Something a little different this week – two mini-posts!

One today on a Lync Server update. One tomorrow on the Jabra BIZ 620 Duo USB headset.

Mobile Clients are Coming Soon: Prepare Lync Server

Yesterday I tweeted a link to a recent Microsoft announcement: Lync clients coming soon for Windows Phone 7, the iOS platform, and Android (via Engadget).

Last week, Microsoft also released a new Cumulative Update for Lync Server 2010 – one intended to prepare Lync for use of these new mobile clients.

The update, Cumulative Update 4, consists of multiple server-side (and client-side) updates, as well as six new Cmdlets. The cmdlets are what mark this as a mobility update. Tom Arbuthnot has written thorough descriptions of the cmdlets over at the Lync’d Up blog. I’ll just give overviews on what they do here (go read his post for full information – it’s worth it!).

1. CsAutodiscoverConfiguration: Lets you change Autodiscover settings. Autodiscover helps client apps (like a mobile Lync client) find certain resources, like a user pool.
2. New-CsWebLink: Creates a Web link to Autodiscover. Handy for updating configuration with new clients.
3. Test-CsMcxPushNotification: Verifies that Push Notification’s working, so you’re able to send notifications out to mobile devices.
4. CsMobilityPolicy: Lets you control Mobility Policies. In Lync, these policies govern who can use a mobile client, as well as if you can use Call via Work (using work numbers instead of mobile numbers for calls).
5. CsMcxConfiguration: Configures Lync Server Mobility Service settings. Enabling mobile devices to use many of Lync’s services – Presence information, voicemails, conferencing, etc.
6. CsPushNotificationConfiguration: This cmdlet lets you configure Push Notification.

Lync Server Updates for Core Components, Administration and Clients: Install Them All

The Cumulative Update 4 files are available for download at Microsoft Downloads. The easiest installation method would be to use the Cumulative Update Installer (LyncServerUpdateInstaller.exe).

If that doesn’t work for you, look under “Installation Methods” on this Microsoft Support page for a manual install option.

And as Justin Morris wisely reminds us – don’t forget to backup your Lync Server setup first!

Check back tomorrow for our second Lync headset review!

Short post today, since everyone’s starting to think about turkey and traffic by now.

I received an email from Rob the other day, asking if he could create a link that would start up a Lync voice call. If so, he could then send this link via email, enabling whoever received it to make a auto-call just by clicking that link.

This IS possible to do with Lync Server. In fact, there’s a couple variations of it out there.

#1 – One-Click Dial with the Lync Internet Explorer Add-In

I mentioned this the other day – an add-in that Lync-enables every recognizable phone number on a website. You click the Lync icon next to it…and Lync auto-dials the number for you.

#2 – Auto-Contact URL for Voice Calls

As it turns out, it’s pretty easy to send a Lync-enabled phone number via email.

All you have to do is create an HTML link in this format – “tel:+12223334444“. 1 plus the area code plus the number. No spaces (and no quotation marks, of course). In HTML it’ll look like this: <a href=”tel:+12223334444″>Call 222-333-4444</a>

Outlook will even auto-create the link if you type it out in an email window.

Lync grabs onto any tel: links Outlook receives. So when the email arrives and the recipient clicks the link, it will automatically open a Lync call window.

(NOTE: Rob also asked about triggering a video call in the same way. I don’t know of a link format that will do this directly. But! Adding video to a call is just one more click in the call window. So, still within reach.)

#3 – Auto-Contact URL for Instant Messages

The same method as #2 can be used to send an IM link. Except in this case, you would use the person’s SIP address. For example:
IM:<sip:chris@PMTestEmail.com>

Thanks to Tom Kisner at TheLync.net for his blog post detailing the auto-contact URL syntax. Perfect fact-check for me on this one (our own tests matched up to his formatting lockstep). If you don’t use Outlook, or want to see the straight HTML used in these auto-contact links, check out his post.

Have you used a link like this? Within your company or outside it? I’m curious to hear what happened, & if you had any snags along the way. Please email me or comment below.

In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving! See you next week.

On Sunday, I received an email from a UK consulting firm. The individual (I’ll call him Mr. B) wanted to know about monitoring Lync Server.

Now, his question was more about identifying the signs of a well-functioning Lync setup. But it touched off a related question in my mind – how much monitoring does Lync Server do for itself?

Turns out, quite a lot. Lync’s Monitoring Server role keeps tabs on just about every communication in & out. It’s not a required server role for Lync to run, but it’s recommended.

Why? Simple reason – Monitoring Server reports help you figure out what’s working (and what’s not).

Reports are broken down into four categories: System Usage Reports, Call Diagnostic Reports, Call Diagnostic Reports (per user), and Media Quality Diagnostic Reports. Makes it easier to identify a specific problem, if you know what type of problem you’re looking at.

What Monitoring Server DOES Provide

Overall, reports cover pretty much everything you’d want to know about how good a job your Lync Server’s doing. For example, you can find all of this in Monitoring Server reports:

1. Information about the communication sessions in your organization. That covers VoIP phone calls, IM sessions and conferences.
2. Endpoint information about each session. IP addresses, connection speeds, which Edge Servers were used, etc.
3. Quality measurements for the different types of communications you use (SIP calls, video conferencing, etc.).
4. Activity lists for each user in the organization, by date and/or session type.
5. Reports on Call Admission Control-restricted sessions.
6. Summary of (and details on) calls made to Response Group workflows.
7. Diagnostic reports and troubleshooting information for session failures (including SIP response codes and diagnostic headers).
8. Server Performance reports:  Shows you which servers have had the most problems, using metrics like packet loss, signal degradation, noise, etc.

And a few more.

Many of the Monitoring Server reports are broken up by type, or medium. For example, one report will tell you about IM sessions, broken down by pool. Another will tell you about VoIP calls in the same pool. A third could provide a summary of all communications in that pool.

What Monitoring Server DOES NOT Provide

• The content of a phone call, IM session or conference. That’s the job of Archiving Server.
• Monitoring for the Windows Servers Lync is installed on. It doesn’t cover Windows processes. Use a standard server monitoring tool for that.
• Non-Lync Server application logging. Use a third-party tracking tool to track activity on these.

Microsoft has a Work Smart guide for Monitoring Server here: Lync Server 2010 Monitoring Server Reports Work Smart Guide – Microsoft Download Center
Plenty of information on each report, what it records, and how to make use of the data.

Have you referred to a Monitoring Server report lately? What did you find out?

Some people learn by reading, some by doing, and some by seeing. Which are you?

Up until now I haven’t done much beyond text on this blog. But today, I have a treat for the visual learners – eight Lync Server how-to videos!

I’ve written a lot of how-to on this blog over the past year. Most of what’s covered in these videos can be found here in text format. However, if you’d rather SEE how to set up an Edge Server or call forwarding, these are for you.

How to Install a Lync Server: Start to Finish, on Video

The first 5 videos come from a YouTube member named “ITBananas.” (Their YouTube Channel is here: http://www.youtube.com/user/itbananas) We’re looking at a 5-part series on how to install and configure a Lync Server 2010 setup.

I suggest watching these in Full Screen mode. It makes seeing the options selected easier.

Video 1 – Install and Configure Lync Server 2010 – Installing ADCS

Video 2 – Install and Configure Lync Server 2010 – Prerequisites

Video 3 – Install and Configure Lync Server 2010 Part 1

Video 4 – Install and Configure Lync Server 2010 Part 2

Video 5 – Install and Configure Lync Server 2010 Part 3

The videos can run a little fast. And there’s no voiceover. (I don’t mind that, but it might throw you off if you expected audio.)

Nonetheless, these make for a good step-by-step visual aid to installing Lync Server.

More How-To: Edge Servers, Call Forwarding and Making Lync Calls

Add an Edge Server to Lync Server 2010

This video was posted by “AhmedYousryHassan,” who’s likely a Microsoft tech. (The “Microsoft TechNet” logo at the beginning, and the contoso.net domain used, sort of give it away.)

This video does have voiceover. It walks you through using Topology Builder to add an Edge server to an existing Lync setup.

It’s a very clear how-to on one specific task. I’m adding this to our training regimen.

Setup Call Forwarding and Simultaneous ring in Lync 2010

We’ve had a few call forwarding questions lately, so I wanted to include a good how-to video for setting it up.

Since this one comes from the Microsoft Lync Adoption and Training Kit, I’d say it qualifies.

Make a Call Using Lync 2010

The acting is kind of bland, but don’t let that ruin this Microsoft training video. It does a good job of showing Lync’s call options. Starting calls from IM, adding people to existing calls, two-click conference calls, and so on.

What other Lync Server videos have you seen? Any good how-to’s we should mention here?

First off, I want to say thank you to all the new signups, and the people who’ve emailed me with questions! We’ve had a lot of conversations lately. It’s great! Lync Server adoption is growing like crazy (not just on the blog too – we’re getting more & more consulting projects on it).

Today’s post centers on the Skype purchase. Yes, once again. Someone asked about it, honest!

Thing is, they asked me a very poignant question:
“What else do you think is in the cards for Skype at Microsoft? I’m thinking about Windows 8, mostly.”

GOOD question. And from just a little research, I determined that we’re not the only ones who’ve weighed in on it lately.

Skype’s Future at Microsoft: Ars Technica Speculates

Big-name tech news site Ars Technica posted on this the other day. Jon Brodkin speculated on “integration everywhere,” putting everything from Windows Phone to Xbox Live to Windows 8 on Skype’s potential-destination radar.

Jon has some very good points about how easily Skype could be integrated into the Microsoft software base. I think building it into Xbox Live and Windows desktop make a lot of sense. With that in mind, I’ll say this:
Adding Skype as a default option to Windows 8 is the smart play.

Picture this. You install Windows 8 around this time next year, on a dozen tablets for employees. Lync Server is already running on your back-end. The Skype client included in your Windows 8 detects each employee’s Lync credentials, auto-configures…and poof, your employees are able to call anyone.

I mean *anyone.* In the office or around the world. The VoIP in Skype and the Unified Communications in Lync, working together.

Pick up a Windows Phone and you’d have the same connectivity there. Same interface too. Sounds like a good future for Skype, doesn’t it?

Will Skype Grow, Shrink, or Vanish? Web Users Weigh In

That wasn’t the only speculation I came across though. Many Web users have their own questions. And their own concerns.

I’ve copied out a few of them below. And added my own thoughts. Some useful food for thought, for those of us involved in office communications.

“Do we have to use an integrated client?”
I suspect there will be several client options. A “basic” Skype client, Lync 2010 with Skype baked in, a Windows Phone app, etc.

“Skype on Windows Phone 7?”
As one commenter said on the Ars Technica piece, “Microsoft could easily roll its own telephony package.”  With the Skype technology and a Lync backend, they could indeed. That’s a bit more ambitious than I was thinking. It would be a very good pull for Windows Phone though!

“Skype allowed multiple logins before. Will we lose that?”
More than one person was interested in multiple logins. Since a seamless integration – not just with Lync, but also with Windows Phone and Xbox – makes sense, multiple logins is still a safe bet.

“Will Skype disappear into Lync and Windows Live Messenger?”
Unlikely. The Skype contact interface is too well-known to just throw it out. It’s more likely that Windows Live Messenger will take on most of Skype’s interface.
Lync less so, since it has its own interface. That will be more of an in-process integration; certain steps to use Lync may come to resemble Skype.

“Skype’s painfully inefficient. Anything Microsoft does will be an improvement.”
While that seems a little excessive, a lot of user complaints about Skype are that it’s slow. Bloated, memory hog, call it whatever you want.
Will that increase load time for Lync? Or other Windows integrations? Possibly. It IS a disparate code base. One possible method would be to re-develop segments of the code as they’re integrated into separate Microsoft platforms (one for Lync, one for Xbox, one for Windows 7, one for Windows 8…).

Hopefully Microsoft will release some additional plans soon. Now that the merger is approved, they’ll want to avoid wild speculation going on too long.

Since there’s already so much discussion, they’d better hurry!

I hope this sates your curiosity (for now). Next week I’ll discuss a Lync bug we came across in our latest implementation.

We’re installing Lync Server for a new client right now. So far everything’s gone smoothly – no server snags, & the user PCs are all new enough to handle Lync.

However, we’re fielding questions about the Lync 2010 client. (This client didn’t have OCS 2007 before, so the Lync interface is brand new to them.)

Is the Lync client new to you? Are you uncertain of what to do once it’s up & running on your screen? Today’s blog post is for you.

I’ve written out 8 things you should do after Lync loads for the first time on your PC. There’s basic stuff, and a couple things that aren’t mentioned in the tutorial screen (so you might miss them). These are all based on the questions we’ve answered for our newest Lync client.

1. Run Through the “Welcome to Lync” Intro

The intro comes up automatically the first time you open Lync. It shows you were to enter your Presence status, what your picture will be, what mobile number you have listed. The important thing is that the intro also tests your audio & video.

Check your audio by clicking “Phone Check”. Click the “Make a Test Call” button. A Lync call window will open, asking you to record a message. It’ll play that message back, so you can hear how you’ll sound on calls.

Next, check your video by clicking “Webcam Check”. This will activate your webcam (if you have one attached or built into your PC) and display it. If all’s well, you should see yourself. (Hope you combed your hair!)

Once you’ve checked audio & video, close the Intro. Now we need to check some options.

2. Turn on Logging (and Event Logging)

• Click the Options button (the gear at top right).
• Under the General options, you should see a Logging section.
• Check the “Turn on logging in Lync” and “Turn on Windows Event logging for Lync” if they aren’t already checked.
• Logging helps pinpoint issues when troubleshooting. If issues come up later, that is.

3. Add a Picture

• Under Options, click My Picture in the left-side menu.
• Chances are you’re set to the faceless “Default corporate picture”. Click “Show a picture from a web address” to add your own.
• Microsoft has provided instructions on how to prepare and add a picture to Lync.

4. Verify Your Phone Numbers are Accurate

• Click Phones in the left-side menu.
• You should see your phone numbers – work, mobile, home.
• Uncheck the “Include in my contact card” box if you don’t want Lync users to see them.
• If the numbers aren’t right, contact your network administrator. (Your information is pulled from Active Directory. If it’s inaccurate, it should be changed in AD.)

5. Set Call Forwarding

• Still under Options, click Call Forwarding.
• You’re probably set to “Turn off call forwarding”. This is fine; as you’ll note in the white settings box, unanswered calls should go to voice mail.
• If you want calls to forward, click “Forward my calls to:” and select the number. Or contact.
• If you want calls to ring your phone and another phone simultaneously, click “Simultaneously ring:” and select the number/contact.
• One change I recommend is in the white settings box. Click the text beside “These settings will apply:”, and you’ll see a window with two options. “All the Time” and “During work hours only as specified in Outlook”. Select “During work hours” and click OK.

Click OK to close the Options window. We’re done there. Now let’s play with Lync a little.

6. Make a Test Call

Just right-click any contact you have and select “Call”. (Make sure they’re not Busy first!)

7. Verify Lync Add-ons Work

Here’s a bonus you might not have heard about. Lync 2010 installs two add-ons for Internet Explorer (8 and up recommended). These add-ons make it possible to Click-to-Call.

What’s Click-to-Call? Open up Internet Explorer and you’ll see. Go to any website that lists a phone number on the homepage.

See the phone icon beside it? That’s Click-to-Call. You click that icon, and Lync calls the number for you!

Test this with any number you want. It works just like calling a contact in Lync. (NOTE: The Lync add-on only works in Internet Explorer.)

8. Set Presence Status

• Back in the Lync client window, click the Personal Note area up top (above your picture).
• Type in a short message on what you’re doing. For instance, “Working on the Fisherman Project”.
• Below your name you should see “Available”. Click on it; you’ll see a menu drop down. Click “Busy” to change your Presence.
• Below that you’ll see a field labeled “Set Your Location”. Click it. Type in your location (at your desk, at the office, on-site with a client, etc.).

And now, you’re ready to start using Lync 2010!

Are you a new Lync user? What else would you like to know about the client?

It never fails. You blog about a topic, then you come across more information on it.

After last week’s post on Lync certs, a co-worker and I discussed the cert tests he just took (and passed, yay!). He mentioned that the Lync Resource Kit had helped him out. I took another look, and guess what? New stuff came out!

Follow-Up to Lync Certification: Updated Lync Resource Kit Chapters, and a Visual Aid

Two of the 19 available Lync Server Resource Kit Chapters were updated in late August. According to DrRez, they updated “Enterprise Voice” and “External User Access.”
The Enterprise Voice chapter added 8 pages on Call Admission Control (CAC). Given how important this call-routing technology is to Lync, all of us should read through it before the cert test.

DrRez also has a visual aid for us: a Protocol Workloads poster for Lync. It clarifies workload by Server Role: IM and Presence, A/V and Web Conferencing, Enterprise Voice, Application Sharing and Central Management.

The layout for each workload is very similar. Makes it easy to see how the roles can be installed side-by-side in the server room.

Follow-Up to Branch Appliance: Posts from InsideLync.com

One of the sites I check regularly is InsideLync.com, Curtis Johnstone’s blog. It’s a Lync-focused blog (like mine!) with lots of hands-on knowledge. Great resource.

This week’s check showed me two newer posts that relate to my post on Lync Branch Appliances a couple weeks ago.

A. Microsoft Lync Remote PowerShell Administration
Contains tips and a link on remote administration for Lync Servers (like a branch appliance). Pay attention to #3 and #4; if your certificates and your scripts aren’t cooperating, there’s only so much you can do remotely.

While you’re there, read this post on virtualization with Lync:

B. 10 Basics on Lync Server Virtualization
Just like the title says; virtualization basics for Lync. This WILL NOT help you with a branch appliance; as #2 points out, it’s the only server role that can’t be virtualized.

However, virtualization is something to keep in mind when you plan a branch appliance. Will a virtualized Server Role at the main office drop my branch appliance’s performance? Should I virtualize any additional branch servers? And so on.

Arm Yourself (With Knowledge!) Before the Exam

A final note: My co-worker also mentioned that 70-664 (Lync Server Configuring) was more difficult than 70-665 (Lync Server Administrator). So if you’re studying for these certs, spend a little extra time on the Administrator material!

Have you taken the Lync certification exams, or are you planning to? I’d like to hear about it. Please comment or email if you want to share your experience.

We’re at the end!

The end of the “20 Tasks” series, I mean, (Hah, I scared you! No, the blog’s not going anywhere.)

For the final entry in this series, let’s talk branch appliances.

Branch appliances are Lync Servers running at branch offices. They handle communications between the branch office and the main office, including phone calls, for up to 1,000 users.

(If you have more than 1,000 users at a branch site, you’ll need a Branch Server instead – slightly different installation.)

The main value of a branch appliance is Enterprise Voice. Namely, that branch offices can continue using Enterprise Voice – even if the link to the main office goes down.

If you’re in a position where you need to add a branch appliance, celebrate! It means things are going well!

And then, keep reading.

How to Deploy a Branch Appliance

Part 1: Prepare the Branch Site

We start preparation by adding a new branch appliance to Active Directory. Make sure the physical server is in place beforehand though!

1. Log on to Lync Server as an Enterprise Admins Group member.
2. Click Start, and then click Administrative Tools.
3. Click Active Directory Users and Computers.
4. On the Actions menu, click New –> Computer.
   In the New Object-Computer dialog box, type in a name for the Survivable Branch Appliance computer object (i.e., “OliveBranch1″).
5. Click Change.
6. In the Select User or Group dialog box, add the RTCUniversalSBATechnicians group and then click OK.
7. Click OK to save the Survivable Branch Appliance computer object.
8. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click ADSI Edit.
9. In ADSI Edit, right-click the computer object that you created in the previous steps, and then click Properties.
10. In the attribute list, click servicePrincipalName, and then click Edit.
11. In the Value to add field, type HOST/. (without the brackets) is the FQDN we just set for the branch appliance. For example, “HOST/OliveBranch1.mysite.com”.
12. Click OK to save the servicePrincipalName attribute setting. Then click OK to save the computer object properties.
13. In Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click Users.
14. Click New –> User.
15. Enter information into the wizard to create a domain user account for a Survivable Branch Appliance technician. (They’ll be responsible for adding the physical device to the domain.)
16. In Active Directory Users and Computers, click Users, right-click the user object. Click Add to a group.
17. In Enter the object names to select, type RTCUniversalSBATechnicians, and then click OK.
18. If you want to add more technicians to this branch site, repeat Steps 12-15.

Part 2: Add the Branch Site to Lync Topology

Next up we’ll add the branch site to your Lync topology.

1. Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Lync Server 2010, and then click Lync Server Topology Builder.
2. In the console tree, expand the central site, right-click Branch sites, and then click New Branch Site.
3. In the Define New Branch Site dialog box, click Name, and then type the name of the branch site.
4. If you want to, click Description and enter a description for the branch site (so you can distinguish later).
5. Click Next.
6. (Optional) In the next Define New Branch Site dialog box, do any of the following:
   • Click City, and then type the name of the city in which the branch site is located.
   • Click State/Region, and then type the name of the state or region in which the branch site is located.
   • Click Country Code, and then type the two-digit calling code for the country/region in which the branch site is located.
7. Click Next.
8. If you are using a Survivable Branch Appliance or Server at this site, make sure the Open the New Survivable Wizard when this wizard closes box is checked.
9. Click Finish, and then follow the directions in the wizard that opens. You’ll need the following information:
   • The new branch appliance’s FQDN
   • Which Edge Server this branch appliance will connect to
   • The FQDN or IP address for the gateway you’ll associate the branch appliance with
10. If you want to see what the wizard will want ahead of time, see this page: Define a Survivable Branch Appliance or Server.

Part 3: Determine What Voice Routing Method to Use

There are three options when it comes to routing method. A PSTN gateway, or SIP trunking with or without media bypass. I’ll link to TechNet posts on each for greater detail:

1. Define a PSTN Gateway at the branch site,
2. Configure Media Bypass on a SIP Trunk,
3. Or configure the SIP Trunk without Media Bypass.

As of yet we haven’t performed #2 for any clients. We have done 1 and 3. Neither is difficult. But be sure to test your branch appliance thoroughly, just in case!

After all this, your new branch appliance should be in place and running.

I’m not sure what next week’s post will be on. We’ve received a lot of questions (and Lync issues) lately, so the field is fertile. Do you have a question about Lync Server–or a problem? Email me, or leave a comment. I like digging for the answers.

Hope everyone in the US has a good Labor Day!

Last week I said I’d dedicate a post to the Lync How-To in the new Lync Adoption & Training Kit.

Having spent a little while fiddling with it, I’m glad I did. This tool deserves the focus!

The Lync How-To fulfills several functions at once, both out-of-box and with the customization options it presents. Use it as a training tool, a knowledge base, a FAQ, etc.

(Apologies for the screenshot quality; I’m not the designer on the team!)

There are two versions of the tool: One in Silverlight, one in HTML. I tried out the HTML version. (Bonus tip: The jqueryRolodex.html file will load in a browser directly. No need to upload it to a Web server first!)

As you see above, the tool’s set up with an expand-to-the-right menu style. This way you can see all the subcategories for any given topic. Quick, easy reference.

The categories are:

• Lync 2010 Presence and Instant Messaging
• Lync 2010 Voice and Video
• Lync 2010 Sharing and Collaboration
• Meetings and Conference Calls – Schedule
• Meetings and Conference Calls – Join
• Meetings and Conference Calls – Conduct
• Lync 2010 Group Chat
• Lync 2010 Attendant

On some pages, you’ll see a movie projector icon in the top right. When you do, it links to a how-to video from Microsoft on the current topic.

I’m pointing this out because it leads into a huge benefit of the How-To: You can customize ALL of the content in it.

Make the Lync How-To Fit Your Business (Instead of the Other Way Around)

The Lync How-To uses JavaScript, CSS and XML. So every part of it is customizable. Use these and you can:

1. Add your own information. Edit the content if you want, or add in company-branded images. Look in the Assets folder for each category’s images, scripts & videos.

2. Turn off categories you don’t use (or change the ones already there!). In the How-To tool, a file called Rolodex.xml lists all the category and content list information. If you aren’t using a certain Lync element (say, Archiving?), you can comment out the Archiving category in Rolodex.xml.

3. Use this as a reference for your own tutorials. Guide your users through steps in the How-To in order to educate them. For example, let’s say I wanted to train a group on how to:

• IM a co-worker
• Start a call in Lync between you two
• Invite a customer onto the call (even though they don’t have Lync)

I would point the group to these steps:

• Lync 2010 Presence and Instant Messaging –> Send an Instant Message
• Lync 2010 Voice and Video –> Add Voice to an Instant (Messaging Conversation)
• Lync 2010 Voice and Video –> Invite Others to a Call

A Step Above the Usual FAQ

This tool essentially brings a detailed Lync tutorial directly to your users. Instead of telling them to go search out some URL online, you can just hand them a shortcut.

The How-To even includes etiquette recommendations for IM conversations, calls and conferences! (I know I’ve had a few IM conversations where I wanted to smack someone with a dictionary…)

Download the Lync 2010 How-To in the Lync Adoption & Training Kit from Microsoft.

Have you tried this out yet? What customization would you add to it?

One of the stated goals of Lync was to make communication easier for everyone.

Microsoft has released a new Adoption and Training Kit for Lync Server 2010. Each of its add-on tools accomplish that goal.

(Credit to The Unified Communications Group Team Blog for the post that alerted me to these!)

These tools basically re-designate Lync Server as THE platform to use for international business communication.

I’m serious. Look at what’s included in this kit.

Informed IM: Translation, Conversation Tabs, Talk to an Expert, Quick Info

Conversation Translator: Real-time language translation. They type something in Japanese, you read it in English. You type something back in English–they read it in Japanese! The biggest hurdle of communicating with international customers has been toppled.

Tabbed Conversations: Consolidates several IM windows into one window with tabs. Just like a browser. Good space-saver.

IM an Expert: You (the admin) designate “experts” in your organization for certain topics. Another person IMs the “IM an Expert” contact and asks a question. IM an Expert forwards it to the appropriate expert, based on your designations. (It also saves the conversation for addition to a knowledge base.) Pretty handy for larger organizations, where you don’t know everybody.

Information Dashboard: At-a-glance information relevant to the person you’re chatting with. Their current time, weather, top local news. Again, valuable when communicating with someone in another time zone (or country).

And that’s not all. There are tools to help Lync admins too.

Admin Help: Stress Tests, Conversation Analysis

Group Chat Stress: This tool pulls double-duty for the administrator. One, it verifies that your Lync user connections work properly. Two, it helps you stress your Lync hardware for benchmarking. It does both by creating stress loaders, which you distribute to Lync contact PCs. You run the loaders when it’s time to stress the Lync servers.

Conversations Analyzer: Unsure of how effective employee conversations are? Use the Analyzer to review Lync IM conversations. It gives you scores of the conversations, based on trust rules (how the language positively – or negatively – affects trust in a reader).

Lync Custom Intranet Site: This is more an add-on than a tool. Microsoft essentially packaged a Lync-focused intranet template for you. It contains links to online Help, how-to videos, and Lync Web Tools (like the Web App). Your users need help (with Lync)? Post this internally and send them the URL.

Plenty of Reasons to Adopt These Tools

Microsoft bills these tools as intended “to generate user excitement and encourage widespread adoption.” I don’t know about users, but I’M excited!

I think all Lync users will get the most out of Tabbed Conversations and Conversation Translator. Talking to others is arguably easier now on IM than it is in person!

The Admin tools let Lync administrators test the system anytime they want. Very handy for troubleshooting, and general admin tweaks.

Watch for a Lync How-To Post Later

There is one more download available. It’s the “Lync How-To.” It’s not just some reference document though–it’s a training tool. I’ll dedicate a full post to that later (it deserves it!).

Now We Have an International Option for Instant Messaging

These are big usability enhancements. Every Lync administrator should download these right away. (Yes, they’re all free.)

Which of these do you think has the most value? Which would you use first?