This release introduces the first-ever Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) optimization for Microsoft Teams on Amazon WorkSpaces for Windows endpoints, delivering a seamless, high-performance collaboration experience.
A First for AWS Customers
Previously, Amazon WorkSpaces users did not have access to a fully optimized Teams experience. With this release, AWS environments now offer VDI support for Teams, bringing long-requested capabilities to both Personal and Pool Windows WorkSpaces client configurations.
What’s New: Key Features and Benefits
- Multimedia Offloading: Audio and video processing are now offloaded from the virtual desktop to users’ endpoint devices, resulting in smoother, more responsive calls and meetings.
- High-Definition Audio and Video: Experience crisp, clear video and audio for remote meetings that feel natural and engaging, with improved reliability and reduced latency.
- Feature Parity: Enjoy Teams experience on Amazon WorkSpaces that matches the functionality of desktop Teams clients.
Previously, Teams' audio and video streams on Amazon WorkSpaces were routed through the virtual machine, which could add latency and influence the quality of the media experience. With this update, media processing is handled directly on the endpoint device - audio and video now bypass the VM entirely. Currently, this optimization is available specifically for Amazon WorkSpaces accessed via the Windows WorkSpaces Client –AppStream and other platforms are not yet supported.
Behind the Optimization: Step-by-Step Breakdown
Fig 1 – Key Components required for MS Teams OptimizationWhen a user launches Teams in Amazon WorkSpaces VM the following sequence occurs:
- The MS Teams VDI Bridge on the VM detects that MS Teams is running inside a virtual machine and initiates the virtual channel between the VM and the endpoint device.
- Amazon WorkSpaces loads the MSTeamsPlugin.dll on the user's endpoint device.
- Plugin downloads and installs the required Slimcore MSIX package from the Microsoft Public CDN on the endpoint device.
- The local process MsTeamsVDI.exe is spawned which handles the media offload to the endpoint device
All this sequence is abstracted from the user and happens in the background.
Customer Success: Real-World Impact
André Akkerman, Director of Workplace Technology at Wolters Kluwer, shared the following:
“Our Amazon WorkSpaces users initially faced some challenges with Microsoft Teams video conferencing, including connection stability, system performance, and audio-video quality. These technical limitations impacted our ability to provide a rich collaboration service in our remote and hybrid work virtual environment. Working together with AWS and Microsoft, we implemented MS Teams Optimization for Amazon WorkSpaces across our global user base in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific regions. The results have been outstanding.”
Juan Rivera, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, added:
“Microsoft Teams users expect seamless collaboration experiences across any environment,” said Juan Rivera, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft. “With Teams VDI2 optimization, we are delivering innovative capabilities that transform virtual desktop performance, offering rich functionality, smooth audio and video experiences, and exceptional reliability. By enabling direct endpoint routing for media traffic, organizations can provide employees with the high-quality Teams experience they expect while maintaining flexibility and optimizing infrastructure costs.”
Getting Started with Teams VDI Optimization
Ready to take advantage of Teams VDI optimization on Amazon WorkSpaces? Visit our website to get step by step guide and ensure your WorkSpaces environment is configured for the new Teams VDI optimization.
Microsoft