Reliable connectivity is essential for ensuring consistent productivity in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environments. Network variability—whether due to packet loss, NAT misconfiguration, UDP‑restricted networks, or restrictive enterprise network policies—continues to be one of the most common causes of session interruptions across enterprise virtual desktop deployments.
To improve connection resiliency across a broader set of network conditions, we’re excited to introduce redundant TCP transport paths for RDP Multipath, now available in public preview for Azure Virtual Desktop.
This builds upon the existing RDP Multipath capability that continuously evaluates multiple network paths and dynamically switches to the most reliable path at runtime—without requiring changes from IT administrators or users.
How does this feature work
RDP Multipath establishes multiple network paths between the client and session host based on available network routes and real-time network conditions. This allows Azure Virtual Desktop to continuously evaluate path health and dynamically select the most reliable transport during a session.
In its initial phase, RDP Multipath focused on UDP-based RDP Shortpath connections using STUN (Simple Traversal Underneath NAT) and TURN (Traversal Using Relays around NAT). This enabled sessions to transition between redundant UDP paths if degradation or failure was detected, improving reliability and performance.
When UDP-based connectivity is available, it remains the preferred transport due to its performance and reliability advantages. Multipath continues to maintain multiple UDP paths as the primary active transport, enabling efficient failover across available routes.
Enhanced resiliency with redundant UDP and TCP paths
With this update, Azure Virtual Desktop expands Multipath capabilities by introducing support for redundant TCP standby transport paths alongside existing UDP paths.
For customers already using Multipath over UDP, this adds an additional layer of resiliency through alternate TCP paths. For environments that previously relied on a single TCP connection, this update enables multiple TCP paths—helping reduce the impact of transient network issues and path instability.
If the active transport path becomes unavailable or degraded, Azure Virtual Desktop automatically switches to the next best available UDP or TCP path. This helps maintain session continuity without requiring user reconnection.
If all transport paths are temporarily disrupted — such as during a local network failure or ISP outage—the session automatically reconnects once connectivity is restored.
Improved reliability for TCP-only (UDP-restricted) environments
In environments where UDP connectivity is unavailable or restricted, sessions rely entirely on TCP-based Reverse Connect transport. Previously, these environments typically operated with a single active TCP connection between the client and session host, making them more susceptible to transient network degradation.
With this update, Azure Virtual Desktop can now establish multiple standby TCP transport paths—even in TCP-only scenarios. This allows sessions to dynamically transition between available TCP routes if the active path becomes degraded or fails.
As a result, customers benefit from improved session continuity and more consistent connectivity, even in environments with restrictive network configurations or where UDP traffic is blocked.
How to enable this feature
For public preview, you can test the feature by tagging your host pool to the validation ring. By default, this feature is enabled for everyone in the validation pool, providing seamless integration and enhanced connectivity without requiring any changes from IT departments or end users. Redundant TCP transport paths are currently supported only on Windows devices using Windows App on Windows client, version 2.0.1069.0 or later.
How to opt-out from this feature
If you wish to disable the feature, you can opt out the host pool from the validation ring. This self-help option allows you to revert to the previous configuration if necessary.
Learn more
To learn more about the feature please check here
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Microsoft