In This Article
The information in this article is meant to be used in the sales process.
Overview
This article provides guidance for running Microsoft Teams in the Evolve IP Cloud. Specifically, Workspaces (powered by Citrix) and DaaS (Powered by VMware).
While most applications will function in a properly sized virtual desktop or hosted application environment, below are considerations for any real-time audio / video compatibility (RTAV).
- Does the vendor provide support for RTAV applications installed in a virtual environment?
- If so, what is the vendor documented minimum requirements for RTAV operation, including software and endpoints (i.e. Win10, Mac, Linux, Thick App, Browser, Thin Client, etc.)?
Microsoft Teams can be used within a web browser on nearly any device that includes real-time audio and video. For information and limitations of the browser based Teams client, please see link here.
For customers wishing to utilize the fully installed Microsoft Teams client within an Evolve IP Workspace or DaaS product, please refer to the following compatibility information.
Real Time Audio Video Technologies
The Citrix Workspace app makes use of a technology called WebRTC. This open standard is capable of redirecting video, voice, and also data in a peer-to-peer fashion from one instance/endpoint to another. In Teams, this works by making a connection for the audio and video streams directly to/from the end-users’ workstation. Because the connection is made directly between the devices, the audio and video streams do not have to be re-encoded to/from the VDA, which would add latency and degrade quality.
WebRTC is an open standard and is available for all major OSes. However, at this time, Citrix has only deployed the technology in the Windows 10 version of the Workspace app. Mac and Linux are on the roadmap, but there is no release date yet.
It is not just a matter of simply including or enabling this open standard. Citrix has made WebRTC aware of Teams and Jabber so that the applications can provide feedback regarding the experience. Finally, WebRTC performance seems to also be dependent on media capabilities of the peers and because of all of the components and connections involved, reliability establishing the connection is less than perfect.
VMware’s new optimizations also use the WebRTC components to accomplish the same effect, but this solution is not yet officially recognized by Microsoft as optimized.
Resources
Teams Experience in DaaS and WS (Also WVD for Reference)
The table below provides guidance w/ general end-user experience running MS Teams inside DaaS and Workspaces. VMware (DaaS) and Citrix (Workspace) have a different approach to handling RTAV, see experience estimates below.
| Metric | DaaS (Windows 10 Endpoint*) | DaaS (Thin/Zero Client***) | Workspace Elite (Windows 10 Endpoint**) | Workspace Elite (Thin/Zero Client***) | WVD w/ RDP (Win 10 Endpoint) | WVD w/ RDP (Thin/Zero Client***) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outbound Video Quality |  | | | Not Supported ***** | Not Supported **** | Not Supported **** |
| Inbound Video Quality | | | | Not Supported ***** | Not Supported **** | Not Supported **** |
| Audio Quality (In/Out) | | | | Not Supported ***** | Not Supported **** | Not Supported **** |
| Screen Sharing |  | | | | | |
| File Sharing | | | | | | |
| Chat | | | | | | |
*Win10 Home w/ VMware Horizon 5.4.2, w/ Media Optimization for MS Teams, DaaS View Agent 7.3.1
**Win10 Home w/ Citrix Workspace Client 20.2.0.25, MS Teams HDX Optimized on VDA
*** ThinOS or ZeroOS, Win10 IOT thin client not in scope for testing. ThinOS version 8.x, used for testing.
**** Based on 3/19/20 Azure WVD KB
***** Does not support RTAV or RTA for Dell Wyse 3040
Testing Notes & Important Consideration
Evolve IP recommends client testing of any RTAV experience before purchase via sales demo platform (available for DaaS and WS).
- DaaS CPU tested with both 2vCPU and 4vCPU as well as 4 GB RAM (Standard Seat) and 8 GB Ram (Premium Seat). Higher level seat provides greater multi-tasking capability, 2vCPU vs 4 vCPU did not significantly improve experience.
- Blast, PCoIP protocol on both thinOS and PCoIP Zero clients all yielded a similar experience.
- Win10 IoT thin clients not recommended due to high price-to-performance cost and high mgmt overheard with minimal benefit vs standard Win10 endpoint.
- Only DaaS and Workspaces were tested due to other protocols (i.e. RDP on WVD, Ericom, etc.) not having any published optimized Teams guidance.
Product Specific / Detailed Guidance
The details below are specific to Workspaces and DaaS seat levels. Certain seat types will be a better choice for clients depending on their user behavior / work habits. Also there are several differences and caveats of each solution noted below.
MS Teams Inside Evolve IP Workspace
Evolve IP Workspaces Elite, powered by Citrix technology, is certified and optimized as well as supported by Evolve IP. The matrix below shows compatibility between Teams and Workspaces. Note, Workspaces is a session-based delivery allowing companies to share resources of a group of servers. | Workspaces Desktop | RTAV Support | Microsoft Certified | Optimized for MS Teams | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workspaces Std | NA | NA | NA | Microsoft does not support Microsoft Teams as a Published application. |
| Workspaces Pro |  | | | Workspace Pro meets the minimum requirements for MS Teams WITHOUT RTAV enabled. |
| Workspaces Elite | | | | Workspaces Elite supports all MS Teams features. |
Feature Limitations
- Citrix optimized MS teams provides a single incoming video stream during group calls. When there are multiple participants sending their video, only the dominant speaker’s video is shown at any time. This is also true for any version of Chrome. MS Edge does support multiple RTAV streams.
- When doing screen sharing in multi-monitor setups, it's possible the user's main monitor is only shared.
- During screen sharing, give control/take control may not be supported.
Resources
- The Citrix Optimization Guide for Microsoft Teams is a public guide that outlines all of the requirements for configuring the virtual desktop environment (EIP responsibility), and the endpoint devices accessing a virtual desktop (client responsibility). The optimization guide includes the following:
- Minimum endpoint requirements (hardware, operating systems, and software)
- Recommended peripherals (headsets & webcams).
- A list of supported thin clients from multiple vendors.
- Network considerations, and call flow information.
- Known limitations, and some troubleshooting information.
MS Teams Inside Evolve IP DaaS
The below VMware Horizon DaaS support matrix provides information as it relates to MS Teams. Note, Evolve IP DaaS is a dedicated one-to-one deployment model providing clients with a dedicated CPU/RAM desktop.
| Desktop | Specs | RTAV Support | Optimized for MS Teams | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DaaS Standard Seat | 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM | | | MS Teams will function. However, RTAV performance will saturate the standard DaaS seat. Multi-tasking is not recommended while on video call and will be slightly slower and grainy compared to a native MS Teams RTAV experience. Audio quality is excellent. |
| DaaS Premium Seat | 2 vCPU, 8GB RAM | | | DaaS Premium meets the minimum requirements for MS Teams WITHOUT RTAV enabled. |
| DaaS Ultimate Seat | 2 vCPU, 16GB RAM | | | DaaS Ultimate runs all of the features of MS Teams including RTAV but does not meet Microsoft’s recommendation of 4vCPU. |
- Microsoft Teams with Real-Time Audio-Video is supported on Horizon Agent 7.9 and later on Windows, Linux, and Mac clients.
- Currently, VMware Horizon DaaS is not "certified" by Microsoft (like Citrix) for MS Teams. However, VMware has a different and acceptable approach to Teams Optimization.
- VMware's minimum requirements for running MS Teams with real-time audio/video (RTAV) is 4 vCPU and 4 GB RAM. Evolve IP has not observed a benefit to 4 vCPU vs 2 vCPU.
- Minimum requirements and additional information can be found in VMware's public guide: Configuring MS Teams for real-time audio/video.
- RTAV not supported on WYSE thin clients at this time. WYSE is planning a future update to thinOS to provide better support for RTAV.
Settings in VMware Horizon DaaS to Enable
- Check the box to enable the Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business.
- Check the box to enable the Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams.