Since Citrix launched the HDX optimization for Microsoft Teams jointly with Microsoft in Q4 2019, there has been a steady increase in adoption, surpassing 3 million optimized monthly users!

With the new 2203 LTSR now generally available, many customers are wondering if it is the time to jump from 7.15 or 1912 to 2203, and what features they’ll get if they do.

There are lots of reasons to make the move, but I wanted to use this blog post to cover some important concepts around Citrix HDX Optimization for Microsoft Teams.

Components of Citrix HDX Optimization for Microsoft Teams

There are five main components in the solution:

1) Microsoft Teams

This is the Teams desktop client app installed in the VDA, which is preferably the latest version, available here. There is no special “VDI installer,” which is a common misconception.

For multi-user OS, we recommend the MSI installer (Teams_windows_x64.msi) with ALLUSERS=1 flag, and for persistent/assigned VDI we recommend the .exe installer (Teams_windows_x64.exe).

We rarely require a specific Teams version for HDX optimization. The one exception is MultiWindow (a.k.a new meeting experience, a.k.a pop-out chat). You’ll want to keep Microsoft Teams up to date for other reasons (e.g. chat and collaboration, files, etc.).

The Microsoft Teams app also includes runtime code downloaded (to AppData\Roaming and AppData\Local) upon sign-in that is responsible for interfacing with the Citrix stack.

One key difference between Microsoft Teams and the rest of Microsoft 365 applications is that Teams delivers feature rollout against build rollouts. This means a feature can be enabled without a new build update.

Microsoft Teams desktop app communicates with Teams cloud services to request and receive different kinds of payloads (configurations, canaried feature rollouts, and experiments). In other words, when you go back to work on Monday after the weekend, you might notice new features that were not available on Friday.

2) Citrix API

Colloquially known as “shim,” this is the API that Citrix hands over to Microsoft for distribution downstream in Microsoft Teams. It is also runtime code downloaded upon sign-in.

It generally auto-updates every six to eight weeks. We can often introduce new features or fix bugs here, without any other update in Citrix Workspace app or the VDA, for example.

3) Citrix Workspace app

This is where our WebRTC media engine is located. It’s responsible for offloading all the multimedia streams (decoding/encoding/rendering, peripheral access, screensharing, etc.). It’s a critical component, so it’s important that it’s kept up to date! Plan accordingly. We recommend the CR track because new features generally require upgrades to the media engine.

Generally, big HDX releases happen in the last release of the quarter (e.g., 2203/2206/2209/2212). Interim releases (e.g., 2201/2202 etc.) are used for bug fixes only.

4) VDA

A few HDX services running on the virtual desktop are responsible for creating a duplex communication channel between Microsoft Teams and the WebRTC media engine in the user’s device.

The VDA is mostly a transparent pipe and is generally not required to be upgraded for new features. But there are exceptions (App Sharing and MultiWindow). LTSR 2203 is a great place to be because it includes everything released prior to it, from a VDA perspective (every feature, every bug fix).

5) Branch Office Network or Internet Service Provider

This is the network access at the user’s location to the internet. It is a critical piece, generally outside the Citrix IT admin’s control, but it requires careful planning and monitoring.

Testing

As Microsoft Teams adoption continues to accelerate, it is important to preview pre-release features for product quality, internal planning, and training readiness. (If you are unfamiliar with the concept of Rings in Office 365, read this Microsoft article.)

There are two main options available:

• TAP (Beta channel, a.k.a “Ring 1.5” for IT Admins, Private preview channel a.k.a “Ring 3” for broader users): This is an NDA program that Microsoft runs (per-invitation only).
• Public Preview Channel (Ring 3.6): This is publicly available, and you should be here! It will give you about three weeks of feature previews, before it hits Ring 4 (GA). Want to know how to configure for specific users? Read this documentation.

Features

The Teams for VDI feature set is aligned with what Microsoft supports for Microsoft Teams on browsers. That is because both solutions rely on WebRTC media engines, in contrast to the native desktop client, which relies on Microsoft’s proprietary media engine.

This is the most critical part of the project, because the feature set is directly dependent on the Citrix Workspace app and, to a lesser extent, VDA versions.

Let’s take a quick look at the top five features:

Proper communication with your end users is key. Your internal release notes should clearly state what features are available in VDI and which ones are down the road. This will help you manage expectations from your business unit stakeholders.

Your BUs will all have different demands. The HR group might ask you for Live Events; the tech support group for Give/Take Control; the enablement/training group for Include Computer Audio; and compliance/legal for App Sharing.

Map all the features to the specific CWA/VDA versions and timelines!

Click to view image larger.

Deploying the Solution: A Tiger Team

One point I always stress in my conversations with customers is that the Citrix IT admin alone can’t carry all the weight of the deployment. Microsoft Teams on VDI requires a task force composed of the following SMEs:

Staying Up to Date

There are five main resources we recommend that will help you stay up to date:

1. Microsoft Teams public roadmap: Once a feature reaches Ring 3, it gets added to this list.
2. Citrix Workspace public roadmap: This provides a sneak peek into what we are working on.
3. CTX253754 is updated regularly with known issues, announcements, and troubleshooting tips. Bookmark it!
4. The Microsoft Teams page on the Citrix Docs site provides the most extensive documentation on HDX, so make sure you read it end to end. And then read it again! 🙂
5. Need more? Try the HDX Microsoft Teams Optimization Pack discussion forum! The community is strong and always willing to help. We monitor the forum daily and provide prompt feedback.

Some Final Words

Microsoft Teams is a dynamic application that enables an enterprise to support the highest levels of collaboration for its workforce. As such, it requires the Citrix admin to be especially attentive to what is being demanded from his/her organization and correlate it to the roadmap, so proper planning can be introduced. Admins should review the current Citrix Workspace app and VDA versions strategy in their DaaS site, and if an upgrade is required, start the internal QA process, and sign up to the public preview channel.