DePaul Virtual Lab: Azure Virtual Desktop Frequently Asked Questions


The DePaul Virtual Lab is a Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) platform that lets you access DePaul licensed courseware applications from your personal computer, even off-campus.

For help or assistance, please search the Knowledge Base or log an incident with the Help Desk, and someone will be glad to assist you.  Below are some questions that are frequently asked.  We will be adding to these as we get more feedback.


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Who is eligible to access the DePaul Virtual Lab?

Any actively enrolled student, active faculty member or staff members who are also actively enrolled students may access the DePaul Virtual Lab.

What is the recommended way to connect to the DePaul Virtual Lab?

DePaul strongly recommends using the desktop client whenever possible to connect to the Virtual Lab.  This is due to additional functionality like drive/printer redirection and full clipboard support that are currently not available in the web client. 

What internet connection speed do I need to use the DePaul Virtual Lab?

To ensure an optimal experience with the Virtual Lab, make sure you have a high bandwidth, low latency internet connection. If you have a poor network connection, response times may be slow and images may appear pixelated. Use of personal hotspots is not recommended as they will not work reliably.  If you have questions about your bandwidth or speed, please check out Microsoft's documentation on Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) bandwidth requirements

Can I have multiple devices logged into the DePaul virtual lab simultaneously?

No, if you login using the same account credentials, you will automatically be logged off of the previous device.  If your session is still active, it should resume from your previous login state.

Can I store data in the DePaul Virtual Lab?

Data can be stored in your local profile, however, DePaul does not recommend using this drive for long-term storage of important files, and strongly urges mapping to your OneDrive account to store files you need for long-term use or access there. 

Can I access files I have saved to my local computer?

While DePaul strongly recommends you use OneDrive to save your files, you may also navigate to your local computer.     

Can I print from the DePaul Virtual Lab?

Yes, but printing differs based on what client you are using to connect to the DePaul Virtual Lab.

What software is available in the DePaul Virtual Lab?

The DePaul Virtual Lab will offer students and faculty the full Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and more!  Please refer to the DePaul Virtual Lab: Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) article for more information.

Why don't I see software X when I log in?

There are some software titles that DePaul has a limited number of licenses to run, so these titles are limited to those enrolled in courses that require the software.

Can I run the DePaul Virtual Lab on multiple monitors?

Multiple monitors are supported through the Windows Desktop client, but not through the web browser.

What is the size limit for individual files?

The file size limit is based on the user profile storage limit which is currently 20GB.  While using DePaul's Virtual Lab, you can save files to your user profile (Desktop, Documents, etc) temporarily, but we strongly suggest you save your documents to OneDrive for permanent storage.

How long will saved files reside on the DePaul Virtual Lab?

Your Virtual Lab storage has a limit of 20GB. This drive is considered to be temporary storage for current class assignments. All Virtual Lab content will be deleted during the break between Summer and Fall quarters. Be sure to download or save any content that you wish to keep to OneDrive before the end of the Summer quarter.

Is there a time limit for DePaul Virtual Lab sessions?

You can stay logged in and active for up to 12 hours for each session. Sessions that are connected but idle will be disconnected after two hours. Sessions where you disconnect (close out of the session) but don't log off will remain active for 30 minutes just in case you lose your connection for any reason.

Can I sync OneDrive files to the Virtual Lab?

No, OneDrive syncing is disabled in the Virtual Lab. Existing OneDrive files can be manually downloaded to the Virtual Lab. Additionally, new or modified files can be uploaded to OneDrive from the Virtual Lab.

 

Helpful Links

DePaul Virtual Lab: Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)

DePaul Virtual Lab: Connect using Windows Desktop Client

DePaul Virtual Lab: Connect using macOS Client

DePaul Virtual Lab: OneDrive Sign in

DePaul Virtual Lab: macOS Folder Redirection Setup

DePaul Help Desk

Remote Desktop Client FAQ

Compare Remote Desktop Clients