Configuring VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business

VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business Features

VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business offers the following features:

Execute calls and conferences using a HTTPS proxy server
Response groups
Microsoft Office Integration: start a Skype for Business call from Word, Outlook, SharePoint, and so on
Quality-of-Experience allows Skype for Business clients to report call metrics to the Skype for Business server to generate reports
Manage calls on behalf of someone else as a delegate
Active speaker identification
Call via X (home, work, and so on)
Control the volume from the remote desktop
E911 calls
Call park and pick up
Join external meetings anonymously
Redirect calls to mobile devices
Call statistics
Smart card authentication
Point-to-point audio calls
Point-to-point video calls
PSTN calls via dial pad
Transfer, forward, mute, hold, and resume a call
HID commands
Calls to PSTN through mediation server
Remote connectivity and calls through Edge Server
Music on hold
Custom ringtones
Voicemail integration
USB phones
Published applications support
Forward Error Correction (FEC) with audio and video
Skype for Business online meeting
Meet Now conferencing
Whiteboarding and screensharing

System Requirements for VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business

VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business supports these configurations.

Table 1. VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business System Requirements
System	Requirements
Microsoft Server	Lync Server 2013, Skype for Business Server 2015, Skype for Business Server 2019, Office365 For Skype for Business on-premises server deployments, Skype for Business Edge Server is needed for communication with external users.
Microsoft Client	VMware strongly recommends that you use the latest Skype for Business client updates. Skype for Business 2015 client: 15.0.4933.100 or later Skype for Business 2016 as part of Office 365 Plus: 16.0.7571.2072 or later Skype for Business 2016 as part of Office 2016: 16.0.4561.1000 or later Note: Skype for Business Basic 2015 or 2016 clients are not supported.
Virtual desktop operating systems	Minimum 2 vCPU
Client machine operating systems	Minimum hardware 2.4 GHz dual core VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business supports the same Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems as those supported by Horizon Client.
Deployments	VDI (on premise and cloud) Persistent and non-persistent desktops RDS deployments (published desktops and applications)
Display protocols	VMware Blast and PCoIP
Network ports	The same ports as those used by the native Skype for Business client. See client ports in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/skypeforbusiness/plan-your-deployment/network-requirements/ports-and-protocols. See also https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/52558.
Microphones and Webcams	The same devices that are qualified to work with Skype for Business. See webcams listed in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/SkypeForBusiness/certification/devices-usb-devices.
Audio and video codecs	The same as the audio and video codecs used by the native Skype for Business client. See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/skypeforbusiness/plan-your-deployment/network-requirements/network-requirements.
Compatible Peer Skype for Business Clients (non-VDI)	Skype for Business 2016 client with latest updates Skype for Business 2015 client with latest updates Lync 2013 client with latest updates Lync 2010 client (audio calls only)
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 VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business

To use Skype for Business, you must install VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business on the client machine. VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business software is installed by default as part of the Horizon Client for Windows, Horizon Client for Linux, and Horizon Client for Mac installers. For Horizon Client installation information, see the installation and setup guide for the Horizon Client version.

A Horizon administrator must install VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business on the virtual desktop during Horizon Agent installation. For Horizon Agent installation information, see the Setting Up Virtual Desktops in Horizon document.

VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business contains these software modules:

Horizon Media Proxy installed inside the virtual desktop
Horizon Media Provider installed on the client endpoint

To check if VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business is installed on the virtual machine, check these registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Lync\VdiMediaProvider - GUID(REG_SZ)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Lync\VdiMediaProvider - GUID(REG_SZ)

Pairing Modes for a Session

Lync.exe loads VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business plugin on startup. The plugin checks for a valid session and writes the pairing mode state in the registry. To query pairing modes, verify that Lync.exe is running in the processes list, then check HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VMware, Inc.\VMWMMAPlugin - PairingMode(REG_SZ).

Valid pairing modes include:

Optimized: a valid session
Fallback: no valid session
Optimized (version-mismatch)
Fallback (version-mismatch)
Connecting
Disconnected
Undefined

When Lync.exe exits, the plugin deletes the pairing mode value from the registry.

Users do not need administrator privileges to check the pairing mode. Multiple users logged in on remote desktops can find each user's pairing mode in the HKCU hive.

Configuring VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business Group Policy Settings

You can configure group policy settings to change the default configuration. See VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business Policy Settings.

VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business Limitations

VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business has the following limitations:

Socks and http proxy servers are not supported.
The VMware Virtualization Pack for Skype for Business solution does not support interoperability with third-party multiparty conferencing units, such as Pexip.
Gallery view is not currently supported.
You cannot record calls.
Media Bypass is not supported. For details, see https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/56977.
The double-hop scenario, such as Horizon Agent nested with Horizon Client, is not supported.
Skype for Busines VDI optimized solution is not compatible for inter-operatibility with Lync 2010 clients.
Using Lync or Skype for Business client on the client machine concurrently with optimized Skype for Business client in the remote desktop is not supported.
Using Microsoft Teams on the client machine concurrently with optimized Skype for Business client in the remote desktop is not supported.
The Lync 2013 client UI is not supported when connecting Skype 2015 client to a Lync 2013 server. An administrator can configure Skype client UI on the server: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/30282.switch-between-skype-for-business-and-lync-client-ui.aspx
In the video preview window, if you want to preview a different camera than the one listed, select the device, then close the dialog, then re-open it to preview it. If you want the camera to update dynamically, use the Skype for Business 2016 Click-to-Run installer version 16.0.11001.20097 or later.
If you are connected to a private network when you install Skype for Business on the remote desktop, the installer adds inbound and outbound firewall rules for that network profile. When you log on to the remote desktop from a domain network and then use Skype for Business, you see a firewall exception. To fix the problem, manually add firewall exceptions for Skype for Business client in the firewall rules for all network profiles.