To ensure your network environments and workstations meet Microsoft’s Teams requirements, assessment tests are required throughout your network.
Microsoft provides a utility called the Microsoft Network Testing Companion which is used for both Teams and Skype for Business.
The attached PDF instructions will guide you through installing and running the utility.
Workstations will require PowerShell to install the utility. Version 5.1.xxx yields good results.
Note: You should be logged in as a local admin account writing to the local Hard Drive. The use of a network drive or Microsoft One Drive may cause the MNTC to run improperly.
To achieve a reliable baseline assessment, your Network Administrator will run this utility on user’s Windows based PC workstations within every unique subnet, router, and or Data-Switch users are connected to. A minimum sample size of 30% must be tested. For example, if all users’ workstations are connected to one data switch or router, you will select 3 of 10 user workstations connected to that one network element. In the event users are connected across several data switches or routers you will select 3 of 10 users connected to each network element.
The test should be run during times of peak network utilization (during normal business hours) and repeated for each brick-and-mortar office Teams users will reside.
As for remote home-based offices, in-depth testing of home user networks is not performed prior to a deployment.
Any problems with home networks must be addressed on a case-by-case basis, due to the varied nature and complexity of home networking equipment, provider over subscription and wireless network congestion/interference. The test can be run on the home office user’s Windows PC workstation should the user experience connectivity or voice quality issues.
When you run the companion utility it will create two output files, an assessment(quality) result file and a connectivity result file.
The output results for each test will be written to the user’s PC as follows.
1 Assessment (Quality) Results File: C:\Users\:”username”\AppData\Local\Temp\results_analyzer.txt (This is a temp file and must be copied while the companion is still open)
If the utility is closed before copying this file, the file will no longer be available to copy, and you will need to rerun the test.
2 Connectivity Results File: C:\Users\”username”\AppData\Local\Microsoft Skype for Business Network Assessment Tool\connectivity_results.txt (This file can be copied at any time)
Copy contents of each users’ tests results to files with a naming scheme that will easily identify the Teams user’s workstation and network they are connected to.
Should there be an issue across several users, a naming scheme can help quickly identify commonality.
The results should be reviewed by your Network Administrator with copies sent to Altigen’s team to review.
Also, the link below has useful information published by Microsoft including sections regarding Network Requirements / Optimization, and Bandwidth Requirements.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/prepare-network
Should you have any questions or concerns please advise.
We look forward to receiving your results.