An App Store for OCS? Great Idea!

Recently The VAR Guy blog announced that an OCS app store was in the works. Not by Microsoft though - by Evangelyze Communications, an OCS channel partner (like us!).

(There's a nice write-up on No Jitter too. Eric asked some good questions.)

I find this idea very interesting. Honestly, I hadn't figured OCS as the type of platform for an app store. But as I think about what these posts have covered, it makes more sense. Let me explain what I'm thinking here.

As Companies Grow, Communication Needs Change

The larger a company grows, the more complex its communications needs become. Communications Server is quite flexible enough to handle more complexity (especially with OCS 2010 coming). But there's no shame in getting help. By building onto OCS, you can customize its setup toward more specific customer needs.

We've done that ourselves with the Dialogic VoIP gateway. No reason someone can't do it with apps in an app store.

Say one company needs video conferencing between interstate offices. Another doesn't care about conferencing, but wants VoIP on all their phones. Two different priorities. Two different OCS setups. Perfect opportunity for custom developers.

Advantages of an OCS App Store to Developers

A Showcase
Enterprise-level apps aren't always easy to market. (Not to mention custom development services!) You're mostly marketing direct to companies, without always knowing where they are in their buying cycle. Your marketing could arrive too early - or too late.

Contrast that with a profile in an app store. Then the customers come find you when it's time to buy. All you have to do then is make sure you have a solid product, and you deliver content that addresses their communications needs.

IP Security
Safety of your intellectual property, that is. Since this would be run by a Microsoft partner and not Microsoft itself, Evangelyze has a vested interest in keeping such a store buttoned down and protected. (I'm sure Microsoft will help at some point too.)

Project Focus
You can focus on one endpoint (Polycom desk phones, smartphones, laptops/netbooks) instead of trying to develop a big huge solution for everyone. The customers who want apps for that endpoint will come find you. We already see this kind of specialization in the Apple store.

Some OCS App Ideas

I'm throwing out some ideas for apps here, off the top of my head. If you want to use one (or you're already working on the same idea), email me.

1. Social media inter-communication. Plug in Facebook Chat and Twitter.
   • A LinkedIn chat module? Maybe create an app that bridges two (or more) LI profiles via OCS IM, letting them chat in real-time after connecting? You could even leapfrog LinkedIn development here.
2. Office Communicator versions for all smartphones. Maybe a wrapper for the Communicator client, or a duplicate (better?) app for each interface - Droid, Blackberry, iPhone/iPod, etc.
3. Video Conferencing add-ons.
4. Remote server access. Maybe turn OCS into a command prompt for Telnet or SSH?
5. Translation. Auto-translate Instant Messages into a different language, and back again.
6. Software Gateway. Hey, might as well aim high. I'm sure this is possible. Someone's already working on it, I'll bet.

Call me crazy, but I like the idea of a channel partner building an OCS app store. They have a different perspective from the team who made OCS. And it's also different from developers who'll be working on custom apps for OCS. That sort of “midway” perspective should translate to a platform everybody can take advantage of for better communications technology.

What do you think? What kind of apps would you like to see in an OCS app store? Shoot me a comment; let's talk about it.

Will the New Small Business Server Help Out OCS?

A few days ago Microsoft announced two new SBS previews. Named “SBS 7″ and “SBS Aurora” for now, their preview releases will be available at the end of summer. (But only to those who sign up to participate - sign up here if you want to try them out.)

Here's what I can glean from the information out there now. SBS 7 works much like 2008, with new software versions and management/security improvements. Exchange 2007 moved up to Exchange 2010 R1, for example.

Aurora is designed for a smaller user base (25 users max), and is cloud-ready. There's fewer details about the software included, but Microsoft did mention an automated backup/restore and an SDK meant for partners to build add-ins into Aurora.

Now, this is pretty big news by itself. But what I'm wondering is, what does this mean for OCS?

Will We Have Office Communications on Aurora?

From the initial news, it looks like more attention has been paid to remote access on these new versions. SBS 7 is promised a “richer remote access experience;” Aurora is described as delivering “traditional and cloud capabilities.”
Since much of OCS' capabilities are dependent on server access on- and off-site. So I'm not worried.

In fact, Aurora sounds like a great help to small-business OCS use. Think about this…

• It's designed to support up to 25 users. This means a lighter stack, easier to run and to manage (even on older equipment).
  
  

• Since Aurora can be accessed as a cloud-based service, building a hosted OCS solution with it becomes that much easier. It may even help with simplifying out-of-the-office connections.
  
  

• Presumably, Aurora will be priced lower than SBS 7.
  
  

• The software is in development now - during/after primary development on OCS 2010. So you could take advantage of both Aurora's cloud services and OCS 2010's virtual server needs all at once. Small, zippy OCS platform.

There's another article on SBS 7 and Aurora at MCP Magazine, if you want to read more.

We're signing up for the Aurora preview. If you're signing up too, please email us or leave a comment. I'd like to hear you about your Aurora experiences, with and without OCS. This one could be a big help for small businesses considering OCS.

OCS 2007 R2 Now VS. OCS 2010 Later: What's the Plan?

(Sorry about the delay on this post. WordPress didn't want to cooperate last week, and I didn't have the time to fight with it.)

A few days ago we were asked a question. This question, I felt, deserved its own post. Because it brings up a very important OCS version point.

“Should we upgrade now, or wait for OCS 2010?”

In this case “upgrade” referred to the fact that this client had no present OCS system. The choice was between putting in a brand new OCS 2007 R2 system, or waiting a few months for the upcoming release of OCS 2010.

What Do You Need from OCS Now? Later?

This question comes down to two concerns: present need and future planning. What communications tools do you need? And how far in the future do you want to (or typically) plan?

These questions can help determine which is best. Upgrading to OCS 2007 R2 now, or waiting until the end of this year when OCS 2010 arrives. I'll address both while comparing the advantages of each approach below.

A couple things to keep in mind while we consider:

• Voice is a big upgrade issue.

• So is cost.
• Planning time is always dependent on how big an organization is.

Advantages in Upgrading Now

1. You'll get a jump on preparation. It takes time to survey and prepare.
   • You'll need an inventory of the user pool, and what they want.

   • You'll need to decide which services you want to use (VoIP or no, which servers are needed).
   • You'll need to decide what architecture to use (all local, all hosted, virtual?).
   • And you'll need to add necessary server hardware. (Or go with a hosted option, of course.)

   Deciding to start an OCS 2007 R2 implementation plan now gives you an option. Do we spread it out over a couple months? Or take a week and get it all done? The choice is yours.

2. “OCS 2007 now, OCS 2010 later” is NOT mandatory. You don't have to upgrade again (at least not right away) if your new OCS 2007 R2 system works for you.
3. An OCS 2007 R2 system removes the need for (and cost of) third-party conferencing solutions.

Advantages in Waiting for OCS 2010

1. It's intended to replace the PBX. OCS 2007 R2 can replace a PBX, but it requires some add-ons (ex., media gateway). OCS 2010 however is intended as a full PBX replacement.

2. Fewer servers needed. As I pointed out the other day, OCS 2010 will run on fewer physical servers than 2007 R2.
3. Even more prep time. If you have a larger organization, it will (obviously) take longer to prepare for a major communications change than it would a small business. Especially since you'll be moving people over to OCS, not just technology. Fortunately, you still have plenty of time to ease in.

Based on all this and the two questions I mentioned earlier, this is what I recommend:

If you intend to move to VoIP, plan for transitioning to OCS 2010.

If you're already using VoIP or don't want to use it, implement OCS 2007 R2 now.

What's your plan? Which OCS version are you moving toward?

A Peek at Next Year's Model - More Features of Communications Server 14

I'm back! I'd talk about my trip, but it's not OCS-related.

However, we did get a few responses to last week's query. The majority were questions about Communications Server “14.”

And as luck would have it, we have something to discuss along those lines!

Brent Kelly of the “No Jitter” blog posted a VERY thorough overview of Communications Server 14 on Sunday. (With pictures!)

He obviously gleaned much from the TechEd conference. The six-page article is a comprehensive discussion of CS14's capabilities, changes from OCS 2007, and so on. Read it for yourself here (but after you finish this post!):
Under the Hood of Microsoft Communications Server 14 - NoJitter.com

Really, I can't do a better job. All I want to do today is give a thumbs-up to Brent for his good work. And highlight a few of the points from his article here.

Four More CS 14 Features to Note

1. The “physical server requirement” that hampered OCS 2007 has been removed. CS14 allows you to host many of its servers on one physical server. Instead of four.
• (This is a separate consideration from the virtualization I mentioned last time. Virtualization is not necessary in this case - but you can still use it.)
2. CS 14 will support E911.
3. You'll be able to control the whole CS 14 from its new Silverlight-based Control Panel Interface. Configuration, routing, and policy rules are all accessible from there.
4. The “contact card” that shows a person's information has been expanded. It also comes up when you hover over the contact's name, instead of hitting Alt+Enter as in OCS 2007.

Finally, just something for OCS fans to remember. An official name for the next version of OCS has not been officially announced yet. So far, all the names by which this version's going are:

• OCS 2010
• Communications Server 2010
• Communications Server “14″
• “CS 14″

When the official name is announced, you'll see it right here!

No Response, Please Try Your Call Again

The OCS Insider will be back next week. I'm heading out for a business trip in just a few minutes. I'll be back in time for next week's post.

Speaking of, which of these topics would you like to hear more about?

• OCS 2007 R2 Support
• OCS 2010
• Voice over IP
• Using OCS for Conferencing (audio or video)
• OCS-Related Hardware
• Usability Tips

Leave a comment, or email me and let me know! Catch you all later.

Rename and a Revamp - New Features of Communications Server 14

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.

When Support Calls Go Awry!

Or, The Many Components Involved in Running OCS-Based VoIP

A client of ours had lots of trouble getting Conferencing to work lately. We put in OCS for them only 4-5 months ago. Naturally, they called us and said,

“Your OCS is broken! We can”t conference now!”

“Quick, Fix It!” “Which Part?”

Of course we sent an engineer out at once. He quickly determined that the problem was not OCS by communicating with our office from it. But he COULD reproduce the conferencing problem.

So what was causing it?

It’’s times like this when we all remember that OCS is one part of a VoIP phone system. A critical part, but a part nonetheless. It’’s just the part that faces the user every day, in form of the Office Communicator application. So it gets the blame when another system component won”t behave.

And that’’s what happened with our client. After some investigation, it turns out the phone company providing SIP lines to their office was having issues. They told our engineer it would be fixed by the next day. It was.

To check, we conferenced with the client a day later. Sure enough, they heard us just fine.

Glad to Help, Once We Find the Problem

OCS has multiple components - servers (Standard, Edge, Mediation and CWA), SIP Trunking, IP-PBX Gateway, Internet connections, and Office Communicator. And sometimes it only takes one breaking to mess up the others. Aggravating, I know.

I figured this was a good opportunity to remind everyone about the many things involved in running VoIP. Every IT system has components. And they do their jobs for us. Most of the time.

Yes, OCS Works for the Small Business Market

Microsoft recently announced that they are discontinuing the Response Point small-business VoIP system.
They decided that while demand was encouraging, it wasn't enough to sustain Response Point as a standalone business. The Response Point Team suggests Microsoft OCS as an alternative.

This announcement was written about on several other websites, including ZDNet. Commenters on these posts had basically two things to say:
1. Response Point was a nice solution and they're sad to see it go.
2. A full OCS VoIP system is overkill for small businesses.

Is it? That's a question worth exploring. Does OCS actually work as a VoIP phone system for the small business market?

Frankly? Yes, it does. Very well in fact.

Hosted OCS Has an Easier Small-Business Setup

The key to this is in what kind of infrastructure a small business uses. In the past, there was pretty much one way to build an infrastructure - install servers in-house, wire a network and set up the workstations to use its capabilities.

Now with cheap broadband and hosted/cloud-based IT services gaining popularity, we have a viable middle-ground. One where up-front cost is low and competitors can offer more affordable pricing structures.

Microsoft said that Response Point didn't have high enough demand as a standalone business. Maybe an in-house OCS system might seem like overkill. But nobody said a hosted OCS solution wouldn't fit the small-business bill in Response Point's place.

Voice Over IP In the Coming Years

Response Point was a VoIP replacement for a small business PBX. Technologically, this can be done in OCS 2007 as well. OCS 2007 just needs phones.

Any good OCS partner worth their salt should have a VoIP option available. Suited for small business needs and budget.

With all that said, we can give a couple responses to the main question.

• VoIP options are growing all the time. Certainly small-business options will grow as well.
• With OCS 2007 R2 out for a couple years now, manufacturers have been creating more VoIP phone systems.
• There will be more VoIP emphasis in OCS 2010. This has been known for a while now.
• A small business communications system using OCS does work. Here are two examples, one using VoIP and one not:
• WITH VOIP
• Hosted OCS 2007 R2 for Instant Messaging, Conferencing and Voice over IP
• VoIP Phones
• WITHOUT VOIP
• Hosted OCS 2007 R2 for Instant Messaging and conferencing
• Cellphones for Voice

Were I to speculate on this, I'd say Microsoft folded some of its Response Point team into OCS 2010 development. I fully expect OCS 2010 to have full VoIP capability and then some. At a level small businesses can use easily.

Upgrading from Exchange 2003 to 2010? Plan for These Changes

Among our Exchange 2010 upgrade projects, we encounter a few more clients still using Exchange 2003 than we do on Exchange 2007. We also see a lot of the 2003 clients struggle following a 2010 upgrade.

The differences between Exchange 2003 and 2010 are more severe than those between 2007 and 2010. Clients jumping from Exchange 2003 are faced with differences in administration, potential for backwards-compatibility issues, etc. For 2003 admins, it's like getting out of an SUV and getting into a racecar - some adjustment is needed!

Last week I came across this TechRepublic article. It lists 10 reference points for those moving up from 2003 to Exchange 2010:
10 Things to Consider Before Transitioning from Exchange 2003 to 2010

I wanted to highlight this for our blog audience, so future clients have some advance notice on changes they'll have to make.

In particular, I wanted to emphasize these points:

1. Exchange Server 2010 is 100% 64-bit. 32-bit servers (such as those used by Exchange 2003) will not work.
2. Your admins WILL need retraining. The difference in server roles between 2003 and 2010 alone merits it. Not to mention the new Exchange Management Console.
3. In 2010, OWA is now located on the Client Access server. Setting up OWA is not required at first; setting up a Client Access server is.
4. Plan to keep your 2003 Exchange servers active until the 2010 transition is made completely. If you remove the 2003 servers too early, users with Exchange 2003 mailboxes may not be able to get their email.
5. And one point partially covered in the article: If you're running Windows Server 2003 or SBS 2003 and want to move to Exchange 2010, upgrade your primary servers too. 2008 versions of Windows Server and SBS are out; a clean upgrade on both sides is easier. And doing both at once just makes sense - saves you additional headache later.

This is a free warning from us ahead of time. Exchange 2010 is a big step ahead in terms of Unified Communications, new capabilities like Auto-Archive, etc. It just has a learning curve, like all rebuilt software.

A Basic Plan for Unified Communications User Adoption

Last week I said I'd go into more detail about UC user adoption. In keeping with that, I thought I'd write out an adoption plan from some of our OCS/Exchange deployments.

As you probably know by now, user adoption is the other half of a successful server installation. It’’s one thing to get new systems up & running. And another thing entirely to convince/persuade/poke people into using them.

One way to push user adoption is, as I mentioned last time, to take away the users' existing option. I discuss this in Step 6 below. But if you do that, you have to give them something else. (It's kind of required.) That's what the rest of this plan is for.

Note: Technical specifications on implementing UC components (Exchange 2010, OCS 2007) will not be included here due to their length. Full implementation processes can be found in the following Microsoft resources.
Deploying Exchange Exchange Server 2010: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd351084.aspx
Deploying Office Communications Server 2007 R2: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd425168(office.13).aspx

Step 1 - Sketch out implementation plan.

Essentially, “plan out Steps 2-6 ahead of time.” Also, consider file transfer times. Factor out any offline time needed to build the new UC servers. Check on the Web for any possible hardware issues before and during implementation.

Step 2 - Determine a Switchover Point. Announce it.

Send 2 emails and make an internal communications post (forum, intranet, whatever you use). Announce a point at which the company will switch to Unified Communications. Make this unavoidable. (Someone WILL claim they didn't hear about it when it's too late.) Provide a brief how-to and benefits statement, so they know they're getting something good out of it.

Step 3 - Implement UC technology at server-level.

Self-explanatory. Refer to the above URLs for documentation.

Step 4 - Invite a group of users to test it.

Deploy all UC tools to a select group of people who are technically savvy. Preferably people from multiple departments and/or branch offices. Having them test for system errors accomplishes two things.
One, it tests the UC technology in real-time from different physical locations.
Two, testing creates a small group of advocates within the organization. (Make sure to tell the group ahead of time that people may ask them for assistance during adoption. And get their OK.)

Step 5 - Furnish all users with a training kit.

Instruct them to familiarize themselves with the new UC interface. Here's an OCS 2007 R2 Adoption and Training Kit from Microsoft. You'll probably want to add information about your organization's specific setup to this too.

Step 6 - Evaluate alternatives.

I refer to two things here when I say “alternatives.” One is your existing communication options. Which of these options should you phase out? When should you do it?

The following can usually be phased out following Unified Communications implementation:

• Non-OCS desktop phones
• Third-party IM clients
• Fax machines
• Voicemail systems
• Third-party conferencing solutions

Two is Communicator Web Access (CWA). Will you need to implement CWA? I would say yes, as it makes a good backup when someone can't access their own system or is having trouble connecting with Office Communicator. CWA should be in place at switchover.

Step 7 - Remind users of Switchover Point.

Email all users again. Make it a short interval - 7 days, for example. Mention your advocates as people to ask if someone has a quick question. (This way people don't all hound one person–namely you.)

Step 8 - Switch Over to UC!

On the appointed day…
–Deploy the Unified Communications technology for all users.
–Deactivate the communication options being phased out. See previous post.

And prepare for the inevitable grumbling that comes with change.

Have you used a user adoption plan like this? Planning to use this one in future UC upgrades? Please let a comment and let us know. Same if there's something you think should be added here. I have an Edit button and everything.

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  • An App Store for OCS? Great Idea!
  • Will the New Small Business Server Help Out OCS?
  • OCS 2007 R2 Now VS. OCS 2010 Later: What's the Plan?
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