This release includes bug fixes and minor enhancements. For more information, see Resolved Caveats for Release 12.8(1).

Cisco Headset Support for 64–bit

We enhanced call control support for Cisco headsets, with 64–bit versions of Microsoft Windows.

Cisco Jabber Support

This release supports the following new Cisco Jabber for Windows Release 12.8 features:

• Audio Device Priority

• Call Park

• Cisco Headset Support

• Global Shortcut Key for Conversation Window

• Microsoft Office 2019 Support

• Multiline Per Line Ringtones

Attention

With N-1 or N-2 support, the lower version determines the available feature set.

Deprecated Parameter

We added the HeadsetPreference parameter to specify how Cisco Jabber handles new audio devices.

Note	The new parameter replaces the now deprecated HeadsetPreferenceOnVDI parameter.

By default, when you connect a new audio device, Cisco Jabber adds it to the top of the priority list. The default behavior is a problem in some hot-desking environments. When a user moves their thin client and headset, the embedded microphone becomes the preferred device.

Modern meeting rooms are often equipped with a large wall mounted monitor with HDMI, which handles both audio and video. When a Cisco Jabber user connects to a monitor using HDMI, by default the monitor becomes the preferred device.

You can set this parameter to ensure that the user's headset remains the preferred device. Users can override this setting in their Audio preferences. For more information about the new parameter, see Parameters Reference Guide for Cisco Jabber Release 12.8.

Display Scaling

We added support for the Allow Display Scaling option, in VMware Horizon Client. With this feature, remote desktops and published applications use the thin client scaling setting. This is helpful for people with limited vision, and for those who have high-resolution screens, such as 4K monitors.

VMware Horizon Client saves the display scaling setting for each remote desktop separately. For published applications, the display scaling setting applies to all published applications that are available to the user. The Allow Display Scaling option appears, even if the scaling setting on the thin client is 100 percent.

Mute Notification Sounds During Calls or Meetings

Users in VDI deployments can now choose to mute notification sounds during their calls or meetings.

Presence Improvement

We improved how Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI passes presence (status) information to the hosted virtual desktop. Now when a user locks their thin client, their presence updates to Away. If their connection drops, their presence updates to Offline.

We also added a new parameter that controls how Cisco Jabber for Windows handles presence status when users disconnect from their HVDs.

• True—When a user signs out or otherwise disconnects from their HVD, Cisco Jabber automatically signs out and presence status updates to Offline, within 10 seconds.

• False (default)—When a user signs out, or otherwise disconnects from their HVD, Cisco Jabber remains signed in, and their presence status shows as Available.

For more information about the new parameter, see the Parameters Reference Guide for Cisco Jabber 12.8.

Support for VMware Published Application

We added support for VMware shared application mode for Microsoft Windows-based thin clients.

Version Support Strategy

The Cisco Jabber for Windows and Cisco JVDI Agent versions must always match. However, the JVDI Client version can be the same, or up to two releases earlier (N-2 support). For example, the following version combinations are supported:

• Cisco Jabber for Windows Release 12.8, Cisco JVDI Agent Release 12.8, and Cisco JVDI Client Release 12.8

• Cisco Jabber for Windows Release 12.8, Cisco JVDI Agent Release 12.8, and Cisco JVDI Client Release 12.7

• Cisco Jabber for Windows Release 12.8, Cisco JVDI Agent Release 12.8, and Cisco JVDI Client Release 12.6

VDI Fallback Mode

Sometimes the Cisco JVDI Agent and the Cisco JVDI Client can't communicate. This issue occurs because of a network problem with the virtual channel, or because of a problem with the Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI installation. If the JVDI Agent and the JVDI Client can't communicate, Cisco Jabber can't operate in VDI-optimized mode. For more information about troubleshooting, see Deployment and Installation Guide for Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI Release 12.8.

This release introduces VDI Fallback mode, and a new parameter to enable this mode. Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI checks the virtual channel every 10 seconds, to ensure that the JVDI Agent and the JVDI Client can communicate. If communication is down, for two consecutive checks, Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI switches Cisco Jabber to VDI Fallback mode. For more information about the new EnableVDIFallback parameter, see Parameters Reference Guide for Cisco Jabber Release 12.8.

In VDI Fallback mode, users can make and receive calls, with audio traveling over the ICA channel. The connection status for Cisco Jabber changes from Softphone with VDI, to Softphone. Users can receive video; the ability to send video depends on the capabilities of your Citrix or VMware version. Audio and video quality depend on network conditions, and the capabilities of your Citrix or VMware version. When Cisco Jabber operates in VDI Fallback mode, users see a notification message at the start of each call.

When Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI detects communication between the JVDI Agent and the JVDI Client, it automatically switches Cisco Jabber back to VDI-optimized mode.

Note	Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI switches modes only between calls.

General requirements apply to all Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI platforms.

Important

Only the components, versions, and minimum hardware requirements listed in this guide are supported. Use of unsupported components can result in a nonfunctional deployment.

Accessories

For a complete listing of recommended audio and video accessories, see Unified Communications Endpoint and Client Accessories, at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/unified-communications/uc_endpoints_accessories.html.

Ensure that all Jabra devices are running the latest firmware. You can use Jabra Direct to update the firmware.

Cisco Jabber for Windows

Cisco Jabber for Windows 12.8 running on the hosted virtual desktop (HVD).

For complete information about virtual environment compatibility, see the Cisco Jabber documentation for your release.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Recommended: CUCM Release 11.5(1)SU3 or later

Minimum: CUCM Release 10.5

Cisco Expressway for Mobile and Remote Access (MRA)

Recommended: Expressway X12.5

Minimum: Expressway X8.11.4

Connection Broker—Installed on the Hosted Virtual Desktops

• Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (formerly XenApp and XenDesktop) versions 7.x and later (latest LTSR 1912), and 7.15 CU5 LTSR

  Shared Desktop is supported only in full-screen mode. Published Application is supported in full-screen mode for Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI—Windows.

• VMware Horizon versions 6.x to 7.11.

A connection broker is software that creates connections to hosted virtual desktops. A connection broker performs a number of tasks including the following:

• Validating the username and providing a connection for the user.

• Allowing the user to connect to a specific virtual desktop.

Operating Systems—Installed on the Hosted Virtual Desktops

• Microsoft Windows 8 32–bit

• Microsoft Windows 8 64–bit

• Microsoft Windows 8.1 32–bit

• Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 64–bit

• Microsoft Windows 10 32–bit

• Microsoft Windows 10 64–bit

Server Operating Systems—Installed on the Hosted Virtual Desktops

• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2

• Microsoft Windows Server 2016

Port Requirements

Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI requires the same ports as Cisco Jabber does, and the following additional port range:

Supported Codecs

Audio Codecs:

• G.722

• G.722.1 (24 and 32k)

  G.722.1 is supported on Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.6.1 or later.

• G.711 A-law

• G.711 u-law

• G.729a

• Opus

  Opus is supported on Cisco Unified Communications Manager 11.0 or later.

Video Codec: H.264/AVC

Microsoft Windows Thin Clients—Hardware

The minimum system requirements for thin clients are as follows:

• Installed RAM 2 GB

• Free Physical Memory 1 GB

• Free Disk Space 256 MB

• CPU Mobile AMD Sempron Processor 3600+, 2-GHz Intel Core 2 CPU, or T7400 2.16 GHz

• DirectX 11 compatible GPU

• USB 2.0 for USB camera and audio devices

Microsoft Windows—Installed on the Thin Clients

• Microsoft Windows 8.1 32–bit

• Microsoft Windows 8.1 64–bit

• Microsoft Windows 10 32–bit

• Microsoft Windows 10 64–bit

• Microsoft Windows 11 64–bit

Note	Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI for Windows does not require the Microsoft .NET Framework or any Java modules.

Windows Embedded Standard Thin Clients—Hardware

The minimum system requirements for thin clients are as follows:

• Installed RAM 2 GB

• Free Physical Memory 1 GB

• Free Disk Space 256 MB

• CPU performance affects the maximum video resolution. With Windows Embedded Standard thin clients, the expected resolution depends on the CPU:

  • Up to 720p with quad-core AMD GX-420CA SOC 2 GHz or similar

  • Up to 240p with dual-core AMD G-T56N 1.65 GHz or similar

  • Audio-only support with dual-core VIA Eden X2 U4200 1 GHz or similar CPU

  Note	These hardware specifications are only guidelines for the expected resolutions. Other factors can affect video resolution.

• DirectX 11 compatible GPU

• USB 2.0 for USB camera and audio devices

Windows Embedded Standard—Installed on the Thin Clients

• Windows Embedded Standard 8 64–bit

  Requires Update for Windows Embedded Standard 8 for 64–bit Systems (KB4019990)

• Windows 10 IoT Enterprise

Citrix Workspace App or VMware Horizon Client—Installed on the Thin Clients

• Citrix Receiver (ICA) for Windows 4.4 and later

• Citrix Workspace App (ICA) for Windows 1808 and later

  Important

  Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI does not support Citrix Workspace App downloaded from the Microsoft Store.

• VMware Horizon Client for Windows 4.1.0 and later

  (Versions 4.3 and 4.4 are not supported.)

The Citrix Workspace app or VMware Horizon Client provides a user interface for the corresponding connection broker.

Important

Before you install the Cisco JVDI Client, install the Citrix Receiver or VMware Horizon Client on the thin client. If you change from a Citrix environment to a VMware environment (or from VMware to Citrix), reinstall the Cisco JVDI Client.

Cisco Jabber Softphone for VDI supports full-screen and windowed display for Windows and Linux thin clients in both VMWare and Citrix VDI environments.