The Three UC Amigos

Two UC Amigos moving to a new Cloud blog

2011-08-30T04:35:19Z

In case you haven’t noticed, the posts here have slowed down a bit. This is due to Greg and I have moved to the Office 365 for Education team this year. Bill has two new Amigos that can help contribute to this UC Three Amigos blog so stay tuned. I may also cross post some relevant UC topics occasionally. It has been a great time posting to the UC Three Amigos blog and working with the community here! I looked at the stats and we had over 300,000 unique visits in the past three years from places...(read more)

Update for Communicator for Mac 2011 13.1.2 just released

2011-07-30T22:25:42Z

This fixes some hangs and other issues. Grab it here....(read more)

Want some deeper dive video based training on the upcoming Office 365 cloud offering?

2011-06-20T21:53:01Z

Some excellent Office 365 video jump start training delivered by the products teams covering Lync Online, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Office 365: • Office 365 Jump Start (01): Microsoft Office 365 Overview for IT Pros • Office 365 Jump Start (02): Deploying Clients for Office 365 • Office 365 Jump Start (03): Microsoft Office 365 Administration & Automation Using Windows PowerShell™ • Office 365 Jump Start (04): Microsoft Office 365 Identity and Access Solutions • Office 365...(read more)

8 Lync Tools you can use!!!

2011-06-13T14:57:12Z

8 Lync Tools you can use for free, my favorite tool is the Conversation Translator which is a great usage case scenario for English as a Second language in schools or other business that need to communicate to various languages and countries. Check out the 8 tools which are: IM an Expert Conversations Analyzer Conversation Translator Information Dashboard Tabbed Conversations Group Chat Stress Lync Custom Intranet Site Lync How-to Download all 8 of these great tools...(read more)

Updates to Lync 2010 Resource Kit

2011-06-06T14:45:10Z

Two new chapters have been posted to the Kit. One on Direct SIP and the other on Exchange Unified Messaging integration. Direct Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) provides SIP trunking between an IP-PBX and Lync Server. Direct SIP supports the following use cases: Use Simultaneous Ring feature on IP-PBX or Lync Server to ring both IP-PBX handset and Lync 2010 Call from IP-PBX handset to Lync 2010 Call from Lync 2010 to IP-PBX handset Call from IP-PBX handset to dial-in conferencing on Lync Server...(read more)

NEW-Lync Adoption and Training Kits !!!

2011-05-25T22:06:33Z

Lync Adoption and Training Downloads Microsoft Lync 2010 Adoption and Training Kit The Microsoft Lync 2010 Adoption and Training Kit provides a one-stop shop for resources for IT pros, project managers, help desk agents, and trainers. The kit provides: A workbook that provides step-by-step guidance for each phase of the rollout and adoption process Adoption and training resources, such as primers, email templates, and templates for a custom Lync 2010 intranet site to help...(read more)

Video Solutions for Lync

2011-05-25T18:27:17Z

Just as we have defined certification and testing for UC with PBXs, SIP providers, e911, and Gateways we are doing the same with Video interoperability. The new website for this is here . The video interop testing looks at both Video Endpoints which can enable direct registration with OCS 2007 R2 or Lync, and Video infrastructure which is used to enable multipoint video conference bridge with Lync users and enable standards based VTCs and MCUs pass through. Very exciting times…....(read more)

Lync Server 2010 Resource Kit New and Updated Chapters available

2011-05-21T03:07:53Z

Some outstanding Lync Server deep details in the Lync Server 2010 Res Kit with new content updates available this month. I would recommend you download these chapters and become familiar with them if you are a Lync Administrator. You can download individual chapters or all the chapters. Here are the update/new chapters available in the Lync Reskit (it appears more content is being added monthly since there a lot more content than available in April so check the ResKit download link periodically...(read more)

Lync for Windows Phone 7.x and new Mango Outlook Mobile features

2011-05-20T03:19:31Z

Updated 5-24-11 with new Mango information At TechEd 2011 this week, we demoed the beta of Lync Mobile for Windows Phone 7.x and Outlook Mobile in the upcoming Windows Phone “Mango” release. The Microsoft TechEd presenter commented Lync Mobile was slated for the 2nd half of 2011 and looks like it will be a free download from Marketplace. The beta version looks pretty nice thus far. Note :Here are some screenshots from the public demo shown at TechEd 2011 however features and UI are subject...(read more)

UM and hypervisor-based clustering now supported when virtualizing Exchange 2010

2011-05-16T14:09:42Z

Some great news announced by the product team today: The Unified Messaging server role is now supported in a virtualized environment. Combining Exchange 2010 high availability solutions (database availability groups (DAGs)) with hypervisor-based clustering, high availability, or migration solutions that will move or automatically failover mailbox servers that are members of a DAG between clustered root servers, is now supported. New virtualized UM guidance (from the whitepaper): Exchange 2010...(read more)

What can you tell me about Lync Security?

2011-05-09T21:41:46Z

Updated 5-20-11 with new independent security tests against Lync Server 2010 I sometimes get asked by telecom teams how secure is the voice traffic in Lync and is the conferencing traffic secure both on the internal network or externally. Note: diagrams and a few excerpts taken from our whitepapers What type of secure communications are used with Lync? Server to server Lync Server 2010 communications is encrypted by default. By requiring all servers to use certificates and by using Kerberos...(read more)

Client Virtualization for Lync 2010

2011-05-04T12:45:16Z

This has been a hot topic for some of my customers and I’m very happy to see it’s release. The whitepaper for Client Virtualization can be found here . Products from both Microsoft and Citrix are detailed in the paper including Remote Desktop Services (RDS), App-V, and Citrix’s XenDesktop and XenApp. The paper goes on to describe 3 different options for virtualization Full Desktop Remoting, Application Remoting, and Application Streaming. …cut/paste from whitepaper… Feature Full Desktop Remoting...(read more)

Can I really move to a backupless state with Exchange 2010?

2011-05-03T21:05:41Z

This was asked by a university in California. The answer is yes it is possible with Exchange 2010 and Microsoft IT has been running in a backupless state for all mailboxes in production since the beta of Exchange 2010. Note: pics from our documentation What backup and recovery requirements did MS IT have? Support mailbox capacities of 5 GB. Reduce backup costs by eliminating third-party backups. Reduce administrative overhead by simplifying the mail restore process. Provide recovery of mail...(read more)

Are there specific PBX or SIP gateway configuration technotes for Exchange 2010 UM?

2011-04-26T21:36:15Z

A university moving away from Modular Messaging to Exchange 2010 UM wanted to know. Yes, the Exchange team has posted all of the Exchange 2010 UM validated PBXes and SIP gateways config notes here . These technotes have detailed config information for NEC, Cisco, Avaya, Nortel, Siemens, and many others. Excerpts from the Exchange 2010 UM connecting to an Avaya Aura 5.2.1 technote : Cisco Call Manager 7.x technote excerpts: Nortel CS1000 excerpts: Audiocodes SIP gateway...(read more)

Is there additional end user training for Lync available?

2011-04-25T17:36:58Z

Yes, Bill found some additional end user self paced training for Lync. Here is the course agenda: Getting Started with Lync 2010 Introduction Exploring Lync 2010 Adding Contacts Collaborate with Contacts Transfer and Forward Calls Customizing Lync 2010 Customizing Lync 2010 and Adding Contacts Self Test Scheduling Meetings Introduction Scheduling an Online Meeting Start an Unscheduled Meeting Set Up Meeting or Conference Call Options Set Up Dial-in Conferencing Using Lync 2010 to Set Up Meetings...(read more)

Lync and SQL 2008 R2–Now Supported

2011-04-25T14:05:39Z

The Lync Server product team has completed testing of Lync Server 2010 and SQL Server 2008 R2. The product now fully supports SQL Server 2008 R2 on all Lync Server monitoring, archiving, and front-end server databases. At this time, SQL Server 2008 R2 is not supported for group chat databases. The Lync Server 2010 Supportability Guide and other relevant content in the Lync Server Technical Library will be updated shortly to align to our updated supportability stance....(read more)

How do you schedule Lync meetings without Outlook?

2011-04-18T17:15:34Z

You couldn’t until today. Now you can grab the Lync Server 2010 Web Scheduler. Here is what the Lync Web Scheduler can do: Scheduling a new online Lync meeting. Listing all existing Lync Server 2010 meetings that the user has organized. Viewing and modifying details of an existing meeting. Deleting an existing meeting. Sending an email invitation to meeting participants by using a configured SMTP mail server. Joining an existing conference. Here are the Lync web scheduler deltas vs. the Conferencing...(read more)

Can Lync IM federate with Google Talk or Jabber instant messaging?

2011-04-11T17:11:07Z

This was asked by a few universities. The answer is yes using our Microsoft XMPP gateway. Where do I grab the XMPP gateway? It is free here and there is also an updated fix to the XMPP gateway here . Some more XMPP config information here . It says it is for OCS R2 does it work with Lync? Yes, it functions with Lync. The XMPP deployment guide has OCS R2 screenshots but can be applied to Lync. The OCS guy did a step by step Lync walkthrough here . Any tweaks to the Microsoft XMPP gateway that...(read more)

Exchange 2010 SP1 Unified Messaging

2011-04-11T14:13:03Z

As discussed with a lot of my customers Exchange UM no longer uses System Center (SCOM). Exchange 2010 with SP1 now has built-in reporting. Call Data Records (CDR) are generated after each call. The server collects audio quality metrics with the same metrics that are used for the Monitoring server for Lync. Once the audio metrics are received they are stored in the e-discovery mailbox. They also have a lifetime of 90 days at which time they are automatically erased. This value can’t be changed but...(read more)

OK So I have multiple Datacenters and I want Site Resiliency

2011-04-11T13:23:11Z

A common question for multi-datacenter deployments is how can we configure a DAG where failure will enable a DAG member locally vs. the other datacenter. This requires DAC mode. DAC or Datacenter Activation Mode is a property of the DAG that can be turned on or off and is disabled by default. In Exchange 2010 SP1, DAC Mode has been extended to support two-member DAGs that each have a member in a separate datacenter. Bottom-line – you can now use DAC with DAG members in same or different AD...(read more)

Lync Cumulative Update 2 - April 2011 is available for download

2011-04-07T01:28:44Z

CU2 update for Lync clients, phones, and servers available: Lync 2010 (64bit) 2496325 Lync 2010 (32bit) 2496325 Lync 2010 Phone Edition (Tanjay) 2529974 Lync 2010 Phone Edition (Aries-Aastra) 2529978 Lync 2010 Phone Edition (Aries-Polycom) 2529977 Lync 2010 Attendee (Admin Install) 2500438 Lync 2010 Attendee (User mode install) 2500440 Lync 2010 Attendant (32 & 64 bit are a combined patch) 2496326 Lync 2010 Group Chat Client 2500446 Lync 2010 Group Chat Server 2500447 Lync 2010 Group Chat Admin...(read more)

New Lync optimized headsets available from Microsoft

2011-04-05T00:28:44Z

These are our first Microsoft headsets certified for Lync: LX-4000 USB wired headset – single cup for ear LX-6000 USB wired headset – dual cup for ears For more on the headsets visit here For more on Lync Optimized devices visit here...(read more)

Lync Instructor-Led Training

2011-04-01T20:31:54Z

Attend one of our FREE instructor-led sessions to learn firsthand how easy it is to get started successfully with Microsoft Lync! Highly interactive, virtual classroom setting. Watch demonstrations and participate in hands-on activities! Many sessions are held several times per week. 30-60 minute sessions focus on real-life meeting scenarios. Live Instructor-Led Training Courses Click the course titles below to register! Core Courses Introducing Microsoft Lync Microsoft Lync empowers users...(read more)

streaming video with Lync

2011-03-31T14:00:52Z

OK. This doesn’t happen out-of-box. You can share a video on a desktop screen but we all now how that looks when we are doing an RDP session. Chris Norman’s blog outlined how to do this with two products where the video used in the session is not your video but the video streaming software. I tested this with manycam and it’s awesome! With manycam you select the video input as manycam instead of your video camera and then launch the manycam software. Select a file. I used the default...(read more)

Where is the Lync end user training material?

2011-03-30T13:56:10Z

I get asked this question from several of my education customers who are in the process of deploying Lync or are piloting Lync. I found some nice resources to help here: Lync 2010 Quick Start Guides The Lync quick start guides has eight different quick start end user training topics and can be put on a local computer for reference or hosted on an internal website for end users to view in their browsers. Grab them here . Has some nice end user quick start guidance in HTML format which...(read more)