Multi-Session Recommendations - Amazon AppStream 2.0

Multi-Session Recommendations

When deciding the maximum number of user sessions on an instance in a multi-session environment, you should consider several factors to ensure optimal performance and streaming experience. The following are recommendations for you to determine the optimum number of user sessions on an instance:

  • Evaluate resource requirements: Understand the resource requirements of the applications being used within the sessions. Consider factors such as CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network bandwidth. This evaluation will help determine the amount of resources each user session typically requires.

  • Consider instance specifications: Take into account the specifications of the instance, including the number of CPUs, available memory, and GPU specifications. Instances with higher specifications can handle a larger number of user sessions. For more information on different instance types supported by AppStream 2.0 and pricing, see Amazon AppStream 2.0 pricing.

  • Performance testing: Conduct performance testing on the applications and workload expected to run within the user sessions. Measure resource utilization, response times, and overall system performance. Use this data to assess the impact of concurrent user sessions on performance, and determine the optimal session-to-instance ratio. You can run these assessments across different instance types offered by AppStream 2.0 to find the optimal instance type or size for your end users. For more information on different instance types offered by AppStream 2.0, see AppStream 2.0 Instance Families.

  • Monitor resource utilization: Continuously monitor the resource utilization of the instance during normal usage. Observe CPU, memory, and disk utilization. Ensure that the resource utilization remains within acceptable limits to avoid performance degradation. For a multi-session environment, you can view these metrics on AppStream 2.0 and the CloudWatch console. For more information, see Monitoring Amazon AppStream 2.0 Resources.

  • Consider user behavior patterns: Analyze user behavior patterns to understand peak usage periods and potential concurrent usage. Some users might have intermittent or sporadic usage patterns, while others might have consistent usage throughout the day. Account for these patterns when determining the maximum number of user sessions to avoid resource contention during peak periods.

    AppStream 2.0 enables you to configure a maximum of 50 user sessions per instance, regardless of the instance type or size that you choose. However, this is just an upper limit, and not a recommended limit. The following is an example table to help you determine the maximum number of user sessions on an instance in a multi-session fleet. The recommended maximum number of users listed in the table is based on general guidelines and assumptions. Testing with the real-life workload is crucial, since actual performance can vary, depending on the workload's individual characteristics, the application's resource requirements, and user behavior.

Recommendations based on workload types
End User Category Workload Type Example Users Use Cases Recommended Configuration(s)
End users who conduct a single task and use minimal applications Light Task workers, Front desk users Data entry applications, Text editing, Bastion host 4 users per vCPU on Stream.standard.xlarge/2xlarge or Stream.compute.xlarge+ or Stream.memory.xlarge+
End users who conduct a single task and use minimal applications Light to Medium Task workers, Front desk users, Contact center employees Data entry applications, Text editing, Bastion host, Chat, Email, Messaging apps 2 users per vCPU on Stream.standard.xlarge/2xlarge or Stream.compute.xlarge+ or Stream.memory.xlarge+
End users who create complex spreadsheets, presentations, and large documents Medium Task workers, Contact center employees, Business analysts Data entry applications, Chat, Email, Messaging apps, Productivity apps 2 users per vCPU on Stream.memory.xlarge+ or Stream.compute.xlarge+
End users with high performance workloads Medium to Heavy Knowledge workers, Software developers, Business intelligence analysts Software Scripting 1 user per vCPU on Stream.memory.xlarge+ or Stream.compute.xlarge+
End users with high performance workloads Heavy Knowledge workers, Software developers, Data scientists Screen sharing, Data analytics, Audio conferencing 1 user per 2 vCPUs on Stream.memory.xlarge+ or Stream.compute.xlarge+
End users with workloads that require graphics and heavy compute/memory resources Heavy to Accelerated Graphics/Architecture designers, CAD/CAM users Audio conferencing, Graphics-intensive applications, such as remote graphics workstations 1 user per 2 vCPUs Graphics.g4dn.*
End users with workloads that require graphics and heavy compute/memory resources Accelerated Video editors, Gamers and game developers, Data miners, GIS data engineers, AI scientists Audio conferencing, Video transcoding and 3D rendering, Photo-realistic design, Graphics workstations, ML model training, ML inference 1 user per 2 vCPUs Graphics.G5.*