.
Multiple device support for Real-Time Audio-Video (RTAV)

The RTAV feature now supports the use of multiple webcams, microphones, and speakers in a remote session. Users can switch between devices during a session, and a new client setting lets users configure their preferred speaker for remote sessions.
UDP ports on Avi load balancer

UDP ports can now be configured on the Avi load balancer.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for Windows

Horizon Client for Windows 2212 includes the following new features:

Default audio-in API is Windows Audio Session

The Horizon Client for Windows uses Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI) as the audio-in API by default for better audio quality.
UDP ports on Avi load balancer

UDP ports can now be configured on the Avi load balancer.
Zoom and Cisco plug-in Installation

After you connect to a server, you can install a Zoom or Cisco plug if it is configured on the server.

VMware Horizon Client 2212 for HTML5

HTML Access 2212 includes bug fixes