Understanding VDI
Virtual desktop infrastructure, or VDI, makes it possible to host a desktop operating system on a centralized server in a data center. The term was coined by an industry leader, VMware. VDI technology delivers a desktop image over a network to an endpoint. The endpoint may be a traditional PC, thin client or even a mobile device. This lets the user interact with the operating system (OS) and applications as if they were running locally.
Benefits of VDI
VDI offers a number of benefits that make it appealing to IT departments:
- Since most computing happens on the server, obsolete PCs can often be re-purposed as VDI clients.
- When purchasing new devices, companies can buy machines that are less powerful and less expensive.
- Because all data stays in the data center, that data can be more secure. The endpoint device, like a laptop, has no data on it so there is no risk of losing data if the laptop is stolen.
- You can more easily support mobile and remote worker when the desktop image is in your data center.
Drawbacks of VDI
As with most technologies, VDI also has drawbacks:
- Money saved on endpoint hardware can disappear quickly when you factor in IT infrastructure expenses.
- Storage costs can make VDI cost prohibitive.
- Because VDI relies on network connectivity, users cannot access their virtual desktops without a network connection. In addition, weak connectivity can hinder desktop performance.
- VDI environments add a layer of complexity to your solution that warrants separate proof-of-concept efforts and performance testing to optimize. Using a soft phone with remote connections in VDI environments can cause impact to audio quality.
How CXone Mpower Supports VDI
CXone Mpower supports the Citrix, VMWare, AWS Workspaces, and Azure Virtual Desktop VDI configurations described on this page. This support is based on your use of the approved ranges of VDI software versions and the minimum recommended hardware to set up your user endpoints. CXone Mpower does not support configurations that don't meet these minimum requirements. If you choose to implement a VDI solution outside of these guidelines, it may work. However, CXone Mpower will not guarantee it or provide advanced troubleshooting through Technical Support.
CXone Mpower VDI Support: Voice Applications
| Application | Desktop OS | Browser | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAX Integrated Softphone | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit | Chrome/Edge | |
| Salesforce Agent Integrated Softphone | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit | Chrome/Edge | |
| Softphone | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit | N/A |
VDI requires you to download Hosted Softphone. |
CXone Mpower Agent supports softphone functionality in VDI when using an approved desktop OS and browser. However, it does not provide direct VDI support. For optimal performance, consult your VDI vendor on tuning for WebSocket communication.
Additionally, keep in mind that it's best practice to route voice traffic outside of the VDI environment.
CXone Mpower VDI Support: Screen Recording
CXone Mpower supports recording of agent screens using ScreenAgent. Specific considerations apply to installation of ScreenAgent in VDI environments.
Bandwidth and VoIP Requirements
| Bandwidth Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Remote or at-home agents must have a reliable high-speed internet connection. | |
| Internet Bandwidth |
35 kbps per workstation for data transport Less than 200 ms average round-tripping reply between workstation and CXone Mpower servers Remote or at-home agents must have a reliable high-speed internet connection. |
| Upload Speed | 512Kbps minimum |
| Download Speed | 1.5Mbps minimum |
| Latency |
< 150ms (round trip) |
| Packet Loss | < 0.75% |
| Jitter | < 20ms |
| VoIP Bandwidth Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The bandwidth needed for voice depends on the codec, or compression algorithm, used by the softphone. The number of simultaneous calls x the codec kbps = total VoIP bandwidth. Codec bandwidth use is bi-directional. A G.711 call requires 88 Kbps up (from agent to caller) and 88 Kbps down (from caller to agent) simultaneously. |
||
| Codec | Speed | Supported? |
| G.711 | 88 KBPS | Y |
| G.729 | 40 KBPS | Special Approval Required |
The minimum requirements and recommendations on this page reflect only the usage of CXone Mpower within the virtual environment. When you provision a VDI environment, it must accommodate the full breadth of your business requirements. Make sure you fully test and understand all business-essential programs and applications you will use.
VDI Voice Redirection
Voice redirection lets voice flow directly from the client to the voice endpoint. This bypasses the VDI infrastructure, boosting voice quality and reliability in virtual desktops. It ensures the voice protocol, a real-time network protocol, runs from end to end without passing through the virtual desktop protocol.
Currently, Citrix offers Browser Content Redirection (BCR), which supports WebRTC traffic redirection. When BCR is on, audio from a BCR-enabled site plays directly on the user’s device. VMware offers a similar feature with the same advantages. NICE will soon add its own voice redirection technology. This feature will be optimized for use with CXone Mpower.
VDI MMR
Multimedia redirection (MMR) redirects video playback and calls in a remote session to the user's local device. This process improves performance and reduces latency. MMR is supported by these VDI tools that have been tested with CXone Mpower:
In a future release, NICE will offer a MMR that works with a web socket-based agent application.
CXone Mpower VDI Requirements: AWS
CXone Mpower is compatible with AWS Workspaces.
Light Setup
The setup defined in this table can run CXone Mpower while maintaining voice quality as long as you have a minimal workload:
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Light Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | 2v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Normal Setup
The setup defined in this table is recommended for most environments:
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Normal Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | 2v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
8 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Heavy Setup
If you expect heavier workload, you should consider using the setup in this table:
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Normal Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | 4v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
16 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
CXone Mpower VDI Requirements: Azure
CXone Mpower is compatible with Azure Virtual Desktop (Azure VD).
Light Setup
This setup represents the minimum requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using Azure VD. It assumes you have one agent handling interactions.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Light Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | 2v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Heavy Setup
This represents a more robust set of requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using Azure VD. It assumes you have three or more agents handling interactions.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Heavy Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 |
| Processor | 4v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
8 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
CXone Mpower VDI Requirements: Citrix
Citrix Virtual Desktops on Citrix Hypervisor Servers
CXone Mpower is compatible with:
- Citrix Hypervisor Servers Xen 7.6 through 8.2
- Client Versions 7-2109 back to Virtual Desktop 7.6
The minimum Citrix setup supported is:
- Citrix Virtual Desktops on Citrix Hypervisor Servers 8.2
- Cixtrix 12.0 Gateway
- Client Version Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 2109.
Light Setup
This setup represents the minimum requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using Citrix VDI.
CXone Mpower supports recording of agent screens using ScreenAgent. Specific considerations apply to installation of ScreenAgent in VDI environments.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Light Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 2v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Heavy Setup
This setup represents a more robust set of requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using Citrix VDI.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Heavy Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 4v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB total |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Citrix Virtual Desktops on Ubuntu
Multi-Session Server Light Setup
These are the minimum requirements for using Citrix multi-session VDI on Ubuntu.
| Minimum Hardware and Network Requirements for Light Setup on Multi-Session Server | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows Server 2016-2022 |
| Processor | 1.25 GHz; 4 cores plus 1 CPU core for every 4 active sessions |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB plus 1 GB for every 4 active sessions |
| Disk IO | 1,000 IOPS; Queue length < 2 ms |
| Bandwidth & Latency | 256 Kbps. 300 ms maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be <175 ms if not utilizing BCR; <10 ms maximum jitter |
Multi-Session Server Heavy Setup
These are the recommended requirements for using Citrix multi-session VDI on Ubuntu.
| Minimum Hardware and Network Requirements for Recommended Setup on Multi-Session Server | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows Server 2016-2022 |
| Processor | 2 GHz; 8 cores plus 1 CPU core for every 4 active sessions |
| Physical RAM |
16 GB plus 1 GB for every 2 active sessions |
| Disk IO | 5,000 IOPS; Queue length < 2 ms |
| Bandwidth & Latency | 1 Mbps. 200 ms maximum round-trip latency. <5 ms maximum jitter |
Single-Session Server Light Setup
These are the minimum requirements for using Citrix single-session VDI on Ubuntu.
| Minimum Hardware and Network Requirements for Light Setup on Multi-Session Server | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows Server 10-11 |
| Processor | 2 GHz CPU; 2 cores |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB |
| Disk IO | 500 IOPS; Queue length < 2 ms |
| Bandwidth & Latency | 256 Kbps. 300 ms maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be <175 ms if not utilizing BCR; <10 ms maximum jitter |
Single-Session Server Heavy Setup
These are the recommended requirements for using Citrix single-session VDI on Ubuntu.
| Minimum Hardware and Network Requirements for Recommended Setup on Multi-Session Server | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows Server 10-11 |
| Processor | 2 GHz; 4 cores |
| Physical RAM |
8 GB |
| Disk IO | 2,000 IOPS; Queue length < 2 ms |
| Bandwidth & Latency | 256 Mbps. 200 ms maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be <125 ms if not utilizing BCR. <5 ms maximum jitter |
Citrix Enterprise Browser and App
CXone Mpower is compatible with the Citrix Enterprise Browser and App. Use of plugins, including the CXone Mpower plugin, may impact the latency and quality of calls.
Light Setup
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Light Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB total |
| Software Prerequisites |
|
| Connectivity | Feature flag management |
| Disk Space | Varies based on installation type and components |
CXone Mpower VDI Requirements: VMWare Horizon
The minimum VMWare setup supported is VMWare Horizon 7.3.3 through 8 2106.
Multimedia Redirection (MMR) isn't compatible with the screen recorder.
Light Setup
This setup represents the minimum requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using VMWare Horizon VDI.
Single-Session Requirements
Bandwidth for this setup is 256 MBPS with 300 MS maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be less than 175 MS if you're not using MMR. Maximum jitter is less than 10 MS.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Single-Session Light Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 2 GHz; 2 cores |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB |
| Disk IO | 500 IOPS; Queue length < 2 MS |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Multi-Session Requirements
Bandwidth for this setup is 256 MBPS with 300 MS maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be less than 175 MS if you're not using MMR. Maximum jitter is less than 10 MS.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Multi-Session Minimum Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 1.25 GHz; 4 cores plus 1 CPU core for every 4 active sessions |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB plus 1 GB for every 4 active sessions |
| Disk IO | 1,000 IOPS; Queue length < 2 MS |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Heavy Setup
This represents a more robust set of requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using VMWare Horizon VDI.
Single-Session Requirements
Bandwidth for this setup is 256 MBPS with 200 MS maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be less than 125 MS if you're not using MMR. Maximum jitter is less than 5 MS.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for HEavy Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 2 GHz; 4 cores |
| Physical RAM |
8 GB |
| Disk IO | 2,000 IOPS; Queue length < 2 MS |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
Multi-Session Requirements
Bandwidth for this setup is 1 MBPS with 200 MS maximum round-trip latency. Client-to-host latency should be less than 125 MS if you're not using MMR. Maximum jitter is less than 5 MS.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for HEavy Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 2 GHz; 8 cores plus 1 core for every 4 active sessions |
| Physical RAM |
16 GB plus 1 GB for every 2 active sessions |
| Disk IO | 5,000 IOPS; Queue length < 2 MS |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge |
CXone Mpower VDI Requirements: Windows 365
Light Setup
This setup represents the minimum requirements to run the CXone Mpower on virtual desktops using Windows 365.
| Minimum "Desktop" and Network Requirements for Light Setup | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11, 32- and 64-bit |
| Processor | 2v CPU |
| Physical RAM |
4 GB total |
| Local Ethernet | 100 Mbps |
| Local Sound | Full duplex |
| Supported Browsers | Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox |
| Supported Third-Party Softphones | Zoom, Google, RingCentral, Vonage |