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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.

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.

Is Lack of User Adoption Hampering Your UC Plans?

How familiar is this little IM scenario to you?

Bob's IM: Hey Frank, do you have the project specs ready yet?
Frank's IM: yeah, busy right now can I send it later?
Bob's IM: Sorry Frank, your Presence didn't say you were busy. Later's fine.
Frank's IM: ok
(Frank's Presence status doesn't change at all for the next week. Bob gets his specs the next day.)

What's the problem here? User adoption. Or lack thereof. In this case, lack of adoption of OCS' Presence tool.

One of the biggest hurdles in Unified Communications is getting users to start using it. People “don't have time” or “aren't used to it” (how are you supposed to get used to something if you never use it?).

Why We're Nervous About Switching to Unified Communications

There's a simple reason why people don't want to switch to new technology like UC - we're afraid.

Oh, not of UC itself. It doesn't bite. It's just another manifestation of the human fear of change.

Nothing wrong with that. (Fear of change evolved for very good reasons at the time!) But it does get in the way of adopting newer technologies like Office Communicator or Exchange 2010.

Unified Communications contains new ways for users to communicate among themselves (and with customers). Disrupting the long-standing order of Phone and Email? People are bound to hesitate.

Someone will have to push the office to switch.

If you're the sysadmin or IT manager…that's you. (Sorry.)

Two Ways to Spur Adoption

Make it Dead Simple
Offer a training course. Mandatory.

Provide reference material. (The Unified Communications Strategies blog has solid UC material.)

Indicate what aspects of Unified Communications should be used for which activities. For example, all internal phone calls will be done through Office Communicator. Any non-critical project discussions should use IMs. And so on. Write up the complete list and post it someplace everyone will see it.

Remove Alternatives
Schedule the “old system” for deactivation at some point in the future (say 30-60 days from UC implementation). Now this may not always work - in some cases, the “old system” is the phone!

If adoption is the goal however, you may not have a choice. You'll have to make it difficult for people to use anything except the UC channels.

Remove any old phones. Make a big announcement that everyone will use Unified Communications channels from now on. Change company cellphone plans if necessary.

People will grumble and complain about it for a few days, maybe weeks. But they'll adapt.

I think I'll go into more detail on these next week. In the meantime, how have you spurred user adoption of a new product or technology? Share your story in the comments.

How to Use OCS 2007 on Your Mobile

I'm still amazed at how many people use their phones for–well, everything! We've reached the point where almost anything you can do on a computer, you can do on a mobile phone.

So it's no surprise that we've received requests for using OCS on mobiles. Some companies want their employees to still have access to OCS functions while out & about. Sure, why not? We have the tech to do that. In fact, it's now possible to put an OCS client on all major phones out there.

Let me list the clients I know about. (If I miss one and you know it, leave a comment and share it with us!)

If You Have…

a. An iPhone
Use the “iDialog” iPhone OCS client. Ironically, this app is not made by Microsoft or Apple. It was released in 2009 by Modality Systems, a UC consulting firm.
Find iDialog in the App Store. Documentation and links are available on Modality's website here.

b. A Droid (Google Android Phone)
Right now the best way to use OCS on Droids is Communicator Web Access (CWA). Like Outlook Web Access, this framework allows web-based use of a Microsoft app - in this case, Office Communicator.
The Communicator Team blog has an overview on CWA here.
(I mentioned the Web Scheduler component in February, too.)

c. A Windows Mobile Phone (Palm Pre, Nokia)
Those of you on Windows Mobile phones luck out here. There's a mobile OCS client available straight from Microsoft: Communicator Mobile 2007 R2.

d. A Blackberry
There is no native Blackberry OCS client to my knowledge. You can use the Communicator Web Client though, like you would on a Droid phone. However, if your company limits Web access on Blackberries, you're stuck. (Maybe this can help you successfully argue in favor of Web access…?)

I should note that in terms of capabilities, OCS mobile clients and CWA are practically identical to Office Communicator. Aside from screen size and a couple formatting differences, you won't lose out on anything by using OCS 2007 on your mobile.

Do you use OCS 2007 on the go? What mobile phone do you use? How's it been working for you? Let us know in the comments.

Introducing New Employees to OCS 2007: 4 General Rules on How to Use It

We brought a new network engineer on board this week. I didn't give him “the tour,” but apparently he breezed through all of it and got to work right away.

Then he had a question about OCS.

He just wanted to know who to add to Office Communicator's contact list. Easy answer. But this pointed out something important regarding new employees. He already knew how OCS worked technically; he just wanted to know our policies around it.

What are the Rules for Using OCS Around Here?

That sparked a little discussion (and this blog post). Do we have any rules in place for how we use OCS? If so, what are they? How did they come about?

Turns out we did have several rules in place. They came into existence by the whim of a nutty systems administrator who journeyed to the Forbidden Server Room–

Okay, we just used common sense when it comes to business communication.

4 General Rules for OCS Use

These are 4 of the rules we came up with. I included questions our newest employee asked.

Who Do I Add to My Contact List? Why?
Add everyone you'll communicate with regularly. Use Contact List Groups or Access Levels to group people by priority and/or proximity to you. My first group is “Team,” direct co-workers in the same department. Another group is “Company,” which holds people I don't regularly talk to, but who need to talk to me now & then.

How Often Should I Update My Status (Presence)?
Rule of thumb for us: Update Presence once a day or when you change projects, whichever is more frequent. Above all, keep it up-to-date. Avoid what happens when you don't change your Presence status.

When Is it Okay to IM People?
Depends on the severity and length of the request you have. If you have a problem that can be answered quickly, then go for IM. If the problem is more extensive, and you may need input from more than one person, then use email.

Should I Use OCS to Answer the Phone?
Yes. Our phone system runs through OCS first and cellphones second (OCS is set to auto-forward). So we answer phones via OCS whenever possible. That's what the VoIP is there for, after all.

Does your company use OCS 2007? What are your rules concerning office use? Do you have different rules than ours? Let us know in the comments.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft business technology OCS 2007 OCS 2010

OCS 2010 Gaining Industry and Media Attention

There's been a spate of news lately surrounding the recent VoiceCon unveiling of “Communications Server 14.” That's the development name for Office Communications Server 2010, the next version of Microsoft's OCS. I've collected some links below to illustrate what's being talked about.

Microsoft OCS Update Promises to Replace PBX - NetworkWorld. Discusses Communications Server 14's announcement at VoiceCon 2010 in Orlando. Mentions 14's most anticipated feature: the ability to replace the PBX as a primary voice communications system. It makes an important point about Microsoft's OCS strategy: they aren't manufacturing hardware for use with OCS (phones, VoIP gateways, etc.). They've just put forth required standards for manufacturers to meet.

Screen Shots: What's New in Microsoft OCS 14? - ZDNet. ZDNet's gone one further on this, providing a series of screenshots of the new OCS 14. Some of them depict tools currently available in OCS 2007 (like the Dial Pad and Presence status) but others are new. Notifications of voice mails waiting for you showing up in Communicator, for one. Choose which audio device you want to talk with (Bluetooth headset anyone?), for two. ZDNet's Mary-Jo Foley also posted a reaction to the OCS 2010 announcement.

Microsoft Office Communications Server: Reaching Critical Mass? - MSPMentor. This article points to a very important issue in unified communications - the question of hosted vs. on-site communication services. Which will win out in the market? What will the MSPs favor? (We like both here.)
Both Microsoft and Cisco are feuding over this space right now, so it's hard to say. But this is good information for those connected with Unified Communications in some form or another.

Time to Toss the PBX: Microsoft Unveils Office Communications Server '14' at VoiceCon - TMCNet. This last blog post goes into more detail on Microsoft CVP of Unified Communications Gurdeep Singh Pall's statements about moving “past” the PBX to OCS 2010. The notion is a bit ahead of the game; we're still very much in transition phase. But at least he's enthusiastic!
The author, Patrick Bernard, did mention something really interesting too - a software app that links up IP phones to OCS. AudioCodes is releasing SIP Phones Support (SPS) for Microsoft Unified Communications in July. Definitely a helpful step to moving more companies toward OCS.

Technorati Tags: Microsoft business technology OCS 2007 OCS 2010 Communications Server 14

How to Fix a “CertEnroll” Certificate Private Key Error in OCS 2007 R2 and SharePoint

Microsoft Office Communication Server 2007 R2 servers require certificates for several authentications between servers. SharePoint servers do too. These certificates require keys in order to maintain their security.

Today's post will give a solution for a cert error that pops up occasionally: When OCS or SharePoint fails to detect your cert's private key.

1. When setting up a new certificate for Office Communication Server 2007 R2 or SharePoint, you may receive this error.
   
   “CertEnroll::CX5090Enrollment::p_Install Response: ANS1 bad tag value met. 0×8009310b (ASN: 267)”
   
   
   This error is most likely caused by a missing Private Key on the certificate you're attempting to install.
2. In order to resolve this issue, access the MMC for certificates.
   
   
   Select the certificate you are trying to install and view its Properties. Select the Details view and copy the Serial Number you find there to Notepad.
   
   
3. Once you have it in Notepad, remove the blanks between the numbers. So it looks like this:
   
   

4. Once that's done, run the command certutil to append this now-corrected Private Key to the certificate. Enter the command as follows:
   
   “certutil –repairstore my (insert serial Number)“
   
   An example screenshot is below.
   
   
5. Once this repair finishes running, the certificate will be ready to use in your installation.

Save this private key, along with its relevant cert name, in another location. Just in case OCS or SharePoint prompts you for it again.

Did you encounter this error? Under what circumstances? Tell us in the comments if this solution worked for you.

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