How to enable RemoteFX USB redirection between Win 10 and Server 2012 R2/Win 10 VDI

Question

I have created a test VDI lab built on 2012 R2, and am trying to test two things;

1. vGPU on VDI VMs to improve performance of media content on the VM and reduce CPU load on the virtualisation host
2. Enable RemoteFX USB redirection

As far as vGPU goes, I have it configured, and I can see that the GPU on the host is being used when playing back a video in the VM, but performance is poor. This is likely down to the low spec of the VM and slow storage etc. etc. being bottlenecks.

The main issue I am having, is getting USB redirection to work. On my Windows 10 workstation, I have enabled the local policy to allow redirection for admins and users, and can now see the RemoteFX devices section under local resources in the RDP client.

When I connect to any remote machine however, be it a Windows 10 VDI desktop through the collection or directly, or any 2012 R2 server, the icon for redirected devices does not appear, and the Microsoft LifeCam and Headsets I have attached are not redirected.

Is there some specific combindation of what I am connecting from and to for this to work, as my understanding was that these supported devices should redirect to at least a 2012 R2 server?

Solution

Have determined this issue is due to this not being enabled on the VDI side as per this thread:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/dd35353f-6056-4249-aaeb-57c6ab2588ae/usb-redirectionremotefx-windows-10-enterprise?forum=win10itprogeneral

You have to enable "Enable RemoteFX encoding for RemoteFX clients designed for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1" and disable "Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection" in order for redirection to be allowed.

Cheers

Eds