See the Oracle Secure Global Desktop Enhancement Module Administration Guide for instructions on installing the audio module. If you did not install the audio module when you installed the SGD Enhancement Module, you must uninstall and then reinstall the SGD Enhancement Module.

The following types of audio module are available:

See the Oracle Secure Global Desktop Platform Support and Release Notes for details of the supported installation platforms for the audio module.

If the audio module is installed, you start the audio service with the /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem startaudio command. You must be superuser (root) to use this command.

When audio is enabled and the user starts an X application, the SGD login script starts the SGD audio daemon, sgdaudio, on the application server.

For the OSS audio module, the audio daemon connects to an SGD audio driver emulator, sgdadem, and starts an audio device node in the /tmp/SGD/dev/sgdaudio directory. The audio daemon sets the SGDAUDIODEV, AUDIODEV, and AUDIO environment variables to the location of the audio device node. The audio device node is then used to play audio during the application session.

The audio daemon transfers the audio data to the SGD server, which then sends the data to the client.

The audio daemon supports the following audio data formats:

To play audio, the client device must also support these formats.

The audio daemon supports any sample rate from 8000 Hz to 48 kHz for one or two channels. The audio daemon uses the sample rate specified by the UNIX Audio Sound Quality attribute on the Global Settings, Client Device tab in the Administration Console. By default, the sample rate is 22.05kHz.

The SGD audio daemon connects to the SGD server on random ports. If there is a firewall between the application server and the SGD server, the firewall must allow connections on all ports from the application server to the SGD server.

To be able to hear audio in a Windows application, the SGD Windows audio service must be enabled for the array. The Windows audio service is disabled by default.

To be able to hear audio in an X application, the SGD UNIX audio service must be enabled in the array. The UNIX audio service is disabled by default.

To be able to record audio in a Windows application, the SGD Windows audio input service must be enabled for the array. The Windows audio input service is disabled by default.

To be able to record audio in an X application, the SGD UNIX audio input service must be enabled for the array. The UNIX audio input service is disabled by default.

If no audio is playing at all in the application session, use the following checklist to resolve the problem.

For Windows applications and X applications, you can use the following checklist.

Questions

Questions and Answers

5.3.7.1.1: Does the client device have an audio device?

To be able to play audio, the client device must have an audio device. If there is an audio device, check that the audio device works.

Users with Oracle Solaris or Linux platform client devices must also have read and write access to the following audio devices:

5.3.7.1.2: For Linux platform client devices, is ESD running?

For Linux platform client devices, ESD must be running.

Use the following command to check if ESD is running:

$ ps -ef | grep esd

ESD is usually started when the client device desktop session is started. If ESD is not running, check that autospawning is enabled in the ESD configuration file, /etc/esd.conf. The correct setting is auto_spawn=1.

5.3.7.1.3: Is the volume muted on the client device?

Check the volume control on the client device, to see whether the user has muted the volume or set the volume level too low to hear.

5.3.7.1.4: Is the volume muted on the application server?

Check the volume control on the application server, or in the application, to see whether the user has muted the volume or set the volume level too low to hear.

5.3.7.1.5: Has the audio service been enabled on the SGD server?

By default, SGD audio services are disabled for an SGD array.

See Section 5.3.5.1, “Enabling the SGD Windows Audio Service” for details of how to enable the SGD Windows audio service.

See Section 5.3.5.2, “Enabling the SGD UNIX Audio Service” for details of how to enable the SGD UNIX audio service.

5.3.7.1.6: Has the UNIX audio quality been changed?

By default, the SGD UNIX audio service uses Medium Quality Audio. Changing the audio quality to Low Quality Audio or High Quality Audio limits the audio formats used in the application session and may mean that the client device cannot play audio.

Reset the audio quality to Medium Quality Audio on the Global Settings, Client Device tab in the Administration Console.

5.3.7.1.7: For Windows applications, is audio redirection enabled on the application server?

You can only play audio if audio redirection is enabled on the Windows Remote Desktop Session Host. See Section 4.1.3, “Configuring Microsoft Windows Remote Desktop Services for Use With SGD” for details of the Windows platforms that support audio redirection.

Audio redirection is disabled by default on a Windows Remote Desktop Session Host.

5.3.7.1.8: For Windows applications, is the Remote Audio attribute enabled?

The Remote Audio (--remoteaudio) attribute for a Windows application object causes audio to be played on the Windows application server, rather than the client device. This attribute is disabled by default for a Windows application object.

In the Administration Console, you disable the Remote Audio attribute on the Client Device tab for the Windows application object.

5.3.7.1.9: For Windows applications, is there a firewall between the SGD server hosting the user session and the SGD server hosting the application session?

For Windows applications, firewalls between SGD servers can interfere with audio connections, seeSection 1.4.2, “Firewalls Between SGD Servers”.

5.3.7.1.10: For X applications, is there a firewall between the application server and the SGD server?

For X applications, the SGD audio daemon connects to the SGD server on random ports. If there is a firewall between the application server and the SGD server, the firewall must allow connections on all ports from the application server to the SGD server.

5.3.7.1.11: For X applications, are you running compatible versions of SGD and the SGD Enhancement Module?

UNIX audio services may not work correctly if the versions of SGD and the SGD Enhancement Module are different. For example, to play audio in X applications displayed through SGD version 5.2, Linux and UNIX platform application servers must be running version 5.2 of the Enhancement Module.

Use the following command to check the current version of the SGD Enhancement Module:

$ /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem version

Use the following command to check the current version of SGD:

$ tarantella version

See the Oracle Secure Global Desktop Enhancement Module Administration Guide for details of how to upgrade the SGD Enhancement Module.

5.3.7.1.12: For X applications, have you installed the audio module of the SGD Enhancement Module?

To be able to play sound in X applications, you must install and run the audio module of the SGD Enhancement Module on the application server.

Two types of audio module are available: a PulseAudio version, and an OSS version for legacy platforms.

See the Oracle Secure Global Desktop Enhancement Module Administration Guide for details of how to install the SGD Enhancement Module.

Use the following command to check that UNIX audio processes are running:

$ /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem status

You start the UNIX audio module with the following command:

# /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem startaudio

You must be superuser (root) to use this command.

5.3.7.1.13: Is the X application hard-coded to use either the /dev/audio or the /dev/dsp device?

If you are using the OSS audio module and an application is hard-coded to use either the /dev/audio or the /dev/dsp device, you may have to enable the SGD audio redirection library to ensure that the SGD audio driver emulator is used by the application. See Section 5.3.4, “Configuring X Applications for OSS Audio”.

5.3.7.1.14: Is the X application playing sound in the right format?

If you are using the OSS audio module, the X application may have to be configured to use OSS.

5.3.7.1.15: For UNIX or Linux platform application servers running the OSS audio module, is the SGD audio driver loaded in the kernel?

When you install the OSS audio module on the application server, you install the SGD audio driver, sgdadem. Check that the audio driver is loaded in the kernel.

If the audio driver is installed but not loaded, you can try to load the module manually, as follows:

If loading the audio driver manually produces any errors, try to correct those errors and load the driver again.

If the SGD audio driver is not listed, check the audio module installation log for any errors. The installation log is /opt/tta_tem/var/log/tem_unixaudio_inst.log. If the log reports any errors, try to correct those errors and load the driver again.

If the audio driver does not load into the kernel, contact Oracle Support.

5.3.7.1.16: For UNIX or Linux platform application servers, is the PulseAudio daemon running?

Check that the PulseAudio daemon is running on the application server. Use the ps command on Linux platforms, and the prstat command on Oracle Solaris platforms.

On Oracle Solaris 11 platforms ensure that the dbus service is running, otherwise the PulseAudio daemon does not start. Use the svcs dbus command to check that the dbus service is running.

You use the svcadm enable dbus command to enable the dbus service.

5.3.7.1.17: For X applications, is the SGD audio daemon running on the application server?

There is an SGD audio daemon, called sgdaudio, running for each X application accessed through SGD. Use the following command to see the instances of the audio daemon:

$ ps -ef | grep -i sgdaudio

If the user does not have an audio daemon, check the audio daemon log files for any errors. The SGD audio daemon logs all fatal errors to the /opt/tta_tem/var/log/sgdaudioPID.log file.

5.3.7.1.18: For X applications, is there an SGD audio device node?

If the SGD audio daemon is running, it starts an audio device node in the /tmp/SGD/dev/sgdaudio directory.

In the X application session, check the value of the user's SGDAUDIODEV, AUDIODEV and AUDIO environment variables. These must be set to the location of the SGD audio device node.

If the environment variables are set correctly, check that the device file is present in the /tmp/SGD/dev/sgdaudio directory.

Check that the /tmp directory is not mounted using the nodev option. Using the nodev option may mean that an SGD audio device node is not created.

5.3.7.1.19: For X applications, does audio debug logging show any errors with the application?

Enable UNIX audio debug logging on the application server and check the log files for errors.

See Section 5.3.7.5, “Enabling UNIX Audio Debug Logging” for more details.

If audio recording in a Windows application or X application session does not work, use the following checklist to resolve the problem.

Questions

Questions and Answers

5.3.7.2.1: Does the client device have an audio recording device?

To be able to record audio, the client device must have an audio recording device. If there is an audio recording device, check that the audio recording device works.

Users with Oracle Solaris or Linux platform client devices must also have read and write access to the following audio devices:

5.3.7.2.2: Is the recording volume muted on the client device?

Check the recording volume control on the client device, to see whether the user has muted the recording volume or set the volume level too low to record.

5.3.7.2.3: Is the recording volume muted on the application server?

Check the recording volume control on the application server, or in the application, to see whether the user has muted the recording volume or set the volume level too low to record.

5.3.7.2.4: Are audio input services enabled on the SGD server?

By default, the SGD Windows audio input service and UNIX audio input service are disabled for an SGD array.

See Section 5.3.5.3, “Enabling the SGD Windows Audio Input Service” for details of how to enable the SGD Windows audio input service.

See Section 5.3.5.4, “Enabling the SGD UNIX Audio Input Service” for details of how to enable the SGD UNIX audio input service.

5.3.7.2.5: For Windows applications, is audio recording redirection enabled on the application server?

You can only record audio if audio recording redirection is enabled on the Windows Remote Desktop Session Host. See Section 4.1.3, “Configuring Microsoft Windows Remote Desktop Services for Use With SGD” for details of the Windows platforms that support audio recording redirection.

Audio recording redirection is disabled by default on a Windows Remote Desktop Session Host.

On Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise application servers, you must set the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\fDisableAudioCapture registry subkey to 0.

5.3.7.2.6: For Windows applications, is there a firewall between the SGD server hosting the user session and the SGD server hosting the application session?

For Windows applications, firewalls between SGD servers can interfere with audio connections, seeSection 1.4.2, “Firewalls Between SGD Servers”.

5.3.7.2.7: For X applications, is there a firewall between the application server and the SGD server?

For X applications, the SGD audio daemon connects to the SGD server on random ports. If there is a firewall between the application server and the SGD server, the firewall must allow connections on all ports from the application server to the SGD server.

5.3.7.2.8: For X applications, are you running compatible versions of SGD and the SGD Enhancement Module?

UNIX audio services may not work correctly if the versions of SGD and the SGD Enhancement Module are different. For example, to record audio in X applications displayed through SGD version 5.2, Linux and UNIX platform application servers must be running version 5.2 of the Enhancement Module.

Use the following command to check the current version of the SGD Enhancement Module:

$ /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem version

Use the following command to check the current version of SGD:

$ tarantella version

See the Oracle Secure Global Desktop Enhancement Module Administration Guide for details of how to upgrade the SGD Enhancement Module.

5.3.7.2.9: For X applications, have you installed the audio module of the SGD Enhancement Module?

To be able to record sound in X applications, you must install and run the audio module of the SGD Enhancement Module on the application server.

Two types of audio module are available: a PulseAudio version, and an OSS version for legacy platforms.

See the Oracle Secure Global Desktop Enhancement Module Administration Guide for details of how to install the SGD Enhancement Module.

Use the following command to check that UNIX audio processes are running:

$ /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem status

You start the UNIX audio module with the following command:

# /opt/tta_tem/bin/tem startaudio

You must be superuser (root) to use this command.

5.3.7.2.10: Is the X application hard-coded to use either the /dev/audio or the /dev/dsp device?

If you are using the OSS audio module and an application is hard-coded to use either the /dev/audio or the /dev/dsp device, you may have to enable the SGD audio redirection library to ensure that the SGD audio driver emulator is used by the application. See Section 5.3.4, “Configuring X Applications for OSS Audio”.

5.3.7.2.11: Is the X application recording sound in the right format?

If you are using the OSS audio module, the X application may have to be configured to use OSS.

5.3.7.2.12: For UNIX or Linux platform application servers running the OSS audio module, is the SGD audio driver loaded in the kernel?

When you install the OSS audio module on the application server, you install the SGD audio driver, sgdadem. Check that the audio driver is loaded in the kernel.

If the audio driver is installed but not loaded, you can try to load the module manually, as follows:

If loading the audio driver manually produces any errors, try to correct those errors and load the driver again.

If the SGD audio driver is not listed, check the audio module installation log for any errors. The installation log is /opt/tta_tem/var/log/tem_unixaudio_inst.log. If the log reports any errors, try to correct those errors and load the driver again.

If the audio driver does not load into the kernel, contact Oracle Support.

5.3.7.2.13: For UNIX or Linux platform application servers, is the PulseAudio daemon running?

Check that the PulseAudio daemon is running on the application server. Use the ps command on Linux platforms, and the prstat command on Oracle Solaris platforms.

On Oracle Solaris 11 platforms ensure that the dbus service is running, otherwise the PulseAudio daemon does not start. Use the svcs dbus command to check that the dbus service is running.

You use the svcadm enable dbus command to enable the dbus service.

5.3.7.2.14: For X applications, is the SGD audio daemon running on the application server?

There is an SGD audio daemon, called sgdaudio, running for each X application accessed through SGD. Use the following command to see the instances of the audio daemon:

$ ps -ef | grep -i sgdaudio

If the user does not have an audio daemon, check the audio daemon log files for any errors. The SGD audio daemon logs all fatal errors to the /opt/tta_tem/var/log/sgdaudioPID.log file.

5.3.7.2.15: For X applications, is there an SGD audio device node?

If the SGD audio daemon is running, it starts an audio device node in the /tmp/SGD/dev/sgdaudio directory.

In the X application session, check the value of the user's SGDAUDIODEV, AUDIODEV and AUDIO environment variables. These must be set to the location of the SGD audio device node.

If the environment variables are set correctly, check that the device file is present in the /tmp/SGD/dev/sgdaudio directory.

Check that the /tmp directory is not mounted using the nodev option. Using the nodev option may mean that a SGD audio device node is not created.

5.3.7.2.16: For X applications, does audio debug logging show any errors with the application?

Enable UNIX audio debug logging on the application server and check the log files for errors.

See Section 5.3.7.5, “Enabling UNIX Audio Debug Logging” for more details.

If audio is muffled or distorted, adjust the audio quality and audio compression settings to see if this improves the audio. You can adjust the following:

If you enable audio playback on the Windows application server and enable the SGD audio service, all users can play audio in their Windows application sessions.

If you enable audio recording on the Windows application server and enable the SGD Windows audio input service, all users can record audio in their Windows application sessions.

However, playing and recording audio increases the amount of network bandwidth used and so you may want to restrict use of these features. Currently, the only way to do this is to disable audio playback and audio recording for groups of users on the Windows application server. To do this you disable the Allow audio and video playback redirection and Allow audio recording redirection settings for the group policy object.

Changes to these settings only apply to new Windows Remote Desktop Services sessions.

To enable UNIX audio debug logging, log in as superuser (root) on the application server and edit the /etc/sgdtem.conf file. Change the value of the SGDUNIXAUDIODEBUG environment variable in this file, as follows:

SGDUNIXAUDIODEBUG=1; export SGDUNIXAUDIODEBUG

To obtain debug logging output, the user must start a new instance of the application. Suspending and resuming the application does not generate any output, as this does not start a new instance of the SGD audio daemon.

The debug logging output goes to the /opt/tta_tem/var/log/sgdaudioPID.log file.