Deployment Guide for Cisco Webex for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

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Book Title

Deployment Guide for Cisco Webex for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Chapter Title

Deploy Webex for VDI

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Updated:
December 2, 2020

Chapter: Deploy Webex for VDI

Deploy Webex App for VDI

Webex App VDI deployment task flow

These steps walk you through how to deploy the Webex App in your VDI environment. The steps include what you need to do on the hosted virtual desktop (HVD) environment and what users need to do on their thin clients.

Before you begin

Prepare your environment for Webex App for VDI


Important

If you want your Webex App VDI users to have access to calling features in your organization, you must use the directions in the Prepare your environment chapter to deploy a call service (Unified CM, Webex Calling, or BroadWorks) before you deploy VDI.

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

Configure one of the following types of Hosted Virtual Desktop:

To prepare for your users wanting to access the Webex App remotely from thin client devices, set up the Webex App on the centralized hosted virtual desktop (HVD) environment.

Step 2

Install the Webex App VDI plugin on thin client machines for the following platforms:

After Webex App is installed on your central HVD environment, you next get your users to install a Webex App VDI plugin on their thin client devices. Thin clients are typically lightweight or repurposed computers that users use to establish a remote connection with a centralized HVD server where Webex App is hosted.

The thin client plugins for supported platforms are available from the Webex App VDI release notes.

Step 3

(Optional) On Linux thin clients, you must also Install Webex Meetings VDI plugin on thin client systems.

(Optional)

For full-featured meetings in Webex App, you must install two separate VDI plugins on Linux thin clients.

Configure hosted virtual desktop and install Webex App

To prepare for your users wanting to access the Webex App remotely from thin client devices, set up Webex App on the centralized hosted virtual desktop (HVD) environment.

Before you begin

  • Follow all the prerequisites in Prepare your environment for Webex App for VDI.


    Important

    If you want your Webex App VDI users to have access to calling features in your organization, you must deploy a call service (Unified CM, Webex Calling, or BroadWorks) before you deploy VDI.

  • This section only covers how to install the Webex App in an existing HVD environment. See the Citrix or Vmware documentation for HVD deployment best practices.

Procedure

Step 1

Sign in to Microsoft Windows HVD as a new user with domain administration rights.

Step 2

Join the HVD to the corporate domain.

Step 3

Set up Citrix or VMware access to the HVDs.

Step 4

If your organization has its own download site that includes your site-specific Webex App, go to that site and download your organization-specific version. Otherwise, for the generic version, go to Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads and download the Webex App you need:

  • Localized installer for 64-bit Windows
  • English only installer for 64-bit Windows

Step 5

Using administrative permissions, install the app on the HVD using these command and arguments (these examples use a download directory of c:\users\[username]\Downloads\Webex.msi (where "username" is the name of the signed in user) and the autodetect VDI switch (ENABLEVDI=2)):

  • Auto-upgrade enabled:

    • VDI client in a persistent VDI setting with autoupgrade enabled—msiexec /i c:\users\[username]\Downloads\Webex.msi ALLUSERS=1 ENABLEVDI=2 AUTOUPGRADEENABLED=1

    Note

     

    If you use auto-upgrade, we recommend that you move your Control Hub organization to the slow channel. For more information, see Upgrade Management in this guide.

  • Auto-upgrade disabled:

    • VDI client in a non-persistent VDI setting with autoupgrade disabled—msiexec /i c:\users\[username]\Downloads\Webex.msi ALLUSERS=1 ENABLEVDI=2 AUTOUPGRADEENABLED=0 ROAMINGENABLED=1

See the following table for explanations of the arguments that you can use when installing Webex App in a VDI environment.

Step 6

Clone the HVD image.

For more information about the best practices for cloning Microsoft Windows HVD images, see the documentation for your Citrix or VMware product.

What to do next

For information about user preferences and how to preserve them, see User preferences.

Installation arguments, explanations, and required privileges

See the following table for explanations of the arguments that you can use when installing Webex App in a VDI environment.

Argument Notes Requires admin install privileges
ALLUSERS=1

Installs Webex App in c:\program files. This is useful in a shared environment (typically non-persistent VDI).

If this argument is not specified, Webex App is installed in %LocalAppData%\Programs\Cisco Spark

✓

AUTOUPGRADEENABLED=0

AUTOUPGRADEENABLED=1

A value of 0 prevents Webex App from downloading updates in a VDI environment.

Use this option if you prefer to manually maintain upgrades.

Use the versions that are linked from the Webex App VDI release notes. The argument does not affect a non-VDI environment.

A value of 1 allows automatic upgrades for Webex App on the HVD. If using this option, ensure that your organization is configured for slow channel.

This argument must be accompanied by ALLUSERS=1, otherwise the AUTOUPGRADEENABLED argument is ignored.

✓

ENABLEVDI=1

ENABLEVDI=2

Controls the optimized VDI solution. (Officially supported.)

1 enforces optimized VDI mode. 2 enables optimized VDI mode automatically with environment detection.

✓

FORCELOCKDOWN=LockWhenCompatible

FORCELOCKDOWN=NeverUpdate

Only for the bundle installer. When installing the bundled components for Webex App, you can use this argument to lock the version of the app that is used to join meetings, if the version is compatible with the site version.

✓
INSTALLWV2=1

Install Microsoft's WebView2 embedded browser while installing Webex App using the INSTALLWV2 command line parameter. WebView2 is required for proper operation of Webex.

For more information on the Webex App and WebView2 requirements, see Webex App | WebView2 requirement.

✓
ROAMINGENABLED=1

If this argument is specified, then the roaming database (spark_roaming_store.db) is stored in the user's roaming directory (AppData\Roaming). Otherwise the roaming database is stored in AppData\Local.

This argument must be accompanied by ALLUSERS=1, otherwise the ROAMINGENABLED argument is ignored.

See User preferences for more information.

✓

Installation comparison

Users may be in a Citrix environment and not have the thin client installed or the virtual channel is disconnected. We support this scenario with fallback to a non-virtual Webex App installation. In this mode, the app shows a warning that the quality of video may be affected. Once the virtual channel is connected, the app can change to VDI mode.

Use this table to understand the different installation combinations and how they affect media optimization for Unified CM, Webex Calling, and calls on Webex App.

HVD VDI argument Thin client plugin Call service-enabled User Calls on Webex App
ENABLEVDI=0 Not installed Media is not optimized Media is not optimized
ENABLEVDI=0 Installed Media is not optimized Media is not optimized

ENABLEVDI=1 *

ENABLEVDI=2 **

 Installed Supported deployment; media is optimized Supported deployment; media is optimized

ENABLEVDI=1 *

ENABLEVDI=2 **

 Not installed Fallback to non-optimized media Fallback to non-optimized media

* This argument does not detect the VDI environment automatically.

** This argument detects the VDI environment automatically.

User preferences

All user preferences are in the roaming database (spark_roaming_store.db). This database is much smaller than the main db (spark_persistent_store.db).

If you are a non-persistent VDI customer (a VDI environment that is deleted everytime the user logs out), you can quickly back up and restore the folder Appdata\Roaming\CiscoSpark so that VDI users won't lose preferences between sessions.

The roaming database contains all user credentials and preferences, encrypted using AES256. As a VDI customer, you should always back up the above folder, so that user credentials and preferences are maintained across VDI sessions.

To decrypt the roaming database, you should also synchronize the following folders across VDI sessions:

  • AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials

  • AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto

  • AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect

  • AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates

Configure Azure Virtual Desktop for the Webex App

Use these high-level steps to deploy a new Windows environment on Azure Virtual Desktop (formerly Windows Virtual Desktop). AVD is a cloud-managed VDI solution. Users access the Webex App through a virtualized Windows environment.


Note

We do not support full-featured meetings using the Webex App on Azure Virtual Desktop.

Before you begin

  • This solution requires a Microsoft Azure subscription.

  • You must have a user account with the TenantCreator role.

  • User accounts must be synchronized into Azure Active Directory.

Procedure

Step 1

Walk through the deployment steps in the Azure admin portal to create the host pool, virtual machines, and related settings.

A host pool is a collection of VMs that offer a similar service. Azure indicates when the virtual environment is ready.

Step 2

Use the Windows client to test if a user can access the host pool.

For specific deployment steps, see the Microsoft documentation on getting started with AVD.

Install the Webex App VDI plugin on Windows thin client systems

After you install Webex App on your central HVD environment, you must install a Webex App VDI plugin on the thin client devices.

Download the thin client plugins from the Webex App VDI release notes.

If you're unable to install the VDI plugin for your users, walk them through these steps on their thin client devices.

Before you begin

  • See Windows thin clients for a list of supported platforms for the Webex App VDI Plugin for Windows.

  • Webex App needs to be installed on your central HVD environment.

Procedure

Step 1

Go to Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads, and download the Webex App VDI plugin installer for Windows.

Step 2

Run the msi file that you downloaded.

Step 3

To open the executable file, click OK.

Step 4

Read the EULA and, if you agree, click Accept and Install.

https://www.cisco.com/go/eula

Step 5

To complete the installation, click Finish.

Step 6

(Optional) If you or users are manually installing the two plugins for full featured meetings, follow the steps in Install Meetings VDI plugin on thin client systems.

What to do next


Note

For Webex App to function properly for your users, you must use the official thin client plugin. To confirm, the Health Check shows a connected status for the Virtual Channel.

Install the Webex App VDI plugin on Linux thin client systems

After Webex App is installed on your central HVD environment, you next get your users to install a Webex App VDI plugin on their thin client devices. Thin clients are typically lightweight or repurposed computers that users use to establish a remote connection with a centralized HVD server where Webex App is hosted. The thin client plugins for supported platforms are linked from the Webex App VDI release notes.

Before you begin

See Linux thin clients for a list of supported platforms for the Webex App VDI Plugin for Linux.

Procedure

  • HP Thin Pro

    1. Download the HP ThinPro installer (cisco_webexvdi_deb.zip) from Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads.

    2. You can install the Webex App for VDI .deb package from a USB memory stick, or you can use HP Device Manager.

      For more information about mass deployment, see the documentation for HP Device Manager, available from HP.

    3. Create an image for the thin clients. See the documentation for HP Device Manager, available from HP.

  • Ubuntu

    1. Download the Ubuntu installer (cisco_webexvdi_deb.zip) from Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads.

    2. On the thin client, install the Webex App VDI plugin; enter your password at the authentication prompt.

      When you double-click the Webex App for VDI deb package, the Ubuntu Software Center opens. After you click Install, the Ubuntu Software Center locates and installs the dependency libraries, and then installs the Webex App Client.

    3. Create an image for the thin clients.

  • Unicon eLux

    1. Download the eLux RP6 installer (cisco_webexvdi_eLux.zip) from Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads.

    2. On the thin client, install the Webex App VDI plugin and if required, deploy Cisco AnyConnect at the same time.

    3. Use the Elias tool to create an image that contains Webex App VDI plugin. Deploy the image to the thin clients. For more information about how to create an image or how to update the thin client, see the Elias documentation available from the Unicon website.

  • IGEL OS

    1. Ensure that a supported version of IGEL OS is installed on the thin client device, by creating a USB stick with the OS and booting from that stick on the device.)

      Download IGEL OS from https://www.igel.com/software-downloads/workspace-edition/.

    2. Use the Universal Management Suite (UMS) to update the system firmware as needed.

    3. For features, check Cisco Teams.

    4. Under the registry, enable the vdciscoteams parameter.

    5. Under Registry > vmware > view, check Cisco Teams.

    6. On the thin client, install the Webex App VDI plugin; enter your password at the authentication prompt.

    7. Create an image for the thin clients.

  • Dell ThinOS

    Specific versions of the Webex VDI plugin are supported with Dell Wyse ThinOS. Because of this third-party integration, you must contact Dell for technical support. For more information, see the Dell Wyse ThinOS documentation for your supported release; the "Supported packages" section of their release notes mentions the version of the Webex VDI plugin that's supported. See the software download page to get a copy of the OS installation package.

  • 10ZiG Zero Client Thin Clients

    Specific versions of the Webex VDI plugin are supported with 10ZiG zero client thin clients. Because of this third-party integration, you must contact 10ZiG for technical support. For more information, see the 10ZiG page for your specific thin client.


Note

For Webex App to function properly for your users and be optimized for VDI, you must use the thin client build. To confirm, the Health Check in Webex App shows a connected status for the Virtual Channel.

Install the Webex App VDI plugin on macOS thin client systems

After Webex App is installed on your central HVD environment, you next get your users to install a Webex App VDI plugin on their thin client devices. Thin clients are typically lightweight or repurposed computers that users use to establish a remote connection with a centralized HVD server where Webex App is hosted. The thin client plugins for supported platforms are linked from the Webex App VDI release notes.

Run the MacOS installer (PKG) to install the Webex VDI plugin.

Before you begin

See macOS thin clients for a list of supported platforms for the Webex App VDI plugin for macOS.

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

Download the Webex App plugin for your macOS thin client systems from Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads.

Step 2

Run the CiscoWebexVDIPlugin.pkg file.

Step 3

Read the EULA and, if you agree, click Continue.

Step 4

Click Install, and if a prompt appears that Citrix Workspace client or VMware Horizon client must be closed first, click Close Application and Install.

You can also click Install Later if you cannot close Citrix or VMware at the time.

Step 5

Click through the remaining screens to complete the installation.

What to do next

When users launch the Webex App VDI plugin for the first time, accept the following required permissions:

Permission Description
Access Camera Uses the camera in a video call, or trying to open the camera in Settings.
Access Microphone Uses the microphone for voice in a call.
Record Screen Uses the camera in a video call, or trying to open the camera in Settings.

Note

For Webex App to function properly for your users, you must use the official thin client plugin from the download site. To confirm, the Health Check shows a connected status for the Virtual Channel.

Install Webex Meetings VDI plugin on thin client systems

For full featured meetings with Webex App:

  • On Windows or MacOS thin clients, install the bundled (App + Meetings) plugin.

  • On Linux thin clients, install the separate Meetings VDI plugin after installing the separate App VDI plugin.

Before you begin

Procedure

  • Install the bundled plugin for Windows:


    Note

    This installer includes the Webex App and Webex Meetings VDI plugins as a single package. You can find the version numbers on the download page. This bundled plugin installer is released bimonthly.

    1. Download the plugin bundle for 64-bit Windows from Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads.

    2. Run the msi file that you downloaded.

      The bundle file installs VDI plugins for both Webex App and Webex Meetings. If you do not want to install the Meetings VDI plugin, add the command line switch MEETINGSVDI=0.

      For example, msiexec WebexVDIPlugin.msi /MEETINGSVDI=0.

      (You can repair the install if you want to add the Meetings VDI plugin later.)

    3. Read the welcome screen, that shows which plugin versions are being installed, and then click Next.

    4. Read the EULA and, if you agree, click I agree and then click Install.

      https://www.cisco.com/go/eula

    5. Click Finish.

  • Install the bundled plugin for macOS:


    Note

    This installer includes the Webex App and Webex Meetings VDI plugins as a single package. You can find the version numbers on the download page. Webex Meetings VDI as a standalone plugin is released every month, but this bundled plugin installer is release bimonthly.

    1. Download the plugin bundle for MacOS from Webex App VDI release notes > Downloads.

    2. Run the pkg file.

    3. Read the EULA and, if you agree, click Continue.

    4. Click Install, and if a prompt appears that Citrix Workspace client or VMware Horizon client must be closed first, click Close Application and Install.

      You can also click Install Later if you cannot close Citrix or VMware at the time.

    5. Click through the remaining screens to complete the installation.

  • For Linux thin clients: Install the separate Webex App and Webex Meetings VDI plugins:

    1. Install the Webex App VDI plugin on Linux thin client systems.

    2. Download the Meetings VDI plugin from Webex Meetings VDI release notes > Downloads.

    3. Install the Meetings VDI plugin on Linux thin clients. See Administration guide for Webex Meetings Virtual desktop software.

Known issues and limitations with Webex App for VDI

Features

For feature limitations for each release, see the Webex App VDI release notes.

Webex App and VDI client

  • For VDI mode, we only support the provided Webex App for Windows (HVD installer) and Webex App thin-client plugin versions that are posted on Webex App VDI release notes.

  • We only support IPv4 for the HVD and thin client environments.

  • When users either don't use the VDI optimized solution or are in fall back mode, HD video is disabled and Webex App shows a notification that you may see a media quality issue.


    Note

    We do not recommend that users use VDI in unoptimized or fallback mode. Their camera or headset may not work and they may experience poor media quality.

  • On the MacOS VDI client, a video feed spills into the MacOS system bar or Application menu when the HVD connection is full screen.

  • On Linux VDI clients, an incoming call does not ring all devices (including speakers on the thin client) even if that option is selected in Webex App on the HVD host. Only the audio device selected on the HVD plays the ringtone.

Unified CM calling

  • For on-premises calling only with Expressways: if there is is no NAT between the HVD and Expressway-E in a traversal pair used for MRA, Expressway treats the SIP and media signaling as internal and does not transmit the media to the thin client. To fix this, deploy a NAT between the HVD and the Expressways. That way, when HVD sends a SIP INVITE to the Expressway-E, it goes to the NAT first. Then, Expressway-E can transmit to the thin client.

  • For fallback mode, the Mode Selection registry key cannot control the media for an auto-answered Unified CM call.

Citrix

  • The multitasking feature does not work with the Webex App on VDI.

  • In non-optimization mode or fall back mode, Citrix device mapping supports a maximum of 4 devices.

  • On Citrix for Linux, we only support voicemail playback by using the default device on the thin client. So when you want to play back voicemail using your preferred audio device, you need to open the sound settings on the thin client to set the device that you want to use by default.

  • You must install Citrix Receiver/Workspace before you install the Webex App VDI client, including when you update the Receiver/Workspace environment. If either a Citrix or VMWare client are not installed, the Webex App VDI client shows an error and the installation ends.

  • For Windows, if you're running a version of Citrix Workspace that is earlier than 2002, you must reinstall (uninstall and then install again or repair) the Webex App VDI client after you uninstall and reinstall the Citrix Receiver/Workspace. If you run version 2002 or later, you don't have to uninstall and reinstall.

    For all supported versions of Citrix Workspace for Linux, you must reinstall (uninstall and then install again or repair) the Webex App VDI client after you uninstall and reinstall the Citrix Receiver/Workspace.

  • Citrix Receiver/Workspace uses 32-bit architecture. Webex App VDI works with this environment.

Azure Virtual Desktop (Formerly Windows Virtual Desktop)

  • On Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) for on-premises Unified CM calling, we currently only support the thin client working under MRA. Webex App in a WVD desktop (a cloud based remote desktop) works on MRA. If the thin client is on-premises, Unified CM calling may be blocked by some firewall settings. Webex Calling and Webex App built-in calling are not affected.

  • AVD doesn't support "Fit session to Window" in the AVD client setup.

  • For AVD deployments, you must enable the UDP connections between the internal network and the Expressway-E—port ranges from 16384–32767.

VMware

  • You must install VMware Horizon client before you install the Webex App VDI client. If either a Citrix or VMware client are not installed, the Webex App VDI client shows an error and the installation ends.

  • VMware Horizon client version 8.x (2103) is supported from the Webex VDI plugin version 41.4 onward.

    For compatibility mode: If users have the previous VDI plugin version (including only upgrading the Webex app to 41.4), video in a call may not appear correctly.

  • We do not support VMWare Horizon client on 32-bit architecture, because we discontinued the 32-bit plugin for Windows.

    The Webex App VDI client must have the same architecture as VMware Horizon client: the 64-bit VMware Horizon client works with the (64-bit) Webex App VDI client. The VMware Horizon client only has one installer and the default installation is 64-bit.

    If vdpService.dll exists in C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Horizon View Client\x64, you have the 64-bit VMware Horizon client.

    If vdpService.dll is under C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Horizon View Client\, you have the 32-bit VMware Horizon client.

  • On VMware for Linux and Windows, we only support voicemail playback by using the default device on the thin client. So when you want to play back voicemail using your preferred audio device, you need to open the sound settings on the thin client to set the device that you want to use by default.

  • On VMware Cloud desktop for on-premises Unified CM calling, we currently only support the thin client working under MRA. Webex App in a VMware Cloud desktop (a cloud based remote desktop) works on MRA. If the thin client is on-premises, Unified CM calling may be blocked by some firewall settings. Webex Calling and Webex App built-in calling are not affected.

  • For VMware Cloud desktop deployments, you must enable the UDP connections between the internal network and the Expressway-E—port ranges from 16384–32767.

  • After you check check the camera or audio device in Connect USB Device on the VMware Horizon Client, Webex in HVD cannot detect or show those devices.

Miscellaneous

  • In Citrix and Windows Virtual Desktop vGPU environments, Webex App is not detected as working in a VDI environment.

    We recommend you install the Webex App with the ENABLEVDI=1 argument, to enforce VDI optimization.

  • We support one Webex App VDI client working together with one instance of Webex App. Users can start multiple Citrix or VMware sessions, but only one connection instance works and the other instances fall back to non-VDI mode.

  • Webex App VDI detects Citrix at first and then VMware in the HVD environment. If you want to use VMware, make sure no Citrix Agent is installed.

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