Install new Microsoft Teams (version 2) in Citrix

The New Teams version (sometimes also called Teams 2.0) will become the new standard for Microsoft’s communication platform from July 1, 2024. On October 1, 2024, the Classical Teams client in the VDI context will reach its end of support and, according to the latest news, its end of availability date on July 1, 2025. These end dates have been adjusted several times in recent weeks.

SAML Authentication between Citrix & Microsoft with Azure MFA

Update to the latest cloud navigation.

As a result of increasing projects, here is a little how-to with the summary of my previous articles. The main points are:

Azure AD Seamless Single Sign-On (PTA / PHS)
SAML Authentication (Azure AD as IdP & Citrix Gateway as SP)
Citrix Federated Authentication Service (FAS)
Microsoft Azure Multi-Factor-Authentication with Conditional Access

Requirements

Fully working Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktop Environment (StoreFront & DDC Minimum Version 7.9)
NetScaler with successful base configuration & activated Enterprise or Platinum license (Minimum Version 12.1 Build 50+ for native workspace app, for browser Minimum Version 11.1)
Configured Unified Gateway vServer
Internal and external DNS entries for Unified Gateway vServer (e.g. citrix.deyda.net)
Certificates for DNS entries (wildcard certificates are the easiest)
Existing Azure Tenant with Azure-AD base configuration (Domain, AAD Sync) & activated Azure AD Premium license
AD Connect version installed and configured (Minimum Version 1.1.644.0)
Firewall release for *.msappproxy.net on port 443
Domain administrator credentials for the domains that connected to Azure AD via AD Connect
Installed Authenticator App on Test User Mobile Phone

Install Teams & OneDrive in Citrix (Machine-Based)

Update of the existing article to the latest requirements and features.

Microsoft Teams

User Based Microsoft Teams

The standard installation that the user can perform, e.g. via the Microsoft365 Apps portal, is a user-based installation. In the Citrix environment, this is only recommended for desktop operating systems (pooled or personal desktop).

A User-Based Installation can be detected very quickly in the User Profile, because data are then located under AppData\Local\Microsoft\Teams.

This type of installation in a worker with server operating system has many cons:

No control over the installed version
Several different versions possible installed on the same worker
Complete data (~1 GB) are in the user profile

Why a Windows Server 2019 VDI should be Hybrid Azure AD joined

What is Hybrid Azure AD Join ?

Let’s just start with the official definition from the Microsoft documentation:

Hybrid Azure AD Join: Joined to on-premises AD and Azure AD requiring organizational account to sign in to the device.

This means that after the device is Hybrid Azure AD joined, it behaves the same as any other computer connected to Active Directory.

Sign in with an Active Directory account is required.
User credentials are verified against an Active Directory domain controller.
Group Policy objects for users & computers read from the domain controller are applied automatically.

After the Active Directory connection process is complete, additional steps are performed asynchronously in the background to register the device in Azure AD as well.

MSIX App Attach with Windows 10 Version 2004 in Citrix Environments

With the latest version of Windows 10 (version 2004) it is finally possible to use MSIX App Attach in Citrix without any special adaptation.

MSIX App Attach allows you to store applications for virtual environments outside a virtual machine in a VHD/X file. Such an application can thus be integrated into the user session if required.

What is MSIX App Attach ?

MSIX App Attach is based on the concept where the application is stored in MSIX format in a central location and integrated into the operating system. After embedding, applications look like locally installed applications to both the user and the operating system. When combining FSLogix Profile Containers and MSIX App Attach, the Golden Master Image’s operating system remains completely clean and data, profiles and applications are completely separated.