The release notes for Parallels RAS 22 span dozens of lines across fourteen sections. For an IT manager wanting to know if an upgrade is worthwhile, it isn’t exactly light reading. Which changes affect your environment, and which can you ignore for now?
I have gone through the release notes and separated the wheat from the chaff. Below, you can read about what’s new, where the benefits lie, and what to watch out for before you upgrade.
Parallels RAS 22 was released on October 29, 2026. The most significant innovations include support for hybrid Azure Virtual Desktop, device posture checks, SAML as an MFA method, file access via the User Portal, and support for VMware vSphere 9. At the same time, support is ending for Windows Server 2012 R2 as a session host and for 32-bit Windows 10, so check your environment before upgrading.
What’s new in Parallels RAS 22?
Parallels RAS 22 focuses primarily on security, hybrid work, and reducing manual tasks for administrators. The full list is available in the Parallels RAS release notes (Source: kb.parallels.com). These are the changes that matter most for most organizations:
- Hybrid Azure Virtual Desktop: manage on-premises session hosts via the AVD control plane on any supported hypervisor.
- Device posture checks: verification of antivirus, patches, processes, registry keys, and disk encryption.
- SAML as an MFA provider, alongside existing methods like RADIUS.
- File Access: SMB network shares directly available in the User Portal.
- Filtering by public IP address for published resources, policies, and MFA.
- Connection limits on the Secure Gateway and the Connection Broker API, with automatic blocking of abusive IP addresses.
- VMware vSphere 9 and Nutanix Prism Central as VDI providers.
- Support for FSLogix 26.08.
- Experimental session recording and experimental VM hibernation in Azure and AVD.
Parallels identifies security as the main theme of this release (Source: parallels.com). This is evident: a large portion of the new features concerns who is gaining access, from which device, and from which location.
What does hybrid Azure Virtual Desktop mean in Parallels RAS 22?
With hybrid Azure Virtual Desktop, you manage on-premises session hosts via the AVD control plane, while desktops and data remain on your own hardware. According to Parallels, this works with all hypervisors supported by RAS.
This is relevant for organizations that want the AVD user experience, including the Windows App with Teams optimization, but cannot or do not want to move their data entirely to Azure. Consider privacy requirements, latency to local applications, or recent investments in proprietary servers. Still unsure which platform suits you best? Read my interim results of the research into EUC platforms.
Parallels RAS remains the layer that brings everything together: Azure resources and local resources in a single console. What strikes me is that Parallels is aligning with a trend I see more often: organizations consciously repatriating part of their infrastructure after a cloud migration. Microsoft does set its own requirements for hybrid AVD, including licensing and the connection to Azure. Verify these before creating a design.
How does Parallels RAS 22 improve workplace security?
Parallels RAS 22 makes access dependent on the state of the device and the origin of the connection, and better protects the gateway against abuse.
Device posture checks
With device posture checks, Parallels RAS verifies whether a device meets your requirements. Is the antivirus running, are patches up to date, is the disk encrypted? The check continues even after login. For BYOD devices and external parties, this is a significant step forward. Until now, you often needed a separate product for this, as I described in my article on endpoint security with deviceTRUST.
SAML as a second factor
Organizations using Microsoft Entra ID or another identity provider can now use it as a second factor. This provides a single MFA policy for all applications, instead of a separate RADIUS connection just for the workspace. Also, read why MFA is the foundation of your security.
IP filtering and a better-protected gateway
You can determine which public IP addresses are allowed access per published application, policy, or MFA rule. The Secure Gateway and the Connection Broker API now have connection limits. IP addresses that continue to attempt access are automatically blocked via Windows Firewall rules. This fits a broader shift: a VPN alone is no longer sufficient as access control for the workspace. The User Portal receives extra security headers, and HSTS is enabled by default.
Session recording
Session recording is new, featuring a built-in player, retention periods, archiving, and notifications. Parallels labels this feature as experimental. I would not yet use it for audits that require absolute reliability. Do test it, however, as it can provide significant value for incident investigation. You can read about how this works with Citrix in my article on session recording with Citrix.
What changes for administrators and users?
Administrators will have less manual work during updates and gain more insight. Users will primarily notice the new file access and minor improvements in the clients.
- RAS Agent updates on session hosts are now phased and respect drain mode. Updating without forcing users out of their sessions becomes more achievable.
- Obsolete session hosts are automatically cleaned up.
- Operating system uptime is visible for hosts, gateways, brokers, and enrollment servers.
- Autoscaling displays the load of a host pool as a percentage.
- Write-behind caching for redirected drives.
- Experimental hibernation of VMs in Azure and AVD, which can reduce compute costs. Also, read about the costs associated with a remote workspace.
- New REST API endpoints and PowerShell cmdlets for Nutanix.
For users, File Access is the most visible change: network shares appear in the User Portal alongside their applications, without requiring extra file infrastructure. In the Windows client, published apps show a window preview in the taskbar. The Mac client supports macOS 27 and dynamically adjusts the size of published apps. The keyboard layout is synchronized by default.
Which Parallels RAS 22 features are production-ready?
Most new features are fully supported. Session recording and VM hibernation are still experimental.
| Feature | Status | My advice |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Azure Virtual Desktop | Standard | Interesting for a hybrid strategy. Verify design and licensing first. |
| Device posture checks | Standard | Implement for BYOD and external parties. |
| SAML as MFA | Standard | Implement if you have a central identity provider. |
| File Access | Standard | Useful. Do review the permissions on the shares. |
| IP filtering and connection limits | Standard | Enable immediately after the upgrade. |
| Session recording | Experimental | Test, do not use for audits yet. |
| VM hibernation Azure/AVD | Experimental | Test in a non-production host pool. |
What are the risks of a Parallels RAS upgrade to version 22?
The greatest risk lies in what is being removed. Version 22 ends support for a range of operating systems, clients, and components:
- RD Session Host on Windows Server 2012 R2
- Windows 10 32-bit, for both the client and agents
- macOS 13, iOS and iPadOS 17, Android 10 and 11
- Debian 11, Fedora 40 and 41
- IGEL OS 11
- SQL Server and SSRS 2016 for RAS Reporting
- FSLogix 25.09
Something is also changing for scripts. In the REST API and PowerShell, deprecated fields have been removed, such as ServerID (replaced by SessionHostId), EnableOverlayIcons, and TemplateType for AWS subnets. Automation relying on these will no longer function after the upgrade.
Are you still running session hosts on Windows Server 2012 R2? Then this upgrade is the time to replace them. Microsoft has not provided regular security updates for that version since October 2023. Consider Windows Server 2025 as a new foundation, or read which other end-of-life dates in 2026 affect your environment.
How do you properly approach an upgrade to Parallels RAS 22?
Start with an inventory of what is being deprecated, test in a separate environment, and then upgrade in a fixed sequence.
I see upgrades fail more often on the clients than on the servers. An Android tablet in the warehouse or an old IGEL thin client is only noticed when someone can no longer log in. Therefore, first extract from the RAS console which client versions and operating systems are connecting.
For the session hosts themselves, I prefer rebuilding over an in-place upgrade. With an automated image, a new foundation with the RAS 22 agent, FSLogix 26.08, and a current Windows Server is quickly created. The phased agent updates then help: future updates will follow the drain mode.
Should I upgrade to Parallels RAS 22 immediately?
Not necessarily on day one, but within a reasonable timeframe. Feel free to wait for the first update with fixes, but start preparing now. Three objections I often hear:
“Our current version works fine.”
That is often true. However, you only get the new security features with version 22, and older versions will eventually fall out of support. Check the lifecycle of your current version with Parallels.
“We don’t have time for an upgrade.”
The upgrade of the RAS infrastructure itself is usually completed within a maintenance window. The preparation takes more time: checking clients, scripts, and session hosts. Plan that preparation now, so the upgrade itself remains manageable.
“We already handle device posture and MFA with another product.”
Then you don’t have to switch. However, it can save on licensing and management if a single product handles it. Compare the costs before your next renewal.
What steps should you take before upgrading to Parallels RAS 22?
Review this list before picking a date:
- Inventory the operating systems of your session hosts and replace Windows Server 2012 R2.
- Check client versions and platforms: macOS 13, iOS 17, Android 10 and 11, IGEL OS 11, and Windows 10 32-bit.
- Check the SQL Server and SSRS version of RAS Reporting.
- Update FSLogix to 26.08 in your image.
- Search your scripts for ServerID, EnableOverlayIcons, and TemplateType.
- Back up the RAS configuration and establish a rollback plan.
- Test with a small group of users in a separate test environment.
- Enable connection limits and IP filtering after the upgrade and plan a pilot with device posture checks.
How can New Yard help you with Parallels RAS?
As a Parallels partner, I work with organizations of 100 to 1,000 employees on their RAS environments, from design to upgrade and management. Are you looking for a Parallels RAS consultant for this upgrade? I will first review your environment for components that are being deprecated. Then we rebuild the session hosts and enable the security features that suit you. You can read more about my approach on the Parallels consultant page. Would you like a complete overview of your workspace first? Then a health check is a logical first step.
Want to know what Parallels RAS 22 means for you?
Schedule a free 30-minute introductory meeting. Together, we will look at which parts of your environment are affected and which new features will benefit you. Contact us and mention your current RAS version so I can prepare thoroughly.