UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS BLOG

Lync Server 2010 Mobility Guide – Essential reading now mobile app available

Andy Ord — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:09:49 +0000

The Lync 2010 mobile app for Windows Phone extends the power of Lync to your mobile device including stunning presence availability, instant messaging (IM), audio conferencing and calling features from a single, easy to use interface. Please ensure the Lync server environment is configured correctly for this exciting new client by reading the mobility guide.

This document guides you through the process of deploying the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Mobility Service and the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Autodiscover Service. Get the download by clicking here.

Some of the key features of the Lync 2010 mobile app for Windows Phone;

View all of your fellow employees and Lync contacts availability and choose the best way to communicate – selecting either an instant message (IM), phone call or email.
Connect to Lync conference calls instantly
Use your Enterprise Voice (Lync ID) number for making and receiving calls, so you can connect to others using a single consistent identity
Lync 2010 for Windows Phone provides transport layer security (TLS) and perimeter/internal network protection without requiring a VPN, so your communications experience is safer no matter where you are or what network you use.

Lync 2010 Mobile Clients Released

Andy Ord — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:53:27 +0000

Yesterday was crazy as a number of colleagues found it fun sticking their phone in my face and showing off this latest client!!! Well the good news is it finally arrived.

Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 Released

Andy Ord — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:45:59 +0000

Well I have certainly found this latest service pack a great addition, not because of the fixes but rather the host of new enhancements this service pack includes. SP2 includes much anticipated features such as the Hybrid Configuration Wizard, Address Book Policies, Outlook Web App Mini and Cross-Site Silent Redirection for Outlook Web App as well as the customer requested fixes and rollups released prior to service pack 2.

Get this latest download by clicking here.

For an overview of important new features and functionality which can be useful when you’re planning, deploying, and administering your organisation please click here.

Latest HP handsets for Microsoft Lync

Andy Ord — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:07:54 +0000

Fantastic, more new handset offerings available from HP for Microsoft Lync. This is another great example of the rich Microsoft eco-system and end user device choice.

HP 4120 IP Phone

Product overview

The HP 4120 IP Phone is a Microsoft® Lync™ optimized knowledge worker desktop telephone. The HP 4120 IP phones can operate stand-alone in a Lync™ environment. The HP 4120 IP Phones are cost effective and ideal for deployment in employee desktops for day to day usage. The HP 4120 IP Phones provide Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity as well as an optional power adapter where PoE is not available. The HP4120 IP Phones are well suited for day to day usage in Microsoft Lync™ UC environment. Users are able to log into their Microsoft Lync™ user account by entering their PIN on the phone allowing them access to voice mail, personal contacts and any customized user profile settings.

Microsoft® Lync™ optimized desktop IP Phone
Stand-alone operation in Lync™ environment
Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity

HP 4110 IP Phone

Product overview

The HP 4110 IP Phone is a Microsoft® Lync™ optimized common area telephone. The HP 4110 IP Phones are stand-alone, cost effective and mainstream phones that are ideal for deployment in common areas such as lobbies. The HP 4110 IP Phone provides Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity as well as an optional power adapter. Simplified wall mount capability provides easy installation. The HP4110 IP Phones are well suited for “hot-desking” applications. Users are able to log into their Microsoft Lync™ user account by entering their PIN on the phone allowing them access to voice mail, personal contacts and any customized user profile settings.

Microsoft® Lync™ optimized common area phone
Stand-alone operation in Lync™ environment
Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity
Well suited for “hot-desking” applications
Simplified wall mount capability

Lync 2010 Phone Edition Cumulative Update 4 (CU4) November 2011 available

Andy Ord — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:41:59 +0000

This cumulative update fixes the following issues:

2577892 The date and time displays an incorrect format in the Simplified Chinese language version of Lync 2010 Phone Edition
2577893 The AM and PM characters are truncated in the Dutch language version of Lync 2010 Phone Edition
2577948 The notification message does not display correctly on a telephone that is running Lync 2010 Phone Edition
2578804 You cannot apply high-contrast mode after you switched languages on a telephone that is running Lync 2010 Phone Edition
2578806 A telephone does not correctly obtain a VLAN ID when the VLAN ID is higher than 512 in Lync 2010 Phone Edition
2578807 The LIS information might be lost when you use a telephone that is running Lync 2010 Phone Edition

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for Polycom CX500, Polycom CX600 and Polycom CX3000 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=23866

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for Aastra 6721ip and Aastra 6725ip http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=18390

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for HP 4110 and HP 4120 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=28158

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for Polycom CX700 and LG-Nortel IP Phone 8540 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=21644

Lync 2010 Cumulative Update 4 (CU4) November 2011 available

Andy Ord — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:40:13 +0000

This update package also fixes the issues that are previously documented in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles:

2629913 IMs are still archived in Outlook after the behavior is disabled by policies in Lync 2010
2637591 No IM notification is sent to the notification URI in Lync 2010
2607289 The language of a Lync 2010 client resets to English
2614343 An update is available to enable RTAudio narrowband between Lync 2010 clients and Mediation servers in Lync Server 2010
2623817 IMs are still archived in Outlook after the behavior is disabled by policies in Lync 2010
2623814 The application-sharing feature does not work in a meeting which contains an anonymous user in Lync 2010
2623823 An update is available to enable the presence information on voice and video capabilities in Lync 2010
2623821 A blank windows might display when Lync 2010 starts
2629910 Inaccurate warning message during an instant message conversation in Lync 2010
2623818 The IM history is not stored in the default Exchange mailbox when you use Lync 2010
2639837 “An error occurred during the online meeting.” notification when a user tries to join an online meeting that is created in Outlook by using Lync 2010
2623813 An update is available to apply certain changes on the “Set Location” feature in Lync 2010

Download:

Lync 2010 Hotfix KB 2514982 (32 bit) http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=25055

Lync 2010 Hotfix KB 2514982 (64 bit) http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=14490

Granite Expo 2011 – Thursday 27th October

Andy Ord — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:10:47 +0000

Looking forward to presenting at this event. You will find me at the Instalec Technology Group stand demonstrating Microsft Lync. Will you be there?

Microsoft Lync Conversation Translator Helps Oil Company

Andy Ord — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:51:45 +0000

Had a fantastic opportunity to “WOW” a client recently, the jaw dropped when I demonstrated it. Microsoft Lync Conversation Transalator is one of eight great tools made available since the Lync product launch, this particular one being capable of a real-time language translation service for Lync instant messaging (IM) conversations. With Conversation Translator, both the sender and receiver can converse in their native language, and Conversation Translator handles the translation. Powered by the Microsoft Translator Web Service, Conversation Translator currently supports translation between 35 languages. In my case it allowed conversation between staff on oilrigs in total different locations around the globe.

The other tools are:

IM an Expert
Conversations Analyser
Conversation Translator
Information Dashboard
Tabbed Conversations
Group Chat Stress
Lync Custom Intranet Site
Lync How-to

Download these useful tools by clicking here.

Microsoft Officially Welcomes Skype

Andy Ord — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:30:14 +0000

Well you’ve heard about it before but over my holiday break Microsoft officially welcomed Skype into the fold. The completion of the acquisition earlier this month also marks the official introduction of Skype as a new business division within Microsoft.

“Skype is a phenomenal product and brand that is loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “We look forward to working with the Skype team to create new ways for people to stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues — anytime, anywhere.”

Get the full press release here and also check out some interesting statistics provided below.

Microsoft Lync Standard Edition – Disaster Recovery Plan

Andy Ord — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:20:06 +0000

I was dealing with a customer query regarding Lync recovery plans earier this week. They only have deployed Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition and had some concerns around it being a single point of failure. It came as no surprise to find a fantastic couple of postings on NextHop. If you haven’t heard about it before get it bookmarked. NextHop is the Microsoft Lync Server team’s customer response channel—a new medium to rapidly make the information you need available to you, when you need it. NextHop provides pertinent, short-format, technical articles between major releases of the product and associated product documentation (technical library content, Resource Kit book, whitepapers, and tools).

This two-part article outlines a step-by-step disaster recovery process for a single Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition Front End Server.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition Disaster Recovery Plan, Part 2

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition Disaster Recovery Plan, Part 1