Last week Microsoft released a new version of the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Workload Architecture poster. You can download it here (free, MS login required):
OCS 2007 R2 Workload Architecture Poster

The timing on this might seem odd. After all, we're charging full-on toward Lync Server 2010's release right?

Even so, this is a handy reference tool to have. For OCS 2007 and for Lync 2010.

The reason I say that is because it divides architecture up into four distinct functions: IM and Presence Workload, Application Sharing Workload, A/V and Web Conferencing Workload, and Enterprise Voice Workload.

Having these functions split up does several things for you:

• Easy reference for discussion

• Implementation aid if you don't use OCS
• Troubleshooting aid if you do use OCS
• Preparation for Lync

Now, the architecture in Lync Server is bound to differ from this. What I mean BY well, anyommunications system like Lync will need.”

Lync 2010 will need fewer servers than OCS 2007, to boot. So it should be a simpler architecture.

Familiarize yourself with OCS' architecture and be pleasantly surprised when Lync rolls out!

A couple additional points I want to make about the OCS 2007 R2 poster:

1. Make a list of all the ports you'll need to use and keep it handy during implementation (OCS or Lync). Port collisions can cause a lot of trouble fast; head them off ahead of time.

2. Note the positions of the hardware load balancers. There are that many for a good reason.
3. If there's a part of this that will change the most in Lync Server, I'd say it's “Certificate Requirements.” Virtualization, altered server roles,and the integrated PBX capabilities will all change that.

I recommend this to all companies who use OCS 2007 right now,as well as any companies considering Lync Server 2010. Download and keep it handy!

Any other downloadable OCS/Lync resources you know of? Post them here and I'll highlight them in future posts.

“Lync-Updates.” I kind of like that. Sounds catchy.

Anyway, I promised to post more on Lync Server 2010 as information became available. And so it has – lots of new information. Important stuff like pricing rates, licensing, and new Lync communication clients. Things OCS users and planned Lync users will need to know.

Lync Pricing

Lync Server is offered in Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition. Standard Edition requires that all the server components (and its database) be kept on one PC. What you'd expect for SMB configuration. Enterprise Edition allows you to separate the server components & database onto multiple PCs, using load balancing for better speeds. Very useful for larger businesses communicating via multiple offices.

Lync Server Standard Edition will cost $699; Enterprise Edition, $3,999. That doesn't include setup time of course. But these prices are holding steady at the same rates OCS 2007 R2 had.

With Lync, Microsoft lowers price of Office Communications Server – ITWorld

Also, the cost of individual licenses isn't included. Like all Microsoft server apps, there”s a license to use its client software. Or in Lync's case, three licenses.

The 3 Lync Licensing Levels – Standard, Enterprise,Plus

OCS 2007 had the Standard and Enterprise CALs. Lync Server 2010 is adding a third – the Plus CAL.

Standard CAL – Your basic individual license. It grants instant messaging,Presence, conferencing and PC-to-PC calls. You must purchase a Standard CAL before you can purchase an Enterprise or Plus CAL though.

Enterprise CAL – This license adds in more conferencing capabilities. Multi-party video conference, application sharing, support for joining a conference with a PBX or PSTN phone…that sort of thing.

Plus CAL – The Plus CAL licenses much of the voice capabilities in Lync. Like receiving calls from a PSTN line, call forwarding, and initiating a multi-person audio conference (Lync and PSTN lines).

Another great thing about these licenses is that the price for Enterprise and Plus CALS is only $107 – as opposed to the $139 you needed per OCS 2007 Enterprise CAL.

Microsoft's Lync Server Pricing / Licensing Page

New Clients for the Mac and the Web

Let us all welcome the Mac to the Lync family! Coming with Office 2011 for Mac will be a new Lync client. Communicator for Mac will ship with the new office suite (also available as a free download if needed) as part of Microsoft's strategy to bring real-time communication features into Office for Mac.

According to ZDNet, a new Web client is coming as well. OCS had CWA (Communicator Web Access), of course. The new web client for Lync however will be Silverlight-based. That should translate to a fast-loading client you can use on almost any machine (including mobile).

Microsoft to add Communicator client for Mac to its Lync line-up – ZDNet.com

There's the big news so far. No delay announcements that I've seen, so I'm still assuming we'll see Lync Server 2010 by the end of the year!

Any other news about Lync? Maybe you have some input of your own? Leave us a comment and let's talk about it.

I'm not a huge Apple fan. But I've played with a couple iPads friends have bought in recent months. I sat down to write today's post and my thoughts trailed toward the iPad.

I thought, “Since OCS' Communicator will run on the iPhone, would it work on the iPad too?”

On the surface there's no reason why not. The iPad is larger. Better screen. It has a microphone and speaker built-in. Just about everything in Communicator DOES work on iPad – IM, VoIP, audio conferencing.

Except for one thing – video conferencing.

Why? The iPad doesn't have a webcam.

With a tablet, you'd expect the ability to do video calls. Sure, you could watch the other person talking to you if THEY had a webcam. But they couldn't see you – not without a webcam plugged in (somehow). Only hear you. And that's at best a clunky solution for an otherwise-slick mobile platform.

Why Consider OCS on the iPad/Tablets?

The iPad has kicked off a big interest in tablet PCs. At least some of the 3 million iPads sold are used by businesses already. (I saw a bunch used as slideshow displays at the Web 2.0 Expo.) With Dell, Samsung and other companies rushing for the tablet market, it's practically a given that tablets will be used as PC replacements in force.

When we get there though, will OCS be viable for communications on them? That's the question.

Conferencing/VoIP on Tablets – A Future Possibility

At this point it's largely a matter of speculation. Even on the current fast-track, companies probably won't embrace tablets for mobile communications soon. (Not while laptops & smartphones do the job.) I'm sure Microsoft will make OCS apps for tablets. But they may not see widespread VoIP or conferencing use, even if tablets go mainstream in business.

At least,until Apple puts a camera in the iPad.

What do you think? Are iPads (or other tablets) slipping into your workplace? Do you think they'd be viable communications devices,for everything from IM to Conferencing?

Last week at TechEd, Microsoft announced the new features of Communications Server 14. Frankly, I”m not sure why the new version is named “14.” But that's not what I wanted to write about anyway.

What I'm blogging about today is a few of the features announced. More specifically, how those features translate into new benefits for small business OCS users.

Many of 14's updates focus on simplification: Easier administration, more unified front-end interface (Unified Communication – get it?). The main small-business advantage comes from a more comprehensive client application. All communication channels ready and waiting for you.

1. The Rise of Communicator 14

Every service goes through the Communicator 14 client. Live Meeting was originally separate from the Office Communicator 2007 client. (They were developed separately at first.) Communicator 14 has it built in. All conferencing capabilities, in fact…along with IM, voice calls, Presence, even a visual Voicemail menu.

2. More Roles Virtually Capable

In 14 there's support for virtualizing almost all OCS server roles (AV Conferencing, Archiving, Edge Mediation, etc.). Putting in a new Communications Server 14 setup becomes more appealing if there are fewer physical servers needed than for OCS.

3. Web Client Following You Around

14 includes a new Silverlight-based web client version of Communicator. Very handy if you have people who live on netbooks or smartphones. I've played with Silverlight a little too; this client is almost guaranteed to be much faster than CWA.

4. Avoid the Media (Server) and Still Call the Office

There's a new media bypass,reducing the need for a mediation server. It allows a front-end server to go “direct SIP,” meaning you can call into (supported) PBX phone systems without mediation. In other words, simpler setup, and you can still call non-VoIP phones.

5. Alert! Call #2467 is Failing!

I really like this one. There's a new Monitoring Pack in Communications Server 14. If calls are failing or their quality drops, alerts will show in the Monitoring Pack. You can even boost the audio quality if it”s degrading!

6. SQL Backend Moved to Express Lane

The Director server role will include a SQL Express database in 14. So there's no more need for a separate SQL backend. That means even fewer servers running.

There's even more features than these too. A very thorough overview is on the “Inside OCS” blog.

A smaller, more streamlined communications system. Appealing to small business cost and space concerns, wouldn't you say?

What are you looking forward to in Communications Server 14? Drop us a comment and let's talk.

You”re about to have your first full-on Live Meeting conference with a client! OCS is all set up; you”ve got the cameras ready in case they want to jump to video. VoIP is set up, Mediation server is a go, Edge server in place. Let”s call them up, right?

Not so fast. Check a few things first. You wouldn”t want your first OCS conference to crash would you? Might cause problems with the client, if they think your conferencing setup isn”t up to snuff.

These are 6 things to check in your OCS setup before any conference is held. I”m assuming basic OCS functionality is already taken care of; these are things you might not think to check right away. But they can "tangle the lines" if they”re not addressed.

1. Test the VoIP connection by calling someone outside your internal network.

If they can”t hear you/you can”t hear them, there”s a problem on the Mediation server or VoIP gateway. (Run video on this test too, if you plan to use video in the conference.)

2. Check the Edge server for invalid certificates.

A run-through of the Edge server”s event log will tell you if there”s any certificate issues creeping around. If so, these should be resolved. They could potentially mess up your client”s external connection to your OCS setup if not.

3. Double-check your SIP domains.

If you used sip.domain.com (as most Edge servers do), make sure it”s an FQDN (fully-qualified domain name) and it”s not blocked by any firewall rules. This can scuttle any external connections if not checked.

4. Is public IM federation turned on & running?

Just in case you want to send over a link during the conference. If your SIP domains are okay, this shouldn”t have any configuration problems.

5. Run the OCS Remote Connectivity Analyzer.

This Analyzer is a Microsoft tool (beta) that tests remote connectivity to an OCS server. It will even auto-discover the needed port and Access Edge.
Ask your client to run the Analyzer on their end before the conference. It”s free and web-based, so it should be quick & easy: https://www.testocsconnectivity.com/

(The Communications Server Team blog has a write-up on it here: Office Communications Server Remote Connectivity Analyzer – Communications Server Team Blog)

6. And as a last check, make sure that your Internet connection is solid.

If that goes down,well…there”s not much else you can do,is there?

If everything checks out here – you”re ready to have your chat.

P.S. – Jeff Schertz of PointBridge Blogs has a detailed review of connectivity needs too. With a few handy diagrams.

Did I miss anything? Is there something you like to check in OCS before any big conference session? Let us know in the Comments. Be as detailed as you like; it helps everybody!

Technorati Tags: Microsoft business technology OCS 2007 SIP VoIP Edge Server

When you”re experts in something, people ask you questions. The same questions. Over & over again.

I”ve blogged about many of the things our customer ask us in the past. Still, a recap now and then doesn”t hurt. And since we”ve had several sales meetings that were almost cookie-cutter when it came to the questions they asked, I figured now”s the time.

This is a trio of very common questions we get asked about Office Communications Server. (There”s actually about 6 or 7, but I”ll save the rest for a later post.) If you”ve had a burning questions about OCS but thought it was too basic to ask? It”s your lucky day.

1. What can we use it (OCS) for?

Use it to communicate with co-workers, clients and partners. Via text, voice or video.  It runs all of that through the Office Communicator client on your desktop or mobile.

2. Does it work like a regular phone?

Yes, but not 100% the same. There are handsets you can use with OCS; that”s pretty much a regular desktop phone for you. Otherwise, you can use the mic & speakers in your computer to have a voice conversation. Kind of like Skype, except OCS is more secure and incorporates tool for sharing business information while you chat.

Note: When people ask us about this, they”re also curious if OCS lets you talk with regular desk and cell phones too. The answer to that is yes, if you have an IP-PBX gateway installed. (We use gateways from Cisco,Aculab and Dialogic.)

3. Will it work with our phones?

Unless your phones are SIP-capable ,no. Regular phones use standard telephone lines. OCS 2007”s voice capabilities run through VoIP, which uses Internet connections. The tech”s too new for the older phones to use. You”ll have to make some changes.

Any other OCS questions you”d like an answer to? Leave a comment, or email me. Next week I”ll post the Top 3 Questions we get about the new Exchange Server 2010.

Technorati Tags:MicrosoftbusinesstechnologyOCS 2007SIP

While we were finishing up the new site (which you can see at www.planetmagpie.com if you like), Microsoft was sneaky and released a new OCS tool!

It”s called Web Scheduler. It lets you schedule an OCS conference using your browser, instead of Outlook or the Office Communicator desktop client. When you don”t have Outlook open, or can”t get to it for some reason, you can still join conference calls.

The Web Scheduler is pretty small too – less than 2MB. I get the feeling it”ll be included in the next update. But we can start using it in the meantime!

Uses for the Web Scheduler
Web Scheduler lets you:

• Schedule a new Live Meeting conference or conference call.
• View/change details of an existing conference.
• Check the schedules of conference attendees.
• Send out email invitations to conference participants (by using a configured SMTP mail server).
• Join a conference.

I”m thinking of two potentials where an OCS Web Scheduler would be handy.
One, on smartphones. Use OCS as a bridge from your iPhone/Android mobile into a conference while off-site. (Yes, the Office Communicator can do this from phones too. It”s always good to have a Web-based alternative though.)
Two, when you”re on someone else”s computer or network. On-site with a client perhaps, or logging in from home.

Any other ideas? Let us know in the Comments.

Technical Details
Web Scheduler is a 64-bit tool. It works on Windows Server 2003 (Standard and Enterprise x64 Edition) and Windows Server 2008. An SMTP server like Microsoft Exchange Server is needed for sending out email invitations in Web Scheduler.

To download Web Scheduler for Microsoft OCS 2007 R2, visit this Microsoft.com page: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6d6848ec-e7d6-41f4-82d9-5bed3526fcbd&displaylang=en
This IS a free download, but of course you”ll need OCS 2007 R2 to run it.

I”ll see about some more technical details – maybe instructions for use – for a later post. Setup is detailed on the above page. Have fun with Web Scheduler!

Traffic. The price of gas. No time anyway. Airport security. There”s lots of reasons why business travel is more irritating than ever. (That last one”s bad enough!) So it”s no surprise that we field lots of questions about conferencing systems.

Which always brings up the same question. “Which is better, face-to-face meetings or conferencing?”

By “conferencing” I mean conference calls, video conferencing through systems like OCS, etc. Any system used to bridge the communication gap between you and someone who”s not close enough for you to knock on their door.

So which IS better? Well, it depends on a few things. Like the person with whom you”re conferencing. Their relationship to you. Where they”re located. And what technology”s available.

What Types of Meetings Do We Have?
Let”s start with the types of meeting out there. The “type” is determined by the other person (or group) you meet, and why. This gives us about 5 major meeting types:

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