Microsoft Teams Archives

Deploy and install the New Teams for VDI

Microsoft, Microsoft Teams, VDI, VMware, VMware Horizon View 10 Responses »

Oct 072023

In this guide I’ll show you how to deploy and install the new Teams for VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) client, and how to enable Teams Media Optimization on VMware Horizon.

If you haven’t already reviewed my old post Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization for VMware Horizon which covered the old client and optimizations, the new Microsoft Teams app also requires special considerations and installation instructions for VDI environments.

You can run the old and new Teams applications side by side in your environment as you transition users.

New Teams client with toggle for old version running on VMware Horizon VDI with optimization — Switch between New Teams and old Teams on VDI

Let’s cover what the new Microsoft Teams app is about, and how to install it in your VDI deployment.

Please note that while the new Teams client is in GA, VDI support is in public preview.

The New Microsoft Teams App

On October 05, 2023, Microsoft announced the availability of the new Microsoft Teams application for Windows and Mac computers. This application is a complete rebuild from the old client, and provides numerous enhancements with performance, resource utilization, and memory management.

New Microsoft Teams app VDI optimized with Toggle for new/old version

Ultimately, it’s way faster, and consumes way less memory. And fortunately for us, it supports media optimizations for VDI environments.

My close friend and colleague, mobile jon, did a fantastic in-depth Deep Dive into the New Microsoft Teams and it’s inner workings that I highly recommend reading.

Interestingly enough, it uses the same media optimization channels for VDI as the old client did, so enablement and/or migrating from the old version is very simple if you’re running VMware Horizon, Citrix, AVD, or Windows 365.

Install New Teams for VDI

While installing the new Teams is fairly simple for non-VDI environment (by simply either enabling the new version in the Teams Admin portal, or using your application manager to deploy the installer), a special method is required to deploy on your VDI images, whether persistent or non-persistent.

Please Note: At the time of this post, the new Teams client auto-updates, even when using the bulk machine mode with the bootstrapper installer. In the future, Microsoft will be releasing a registry key to disable auto-updates for non-persistent VDI golden images.

You will also need to enable Microsoft Teams Media Optimization for the VDI platform you are using (in my case and example, VMware Horizon).

Considerations for New Teams on VDI

At this time, you cannot disable auto-updates (this can be disabled via a registry key in the future, listed as “coming soon”).
New Teams client app uses the same VDI media optimization channels as the old teams (for VMware Horizon, Citrix, AVD, and W365)
- If you have already enabled Media Optimization for Teams on VDI for the old version, you can simply install the client using the special bulk installer for all users as shown below, as the new client uses the existing media optimizations.
While it is recommended to uninstall the old client and install the new client, you can choose to run both versions side by side together, providing an option to your users as to which version they would like to use.

Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams

If you haven’t previously for the old client, you’ll need to enable the Teams Media Optimizations for VDI for your VDI platform.

For VMware Horizon, we’ll create a GPO and set the “Enable HTML5 Features” and “Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams”, to “Enabled”. If you have done this for the old Teams app, you can skip this.

Please see below for the GPO setting locations:

Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> VMware View Agent Configuration -> VMware HTML5 Features -> Enable VMware HTML5 Features

Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> VMware View Agent Configuration -> VMware HTML5 Features -> VMware WebRTC Redirection Features -> Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams

When installing the VMware Horizon client on Windows computers, you’ll need to make sure you check and enable the “Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams” option on the installer.

Screenshot of VMware View Client Install with Microsoft Teams Optimization — VMware Horizon Client Install with Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams

If you are using a thin client or zero client, you’ll need to make sure you have the required firmware version installed, and any applicable vendor plugins installed and/or configurables enabled.

Install New Teams on VDI

At this time, we will now install the new Teams app on to both non-persistent images, and persistent VDI VM guests:

Download the new Microsoft Teams Bootstrapper: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2243204&clcid=0x409
On your persistent or non-persistent VM, run the following command as an administrator: teamsbootstrapper.exe -p
Restart the VM (and/or seal your image for deployment)

Installing — Install the new Teams for VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) with teamsbootstrapper.exe

See below for an example of the deployment:

C:\Users\Administrator.DOMAIN\Downloads>teamsbootstrapper.exe -p
{
  "success": true
}

You’ll note that running the command returns success equals true, and Teams is now installed for all users on this machine.

Additionally, the Teams Boot Strap utility can also remove teams for all users on this machine as well by using the “-x” flag. Please see below for all the options for “teamsbootstrapper.exe”:

C:\Users\Administrator.DOMAIN\Downloads>teamsbootstrapper.exe --help
Provisioning program for Microsoft Teams.

Usage: teamsbootstrapper.exe [OPTIONS]

Options:
  -p, --provision-admin    Provision Teams for all users on this machine.
  -x, --deprovision-admin  Remove Teams for all users on this machine.
  -h, --help               Print help

Install New Teams on VMware App Volumes / Citrix App Layering

Using the New Teams bootstrapper, it appears that it evades and doesn’t work with App Packaging and App attaching technologies such as VMware App Volumes and Citrix Application layering.

The New Teams bootstrapper downloads and installs an MSIX app package to the computer running the bootstrapper.

To deploy and install new Teams on VMware App Volumes or Citrix App Layering (or other app technologies), you’ll most likely need to download and import the MSIX package in to the application manager and deploy using that.

Conclusion

It’s great news that we finally have a better performing Microsoft Teams client that supports VDI optimizations. However, it’s unfortunate that we cannot disable the auto-update functionality for non-persistent environments as we do not want update processes to run in vain consuming resources.

I would recommend testing the new Teams client in your VDI environment before deploying to production.

Additional Links

Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization for VMware Horizon

End User Computing, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Office 365, VDI, VMware Horizon View, Zero Clients/Thin Clients 13 Responses »

May 032021

So you’re looking at deploying Microsoft Teams for your Horizon View VDI deployment?

This guide will show you to install Microsoft Teams and deploy Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization on VMWare Horizon for Manual Pools, Automated Pools, and Instant Clone Pools, for use with both persistent and non-persistent VDI. This guide works for Microsoft Teams on Windows 10 and Windows 11, including the new Windows 11 22H2.

Please make sure to check out Microsoft’s documentation on “Teams for Virtualized Desktop Infrastructure“, and VMware’s document “Microsoft Teams Optimization with VMware Horizon” for more information.

I also have a guide on how to Deploy, Install, and Configure Microsoft Office 365 in a VDI Environment, so make sure you check it out!

Requirements

To get started, you’ll need the following:

Microsoft Teams MSI Installer (Available here: 64-Bit, 32-Bit)
VMware Horizon Client (Available here)
VDI Desktop or VDI Base Image
Ability to create and/or modify GPOs on domain
VMware Horizon GPO Bundle

Background

Before Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization, VMware’s RTAV (Real-Time Audio-Video) was generally used. This offloaded audio and video to the VMware Horizon Client utilizing a dedicated channel over the connection to optimize the data exchange. With minor tweaks (check out my post on enhancing RTAV webcam with VMware Horizon), this actually worked quite well with the exception of microphone quality on the end-users side, and high bandwidth requirements.

Starting with Horizon View 7.13 and Horizon View 8 (2006), VMware Horizon now supports Microsoft Teams Optimization. This technology offloads the Teams call directly to the endpoint (or client device), essentially drawing over the VDI VM’s Teams visual interface and not involving the VDI Virtual Machine at all. The client application (or thin client) handles this and connects directly to the internet for the Teams Call. One less hop for data, one less processing point, and one less load off your server infrastructure.

Microsoft Teams Optimization uses WebRTC to function.

Deploying Microsoft Teams Optimization on VMware Horizon VDI

There are two components required to deploy Microsoft Teams Optimization for VDI.

Microsoft Specific Setup and Configuration of Microsoft Teams
VMware Specific Setup and Configuration for Microsoft Teams

We’ll cover both in this blog post.

Microsoft Specific Setup and Configuration of Microsoft Teams Optimization

First and foremost, do NOT bundle the Microsoft Teams install with your Microsoft 365 (Office 365) deployment, they should be installed separately.

We’re going to be installing Microsoft Teams using the “per-machine” method, where it’s installed in the Program Files of the OS, instead of the usual “per-user” install where it’s installed in the user “AppData” folder.

Non-persistent (Instant Clones) VDI requires Microsoft Teams to be installed “Per-Machine”, whereas persistent VDI can use both “Per-Machine” and “Per-User” for Teams. I use the “Per-Machine” for almost all VDI deployments. This allows you to manage versions utilizing MSIs and GPOs.

Please Note that when using “Per-Machine”, automatic updates are disabled. In order to upgrade Teams, you’ll need to re-install the newer version. Take this in to account when planning your deployment. If you use the per-user, it will auto-update.

For Teams Optimization to work, your endpoints and/or clients MUST have internet access.

Let’s Install Microsoft Teams (VDI Optimized)

For Per-Machine (Non-Persistent Desktops) Install, use the following command:

msiexec /i C:\Location\Teams_windows_x64.msi ALLUSER=1 ALLUSERS=1

For Per-User (Persistent VDI) Install, you can use the following command:

msiexec /i C:\Location\Teams_windows_x64.msi ALLUSERS=1

If in the event you need to uninstall Microsoft Teams to deploy an upgrade, you can use the following command:

msiexec /passive /x C:\Location\Teams_windows_x64.msi

And that’s it for the Microsoft Specific side of things!

VMware Specific Setup and Configuration for Microsoft Teams Optimization

When it comes to the VMware Specific Setup and Configuration for Microsoft Teams Optimization, it’s a little bit more complex.

VMware Horizon Client Installation

When installing the VMware Horizon Client, the Microsoft Teams optimization feature should be installed by default. However, doing a custom install, make sure that “Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams” is enabled (as per the screenshot below):

Group Policy Object to enable WebRTC and Microsoft Teams Optimization

You’ll only want to configure GPOs for those users and sessions where you plan on actually utilizing Microsoft Teams Optimization. Do not apply these GPOs to endpoints where you wish to use RTAV and don’t want to use Teams optimization, as it will enforce some limitations that come with the technology (explained in Microsoft’s documentation).

We’ll need to enable VMware HTML5 Features and Microsoft Teams Optimization (WebRTC) inside of Group Policy. Head over and open your existing VDI GPO or create a new GPO. You’ll need to make sure you’ve installed the latest VMware Horizon GPO Bundle. There are two switches we need to set to “Enabled”.

Expand the following, and set “Enable HTML5 Features” to “Enabled”:

Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> VMware View Agent Configuration -> VMware HTML5 Features -> Enable VMware HTML5 Features

Next, we’ll set “Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams” to “Enabled”. You’ll find it in the following:

Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> VMware View Agent Configuration -> VMware HTML5 Features -> VMware WebRTC Redirection Features -> Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams

And that’s it, you’re GPOs are now configured.

If you’re running a persistent desktop, run “gpupdate /force” in an elevated command prompt to grab the updated GPOs. If you’re running a non-persistent desktop pool, you’ll need to push the base image snapshot again so your instant clones will have the latest GPOs.

Confirming Microsoft Teams Optimization for VDI

There’s a simple and easy way to test if you’re currently running Microsoft Teams Optimized for VDI.

Open Microsoft Teams
Click on your Profile Picture to the right of your Company Name
Expand “About”, and select “Version”

Screenshot of Microsoft Teams - About and Version to check Teams Optimization for VDI — Microsoft Teams – About and Version to check Teams Optimization for VDI

After selecting this, you’ll see a toolbar appear horizontally underneath the search, company name, and your profile picture with some information. Please see the below examples to determine if you’re running in 1 of 3 modes.

The following indicates that Microsoft Teams is running in normal mode (VDI Teams Optimization is Disabled). If you have configured VMware RTAV, then it will be using RTAV.

Screenshot indicator of Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization disabled — Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization disabled

The following indicates that Microsoft Teams is running in VDI Optimized mode (VDI Teams Optimization is Enabled showing “VMware Media Optimized”).

Screenshot indicator of Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization enabled — Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization enabled

The following indicates that Microsoft Teams is configured for VDI Optimization, however is not functioning and running in fallback mode. If you have VMware RTAV configured, it will be falling back to using RTAV. (VDI Teams Optimization is Enabled but not working showing “VMware Media Not Connected”, and is using RTAV if configured).

Screenshot of Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization Fallback — Microsoft Teams VDI Optimization Fallback

If you’re having issues or experiencing unexpected results, please go back and check your work. You may also want to review Microsoft’s and VMware’s documentation.

Conclusion

This guide should get you up and running quickly with Microsoft Teams Optimization for VDI. I’d recommend taking the time to read both VMware’s and Microsoft’s documentation to fully understand the technology, limitations, and other configurables that you can use and fine-tune your VDI deployment.