My name is Kevin Peters and I am an MVP in Lync (2010) an an MCM from Lync Masters Rotation 9. I typically post about things I’ve run into in the field deploying Lync or OCS, or things that I find interesting as they relate to UC.
Please feel free to comment with any questions or email kevin /at/ this domain. I try to reply to questions as quickly as possible, but there may be a delay as I regularly travel and write this blog in my spare time.
Thanks for reading!
KP
Hi Kevin,
reading your blog, especially the OCS device articles, led me to ask you:
Did you ever tested the Snom OCS edition phones with OCS R1 / R2? We run a mix of snom 3xx, 820 and the conference phone meetingPoint here with OCS R2 for more than a half year. We are very satisfied with the phones, even they need some improvements in terms of integration (desktop,Exchange Webservices).
If you like to receive more info, simply contact me at jan.boguslawski / at / itacs.de (OC or Mail)
Best regards,
Jan Boguslawski
Hi Jan,
Thanks for your comment! I have not tested Snom devices as of yet, so far we’ve worked with Nortel, Polycom, Microsoft and ClearOne. I personally carry a 8502 (the bluetooth headset) and have a Catalina for my desk phone.
Sometihng I’d like to note is that although my posts are about the bugs/issues we’ve found, these devices are actually working very well for us at almost all of our client deployments. The one exception to this has been a client machine issue, the client being unlucky enough to have an issue one a particular type of machine, that they just so happen to have 70% of their users running.
I am interested in the Snom devices as well, someday soon I hope to get my hands on one and see what it can do.
Thanks for the suggestion, I’ve been looking into the devices and will hopefully have a bit more to say about them soon.
-kp
Hi Kevin,
I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask a question or may be a description of a problem.
Situation:
We have OCS R2 with Mediation Server directly connected to Telecom via SIP trunk. It was a struggle to convince them to allow SIP over TCP. All users have valid E.164 numbers assigned. We can place outgoing call and answer incomming directly from the OC.
The problem:
When I place outgoing call and after that try to invite another external phone number (make a conference) I receive error: An error occurred during the call. More details (ID:500)
I spoke with the Telecom engineers and they discovered that the second call originates from ‘antony.stefanov’ not from a number. That’s why the call is rejected.
Is there a way to normalize the originating number not diled number?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Antony,
For now we can file this under “by design” but I expect it will be a bug. The issue is easily reproduced (did it in my lab and another production environment) and Microsoft is now aware of the problem at the development team.
The extent of the problem is either MOC or the MCU should be re-writing this request as an audio only invite when it deteremines the “invite” from the MOC client itself is actually meant for a 3 way call and not a conference. If you examine the logs closely you will see that this call is initiated as a conference and not a PSTN call and includes audio and video information.
I’m not sure if this will be a redesign at the MOC level or at the MCU level, or if it will be patched with a QFE, but know they are aware. I did work with someone who is using W14 and we are checking to see if they are seeing the same issue there.
I hope to have an update for you soon and will post it back here with an article once the change/function is determined.
As a side note, it is currently unsupported to utilize a MED server to SIP trunk direct configuration without an SBC and should also be considered a security risk. If you implement a gateawy such as an NET VX1200 or Audio Codes Mediant 1000 the gateway can be utilized to “band-aid” this behavior.
Thanks for reading and a very interesting question, I’ll post back if I can find any more information!
-kp
Hi Kevin,
I have gone through some of the articles on OCS.
I have one question regarding LG-NORTEL 8540 phone(Tanjay). when I make a call from PSTN side, call is rejected with 488 not acceptable here. IF i try same call with snom-ocs edition,calls are working.
Have u faced anytime this problem. We need to change any configuration in OCS to work
Thanks in Advance.
Sur,
If I understand you correctly, a call inbound from the PSTN works to a user running on a SNOM phone but not on OCS/Tanjay. My first suggestion would be to read this article:
http://blogs.technet.com/ramo/archive/2009/05/30/ocs-voip-call-gets-dropped-when-caller-id-is-blocked.aspx
If that isn’t the fix for you then I’d recommend starting out by sending some logs over via the email link above.
Hope this helps!
=kp
Hi kevin
There has been a lot of buzz online regarding qos for MOC and OCS. Can you provide some details as to what the registry values should look like via screenshot? I’m struggling to get Windows 7 to tag DSCP values for MOC, to start i just want to use the defaults, but would prefer to eventually get to EF and af31 because EF is what is used for my wan for qos of voice traffic and af31 is call signaling.
Thanks for the hookup!
Hi Adam,
Sorry for the slow response, I was on vacation with the family for a week with no phones or computers and have been swamped since coming back with all kinds of fun things. I’d be happy to provide some info and even write an article on this. Let’s start with a good Microsoft site on the subject:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd441192(office.13).aspx
OCS uses DSCP to mark packets, then you just have to configure your switches to look for it. Checkout the link above and let me know if you have questions. It may be a couple of weeks before I’ll be able to do an article on this, if you’re still interested after reading the MSFT page please let me know.
Thanks!
-kp
Hi Kevin,
I have read your forum article about OCS music on hold (http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/communicationsservertelephony/thread/6aff1763-347a-4315-b2ee-18715cf13652)using a mediant 1000 gateway. I have got the same setup and I have just uploaded a .dat file on the gateway but it did not work. Now when a call goes on hols it just a constant loud static noise.
Any chance you could email me the file that you have used?
“For the M1K you can use DConvertto package it up as an “acOnHoldTone”. If you want I can email you the file I used and you can upload, it’s the MOH1.wma file from OCS converted over to a format the audio codes can use. Here’s some more info – a big thank you to Mike Erps from Audio Codes for his help on this”
Thanks
Regards
Paolo
Hi Paolo,
I’ve emailed the file over, can you verify its working for you?
Thanks for reading!
-kp
Hi Kevin,
Could you email me the file that you have used too?
Thanks
could you email me a copy of the file as well? I can’t get it to work by converting it. Only getting static.
Hi James,
Unfortunately I don’t have the file any longer. I’d recommend pinging someone from audiocodes support to help you create a new one.
-kp
I am preparing the Lync 2010 OCS Plan and bit confused with the backout Plan. Do we have any suggestion for Backout Plan for OCS Lync 2010 if the Schema prep, Forest prep and Domain Prep has some issue after roll out. Please suggest.
Hi AmitS,
Currently Lync is only supported in lab environments, not production. So the rollout plan is burn it down and start over. There is no support for installing Lync into a production environment and this should not be done with out Microsoft direction (which requires you to be a TAP member). Hope this helps!
-kp
Hi Kevin,
I have some basic, elementary questions regarding OCS. Are you available for a quick chat? (At your convenience of course).
Thank you sincerely for any assistance. I can be reached via dak970@yahoo.com.
Respectfully,
David K.
Hi
Reading your blog on “how to trade in your pbx part 2″ i am doing somehting similar at a site. I have a mediant 1000 with two E1 trunks, and an very old pbx. I am having some issues getting the isdn to isdn routing working (telco to mediant to pbx etc. Have you got any examples from a mediant at all ? i am trying to go through audiocodes support, but need all the info i can get.
thanks
ryan
Hi Ryan,
What I did in this scenario was configure each T1/E1 as a different destination. Then I created routes, one to route anything that matched the inbound DNIS range without a + to the E1 assigned to the PBX. Then I created a IP route for anything with a + to go over IP to the mediation server. Last was the E1 was for everything else and it was connected to the PSTN.
I set all routes to route calls after manipulation and then created different manipulation entries for any numbers I wanted to go to Lync/OCS that added a + to the front of the number.
Hope this helps!
-kp
Hi, nice blog, you good man!
I hope we will see post about publish web service Lync by ISA/TMG and Lync web app )
thankyou man
Sedoy1,
I’m happy you find the site useful. I haven’t published a TMG guide because my good friend Randy has written an outstanding one at his site (as referenced in a few of my articles). Please have a look at his site here to see the article:
http://ucmadeeasy.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/publishing-lync-server-2010-rc-simple-urls-and-web-components-with-forefront-tmg-2010/
Thanks for reading!
-kp
Hey Kevin,
I have purchased Audio Codes MP114 Media gateway to use with microsoft Lync. I have CallCentric Internet phone service, I am able to add & register call centric with Audio Codes. But in that case where should I add my Mediaition server details such IP & port on my Audio Codes MP114.
Thanks for your help…
Johnny
Hi Johnny,
I haven’t touched an MP114 in a while, but my guess would be it would be under FXS or IP to IP routing. Please have a look at the MP114 manuals and example configs on audio codes site and see if they help. Sorry I can’t be more helpful but I don’t have a MP114 laying around to tinker with.
Thanks for reading!
-kp
Hi Kevin,
I recently installed the Unified Messaging component on Exchange 2010. This is also connected to a Nortel CS1000 PBX/IP Gateway.
The server setup went fine, but am having this really odd issue. For some reason, when I place a call to the pilot number, the voice is actually delayed in terms of when it starts. In most cases, after I call the pilot number, I eventually hear “are you still there?”. 99 times out of 100 generates this. That one time in 100, I hear the full message.
I looked into the SIP traffic after doing a trace on the UM server, and did see a SIP 488 message… but it doesn’t appear to reject the call since eventually I hear the audio.
Do you have any ideas???
Thanks Kevin!
Hi Paul,
First off I’m not sure that your configuration is supported, not saying it won’t work but it appears to not be on the OIP Program page as a supported option:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/office/ocs/bb735838
That being said, sometimes the problem you are having is related to early media not being supported by the gateway/PBX or it not being turned on. Could you check your CS1000 to see if early media is enabled on the trunk to Exchange?
Hope this helps!
-kp
Thanks Kevin! I will take a look on the PBX end. If by chance I cannot change this on the PBX end, can I disable early media on the ExchangeUM server?
Hi Paul,
I’m not 100% sure that is your problem, just a guess. However, I’m unaware of anyway to change early media settings on Exchange (if it is actually the issue). Best of luck on the configuration and please post back with your results.
-kp
Hey Kevin,
It turns out that we are not using a proper gateway and I am currently investigating either the AudioCodes Mediant 1000 or a NET VX1200 gateway to put in place. The problem I am having is determing which one I should get, and how it will connect. I have seen that I can to SIP-SIP between the gateway and our Nortel PBX, but I cannot find any documentation on how this would be configured! Any ideas?
Thanks,
PD
Hi Paul,
Typically there isn’t too much config to it, you would just have a trunk coming in and a trunk going out. Each would be configured to allow the 2 systems to work together (changing codecs, adding a + etc…). I would definitely suggesting looking at the NET UX or VX, I know both of these devices can be configured to do the SIP conversion and are both supported devices that I have deployed in the past. Please feel free to email me if you need help with info on the NETs.
Thanks!
-kp
Thanks again Kevin.
I have tried to reach out to find a vendor for the NET VX1200 as I know another university that is using one of these for the same thing. I did find one site that was listing it at almost twice the price of the AudioCodes… I would like to investigate the NET VX further in the event we wish to “upgrade” to Lync at some point, so it would be easy to do so on the same device. The AudioCodes seems to have one similar and am in talks with them at the moment and then we can make a decision.
Kevin,
Great blog. We’ve (finally) rolled out OCS 2007 R2. While it’s quickly gained user acceptance, one item that’s missing is giving the OCS client the ability to “pop up” when an IM arrives (take focus). What’s your recommended solution to this problem? Users are missing IM chats in the task bar and would really like the window to “pop up.”
DS
Doug,
The users should receive a toast pop-up just like Outlook does for new emails. After 5-10 seconds that toast goes away and just leaves the flashing bar. Are your users not seeing the toast?
Thanks!
-kp
Thanks for the reply Kevin.
Yes, that works, but our users have a ton of toaster-type pop-ups and would like the IM’s to pop up in a separate window right in the middle of their screen. Make sense?
Hi Doug,
I unfortunately don’t have another solution for you other than the toast. Most likely this would require 3rd party programming. If I see anything out there that does this I will post back here and let you know.
Thanks!
-kp
Kevin,
Love your site… haven’t found one yet that even comes close to the amount of information.
We have an old Inter-Tel Axxess 9.1 PBX. I’m trying to find out what gateway will work with it. My plan is to put the gateway on the backend of the PBX and gradually converting extensions to Lync.
Thanks!
Hi Tom,
I’d recommend going upstream from the InterTEL instead of downstream (where the gateway controls everything). It makes it easier when you remove it. As far as gateways go I’ve done this same config with NET and Audiocodes gateways without a problem. Either one should work just fine for you.
Hope this helps and thanks for reading!
-kp
Kevin-
Good stuff you post here. Much appreciated.
Hoping you can give me guidance for my customer – a K12 school district. I have installed Lync with a focus on video conferencing between the Admin building and the remote schools (typically a point to point conference). End user skills at Admin are high, not so at the school. I need to configure the Lync client at the school to function almost on its own. The schools each have dedicated conference rooms with a dedicated PC with 3 monitors and a Roundtable (CX5000). Objective is to initiate a video conference via Lync with one display dedicated to the video feed from Admin and one display dedicated to a shared document. Is there any way the Lync client can be configured so
#1 the video call is answered automatically ???
#2 the window placements happen automatically ???
#3 the sharing is accepted automatically ???
Hi Brent,
Sorry for the slow response I’m in Redmond for training. I’m not aware of any way you could accomplish this short of building a special client.
There may be 3rd party applications that could do this as well but I haven’t seen them.
Best of luck finding something!
-kp
Would you be available to provide some consulting service in regards to working around the OCS 2007 R2 RGS delay bug? If so, Please contact me via email. Thank you
Hi Kevin,
Can we have Lync Server 2010 Enterprise edition installed using two domain controllers? (one is used for SQL and other is for Lync)
Due to the lack of other server, i want to deploy that way.
BRs,
Baatar.
Baatar,
It is not supported to install Lync on a domain controller, pretty sure that it is the same (or at least not a good idea) for SQL. If you are limited on hardware I would recommend installing 2008 R2 with HyperV on the 2 physical servers and then creating VMs for each machine. You just need to make sure they have enough resources to run each workload.
Hope this helps!
-kp
How do you add a 2nd server to a front end pool? Can you also go over the load balacing options?
Thanks,
Patrick
Hi Patrick,
To add another EE server to the pool you just have to right click the pool in Topology builder and add a new server. As far as load balancing, maybe this article would help:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/05/25/dns-load-balancing-in-lync-server-2010.aspx
Hope this helps!
-kp
Hi Kevin Peters,
First of all congratulations for the Blog.
Please, see if you can send me some tip to my doubt.
I have OCS2007R2 with Lync2010 as a client, I also have federation to Windows Live.
Now, I’m trying to make a video call to my friend out of the company that use Windows Live Hotmail 2011.
But I can’t. I only be able to make IM, is there any way to do that?
I would say, thanks in advance.
Best Regards,
Renato
Renato,
Video with MSN is only available when using Lync infrastructure (at least the FE) AFAIK.
Thanks!
Kevin
Recently noticed an issue with my Lync client I thought I would try and ask you about. When I am in an active conference call I see not indication of which party is active speaker. Phone icon does not turn gold in my client next to participant names. Any thoughts?
Hi Kevin,
We are in the midst of deciding on a Gateway for our Lync 2010 deployment. We have narrowed our choices to the Audiocodes Mediant 1000 and the NET UX2000. Can you provide me an apples to apples comparision that may help decide on one versus the other?
Best Regards,
Gil
Hi Gil,
That is not something I can provide, I don’t have any vendor specific info.
Sorry!
-kp
Dear Kevin,
I have configured NET VX1200 gateway and LYNC and everything works perfectly fine. There is only one issue and that is when ever a user calls to a mobile number and the call is either busy or switched off. It doesnt run the recording which is set by the telecom providers. Instead it just says temporary unavailable on the phone and just disconnects. This doesnt provide the user with the exact reason for disconnection.
Kindly help me out with this as this is the only issue left.
Thanks and Best Regards
Juzer Ibrahim
Hi Juzer,
It would be best for you to contact NET on this.
HTH,
kp
am going through uccp api i have a problem with sample application (UCCAVSAMPLE).
I was able to add a media connectivity server in c# application by using the following code
_mediaEndpointSettings = (IUccMediaEndpointSettings)this.endpoint;
Advise(this.endpoint,this);
string _MRASUri = “sip:EdgeServer.xxx@xxx.net;gruu;opaque=srvr:MRAS:xXCj35rkg16QufA9_qKDBQAA”;
_mediaEndpointSettings.FindMediaConnectivityServers(_MRASUri, null);
and the call back function looks like this
void _IUccMediaEndpointEvents.OnFindMediaConnectivityServers(
IUccMediaEndpointSettings pEventSource,
IUccFindMediaConnectivityServersEvent pEventData)
{
IUccCollection serverConfig = pEventData.MediaConnectivityServerConfigurations;
foreach (IUccMediaConnectivityServerConfiguration m in serverConfig)
{
_mediaEndpointSettings.AddMediaConnectivityServerWithCredential(m);
}
}
i want to mimic this in c++
am using the follwing code to do this
IDispEventSimpleImpl::DispEventAdvise(m_spEndpoint, &DIID__IUccMediaEndpointEvents);
m_spEndpoint->QueryInterface(&_mediaEndpointSettings);
const char * _MRASUri = “sip:EdgeServer.xxx.net@xxx.net;gruu;opaque=srvr:MRAS:xXCj35rkg16QufA9_qKDBQAA”;
_mediaEndpointSettings->FindMediaConnectivityServers( BSTR(_MRASUri),NULL);
and the call back function is not called.am i missing something.
can anyone please post the sample code for this including the code for call back function
Hi Peters,
First off all I would like to thank you for the Blog.
Plase see if you faced with this problem any time. We have 2 UC environment ( OSC2007R2 and Lync Server). My user account is configured in OSC2007R2. I have another user called “x” in Lync server. When I start the IM with user “X” we can go ahead without problem, however whether user “x” start the IM I got problem. I receive the message but I can’t answer.
Do you have any idea how to solve it?
Thanks in advance,
Renato
Hi Renato,
I’d start by running a SIP stack log on the FE servers (both Lync and OCS). My guess is there is something wrong with the OCS -> Lync side of the config, which the SIP stack would clue you in to.
HTH
Kevin
Thanks for the fast answer, I’ll look that.
I have a question regarding deploying lync 2010 client software – using these instructions below from the Lync Admin guide, I click on http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=204091 which bring you to support.microsoft.com and I can’t seem to find the .cab files to copy onto the Lync 2010 front end server so that we can update clients as they use Lync……
From the admin guide page 165-
View Software Updates for Devices in Your Organization
With Microsoft Lync Server 2010, you use Device Update Web service to view and manage software updates for your organization’s devices. These updates are available in .cab (cabinet) files from the Microsoft Support website at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=204091. After you download the .cab file, run the Import-CSdeviceUpdate cmdlet to import the device update rules from the .cab file. For details about the Import-CSdeviceUpdate cmdlet, see Import-CsDeviceUpdate in the Lync Server Management Shell documentation.
Tip:
Before deploying a new update to your organization, verify that it functions correctly on a test device.
To view software updates for UC devices
1. From the Microsoft Support website at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=204091, download the .cab file to a location on a Lync Server 2010 computer (for example, C:\Updates\UCUpdates.cab).
2. Import the device update rules from the C:\Updates\UCUpdates.cab file by running one of the following cmdlets:
• If the .cab file is located on the same computer as the one running the service to be updated (service:Redmond-websvc-2), run the following cmdlet:
Import-CsDeviceUpdate –Identity service:Redmond-websvc-2 –FileName C:\Updates\UCUpdates.cab
• If the .cab file is located on a different computer than the one running the service to be updated (service:Redmond-websvc-3), run the following cmdlet:
Import-CsDeviceUpdate –Identity service:Redmond-websvc-3 –ByteInput C:\Updates\UCUpdates.cab
3. Open a browser window, and then enter the Admin URL to open the Lync Server Control Panel. For details about the different methods you can use to start Lync Server Control Panel, see Open Lync Server Administrative Tools.
4. In the left navigation bar, click Clients, and then click Device Update.
5. On the Device Update page, click an update in the list, and then do one of the following:
• Cancel a pending update. To prevent the selected update from being deployed to your organization’s devices, click the Action menu, and then click Cancel pending updates.
• Approve an update. To allow the selected update to be deployed to your organization’s devices, click the Action menu, and then click Approve.
• Restore an update. To allow a previously approved update to be deployed to your organization’s devices, click the Action menu, and then click Restore.
They are here:
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=18390
HTH
-kp