Using PaperCut Hive and Pocket with VDI and Azure Virtual Desktop

PaperCut Hive and Pocket work in one specific kind of virtual desktop setup: persistent, single-session VDI. This page explains what is supported, why other setups are not supported, and the available options for unsupported environments.

Introduction to rolling out virtual desktops

“We’re rolling out virtual desktops — Azure Virtual Desktop / Citrix / a Windows multi-session host — and our users print from apps inside those sessions. Can we use PaperCut Hive there, and if so, how do we set it up?”

It’s a great question, and one we hear a lot as more organizations move to virtual desktops.

The short answer is that PaperCut Hive and Pocket work in only one specific kind of virtual desktop setup: persistent, single-session VDI. This page explains exactly what’s supported, why the other setups aren’t (yet), and what your options are if your environment falls outside that.

Virtual desktop environments: what’s supported and how to roll out

PaperCut Hive and Pocket support persistent, single-session VDI only. This means there is one user per virtual machine, and data persists between sessions.

To use a persistent single-session VDI with PaperCut Hive or Pocket, you must install the PaperCut client software after the session is created. The user can install the software via the User Portal or classic invitation email, or you can deploy it using a software deployment tool after the session exists.

Quick setup guide for persistent single-session rollouts

These are the basic steps:

1. Confirm the desktops are persistent and single-session (one user per virtual machine, and data persists after logoff).
2. After the session is created, deploy PaperCut Hive or Pocket. Do not deploy from the base image.
3. Verify the print client process is running in the session. The PaperCut Printer does not appear until both the edge node and print client are present.
4. Ensure each user links their account once via the User Portal or classic invitation.
5. Confirm the session can reach the target printer on the required ports (refer to the System requirements).

Unsupported environments: technical explainer and options

PaperCut Hive does not support multi-session and non-persistent environments because of how the PaperCut client identifies users and delivers jobs. The following are not supported at this time:

• Multi-session hosts (for example, Azure Virtual Desktop multi-session and Windows Enterprise multi-session, where several users share one session host)
• Non-persistent single-session VDI (where the desktop resets between logons)
• Pooled or floating desktops
• Traditional RDS-style terminal servers (Microsoft RDS, Citrix, and VMware Horizon in these modes).

Why multi-session and non-persistent environments are not supported

In a multi-session environment, the PaperCut Hive client can’t distinguish which user prints a job, and it can’t install print queues tailored to individual users.

In a non-persistent environment, the desktop resets between logons. The client’s user identity token lives within that session, so the system loses it during each reset. The user must relink and reinstall the client on every logon, which is not practical.

Persistent, single-session VDI avoids these problems because it acts as one dedicated machine per user. The data persists between sessions, so the client behaves as it does on a physical laptop.

Using PaperCut Hive and Pocket with VDI and Azure Virtual Desktop

If you use multi-session or non-persistent VDI/RDS, consider the following options:

• Move the supported workload to persistent, single-session VDI for the users who need PaperCut Hive, if that aligns with your virtualization strategy.
• Use PaperCut MF with the Print Deploy VDI add-on if multi-session or non-persistent VDI is a hard requirement.

We know multi-session VDI support in Hive is something many customers are asking for, and it’s an area we’re actively working on. We don’t have a confirmed timeline to share yet—to stay updated, check the System requirements page and the release notes on occasion. Your PaperCut Partner can also attach you to the open feature request so you’re notified of any changes.

Requesting help

Virtual desktop setups vary, and the difference between persistent single-session and non-persistent environments is not always obvious. If you plan a deployment and want to confirm compatibility, contact your PaperCut Partner. They understand your environment and can verify the correct approach before you get started.

Related articles

For more information, see the following articles:

• System requirements — client requirements
• Bulk deploy PaperCut software to users
• User Portal and classic email invitation