Find Out What’s New in Parallels RAS 18.3

The recently released Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) 18.3 supports the latest versions of Windows and Windows Server and comes with newly improved Azure Virtual Desktop integration capabilities. Understand the business impacts of these new developments in this post.

Complete Support for Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022

Previously, in Parallels RAS 18.2, we added Windows 11 support through the Parallels Client, enabling you to install Parallels Client for Windows on any Windows 11-powered end-user device. Now, in Parallels RAS 18.3, you can start using Windows 11 as a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) virtual machine (VM), as a remote PC, and as a single or multi-session host in an Azure Virtual Desktop environment.

This means your users can benefit from all the advanced user productivity and hybrid work-enabling capabilities that come with Windows 11 on a remote desktop, including:

That’s not all. You can now also use any edition of Windows Server 2022, including the Datacenter Azure Edition, as a session host or as a VDI provider in Parallels RAS. Windows Server 2022 session hosts can deliver session-based applications to regular end users, while Windows Server 2022 VDI providers—using Microsoft Hyper-V standalone or cluster—can deliver full VM-based desktops to power users that require dedicated, high-performance virtual workspaces.

Windows Server 2022 is the most secure Windows Server version to date, backed by a massive array of advanced security features that include Secured-core server, hardware root-of-trust, firmware protection, Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) secure boot, virtualization-based security, and many others that provide system-wide protection collectively to a Windows Server deployment through a combination of software, firmware, and hardware security functions.

Both Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 are supported for all Parallels RAS back-end components. By leveraging the deployment flexibility of Parallels RAS, organizations can use cloud-hosted or on-premises virtual machines for their virtual applications and desktops using these two secure, reliable, and Azure-compatible operating systems.

The ability of Parallels RAS to support both Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 gives organizations not only the freedom to choose how to deliver their virtual applications and desktops but also the superior protection delivered by these two highly secure operating systems. This is crucial in hybrid work environments, where users, devices, applications, and data often stray away from the protection of the corporate firewall.

Improved Azure Virtual Desktop Integration

Cloud-first and cloud-only organizations will be happy to know that Parallels RAS 18.3 has an improved Azure Virtual Desktop integration function that enables them to leverage Azure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) without having to use a hybrid Active Directory Domain Services set up.

By joining Parallels RAS session hosts to Azure AD DS, you eliminate the costs and complexities of deploying, managing, and patching domain controllers and a hybrid AD DS environment, thereby freeing up time for your IT team.

The improved Azure Virtual Desktop integration also comes with Microsoft Teams media optimization for Azure Virtual Directory resources using a standard client feature set. This means users that participate in Teams-powered online meetings through a published desktop will get better audio and video quality—a must-have for remote workers, whose level of productivity can only improve with good online communications.

Get firsthand experience of these features and more in the latest version of Parallels RAS!

Try Parallels RAS 18.3 today