FRP8 and the Future of DaaS: A Leap Forward with WebRTC Technology

Back in 2013, Frame pioneered the Desktop as a Service (DaaS) market by standardizing on H.264 for encoding/decoding—a method that has since become the industry norm. Today, we're once again at the forefront with FRP8, leading the charge by adopting WebRTC as the standard for our transport layer.

FRP8's use of WebRTC goes beyond enabling UDP-based transport. It equips Frame with the capability to offer native, in-session webcam and video-conferencing support directly within a browser—no separate client, agent, or receiver required. This breakthrough unlocks a new plethora of new possibilities for customers across diverse sectors such as hybrid workplaces, media and entertainment, education, and various professional services including design, engineering, business process outsourcing, call centers, and more.

What's New with FRP8?​

Native In-Session Video-Conferencing & Webcam Support​

The support for audio and video-conferencing has traditionally been a challenge for DaaS solutions, often considered their “Achilles' Heel.” Many providers tackle this issue by offloading the processing of the audio and video streams to the local endpoint and stitching the audio and video back into the virtual app or desktop session. This approach, however, requires the installation and management of a client or agent on the endpoint device, restricting both the compatible device types and the range of audio/video conferencing software that can be supported.

With Frame and FRP8, the constraints of video-conferencing are a thing of the past! We now offer native, fully integrated video-conferencing support within the session. Users can experience crisp, clear audio playback with perfect audio and video synchronization in their Frame virtual app or desktop session, all through a web browser.

Say goodbye to the uncertainty of whether your unified communications application will remain compatible with your VDI or DaaS solution.

Frame accomplishes this impressive performance by leveraging WebRTC (UDP) as the transport for FRP8, rather than relying on WebSockets (TCP) as with earlier versions of FRP. Additionally, our QoS engine dynamically adjusts to fluctuating network conditions to provide the best possible user experience.

But let's not just talk the talk, let's walk the walk by showcasing Frame with FRP8 in action! The video below demonstrates how FRP8 effortlessly handles even the most demanding workloads, including Zoom video-conferencing, providing an exceptional user experience. In the example below, we're running a high-end graphics application at 1920x1080 resolution on a network with 2Mbps, 210ms RTT latency, and 1% packet loss.

The Task Manager in the lower right corner is from the local Windows PC, check out the network and GPU decoding resource usage!

Generic USB Pass-through​

As a browser-first DaaS solution, Frame has always taken a unique approach to USB peripheral support compared to other solutions. For instance, we support USB mass-storage devices with our drag-and-drop file upload/download functionality, enable local USB printing through our print-to-PDF feature, support advanced mice and joysticks via WebHID, and most recently, have enabled webcam pass-through via WebUSB. These innovative approaches to USB support are driven by our commitment to delivering a feature-rich user experience, all within a browser.

However, as Frame's customer base and range of use cases continue to grow, so do the demands for more versatile USB device support.

This is why we are elated to announce that with FRP8, our generic USB pass-through feature is also now Generally Available (GA) with Frame App for Windows.

So whether you're looking to use a Bloomberg keyboard with a fingerprint scanner, print a label to a Zebra thermal printer, or utilize your Arduino in classroom setup - the wait is over!

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App Mode 2.0 - Virtual Application Delivery​

With FRP8, we've enhanced our approach to delivering virtual apps to users. Based on customer feedback, we aimed to create a more intuitive and streamlined user experience while preserving the simplicity and security of our legacy App Mode.

We're proud to say we've achieved this goal with Frame App Mode 2.0!

App Mode 2.0 provides a Windows desktop experience that is highly secure, with default policies the restrict access. The traditional Windows Start Menu is replaced with the Frame Start Menu, showcasing only the apps the user has permissions to access through Frame Launchpad configurations. Additionally, the Windows taskbar is modified to restrict user access to Windows administrative tools.

The Power of Choice​

The DaaS market is crowded, with numeerous solutions claiming simplicity and a superior user and admin experience.

Our super power is simple - it's the combination of simplicity, the power of choice, our cloud-native origins, and our unwavering commitment to delivering the best possible experience for users, admins, and developers.

You'll often hear VDI and DaaS vendors say, 'Our solution is easy to use, offers freedom from lock-in, and provides the best user and admin experience.' But have you ever heard a vendor claim, “Our solution will lock you into our MonoCloud, is complex, expensive, and offers a limited user and admin experience”? Of course not!

So, we urge you to look beyond the sales and marketing pitches of VDI and DaaS vendors, including Frame. Evaluate the solutions for yourself, and seek out the experiences of others to make an informed decision.

With the latest advancements in the Frame platform and the Frame Remoting Protocol (FRP), we've once again raised the standard for the new norm - because first never follows.

So, what sets Frame apart from other virtual application and desktop solutions?

Frame offers a unique blend of simplicity, choice, and power in End User Computing. In essence, complexity hinders growth, and Frame elegantly conceals this complexity by providing the best DaaS platform with key features including:

Cloud-Native Origins: Born as a cloud service for seamless scalability.

• Simplicity as a Superpower: Prioritizing an exceptional user, admin, and developer experience.
• Unmatched Flexibility: Support for multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments with Nutanix AHV, Azure, AWS, and GCP.
• Versatile Instance Types: Catering to any application with CPU, NVIDIA (v)GPU, and AMD GPU options.
• Seamless Identity Integration: Easy integration with modern IdPs like Azure AD, Okta, Ping Federate, and Sign in with Google, without the need for Classic AD.
• Comprehensive App & Desktop Support: Both persistent and non-persistent options.
• Effortless 1-Click Integrations: Such as Windows Enterprise Profiles.
• Broad Access Options: Rich browser access and Frame App for Windows, Mac, and Linux (including IGEL, Stratodesk, 10Zig, Unicon, and more).
• Customizable Launch Options: Flexibility to use Frame Launchpad, Progressive Web Apps (PWA), and 'Your' interface, such as LMS, Office365, Liquid, AppsAnywhere, Workspace365 via LaunchLink.
• Webcam Support: Without the need to install anything on the endpoint.

Take Frame and FRP8 for a Spin!​

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank our Frame developer colleagues around the world who have worked incredibly hard to make FRP8 a reality. They have truly built a world-class solution that delivers a world-class experience for our customers!

We also wanted to thank you for checking out this blog! Since you've already made it this far, why not take the next step and try out Frame with FRP8 today and check https://ux.dizzion.com for awesome FRP8 content!