Learn how to use Microsoft Teams Optimization for Citrix. Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, along with Citrix SD-WAN, can optimize Microsoft Teams and provide a great user experience.
Citrix Workspace app 2002, 2006 and 2006.1 for Windows; Citrix Workspace app 1912 LTSR for Windows (before CU1 Hotfix 1) Note that this vulnerability was originally reported against a subset of the versions above. However, further investigation has discovered potential variant forms of this attack and the affected versions have been amended.
- Citrix Workspace app 2002 for Mac Release Date: Mar 3, 2020. Compatible with: Mac OS 10.13, 10.14, 10.15. Download Citrix Workspace app for Mac Download Citrix.
- Citrix Workspace app is instrumented to securely transmit data to Citrix Analytics Service from ICA sessions that you launch from a browser. For more information on how Citrix Analytics uses this information, see, Self-Service for Performance and Self-service search for Virtual Apps and Desktops. What’s new in 2002.
- SelfService.exe is the Citrix Workspace 2002's main executable file and it occupies approximately 5.02 MB (5259360 bytes) on disk. The executable files below are part of Citrix Workspace 2002. They occupy an average of 37.06 MB (38864240 bytes) on disk. CDViewer.exe (276.59 KB).
Now organizations can centrally deploy Microsoft Teams within their virtual environments and deliver a fully-featured Microsoft Teams experience, but also giving IT admins the benefits of centralized management.
Citrix delivers optimization for desktop-based Microsoft Teams using Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and Citrix Workspace app. By default, we bundle all the necessary components into Citrix Workspace app and the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA). ( Microsoft Teams Optimization with Citrix )
Our optimization for Microsoft Teams contains VDA-side HDX services and API to interface with the Microsoft Teams hosted app to receive commands. These components open a control virtual channel (CTXMTOP) to the Citrix Workspace app-side media engine. The endpoint decodes and renders the multimedia locally. Reverse seamless snaps-in the local Citrix Workspace app window back into the hosted Microsoft Teams app.
Authentication and signaling occurs natively on the Microsoft Teams-hosted app, just like the other Microsoft Teams services (for example chat or collaboration). Audio/video redirection doesn’t affect them.
CTXMTOP
is a command and control virtual channel. That means that media is not exchanged between the Citrix Workspace app and the VDA.Only Client-fetch/client-render is available.
Microsoft Teams installation
To start using Microsoft Teams Optimization for Citrix. Citrix recommends you to follow the Microsoft Teams machine-wide installation guidelines and avoid using the .exe installer that installs Teams in
Appdata
. Instead, install in C:Program Files (x86)MicrosoftTeams
by using the ALLUSER=1 flag from the command line. In this mode, the Teams application doesn’t auto-update whenever there is a new version. We recommend this mode for non-persistent environments. For more information, see Install Microsoft Teams using MSI (VDI Installation section).If you have dedicated persistent VDI environments and you want the Teams application to auto-update and would prefer Teams to install per-user under
Appdata/Local
, use the .exe installer or the MSI without ALLUSER =1.If using Citrix App Layering to manage VDA and Microsoft Teams installations in different layers, deploy this registry key on Windows before installing Teams with ALLUSER =1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARECitrix
Or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWOW6432NodeCitrix
Create an empty registry key named
PortICA
(leave the default Name, Type, and Data).Profile Management recommendations
When the
ALLUSER =1
flag is passed to the MSI from the command line, the Teams app installs under C:Program Files
(~300 MB). The app uses AppDataLocal
for logs and AppDataRoamingMicrosoftTeams
for user specific configurations, caching of elements in the user interface, and so forth.System requirements
Minimum version – Delivery Controller (DDCs) 1906.2:
Supported operating systems:
- Windows Server 2019, 2016, 2012R2 Standard and Datacenter Editions, and with the Server Core option
Minimum version – Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) 1906.2:
Supported operating systems:
- Windows 10 64-bit, minimum versions 1607 up to 1909.
- Windows Server 2019, 2016, and 2012 R2 (Standard and Datacenter Editions).
Requirements:
- BCR_x64.msi – the MSI that contains the Microsoft Teams optimization code and starts automatically from the GUI. If you’re using the command line interface for the VDA installation, don’t exclude it.
Recommended version – Citrix Workspace app 2002 for Windows and Minimum version – Citrix Workspace app 1907 for Windows:
- Windows 7, 8, and 10 (32-bit and 64-bit editions, including Embedded editions)
- Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB (v1607) and 2019 LTSC (v1809)
- Endpoint requirement: Approximately 2.2–2.4 GHz dual core CPU that can support 720p HD resolution during a peer-to-peer video conference call.
- Dual or quad-core CPUs with lower base speeds (~1.5 GHz) equipped with Intel Turbo Boost or AMD Turbo Core that can boost up to at least 2.4 GHz.
- HP Thin Clients verified: t630/t640, t730/t740, mt44/mt45.
- Dell Thin Clients verified: 5070, 5470 Mobile TC.
- 10ZiG Thin Clients verified: 4510 and 5810q.
- For a complete list of verified endpoints, see Thin Clients.
- Citrix Workspace app requires a minimum of 600 MB free disk space and 1 GB RAM.
- Microsoft .NET Framework minimum requirement is version 4.6.2. Citrix Workspace app automatically downloads and installs .NET Framework if it is not present in the system.
Enable optimization of Microsoft Teams
![Citrix Citrix](/uploads/1/3/3/9/133911669/116046460.png)
Citrix Workspace App Download
To enable optimization for Microsoft Teams, use the Studio policy described in Microsoft Teams redirection policy (it is ON by default). In addition to this policy being enabled, HDX checks to verify that the version of Citrix Workspace app is equal to or greater than the minimum required version. If you enabled the policy and the Citrix Workspace app version is supported, the HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareCitrixHDXMediaStreamMSTeamsRedirSupport registry key is set to 1 automatically on the VDA. The Microsoft Teams application reads the key to load in VDI mode.
Citrix Workspace 2002 Mac
If you click About > Version, the Optimized for Citrix legend displays
If you don’t see Optimized for Citrix, exit Teams by right clicking on the notification area icon and restart.
Citrix HDX Optimization for Microsoft Teams
These components are by default, bundled into Citrix Workspace app and the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA)
Call Flow
- Launch Microsoft Teams.
- Teams authenticates to O365. Tenant policies are pushed down to the Teams client, and relevant TURN and signaling channel information is relayed to the app.
- Teams detects that it is running in a VDA and makes API calls to the Citrix JavaScript API.
- Citrix JavaScript in Teams opens a secure WebSocket connection to WebSocketService.exe running on the VDA (127.0.0.1:9002). WebSocketService.exe runs as a Local System account on session 0. WebSocketService.exe performs TLS termination and user session mapping, and spawns WebSocketAgent.exe, which now runs inside the user session.
- WebSocketAgent.exe instantiates a generic virtual channel by calling into the Citrix HDX Browser Redirection Service (CtxSvcHost.exe).
- Citrix Workspace app’s wfica32.exe (HDX engine) spawns a new process called HdxTeams.exe, which is the new WebRTC engine used for Teams optimization.
- HdxTeams.exe and Teams.exe have a 2-way virtual channel path and can start processing multimedia requests.—–User calls—--
- Peer A clicks the call button. Teams.exe communicates with the Teams services in Azure establishing an end-to-end signaling path with Peer B. Teams asks HdxTeams for a series of supported call parameters (codecs, resolutions, and so forth, which is known as a Session Description Protocol (SDP) offer). These call parameters are then relayed using the signaling path to the Teams services in Azure and from there to the other peer.
- The SDP offer/answer (single-pass negotiation) and the Interactive Connectivity Establishment (ICE) connectivity checks (NAT and Firewall traversal using Session Traversal Utilities for NAT (STUN) bind requests) complete. Then, Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) media flows directly between HdxTeams.exe and the other peer (or O365 conference servers if it is a Meeting).
A PDF of these instructions can be downloaded here
You will need a smartcard reader to log in. The first time you connect will take a couple of minutes while your account is being provisioned.
Citrix Workspace
Please ensure you have the full Citrix Workspace (formerly known as Citrix Receiver) installed on your computer. If using an FWS laptop, the Workspace App can be found in FWS Apps-to-Go (Citrix Workspace 2002). If using a personal laptop, please download and install from Citrix.
Please note, Citrix Workspace downloaded from the Windows 10 store will NOT work. Please
install only from FWS Apps-to-Go or directly from the Citrix website.
install only from FWS Apps-to-Go or directly from the Citrix website.
Browser Support
Windows 10
Internet Explorer 11+ and Google Chrome 70+ are the supported browsers for computers running Windows 10.
Internet Explorer 11+ and Google Chrome 70+ are the supported browsers for computers running Windows 10.
MacOS
MacOS 10.13+ & Safari 10.1+ required for macOS.
MacOS 10.13+ & Safari 10.1+ required for macOS.
Card & Card Reader
- Ensure you have a PIV reader attached to your Mac or PC.
- Ensure your smartcard is inserted into the PIV reader prior to accessing the PIV Login page.
- Windows and MacOS have built-in support for smartcard.
Login Errors
If you are receiving an access denied/incorrect credentials upon login, it can be one of the following:
- Please ensure you're entering the correct PIV PIN.
- Please ensure the certificate you're selecting supports client authentication.
- Please ensure you're using IE or Chrome on Windows & Safari or Chrome on Mac OS X.
- If still receiving an error, please close out of the browser completely. Navigate to
https://remoteaccess.fws.gov and click Login again. - Should you experience any technical issues please email [email protected].