Lync

Microsoft Lync Backup Script

April 28, 2011

The popular Microsoft Lync unified communications solution unifies your voice, video, IM, and collaboration onto a single platform. Unified communications is a wonderful thing, but putting all your eggs in one basket means you better be damned sure you back it up! And you better be sure you can quickly restore a backup copy. Several solutions exist for backups, including tape backups, Amazon cloud backups, etc.

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Lync Server 2010 Now Supported on SQL 2008 R2

April 21, 2011

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Microsoft OCS QoE Voice Analyzer App for WP7

April 12, 2011

Are you a Microsoft OCS 2007 R2 or Microsoft Lync user looking to analyze the Quality of Experience (QoE) on your Window 7 (WP7) phone? Then I have just the utility for you! The QoE Voice Analyzer app is now available at WP7 Marketplace for download and it sports some nifty QoE tools.

It's worth pointing out that QoE metrics are collected at the end of every VoIP and video call from participant endpoints, which includes Office Communicator, Office Live Meeting, the A/V Conferencing Server, Mediation Servers and IP phones. The metrics are collected and sent in a SIP header to the OCS Front-End server by each client.

This WP7 app assists OCS admins to better understand the Microsoft 2007 R2 QoE reports.

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, Video Conferencing, VoIP

Microsoft LyncAddContacts Utility to the Rescue!

March 11, 2011

Yesterday, I wrote about a utility that lets you find the versions for all your OCS/Lync clients in the enterprise. Today, I'm going to show you how you can easily add contacts en masse to your Lync clients. This is a great utility for IT administrators looking to deploy Lync without having to go to each workstation to add contacts. It's worth noting that the Office Communications Server 2007 Resource Kit Tools has a utility called LCSAddContacts, but alas this version doesn't work on Microsoft Lync.

Well, have no fear, Jeff Guillet over on the EXPTA {blog} has developed a utility to make your life a bit easier.

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Find Microsoft Lync Versions For All the Clients

March 10, 2011

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

ClearOne Launches Speakerphones For Microsoft Lync & Skype

February 28, 2011

ClearOne today launched its two latest USB speakerphones designed for use with Microsoft Lync or Skype for audio conferencing. The CHAT 70-U (for Lync) and CHAT 60-U (for Skype), both feature integrated call controls, including an end-call button on the device. They also include the propriety ClearOne technologies enabling natural conversation without the clipping, echo, noise or tinny sound many people associate with speakerphone use.

Both models feature raised, push-button controls for speaker volume, mute, and call hook and include a blue LED which lights when a call is in progress.

Posted in Accessories, Gadgets, Lync, Skype, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Microsoft Lync Virtualization How-to Guide

February 22, 2011

Microsoft just released a whitepaper that outlines best practice recommendations for running Lync Server 2010 in a virtualized environment.

Here's a snippet from the Table of Contents showing the covered topics:
1.2    Why Virtualize?
2    Virtualization in Lync Server 2010
2.1    Terminology
2.2    Supported Functionality
2.3    Hypervisors
2.3.1    Validated Hypervisors
2.3.2    Other Hypervisors
2.3.3    Unsupported Hypervisors
2.4    Guest Operating System Requirement
2.5    Virtualized Lync Server Deployment General Considerations
2.5.1    Mixing Physical and Virtual Servers Running Lync Server 2010
2.5.2    Spreading Lync Server Workloads on Different VM Hosts
2.5.3    High Availability through Virtualization
2.5.4    Quick Migration and Live Migration Support
2.5.5    Dynamic Memory Support

8    Measuring Performance on Virtual Lync Server 2010
8.1    Performance Indicators
8.1.1    Processor and Percentage of Processor Time
8.1.2    Network Interface
8.1.3    Memory
8.1.4    Databases
8.1.5    SIP

1.7    Establishing Performance Baselines
1.7.1    Resource Utilization Baseline Tests
1.7.2    User Load Baseline Tests
1.7.3    Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) Resource Utilization Baseline Tests: (Monitor on All MCUs)

Running Lync in a virtualized environment is a popular topic amongst Lync aficionados, so read up on this document and avoid any pitfalls in your UC infrastructure!

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

Hosted Microsoft OCS/Lync Provider Supports Direct SIP Trunking

February 3, 2011

Direct SIP trunking has existed since OCS 2007 R2, however, WorkSpace Communications claims to be the only hosted Microsoft OCS/Lync Provider to support direct SIP trunking in a "hosted" environment. Even the more recent version Microsoft Lync cannot do direct SIP trunking when using a hosted Lync provider. I stopped by their booth at ITEXPO where they told me that Microsoft said it would be near impossible to offer direct SIP trunking in a hosted scenario. Well, they figured it out and are now applying for a patent.

Currently, WorkSpace Communications is hosting OCS 2007 R2, but Lync support will be released very shortly.

Posted in ITEXPO, Lync, Microsoft, SIP, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) Adds Microsoft Lync Support

January 27, 2011

According to BlackBerry's BlackBerry Enterprise Server Add-on product website, support for Microsoft Lync is coming soon. In the footnotes it says "Support for Microsoft Lync Server will be available in an upcoming BlackBerry Enterprise Server Service Pack." It will be released as part of BES 5.0.3 which is still in beta. BES 5.0.3 was expected to be released in Q4 last year, so 5.0.3 should be released any day now. Notable new features include:

Support for Microsoft's Office Communications Server 2007 R2 and Lync Server 2010
Support for Microsoft Office 2010 file attachments
Support for Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2 virtualization platform

Microsoft is participating at ITEXPO next week and some Lync partners as well, so I'm sure there will be some Microsoft Lync-related announcements made at the show.

Posted in ITEXPO, Lync, Microsoft, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

ProtoSphere 3D Virtual World Combines Microsoft Lync, VoIP, Collaboration, & Social Media

December 20, 2010

ProtonMedia's ProtoSphere combines Microsoft Lync, VoIP, collaboration, & social media features to bring a 3D virtual world to life, enabling the enterprise to more easily interact and collaborate. One of their competitors is Avaya's (formerly Nortel's) Web Alive, which I wrote about back in 2008. Both products feature a 3D virtual world targeting the enterprise. Think Second Life virtual world meets business world.

I interviewed Ron Burns, CEO of ProtonMedia to learn more about their fascinating solution.

Tom: Talk a bit about what your solution does.

Ron: In our 3D environment you're in the room and you're moving the data around with other people.

Posted in Lync, Microsoft, Nortel, Social Networking, TMCnet, Unified Communications, VoIP

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