The Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams redirects audio calls, video calls, and viewing desktop shares for a seamless experience between the client system and the remote session without negatively affecting the virtual infrastructure and overloading the network. Teams media processing takes place on the client machine instead of in the virtual desktop.
Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams Features
The Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams offers the following features:
- Accepting and making audio and video calls
- Multiparty audio and video conferencing
- Transfer, forward, mute, hold, and resume a call
- PSTN calls via dial pad
- Desktop screen sharing
- Multi monitor screen sharing and screen picker for screen sharing
- Volume control from the remote desktop
- Active speaker identification
Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams System Requirements
| System | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Server | Microsoft 365 |
| Microsoft Teams Client (Optimized) |
Note: Web browser client is not supported.
|
| Virtual desktop operating systems | Minimum requirement is 2 vCPU for these operating systems.
|
| Client machine operating systems | Minimum hardware requirement is 2.4 GHz dual core.
|
| Display Protocols | VMware Blast and PCoIP (no RDP) |
| Network | IPv4 |
| Microphones and Webcams | Same devices that are qualified to work with Microsoft Teams |
| Audio codecs | For details, see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Formats/WebRTC_codecs.
|
| Video codecs | For details, see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Formats/WebRTC_codecs.
|
| Media Feature Pack | Must be installed on the remote desktop for Windows 10 N and KN versions. You can install Media Feature from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48231. |
Installing and Configuring Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams
To install this feature and specify the installation property on Horizon Client for Windows, see the VMware Horizon Client for Windows Installation and Setup Guide.
Horizon Agent must be installed before you install Microsoft Teams. If you install Microsoft Teams before installing Horizon Agent, delete the %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Teams folder and relaunch Teams.
The Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams group policy setting must be enabled to use the feature. See VMware WebRTC Redirection Features in VMware HTML5 Feature Policy Settings.
See the Microsoft documentation Teams for Virtualized Desktop Infrastructure for installation, setup, and deployment requirements, guidelines on persistent and non-persistent desktops, and limitations of using Teams in a remote desktop.
Microsoft updates their Teams recommended version periodically. Check Microsoft for updates and install the latest recommended version to access new features without updating Horizon Client or Horizon Agent.
Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams Limitations
Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams has the following limitations. Contact Microsoft for the limitations described as a Teams dependency.
| Limitation | Comments |
|---|---|
| RDS hosts and application pools are not supported. | VMware limitation |
| HID buttons to answer and end calls are not supported. | VMware limitation |
| Outgoing application sharing is not supported. | VMware limitation |
| Virtual backgrounds are not supported. | Microsoft and VMware limitation |
| Live events are not supported. | Microsoft and VMware limitation |
| Desktop screen sharing give or take control is not supported. | Teams dependency |
| Pop out chat is not supported. | Microsoft limitation |
| Gallery View in meetings is not supported. | Teams dependency. Contact Microsoft for when to expect Gallery View (2x2). |
| The camera light stays on if the user puts the video call on hold (but video will not be sent). | Teams dependency |
| During a video call, when a remote desktop user starts a desktop share, the user's video automatically turns off. After ending the desktop share, the remote desktop user can click the video button to turn the video back on. | Teams dependency |
| Only one video stream from an incoming camera or screen share stream is supported. During an incoming screen share, that screen share is shown instead of the video of the dominant speaker. | Teams dependency |
Pairing Modes for a Session
- Optimized: If the banner shows VMware Media Optimized, then Teams is running in the optimized mode. In this mode, the Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams GPO is enabled, Teams is running in the virtual desktop, and audio and video have been offloaded to the client machine.
- Fallback: If the banner shows VMware Media Not Connected, then Teams is running in fallback mode. In this mode, the Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams GPO is enabled and Teams has tried to start in Optimized mode, but the Horizon Client being used does not support Teams optimization. Audio and video from Teams is not offloaded to the client machine. Fallback mode has the same limitations as Optimized mode. When you make a call in fallback mode, you see a warning sign on the call:
Your device does not support VMware optimization. Audio and video quality may be reduced. Talk to your IT admin.
- No optimization: If the banner does not show VMware text in the message, the Enable Media Optimization for Microsoft Teams GPO is not enabled. Audio and video from Teams is not offloaded to the client machine.
