Microsoft has officially launched the new Microsoft Teams for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), marking a significant milestone for organizations leveraging virtual environments. This release promises enhanced performance, improved user experience, and streamlined management for IT administrators.

Key Features and Enhancements

  1. Optimized Performance: The new Teams for VDI introduces a media engine, SlimCore, which decouples from the Remote Desktop client. This architecture ensures faster call setup times, higher resolutions, and lower resource consumption.
  2. Seamless Updates: With the new architecture, updates are handled transparently, allowing Teams to introduce new features without requiring VDI infrastructure upgrades.
  3. Enhanced Compatibility: The new Teams client is compatible with Azure Virtual Desktops, Windows 365, Citrix, and VMware environments, ensuring broad support across different virtualization platforms.
  4. Improved User Experience: By aligning the Teams user experience closer to that of physical desktops, users can enjoy a more consistent and reliable performance.

Transition from Classic Teams

The classic Teams for VDI will reach end of support on October 1, 2024, and end of availability on July 1, 2025. Users are encouraged to transition to the new Teams client to continue receiving updates and support.

Requirements for Deployment

To deploy the new Teams for VDI, ensure your virtual machines meet the following requirements2:

  • Windows Version: Windows 10.0.19041 or higher, Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022.
  • WebView2 Framework: Required for Windows Server and Windows 10/11 Multi-User environments.
  • Remote Desktop Client: Latest versions for Windows and Mac.
  1. Download the .exe installer..
  2. Download the MSIX:
    – MSIX x86
    – MSIX x64
    – ARM64.
  3. Start the Command Prompt as an Admin.
  4. To deploy the MSIX, enter the following command”

.\teamsbootstrapper.exe -p -o "c:\path\to\teams.msix"

Disable New Teams Auto Update

Location: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Teams
Name: disableAutoUpdate
Type: DWORD
Value: 1

Conclusion

The official release of Microsoft Teams for VDI is a game-changer for organizations using virtual desktops. With its optimized performance, seamless updates, and enhanced compatibility, the new Teams client is set to deliver a superior user experience and simplify IT management. For more detailed information on deployment and requirements, visit the Microsoft Learn page.

By focusing on these key aspects, this article aims to provide valuable insights into the benefits and requirements of the new Microsoft Teams for VDI, helping organizations make informed decisions about their virtual desktop environments.

Paul Cobben