Using Windows Universal Installer for VDI plugins

Zoom provides a single installer to install VDI plugins for all of the virtual desktop platforms supported by Zoom. The new universal plugin installer combines all previous individual installers into a single installer with the option to choose which products to install during installation.

For users downloading and installing a VDI plugin for personal use, the user interface supports both a Default and a Custom option.

This article covers:

• How to understand the Windows Universal Installer user interface
  
  • Understand the Default option
  • Understand the Custom option
• How to understand Windows Universal Installer command line options
• How to understand the Zoom VDI Plugin Management package
  • Admin deployment of the Zoom VDI Plugin Management package
  • Zoom Sharing Service for VDI Plugin Management

Prerequisites for using Windows Universal Installer for VDI plugins

• Organizations using Citrix XenDesktop or VMware Horizon server published desktop, or Windows Remote Desktop
• Citrix Workspace, VMWare Horizons, AVD client, or Windows remote desktop client
  Note: Citrix Workspace app from the Microsoft store is not supported.

How to understand the Windows Universal Installer user interface

Understand the Default option

The Default option installs a VDI plugin for every platform detected. When installing a VDI plugin for Citrix, the installer checks for an installation of the Citrix Workspace client. When installing a VDI plugin for VMware, the installer checks for an installation of the VMware Horizon client. If those client installations are detected, the installer will add the VDI plugin for those platforms.

VDI plugins for Microsoft Windows 365/Azure and Amazon Workspaces do not require a specific client and a VDI plugin will be installed automatically when using the Default option.

Understand the Custom option

To only install plugins for a specific platform, the Custom option can be used to check which platform to install for. The option to install for Citrix or VMware can be selected if require a corresponding Citrix Workspace or VMware Horizon client installed.

If the Custom option is selected, the choices selected during installation are saved for future reference. When running the installer for a newer release, the Custom option will be reselected and the same VDI plugins will also be checked (provided the requirements are met).

How to understand Windows Universal Installer command line options

For administrators, the new Windows Universal Installer supports many command line options. The following table provides more information about the options and the syntax required.

Note: To apply a custom installation for specific vendor platforms using a command line, the additional command line option “CUSTOMINSTALL=2” must be included before adding the various specific platform switches such as INSTALLFORCITRIX=1, INSTALLFORAVD…etc.

Name	Value
CUSTOMINSTALL	1 - (default) installs all plugins possible 2 = required to choose custom install options
INSTALLFORCITRIX	Property for choosing to install Zoom VDI Plugin for Citrix Workspace: 0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2) 1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for Citrix Workspace (will fail install if Citrix Workspace is not installed)
INSTALLFORVMWARE	Property for choosing to install Zoom VDI Plugin for VMWare Horizon: 0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2) 1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for VMware Horizon (will fail install if Vmware Horizon Client is not installed)
INSTALLFORAVD	Property for choosing to install Zoom VDI Plugin for Remote Desktop and Azure Virtual Desktop: 0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2) 1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for AVD
INSTALLFORAWS	AWS Workspace Plugin 0 = Do Not install (default if CUSTOMINSTALL=2) 1 = Install Zoom VDI Plugin for AWS

During upgrades of the Windows Universal Installer, the previous install choices are used by default. These choices are saved under the registry path, HKLM\SOFTWARE\Zoom\Vdi\AllInOneMSI.

Name	Type	Value
CUSTOMINSTALL	REG_DWORD	1 = Set to Default 2 = Set to Custom
INSTALLFORCITRIX	REG_DWORD	0 = Not installed 1 = Installed
INSTALLFORVMWARE	REG_DWORD	0 = Not installed 1 = Installed
INSTALLFORAVD	REG_DWORD	0 = Not installed 1 = Installed
INSTALLFORAWS	REG_DWORD	0 = Not installed 1 = Installed

How to understand the Zoom VDI Plugin Management package

Beginning with release 5.14.0, the Windows Universal Installer contains changes made to support additions for the VDI Plugin Management components installed with the plugin. The installation wizard has been updated with a new screen for VDI Plugin Management as an optional package. The checkbox is enabled by default, allowing users to optionally disable installing VDI Plugin Management when installing a VDI Plugin. When VDI Plugin Management is installed, the software is displayed in the Program Files as an additional item that can be uninstalled by itself. Uninstalling the VDI Plugin does not automatically uninstall VDI Plugin Management.

Admin deployment of the Zoom VDI Plugin Management package

For administrators installing the Windows VDI Plugin using a command line, the VDI Plugin Management package can be skipped by adding the command line option “DISABLEAUS=TRUE”.

Zoom Sharing Service for VDI Plugin Management

When installing the new VDI Plugin Management software option, there is a service installed along with the components that manage VDI Plugins through desktop policy enablement for VDI Plugin management. This new service is called Zoom Sharing Service for VDI Plugin Management.

Installing the Universal VDI Plugin requires administrator privileges for the initial installation. However, the new Zoom Sharing Service for VDI Plugin Management has been added to handle future VDI Plugin installations without prompting users for administrator privileges.

Future installations will only prompt the user to install a missing or out-of-date VDI Plugin. The installation will be silent and will not prompt the user for admin privileges.

Note: These changes and the new service are only included in the Windows Universal Installer. The dedicated Citrix and VMware installers (Windows x86 or x64) do not include this new service.