Microsoft Teams Optimization

With Citrix Virtual App and Desktop or WVD it is possible to optimize/offload the Microsoft Teams stream the local endpoint. That guarantees the best possible user experience. As far I know there is no optimization planned from MS for traditional on-premises deployments (VDI/RDSH). I can see a lot of my clients moving to Teams due COVID-19 and it would be nice if Parallels could build something to enhance the Teams experience. I think a lot of other Parallels customers could profit from this as well.

 

I fully agree with you, unfortunately my attempts with Parallels RAS and Teams were rather counterproductive. The rendering of the video streams over the RDP channel caused too much load on the rdsh servers, with remote fx I could serve 2 simultaneous sessions, but then the audio quality deteriorated. The only possibility would be like Citrix does it with the rendering of the stream on the client direct. We should raise up a parallels ras feature request and asking for best practice with microsoft teams.

 

Technically this works with Parallels RAS but only for WVD sessions.
We have also gotten this to work with the Zoom optimizations to render on the client device.

 

Any update on adding this functionality?

 

Hi Everyone. Thanks for the feedback!
We have this feature in our backlog but I can't comment on any ETA for the time being.
I have a question regarding this feature for all of you:
Will it be OK for your use cases if the Teams app is used on the client device and RAS Client only redirects Tems' URLs from server to client (start a call from Outlook, for example, and such). Similar to how the browser and email URL redirection works.
Looking forward for your feedback and thanks again for investing your time into making Parallels RAS better!

 

@Eugene. K. I personally don't believe having a URL redirects would be of much value. Potentially if you had redirect from inside the teams apps to local teams as most people start/join meetings/calls directly inside of teams and not thru calendar invites. The real biggest challenge is being able to see video and share you parallels desktop. Everyone already has to do that locally now but since all of the other players except Parallels support full Teams Optimization we are getting a ton of pressure from our clients to find a solution that works.

 

Thank you for the feedback.

 

Since no one has reported on this topic since 2021, I wanted to ask what the status is. Over the years, at least Microsoft has done a lot. There is the Remote Desktop WebRTC Redirector Service, which can be installed on the server. In combination with Remote Desktop Client (msrdc) it is possible to use the teams optimization.

My question is, if there is still something to expect here, or the topic will stay in the backlog forever?

 

It is possible to use Microsoft Teams AV Media Optimization without AVD (in On-Premises Remote Desktop Servers or VDIs).
Just install the WebRTC Redirector Service and use the new Remote Desktop client (MSRDC) to connect.
The trick here is to rename your *.RDP file to *.RDPW and off you go

Since Parallels already integrated the new MSRDC client (for AVD integration), it shouldn't be that hard to use the same client to connect to non-AVD servers.
Please Parallels, look into this and make it happen!
We have working Proof of Concepts, please contact me if you need any technical insights.

A feature request has been logged internaly with ID RAS-54103

Some background:
Microsoft Teams AV Media Optimization for native onprem Remote Desktop environment - iamroot.it
Teams Optimierung für Terminalserver - Jans Cloud

 

+1
I don't understand why this has not yet been implemented. This is exactly the killer feature that other IT people and customers keep telling me about why Citrix is better. And the redirect to the local client no longer works reliably since the introduction of the new Teams in conjunction with Office 365 either. That's really depressing

 

Hi,
Are there any updates on implementing Teams Optimization in Parallels?
It's been on the suggestions list from 2020 and is the most upvoted feature request.

Best Regards,
Tanel

 

I also would like to see this feature. We could use parallels for many more users if we had Teams optimization. Redirecting to a local client creates issues.

 

As @Rickv4 mentioned there is a working Teams Optimization possible with plain RDP and the new Remote Desktop Client. As I am the author of the second blog he mentioned, I created an updated version for Teams new on Windows Server 2025 / 2022. To connect to the Remote Desktop Session Host we have to use a very old version of the Remote Destkop Client (1.2.4331) or - and this might be the interestingt part for Parallels - an up to date one with the Devolutions Patch "MsRdpEx" (GitHub - Devolutions/MsRdpEx: Microsoft RDP Client Extensions). Maybe you at Parallels can get in touch with devolutions and/or put "some effort" into the github project.

The updated blog article for Teams new on "plain" RDP (in german (sorry )): RDP Teams Optimierung unter Windows Server 2025 - Jans Cloud

A few Teams versions back even the new VDI2 / SlimCore was working. In the moment only the old WebRTC is working.

(Unfortunatly I have no access to Parallels RAS NFR or some licensed enviornment. But maybe someone here can give it a try to use the MsRdpEx patch with RAS optione to connect to AVD and just open a "plain" Remote Desktop Session Host.)