2016 fading out.......2017 is about come

Well, what a year 2016 has been. Lots of stars has left us. From David Bowie, Lemmy and last Carrie Fisher.
Well, as a Skype for Business consultant, this year has been great for me. Lot's of interesting projects. New job at #blinQ. Building a company from the beginning. KEMP VIP status and blinQ got as the frist in Nordic Area KEMP Center Partner.

Microsoft has pushed out more new features in Office365. The new MAC client finally got here.
Skype Operations Framework will now be a important part of how we shall deliver projects.

Someone out there in LinkedIn said that in about 2 years time the Skype for Business consultant role has gone and that companies do not want to hire them anymore.
I will not agree to that, our role as advisor, since we know how the EV works, and in the Nordics where I work Microsoft can hardly deliver EV functionality in O365. Lots of companies has hybrid solutions, so I will not agree. Maybe it's different in UK or US since they have O365 with EV. But what about Attendant or Contact Center? How can you fix that in O365? Microsoft does not have this and when terminate SIP trunk, you can do that is Azure, but then we are talking about a new game, and the UC Consultant was not dead after all :-)

Thanks to all my readers, an I'll be back next year.
Happy new Year

KEMP VIP

As some of you have read on LinkedIN. Norway has now got their first two KEMP VIP's.
I feel real proud to be one out of two.
As a KEMP VIP & KEMP Champion I will get to see what's will come on KEMP. We will also get first hand on the news.
There will be meetings with the developers, we can come up with ideas, make blogs for KEMP and be early out in the news.

If you want to know more about KEMP, well as I see it there are just one KEMP Center at present time in the Nordic, and that is blinQ AS.

Just take contact if you want to know about LBA, Reverse proxy replacement or anything around KEMP Loadmaster.

Headset is important for Skype for Business

As you noticed earlier on this blog, so have I written some bloggs about different headsets. As you can see from the search I done on my blogg:
Search for headset on my blogg

Well at this time there has been lots of good one and some not so good. But tomorrow this all will change again when Sennheiser will give me try for the new MB-660.

Based on that I have read about it already, well this is something that I am looking forward to. Will it be as great as the Plantronics Focus UC ?

Skype Operations Framwork

It has been out for a while and this is a great method to get your Skype for Business either you will have it Online, Hybrid or Onprem installation.

Skype Operation Framwork

Since working as Chief Consultant, it's very important for me to work how the best practices say. This because the customer will get best and a smooth implementation of the Skype for Business.

In the lead of the technology

Today there are lot's of people out there talking about how to take Enterprise voice to the cloud. In the Nordic region Microsoft deliver lots of users to O365.
But then you have just PSTN Conferencing at the present time, unless you can use Telenor Office365 with Telenor Mobilt Bedriftsnett.

The new features of Skype for Business CU-3

One of my customers has installed the lastest CU for Skype for Business. The CU-3 or the June 2016 cumulative update. It can be found here.

This update contains some new features that will make Skype for Business more interesting. I will go through all the new stuff that comes in this package.

1. Offline messaging, can't say have been waiting for this. But it's here now. This works like this:
Some one sends you a message when you are Offline, well the system will collect these and give you an allert the time you get back online.  Like the pictures below. More about it here

 2. Busy on Busy is a new feature also. This is something that we in Nordic countries has used for ages thanks to Competella and their Routing Agent. Microsoft has since June 2016 this feature but it has some limited features if you look at it instead of the Routing Agent from Competella.
How this is configured, well Randy Chapman has a well written blog about this. Read all about this here.

3. Video based Screen Sharing (VbSS), the thing about this is to get these pro cons:

1. Make screen-sharing (up to 5%) more reliable compared to RDP alone.
2. Make the session setup and video experience faster compared to RDP alone (setup in half the time, with a 6:1 improvement in frames-per-second).
3. Works much better than RDP in low bandwidth conditions, even when sharing high motion content, such as 3-D graphics.

You have to do some changes to make this works. There are some commands to make policy changes that has to be run. Read all about it here. My customer who installed this update has not tried this yet, but when it's done I will sure come back on it here.

The last feature that is added is the multiple emergency numbers in Skype for Business. I am not sure how often this feature will be used in the Nordic countries where I mostly work. But you can read all about how to configure it here.

Thats all for today. Hope you found this one interesting. I will come back soon with some more news about Skype for Business.

TIme is running out, it's time to upgrade to Skype for Busniess

Summer is over and I got an email from Microsoft Support regarding some customer of mine who is still running Lync 2010. The email goes like this:

"After doing more research and tests I have confirmed that both Lync Server 2010 and Lync Server 2013 issue self-signed certificate with SHA-1 algorithm to Lync clients in the meantime both Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business online issue self-signed certificate with SHA-2 algorithm to their clients.

After doing plenty of research we cannot change Hash algorithm of the self-signed certificate issued by Lync Server 2010 and Lync Server 2013 so we’d like to suggest you perform the upgrade to Skype for Business Server 2015 before January 1, 2017. "

After doing some google search I found this one from November 2014,SHA-1 client issue as it say that clients does not have to do anything but this is an technical issue.

And since also Lync 2010 is out of mainstream support well now it's the time to plan for your upgrade.

KEMP Certified

For about a month ago I become KEMP Certified Salesperson. I had to take this since my first goal was to become KCE (Kemp Certified Engineer).
Well today I passed the test and are now KEMP Certified Engineer.

The next certification is the KCP (KEMP Certified Professional).

Tech update on KEMP with HTTP/2

HTTP/2 is the next major version of the HTTP protocol. While HTTP methods, status codes and language are preserved from HTTP/1.x, this version is a completely new implementation concept and brings many performance improvements, perceived latency enhancements and better resource utilization within reach of application and network designers.

Read all about it here:
KEMP HTTP/2

Skype for Business CU3

Microsoft has come out with CU3 for Skype for Business.
You can download it from here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3061064

This is some of the new features that is included in this CU:
The June 2016 cumulative update adds the following new features to Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2015:

• Video Based Screen Sharing
• Multiple Emergency Number 
• Busy Options (Busy on Busy and Voicemail on Busy)

Busy on Busy has Competella delivered in a long time with their Competella Routing Agent. What Microsoft has published in their, am I at present time not sure of. But it will be testet and I will come back with a blog about this.

Registry fix for more than 100 users in a goup

Based on information from Technet, we now can add distribution groups for more that 100 users in our Skype for Business client.
Just follow these settings from Technet
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/lync/Skype-for-Business-cannot-e9693c2a

Client Update for Skype for Business

Yesterday Microsoft came out with a new client update for Skype for Business. Read all about here, and you can also download it from the URL.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3115087

Lync 2013/Skype for Business client update April 2016

Microsoft has an new update for the client out. It can be downloaded here:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114944


On the March 2016 update there was an issue that phone calls was disconnected after 20-40 seconds. There was also issue with joining the meeting from Lync/Skype client that the user got disconnected all the time.

With this patch, this has now been fixed.


Importent update: Was an old link that has come in here. New link has been added.

Last CU for Lync 2010

Sine Lync 2010 went out of Mainstream support 12th april this year, and now Microsoft will just comes up with critical fixes then next 5 years.
More information about this CU is here:
http://blog.thoughtstuff.co.uk/2016/05/last-cu-for-lync-2010-released-end-of-main-stream-support/

Let me just say, that is time to upgrade to Skype for Business if you are still on Lync 2010 Standard or Enterprise Edition.

DHCP options Lync/Skype for Business

Over the years, I have worked a lot with Polycom Lync phones, SNOM IP phones and Aastra/Mitel Phones.
All the years I have been using DHCP options and this has been a great and nice to work with.
Well, now it has been just a bit more simple.
We got a GUI for this now and it can be downloaded from here. There are also information about it here:
http://www.myskypelab.com/2015/11/skype4b-lync-dhcp-config-tool.html

Great tool to make your day easier.

Plantronics Voyager Focus UC

Last authum I did get my Plantronics
http://www.plantronics.com/uk/product/voyager-focus-uc?skuId=sku7180014

This has been one of the best headset I ever used. Both as a UC headset and a mobile headset.
Lot's  of my customers has also used this and they are as I very happy about it.
It's simple and great quality, long hours of speaking and together with Plantronics HUB witch you can download here: http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/plantronics-hub-desktop
You can from this application control and update firmware and other functions as well.

Preview of the new MAC client that will comes

Microsoft has this video out for the new MAC client on OS X.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a70ZoOlq2NY&feature=youtu.be

The codecs to be used is SILK and SVC264. Since this is the preview, well not all functions are in place and you can use the old 2011 client for all the other functions that is not covered in the "beta".

The new client they say that it will come in Q3 2016 for all the users. So sign up for the preview at
https://www.skypepreview.com/

PSTN Calling is now expanding.......

From the Skype Preview you can if you are in UK try out the PSTN Calling.

https://www.skypepreview.com/

Hope this will expand futher in rest of Europe soon.

New update for Lync 2013 is here......

Microsoft has delivered April 2016 update for Lync 2013.
Here is where you find it.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2809243?sd=rss&spid=924


Thanks to @randychapman on Twitter for sharing this

Mitel acquires Polycom.......

From the NoJitter blog, we got this message that Mitel acguires Polycom

http://www.nojitter.com/post/240171602/mitel-acquires-polycom--the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly#.VxEQ1XB4YUw.linkedin

Enterprise Connect 2016 Day 3

Here is wrapup video from day 3 of the Enterprise Connect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jme_iI1P9w&feature=youtu.be

CloudPBX and CloudConnector Edition

One of the big issues for Skype Online has been that we in Europe don't have been able to enable the users for Enterprise Voice. Well now are things happening.

Based on this information from Microsoft you can now have it.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/nexthop/2016/04/07/worldwide-use-of-office-365-cloud-pbx-now-simplified/

And what do you need to configure this?
https://technet.microsoft.com/EN-US/library/mt455212.aspx

This can also be solved by using AudioCodes CloudBond 365
http://www.audiocodes.com/cloudbond-365

I am looking forward to try this out soon and will then blog about the result.

March 2016 CU for Skype for Business

Some days ago in twitter I saw that the new CU for Skype for Business is now out and it replace the November CU.
URL and information will you find here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3134259

I have not tried this yet on any servers, but I will tries it out as soon as possible on our systems and will then come here with more information about this.

Skype for Business/Lync InterRoute

Today's blog is about InterRoute.....How to get this to work in Skype for Business #Skype4B or in Lync 2013 if you are stilll on the old product.

If you are installing internal sip trunks, well then this might help you a lot.
How did I fix this:
First I have a fantastic CoWorker named Thomas Stubergh here in Skill AS @SKillNorge who gave lot's of input.

The next thing we did was to establish the trunks and route's for the internal trunk and for the external trunk as well.
Then under trunkConfiguration we had to add two configuarations. and both has to have the internal and external trunks in it.
Then we had to place the internaltrunk on top on both.
Then we made the number that we wanted to be used for internal trunk on called number, and also if you have short numbers for speeddial.
And then just wait until it replicates, and magic happend.

Then we saw on wireshark that when dialing from external (my cellphone) it hit the external trunk and then moved to the internal trunk.
And then calling out from an application using the internal trunk we also saw in wireshark that it hit the internal trunk and then moved to external trunk......


Thats all for today.....

Lost conversation stopped working

After the patch for Office who came out in November, there has been an issue that lost call is not logged into conversation history in Outlook.
Here the other day Micrsoft came out with at patch to fix this.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114732 

One of my customer who has Office 2013 and Lync 2013, who had this error has tried it and they have confirmed that this patch on the client side has fixed the issue.

Just down the right version for your Lync/Skype client and it will start to write in Conversation History again.

Thanks to Dr.Lync for the url about this issue.

Building Conference rooms?

Are you planning to build new conference rooms, well you should think about quality, services to the cloud. Clear One can help you here.
http://www.clearone.com/

Tektrakom in Norway can connect you to the right partner.
http://tektrakom.no/Produkter

Skype for Business PSTN Conferencing is launching on March 1, 2016 in 18 new countries

From Microsoft I got this information.

Skype for Business PSTN Conferencing is launching on March 1, 2016 in 18 new countries for Indirect and Direct Enterprise customers: Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, and South Korea. For these countries PSTN Conferencing will be enabled for both Indirect and Direct Enterprise customers. PSTN Conferencing will also be enabled for Indirect Enterprise customers in the countries which launched on December 1, 2015.

The full list of Sell-To countries on March 1, 2016 will be: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.

Skype for Business PSTN Calling service is available in the United States, and on March 1 will be available to Indirect Enterprise customers.

My Powerpoint speaking about Persistent Chat at MUCUGN

As promised on MUCUGN last week, here are the link for the presentation that I gave about the Persistent Chat Server.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=FEC708E3CFD199B0!1236391&authkey=!AFN3R4JH0vi6hE0&ithint=folder%2cpptm

/Kai

Microsoft to acquire products from Event Zero

Microsoft has been out shopping again. This time they acquire some products from Event Zero.
Read all about it here
http://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2016/01/13/microsoft-acquires-management-reporting-and-analytics-technology-from-event-zero-to-enhance-skype-for-business-online/?wt.mc_id=soc_fb_Office-365_Skype-for-Business_null&ls=soc&ca=Office-365&lsd=fb&Ocid=1%20-%20Fans_Social_FBPAGE_Skype%20for%20Business%20-%20SkypeBusiness_20160113_329784418

Client patch for Lync Januar 12th 2016 is out (KB3114502)

Read all about the new client update her:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114502#bookmark-issue

First look at Cloud PBX and PSTN meetings in Skype for Business

2016 is here and lets recap 2015

2016 has come and happy new #Skype4B year.......

So what has happend in 2015..........

- Skype for Business client come out
- Skype for Business server
- Skype for Business Broadcast meeting
- Microsoft Ignite in Chicago
- Cloud PBX is out in US, and we waits for other countries
- Skype for Business client on Windows mobile and Android
- Skype for Business client on IOS
- Some patches with bugs (like the Novenber 2015 patch) :-)
- Ignite in 2016 moved from Chicago to Atlanta (hope the food will be better @ignite)


I am sure more has happend, and the list will be updated

So the let's turn 2016 to the #Skype4B year.