I do a LOT of Exchange implementations and even at that it's hard to remember the exact prerequisites for every combination of roles and services for Eaxchange. With Exchange 2010, Microsoft has included a scripts directory with XML files for pretty much any scenario.
You'll still need to do a handful of manual tasks, like ensuring the NetTCPPortSharing service is set to automatic (it's manual by default), but XML files in the scripts directory will take care of all the roles and features you'd usually install through server manager. There are options for: Read more
As posted first this morning by Doug Deittrick and TomL, aka LCSKid, there is an issue with the patch associated with KB974571. The patch is supposed to resolve a security issue with the Windows CryptoAPI. However, it has the side effect of making OCS R2 think that it is only the eval version and is expired. On reboot the OCS services will not start and OCS will be completely down. Read more
When Microsoft announced it would license ActiveSync it had wide-eyed plans to take over the world... and it just got one step closer.
You'd think Microsoft would downright loathe Apple and Google. And, on some fronts I'm sure they do. However they are the two highest profile licensees of Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol. If you've been living under a rock for the last few years ActiveSync is a mobile sync technology for email, calendaring, contacts and other data. ActiveSync has been available on the iPhone for awhile. However it still only sync'd to Microsoft Exchange. Read more
After much hullabaloo, the actual Nortel auction was anti-climatic. Avaya was bid up by a bunch of other smaller players and ended up paying $900 million for Nortel's Enterprise assets. Did they overpay, maybe... But ebay-style sometimes it's hard to let something go once you've madeup your mind. Read more
I was having a good discussion on Twitter earlier this week on the role of public folders in Exchange 2010 and ongoing. I came across a post from the Microsoft Exchange team that clears the muddy waters a bit.
When I visit a new client to talk Exchange 2010, or even Exchange 2007, the topic of public folders inevitably comes up. Here's my matrix:
If you use public folders now and absolutely need them, keep using them. Preferably on a dedicated PF server
If you don't use them now, then just forget they even exist. Read more
This morning the iPhone joined the Microsoft OCS party in grand fashion with its first client, or app in Apple-speak. The client isn't from Apple, or even Microsoft, it's from a small 3rd party in the Microsoft ecosystem called Modality Systems.
While every client I work with seems excited about Exchange 2010, few know much about it or how much it differs from Exchange 2007. If you remember the jump from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007, then Exchange 2007 to Exchange 2010 is almost as significant. Read more
Provisioning Public IM, PIC, for OCS used to be an administrative nightmare. While the server configuration was simple the paperwork and manual process made it a long and painful process. It usually took 2-3 weeks making it impossible for people wanting to try it out in a lab or proof of concept scenario. Read more
The sharks have been circling for awhile and now it looks like it's official. Response Point, Microsoft's SMB VoIP platform, is dead. Earlier this summer Microsoft announced its first substantial layoffs in memory and with it purged most of the Response Point team. Read more
The kingdom known as Nortel is falling apart. Regardless of the many conjectures as to why they failed the fact is there won't likely be a "restructured Nortel". Instead, anything desirable will be sold off to the highest bidder and the rest liquidated to cover bankruptcy obligations. Read more
Most of my posts are directed at UC technophiles, however sometimes we get caught up in the technology hype and lose track of the goal of technology in the enterprise. That is, to help people do their jobs better, faster, more efficiently, etc. IT exists to provide the enterprise a competitive advantage with relation to technology. Read more
For the last two weeks or so I've been testing a preproduction unit of the Plantronics Savi Go wireless headset for OCS. I have a "tanjay" and a wired USB headset but I can't believe how much happier I am with the wireless "Go". And that's a perfect name for it. Normally when I'm on a call, especially conference calls, I'm chained to my desk by the OCS phone or USB cable. Read more
Who knew no MSMQ could kill OCS? Enough alliteration. If you don't have MSMQ installed and you the April 2009 patches will fail to install correctly.
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Someone FINALLY released a conference phone solution for OCS! While there are a lot of solutions that require being tethered to a PC via USB, the SNOM Meeting Point is the first standalone conference device that doesn't require you lug your laptop to the conference room. While it's a GREAT solution, and currently the only one available, it does have some flaws. Read down for a full review.
SmartSIP was rather quietly released this week at Evangelyze.net. It allows enterprises to integrate Microsoft OCS with virtually any other SIP platform and endpoint device.
I've been following the progress of this project for awhile and while I haven't had a chance to try it out yet it looks very promising. Essentially it acts as middleware between OCS and other (otherwise unsupported) SIP platforms.
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Microsoft is making a big deal about their "expanded alliance" with HP. It's not quite much ado about nothing, but it's close. I'll summarize the announcement for those of you who don't want to read it all.
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I had an opportunity to chat with Jamie Ryan, CIO of Aspect Software, about his ongoing rollout of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. You may be surprised at some of the topics around server count, redundancy, ROI and ease of management.
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I use CoMo, communicator mobile, almost everyday. Whether it's to make a call from my mobile "from the office" or just IM with colleagues, a mobile strategy is key for any UC solution.
Now it's even easier to get CoMo,. Just surf over to http://getcomo.com from your mobile device. It's not just for Windows Mobile, the Java version is also available. Read more
Here's the funny part, if you're running on Server 2008, Response Group Workflows are broken out of the box. Either no one is using RG's or everyone's running them on Server 2003 x64 because I couldn't find a single reference to this anywhere on the web. I hacked around for days to figure out why and finally came up with a 2 pronged solution. Read more
Technically the voice prompts and hold music for OCS 2007 R2 audio conferencing is not supposed to be configurable. In fact changing it can have some strange consequences throughout the system. However, if you absolutely HAVE TO change them, it's possible.
First of all, I wouldn't recommend changing these settings. Do so at your own risk. It is also completely unsupported by Microsoft. From MS KB article 961177: Read more
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