As you know, Office Communications Server 2007 Mediation Server uses a plus sign (+) to prefix E.164 numbers in the Request Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) for outgoing calls. However, certain private branch exchanges (PBXs) do not comply with RFC 3966 and do not accept numbers that are prefixed with a plus sign (+).

To make sure that OCS 2007 operates correctly with non-RFC 3966-compliant PBXs, Microsoft released an update for Mediation Server (R1), which is described in KB articles 952780 and 952785. After installing the update, it’s necessary to create a configuration file – MediationServerSvc.exe.config – with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
                 <appSettings>
                                <add key="RemovePlusFromRequestURI" value="Yes" />
                 </appSettings>
</configuration>

What about R2?

For OCS 2007 R2, the behavior changed a little bit. Microsoft incorporated the previous described workaround in the R2 binaries, but the configuration file is no longer needed. Instead, there’s a new WMI setting, RemovePlusFromRequestURI , which is described on this page: Enterprise Voice Server-Side Components:

Compatibility with PBXs That Do Not Support the Plus Sign

Actually the RemovePlusFromRequestURI is a boolean property that can be set to TRUE or FALSE. The easiest way of changing its value, is by means of a VBScript:

' RemovePlusFromRequestURI
'

  Dim objLocator
  Dim objService
  Dim objInstances
  Dim objInstance

  Wscript.Echo "Connecting to local WMI store..."

  Set objLocator = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemLocator")
  Set objService = objLocator.ConnectServer(".", "root\cimv2")

  Wscript.Echo "select * from MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting"
  Set objInstances = _
    objService.ExecQuery("select * from MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting")

  If IsNull(objInstances) Or (objInstances.Count = 0) Then
    Wscript.Echo "Error: No instance"

  Else

    For Each objInstance in objInstances

      objInstance.Properties_.Item("RemovePlusFromRequestURI").Value = "TRUE"
      objInstance.Put_
      wscript.Echo "Done"
    Exit For
    Next

  End If

  Wscript.Echo ""

Run this script on the Mediation Server (don’t forget to run it using Administrator credentials) and you’re done.

To check the current value of this property (or to verify that the script worked), you can use the WBEMTest tool (also check this nice article: WBEM What?).

WMI Settings:
Namespace: root\cimv2
Class: MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting (Open Class)
Property: RemovePlusFromRequestURI
Possible Values: TRUE/FALSE

To use WBEMTest to verify WMI settings:

1. Log on to the Mediation Server as a member of the RTCUniversalServerAdmins group or an account with equivalent user rights.
2. Click Start, click Run and type wbemtest.
3. In the Windows Management Instrumentation Tester dialog box, click Connect.
   
4. In the Connect dialog box, type root\cimv2 in the Namespace box. Click Connect.
5. Click Open Class. In the Get Object Path box, type MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting, and then click OK.
6. In the Object Editor for MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting dialog box, click Instances.
   
7. Double-click MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting=”{…}”.
   
8. Scroll down to the property RemovePlusFromRequestURI and verify its value.
   
9. Close the Windows Management Instrumentation Tester dialog box.

Don’t forget to restart the Mediation Server service, after modifying this setting!

Have you noticed that after you install an OCS server, there are some additional files dropped in the root folder (C:\)? These are the temporary files of the VC++ 2008 Redistributable package, which extracts them to the root of the drive where the installation was run from.

This is the complete list of those pesky files:

11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.1028.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.1031.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            10,134 eula.1033.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.1036.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.1040.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM               118 eula.1041.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.1042.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.2052.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM            17,734 eula.3082.txt
11/07/2007  08:00 AM             1,110 globdata.ini
11/07/2007  08:44 AM           855,040 install.exe
11/07/2007  08:00 AM               843 install.ini
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            75,280 install.res.1028.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            95,248 install.res.1031.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            90,128 install.res.1033.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            96,272 install.res.1036.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            94,224 install.res.1040.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            80,400 install.res.1041.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            78,864 install.res.1042.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            74,768 install.res.2052.dll
11/07/2007  08:44 AM            95,248 install.res.3082.dll
11/07/2007  08:00 AM             5,686 vcredist.bmp
11/07/2007  08:50 AM         1,927,956 VC_RED.cab
11/07/2007  08:53 AM           242,176 VC_RED.MSI

The good news is that you can safely delete those files if they are really bothering you. But be careful! Be sure you don’t delete any other file necessary to the smooth operation of the server.

As you probably know by now, the setup process for Office Communications Server 2007 R2 has changed a little bit. One of the changes is that now you must manually install the Administrative Tools in a separate step (before, they were automatically installed with the product).

Whether you’re installing them on an OCS server or on any other x64 server you use for administration purposes, just kick the Setup Deployment Wizard and select Administrative Tools.

What about the Edge?

By now, you are wondering if the process for the OCS Edge server role is the same. The answer is YES! As you know, the administration of the Edge server is made through the Computer Management snap-in, rather than through the OCS R2 Management Console available in the Administrative Tools folder.

You only get the extended Computer Management snap-in *after* you manually install the OCS Administrative Tools.

Can I install the OCS R2 Admin Tools on a 32-bit machine?

Yes, you can. The supported platforms to deploy the OCS R2 Administrative Tools are: Windows Server 2003 with SP2 (x86, x64), Windows Server 2008 (x86, x64) and Windows Vista Business or Enterprise with SP1 (x86, x64).

Although OCS 2007 R2 is only supported on a 64-bit platform, the 32-bit Administrative Tools are available as part of the 64-bit installation media. You can find them under \SUPPORT\I386. In this folder there are a couple of files that are required as pre-requisites. Install them in the following order:

1. sqlncli.msi – SQL Server Native Client
2. vcredist_x86.exe – VC++ 2008 Redistributable
3. .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 – Download from web or use \Setup\amd64\dotnetfx35.exe
4. OCSCore.msi – Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Core Components
5. AdminTools.msi – Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Administrative Tools

The 64-bit experience is much better, because the Setup Wizard will install all the pre-requisites automatically. Just for fun, if you didn’t know the correct order for the x86 installation process, this is the pop-up you’d get when running the AdminTools.msi file:

OK, i see there’s a file OCSCore.msi, so let’s double click it. Damn! Another pop-up:

Hummm, the SQL Server Native Client must be this file: sqlncli.msi. Success, it’s installing! So, let’s try again the OCSCore.msi… Another pop-up, what else is new???!!

Running vcredist_x86.exe… Success! I’m pretty sure this was the last pre-requisite, let’s try again the OCSCore.msi. Ah, the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, of course!!!

Did you have fun? I sure did :-)