Configure a RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter

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The RemoteFX 3D video adapter enables 3D capabilities to a user connecting by using Remote Desktop Connection (RDC). A RemoteFX 3D video adapter can be added as a device to a virtual machine, which provides a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver with support for DirectX 9.0c.

Here is a list of things to consider when adding a RemoteFX 3D video adapter to a virtual machine:

  • The RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter is not configured on a virtual machine by default. You can add this after the virtual machine is created by using Hyper-V Manager.

  • A Microsoft RemoteFX server running a virtual machine with a RemoteFX 3D video adapter must have enough graphics processing unit (GPU) memory installed to run its workload.

  • Each RemoteFX -enabled virtual machine consumes GPU memory from the RemoteFX server only while that virtual machine is running or paused.

  • The RemoteFX server can use one or more GPUs.

  • If multiple GPUs are installed on the RemoteFX server, the GPUs intended to run RemoteFX must be identical.

Important

For more information about the hardware considerations when deploying a RemoteFX server, see the Windows Server 2008 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=191918).

Configuring the Number of Monitors and Resolutions for a Virtual Machine

The number of monitors and their maximum resolution determines the amount of GPU memory on the server required by RemoteFX. This consideration is important in determining the scale for how many virtual machines a Remote Desktop Virtualization Host server can support.

For each virtual machine, you can configure the RemoteFX 3D video adapter for a maximum number of monitors and resolution. This configuration determines the amount of GPU memory reserved on the server and allows you to control the scalability of how many users can be supported on a RemoteFX server, balanced with the user requirements. When connecting by using RDC, the user can select a number of monitors and their resolutions that are less than and up to the maximum values.

When the server starts a virtual machine, the server will verify that it can reserve enough GPU memory for the specified number of monitors and resolutions. If the virtual machine cannot be supported, additional GPU resources can be added to the server, or the number of monitors and resolutions can be lowered. Once you have added additional GPU resources or adjusted the number of monitors and resolutions, you can connect by using RemoteFX.

Important

Increasing the maximum number of monitors and maximum resolution decreases the total amount of RemoteFX-enabled virtual machines running on a single Hyper-V server because of the increased video memory requirements. For more information on the video memory requirements for RemoteFX, see the Hardware Considerations topic (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=191918) on the Windows Server 2008 Technical Library.

The following is a list of video memory requirements for a maximum amount of monitors and resolution:

Maximum Resolution Maximum Number of Monitors in Virtual Machine Setting

1 monitor

2 monitors

3 monitors

4 monitors

1024 x 768

75 MB

105 MB

135 MB

165 MB

1280 x 1024

125 MB

175 MB

225 MB

275 MB

1600 x 1200

184 MB

257 MB

330 MB

 

1900 x 1200

220 MB

308 MB

 

 

You can configure the maximum resolution and number of monitors by using Hyper-V Manager.

To configure the maximum resolution and number of monitors

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.

  2. In the Results pane, under Virtual Machines, select the virtual machine that you want to configure. The virtual machine must be off in order to modify its settings.

  3. In the Action pane, under the virtual machine name, click Settings. Then, in the navigation pane, click RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter.

  4. On the RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter page, specify the number of monitors and resolutions, and then click OK.

Alternatively, you can use the Windows PowerShell cmdlets that are provided with RemoteFX to add the RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter.

To add the RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter by using Windows PowerShell

  1. Launch Windows PowerShell with elevated privileges.

  2. Type Import-Module RemoteDesktopServices and then press ENTER.

  3. Type get-help add-VGPU to get usage information on adding the RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter.

If you add a RemoteFX 3D video adapter by using Windows PowerShell, you can then configure it by using Windows PowerShell as well.

To configure a RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter by using Windows PowerShell

  1. Launch Windows PowerShell with elevated privileges.

  2. Type Import-Module RemoteDesktopServices and then press ENTER.

  3. Type get-help Set-vGPUConfiguration to get usage information on configuring the number of monitors and resolution for the virtual machine on which the RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter was added.