In today’s digital workspace, organizations require flexible, secure, and efficient solutions to provide employees with access to critical applications and desktops, regardless of their location. Remote Application and Desktop Virtualization is a game-changer, enabling businesses to enhance productivity, reduce hardware costs, and ensure seamless remote work experiences.
Among the various solutions available, Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) stands out as an all-in-one, cost-effective alternative to traditional virtualization solutions like Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. It simplifies IT administration while delivering a robust, high-performance user experience.
What’s New in Parallels RAS 20.2
Parallels has recently released version 20.2.25889, bringing several enhancements, security improvements, and bug fixes. Here are the key highlights:
Enhanced Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Support
- Repair Option for AVD Agents: Administrators can now redeploy AVD agents when a host is in an “unavailable” or “SxS stack unknown” state, improving recovery time and stability.
- Maintenance Window Enhancements: IT teams can now define up to two separate maintenance windows for AVD host pools, ensuring seamless updates with minimal disruption.
Improved User Experience
- Z-Order Support for Published Applications (Experimental Feature): Enables better layering of published applications with local apps, reducing UI inconsistencies and enhancing workflow efficiency.
- Enhanced Webcam Redirection (Linux Client): Improved support for video and image capture, making remote video conferencing and multimedia applications more reliable.
Performance and Security Enhancements
- Windows Server 2025 support: Now you can install RAS on Windows Server 2025 for all components
- Reduced Audio Delay in Linux Clients: Users will experience lower latency audio playback in media applications.
- Expanded MFA Capabilities: Now supports more than five MFA automations via RADIUS, offering stronger authentication options.
- NUM LOCK Synchronization Fix: Ensures that NUM LOCK settings remain consistent between local devices and remote sessions.
Stability and Bug Fixes
- Resolved Client Crashes: Various stability improvements, including fixes for SAML authentication issues and clipboard crashes after OTP dialog dismissal.
- Optimized Load Balancing: Enhancements in load distribution across servers, improving overall performance in high-demand environments.
Considerations
The latest update to Parallels RAS 20.2 demonstrates the company’s commitment to enhancing user experience, security, and administrative flexibility. With improvements in AVD integration, performance optimizations, and stability, organizations leveraging Parallels RAS can expect a smoother, more reliable remote work infrastructure.
For IT teams evaluating VDI and application virtualization, this update further solidifies Parallels RAS as an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to other solutions in the market.
The full change log is available here: Parallels Remote Application Server v20 Release Notes
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