Q: What are the requirements to use RemoteFX in Windows Server 2012?

A: In Windows Server 2008 R2, the graphics card had to support DirectX 9.0c and 10, but in Windows Server 2012 (formerly code-named Windows Server 8), RemoteFX uses DirectX 11, so the graphics card must support DirectX 11. To enable RemoteFX, and for it to function correctly, the following must be present:

• DirectX 11 capable graphics card
• Windows 8 64-bit WDDM v 1.20 driver (if you try to use a non-Windows 8 specific graphics driver, the graphics in the virtual machines--VMs--won't render correctly and tearing will be present, which the screen shot below shows). Using a Windows 8 graphics driver fixes the issue. 
  
  
  
  
• SLAT-capable processor. Remember, a great way to check whether your processor supports SLAT is to use the CoreInfo utility from SysInternals.com (use the -v switch and a * should be shown next to EPT):

C:\Windows\system32>pushd \\live.sysinternals.com

Z:\>coreinfo -accepteula -v

Coreinfo v3.04 - Dump information on system CPU and memory topology

Copyright (C) 2008-2012 Mark Russinovich

Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

Note: Coreinfo must be executed on a system without a hypervisor running for accurate results.

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz

Intel64 Family 6 Model 26 Stepping 5, GenuineIntel

HYPERVISOR * Hypervisor is present

VMX * Supports Intel hardware-assisted virtualization

EPT * Supports Intel extended page tables (SLAT)

• Remote Desktop Virtualization Host role service must be installed (to enable RemoteFX).
• Enable the GPU for RemoteFX (see screen shot below).
  
  
  VMs can now be RemoteFX-enabled by adding the RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter hardware to a VM and setting the number of displays and resolution (see screen shot below).
  
  
  

See more FAQs on virtualization, System Center, and all things IT pro at John Savill's FAQs.