Extended desktops in virtual desktop environments
Systems and methods are provided for extending a remote desktop to a multi monitor configuration, with each monitor being viewable via a separate web client or native client, where the clients may further be executing on separate computing devices. After an initial remote desktop session is initiated via a first client, a second session with the remote desktop can be requested via a second client, which may be a web client or a native client executing on the same or different computing device as the first client. The remote desktop can be reconfigured to two monitor mode including a first and a second monitor. The graphical data of the first monitor can be streamed to the first client and the graphical data of the second monitor can be streamed to the second client. Consequently, the remote desktop can be extended to additional monitors in the same way.
1. A method in a remote desktop environment for extending a virtual desktop hosted on a server to multiple monitors, comprising:
establishing a first session between the virtual desktop and a first client executing on a first remote computing device, the virtual desktop being configured to produce a graphical user interface (GUI) in one monitor mode, wherein the GUI is streamed to the first client via the first session;
receiving a request from a second client to initiate a second session with the virtual desktop;
reconfiguring the virtual desktop to extend the GUI to two monitor mode including a first monitor and a second monitor;
streaming graphical data of the first monitor of the GUI to the first client via the first session; and
streaming graphical data of the second monitor of the GUI to the second client via the second session.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first client is a web client and the second client is a web client; or
the first client is a native client and the second client is a web client; or
the first client is a web client and the second client is a native client.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second client executes on a second remote computing device separate from the first remote computing device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first client is a web client and the second client is a web client also executing on the first remote computing device.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving topology information corresponding to the two monitor mode of the GUI, the topology information indicating at least the position of the first monitor and the second monitor relative to each other.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the topology information is gathered from inputs provided by a user.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the request from the second client to initiate the second session, requesting user input to indicate whether the second session is to steal the first session or whether the second session is to be connected as an extended monitor; and
receiving an indication from the user that the second session is to be connected as an extended monitor.
8. A computing device for extending a virtual desktop hosted on a server to multiple monitors in a remote desktop environment, comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform the steps of:
establishing a first session between the virtual desktop and a first client executing on a first remote computing device, the virtual desktop being configured to produce a graphical user interface (GUI) in one monitor mode, wherein the GUI is streamed to the first client via the first session;
receiving a request from a second client to initiate a second session with the virtual desktop;
reconfiguring the virtual desktop to extend the GUI to two monitor mode including a first monitor and a second monitor;
streaming graphical data of the first monitor of the GUI to the first client via the first session; and
streaming graphical data of the second monitor of the GUI to the second client via the second session.
9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein:
the first client is a web client and the second client is a web client; or
the first client is a native client and the second client is a web client; or
the first client is a web client and the second client is a native client.
10. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the second client executes on a second remote computing device separate from the first remote computing device.
11. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the first client is a web client and the second client is a web client also executing on the first remote computing device.
12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform the steps of:
receiving topology information corresponding to the two monitor mode of the GUI, the topology information indicating at least the position of the first monitor and the second monitor relative to each other.
13. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the topology information is gathered from inputs provided by a user.
14. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the memory further includes instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to perform the steps of:
in response to the request from the second client to initiate the second session, requesting user input to indicate whether the second session is to steal the first session or whether the second session is to be connected as an extended monitor; and
receiving an indication from the user that the second session is to be connected as an extended monitor.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors causing the one or more processors to execute the operations of:
establishing a first session between the virtual desktop and a first client executing on a first remote computing device, the virtual desktop being configured to produce a graphical user interface (GUI) in one monitor mode, wherein the GUI is streamed to the first client via the first session;
receiving a request from a second client to initiate a second session with the virtual desktop;
reconfiguring the virtual desktop to extend the GUI to two monitor mode including a first monitor and a second monitor;
streaming graphical data of the first monitor of the GUI to the first client via the first session; and
streaming graphical data of the second monitor of the GUI to the second client via the second session.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the first client is a web client and the second client is a web client; or
the first client is a native client and the second client is a web client; or
the first client is a web client and the second client is a native client.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second client executes on a second remote computing device separate from the first remote computing device.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein The method of claim 1 , wherein the first client is a web client and the second client is a web client also executing on the first remote computing device.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to execute the operations of:
receiving topology information corresponding to the two monitor mode of the GUI, the topology information indicating at least the position of the first monitor and the second monitor relative to each other.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the topology information is gathered from inputs provided by a user.