Scribe can capture workflows inside a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environment. For the most accurate captures and reliable performance, install Scribe inside the VDI itself and make sure the virtual machine meets the minimum system requirements for each active user.
What is VDI?
VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) lets people log in remotely to a central server and do their work there instead of on their own computer. Common VDI tools include Citrix and Windows Remote Desktop.
Common reasons to use Scribe with VDI
- Company-wide VDI use. Everyone works in a VDI for their day-to-day tasks, and you want to capture those workflows for Scribe Optimize or Scribe Capture.
- Legacy applications. A legacy app, such as a mainframe application, can only be accessed through a VDI, and you need to document or analyze work done in it.
Recommended setups
How your VDI is configured affects Scribe's performance.
- ✅ Many VDI environments, one user per environment: Recommended.
- ✅ A single VDI machine restricted to one user at a time: Recommended.
- ⚠️ A single VDI machine that many users are logged into at once: Not recommended. Users share the machine's resources, which can cause performance problems.
The shared single-machine setup is common for legacy applications that run as one instance everyone signs into. If this is your situation, see "Performance considerations" below.
Installation
Install Scribe inside the VDI environment. This gives the best capture accuracy.
Performance considerations
In a VDI, the machine's resources (RAM and CPU cores) are split between everyone logged in at the same time. Scribe still needs to meet its minimum system requirements to work reliably, and those requirements apply per active user.
If you're rolling out VDI, or adding more users to an existing VDI machine, we recommend that your IT team:
- Increase the virtual environment's resources so each active user has enough RAM and CPU capacity.
- Review the Optimize Desktop system requirements before deployment.
Updates
Automatic desktop app updates are often restricted in VDI environments. If your organization limits updates, your IT team may need to update Scribe manually to keep it current.