Polycom Announces New Strategic Relationship with Microsoft for End-to-End Unified Communications.

See the Polycom Press Release http://www.polycom.com/company/news_room/press_releases/2010/20100809.html

And this video this video

Product Development

The roadmap entails Polycom developing a broad base of solutions for Microsoft Communications Server “14” and beyond, including:

· New and next-generation Polycom CX series endpoints optimized for Microsoft UC, featuring Polycom’s market-leading HD video and voice technologies

· New, innovative room-based video systems designed specifically for enabling direct integration with Microsoft Communications Server “14”

· Additional interoperable solutions between Polycom’s existing and future video conferencing solutions

Protecting the Edge Server Against DoS and Password Brute Force Attacks in Office Communications Server

Some of my good OCS friends (Kjeld and Kenneth) pointed me to this great article from RUI Maximo on protecting your Edge/OCS from DoS.

In some company’s users will actually be looked out after 3-5 bad  login attempts, and stay looked out until they are unlocked, in most company's they will reopen automatically after 5-15 min and then they will have 3-5 login attempts again.

But no matter if it’s 5 min or 30 min that users are looked out, it’s could give load on the helpdesk, and loss of productivity .

DoS attacks can be done from self made applications/scripts . I have not heard of customers that have had attack yet, but if you have customers that have concerns on this topic, please read Rui Maximo great article and maybe use the filter on your Edge server.

Link : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/ff706687.aspx

Important update: Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile 2007 R2

This is actully not just a fix/patch, it’s an update, I have missed the “call via work” from the normal dialpad for a long time, now this works on Windows 6.5, sorry dont know for all other mobiles.

Download here and description here: and remember that you always can download directly from the phone here http://getcomo.com

New version is:6906.29

Issues that this hotfix package fixes

• Provides home screen support for new home screens in Windows Mobile 6.5+ phones.
• Provides integration within the phone dialer for Windows Mobile 6.5+ phones.
• Enables Communicator Mobile 2007 R2 to recognize when the phone is roaming and by default prevents Communicator Mobile 2007 R2 from signing in to roaming networks.
• Provides additional support for joining conference calls from a Windows Mobile appointment. To do this, press Menu, and then press Join Conference.
• Lets users log on by using a user name in the user@example.com format, in addition to the domain\user format.
• Enables the functionality by which callbacks are now automatically accepted when the user uses the Call via Work option.
• Resolves the problem in which the Microsoft Installer (.msi) installation fails on a Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3)-based computer. In this situation, users should install Communicator Mobile 2007 R2 by using a (.cab) installation.
• Fixes the problem in which AT&T FUZE devices that are set for a High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) connection cannot handle voice and data at the same time. In this situation, calls that use the Call via Work option fail unless the device is reverted to 3rd Generation (3G) by disabling HSDPA.

CS 14 Public Instant Messaging Connectivity (Voice and Video)

In CS 14 and the new not yet released Live Messenger IM between O”CS” and MSN / Live is like today, but Audio and Video will be supported as well between Live messenger and OCS.

Then the user experience will be like a full Unified solution, this will be a great add on to Microsoft Unified Communication because there is x million MSN/Live users out there all ready, and a lot of minor company’s is using Live messenger as there Presence and IM tool.

I am on the CS 14 and the new Live messenger “dog food” internally in Microsoft, it’s very nice and it’s working the live messenger will come with a lot of new stuff!

Get more information here

New Communications Server14 site

Here

CS 14 UI-to-PowerShell Mapping

On this page you can see the mapping between the CS 14 UI mapping to the PowerShell , that’s perfect!

example:

The User Search Dialog

To access the User Search dialog in the Communications Server Control Panel, click the Users tab.

The Results pane of the User Search dialog corresponds to the properties and parameters of the following cmdlet:

· Get-CsAdUser, which is used to retrieve information about all your Active Directory user accounts:
Get-CsAdUser

· Get-CsUser, which is used to retrieve information about only those Active Directory user accounts that have been enabled for Microsoft Communications Server “14”:
Get-CsUser

The User Search dialog (and the Results pane) is shown below, along with the corresponding parameter names found in Get-CsAdUser and Get-CsUser

CS 14 is PowerShell

If you need to manage a Microsoft Communications Server “14” deployment, at some point you’re likely to find yourself in need of the Communications Server implementation of PowerShell. Whether you’re new to Windows PowerShell, Communications Server, or simply Communication Server’s version of PowerShell, this is the place to get started.

more information here

RCC in CS 14

RCC (Remote call control) will be supported in CS 14, for old and new customers.

So if you believe that RCC is what you need when deploying CS 14 this is supported.

No it’s not the best users experience, because users can’t fully control the Voice part/media stream and when you are in different mode of communications, it’s could be a clumsy user experience, but if you just need click to call it’s working.

This blog from Jamie:  http://www.simonleyland.com/news/?p=1800  State it clearly that RCC is and will be supported.

**************************

Customers who simply want to give some users the ability to control their existing PBX or IP PBX phones from Office Communicator may do so through our Click-to-Call feature (based on traditional CTI using what we’ve typically called Remote Call Control or RCC). Both new and upgrading customers will be supported for click-to-call with Communications Server “14” (CS “14”). The functionality remains the same as with previous releases, so it’s important to remember that Click-to-call users lose other Communicator capabilities including mobile voice. Finally, the integrations to the popular third party gateways like Corebridge, Estos and Genesys are still available, allowing companies to deploy Click-to-call solutions without needing to spend potentially significant amounts of money upgrading their IP-PBX.

**************************

I would go for that, if I for some reason that I can’t think of , and not would go for OCS enterprise Voice,

From my point of view, this is way better than CUCIMOC (softphone on softphone), and when I look at the new CS 14 client, and if there will be a CUCIMOC for that, it could be a very clumsy user experience!

Good link to BJ Haberkorn blog on CUCIMOC

Office Communications Online Standard Service Description

Overview

Microsoft® Office Communications Online is a hosted, enterprise-class communications solution based on Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2. Office Communications Online provides your organization with real-time communications capabilities including secure instant messaging and delivery of "presence" information. Presence enables users to see at a glance if someone is available online to receive an instant message. Your organization can purchase Office Communications Online as a standalone service from Microsoft Online Services or as part of the Business Productivity Online Suite—which includes Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint® Online, and the Microsoft Office Live Meeting service. This service description is intended to help IT professionals and describes the features that are included with the Standard offering of Office Communications Online.

Get it here

5 x OCS Updates.

Unified Communications Managed API 2.0 Runtime

Brief Description

Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 2.0 Runtime is the deployment pre-requisite of applications built on Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 2.0 Core.

 

Quick Details

File Name:
UcmaRuntimeWebDownloadX64.msi

Version:
6907.202

Date Published:
5/20/2010

Language:
English

Download Size:
14.5 MB

 

get it here

 

Unified Communications Managed API 2.0 Redist (64 Bit) Hotfix KB 982614

 

Brief Description

This download includes all available updates for Unified Communications Managed API 2.0 Redist (64 Bit).

Quick Details

File Name:
UcmaRedist.msp

Version:
6907.202

Knowledge Base (KB) Articles:
KB982614

Date Published:
5/19/2010

Language:
English

Download Size:
4.0 MB

Get it here

 

Communicator 2007 R2 Help Documentation

Brief Description

Download help documentation for Office Communicator 2007 R2.

Quick Details

File Name:
lcc_help.chm

Version:
1.0

Date Published:
5/19/2010

Language:
English

Download Size:
308 KB

Get it here

 

Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 Help Documentation

Brief Description

Download help documentation for Office Communicator 2007.

Quick Details

File Name:
lcc_help.chm

Version:
1.0

Date Published:
5/19/2010

Language:
English

Download Size:
319 KB

get it here

 

Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Web Scheduler Hotfix KB 980374

Brief Description

This download includes all available updates for Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Web Scheduler.

Quick Details

File Name:
WebScheduler.msp

Version:
6907.196

Knowledge Base (KB) Articles:
KB980374

Date Published:
5/19/2010

Language:
English

Download Size:
1.1 MB

get it here

Hardware Load Balancing with Office Communications Server 2007 R2

Hardware load balancer in OCS can be complex, there is a new guide/document on this.

 

Get it here

Source for this information LCSKid

OCS R2 April updates

Product	Update	KB Link
Office Communications Server 2007 R2	OCS_2007R2_CU5	968802
Office Communication Server 2007 R2 Database Upgrade	OCSDU_2007R2_CU5	979857
Attendant Console 2007 R2	AC_2007R2_CU5	980936
Office Communicator 2007 R2	OC_2007R2_CU5	978564
Office Communicator Phone Edition 2007 R2	OCPE_2007R2_CU5	981526

Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 Group Policy Field Guide

The Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 Group Policy Field Guide is an essential guide for administrators who are responsible for setting Group Policy or configuring registry settings for Communicator users. It uses clear explanations and practical examples to illustrate how and why you would use a policy in your organization.

get it here

Network Equipment Technologies Acquires "SmartSIP" Product Line From Evangelyze Communications

get the press info here

Source for this information

Avaya 4.0 is now Certified for SIP direct.

Avaya 4.0 is now Certified for SIP direct.

You could use direct SIP connection for a POC and then rip and replace :)

Get more information here

IP-PBX Vendor
Tested Product
Supported Configuration
Software Versions Tested
2007 R2
2007

Avaya
Communications Manager SIP Enablement Services
Direct SIP
4.0

Known Limitations:

• Configuration requires setting "Alternate Route Timer(sec)" value from default of 10 sec to 30 sec. The configuration should show "Alternate Route Timer(sec): 30" in the corresponding SIP signaling group.
• When an call is ringing to the Office Communicator user, the caller (either on an Avaya station or a PSTN line routed through the PBX) will not get ring back tone. This issue has been resolved by Avaya with the 5.x software releases.
• Quality of Experience reports will not contain information regarding jitter and packet loss.
• Comfort noise generation is not supported. As a result, comfort noise is not played on Office Communicator.
• ISDN Failover is not supported from an OCS perspective. If the Avaya PBX is being used for PSTN connectivity and multiple T1's are being utilized, an OC client will not retry a call based on a T1 being unavailable. It may be possible to configure the Avaya to not assign outbound calls from OCS to an unavailable T1, but this configuration was not tested.

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 XMPP Gateway Hotfix KB 979311

Get it here

Issues that this update fixes

• You may have problems when you establish a connection with a stream that is initiated by ejabberd. This issue occurs because "<?xml version=1.0”>" appears before the actual stream.
• XMPP federation to gmail.com works. However, XMPP federation to googlemail.com does not work.

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Hotfix KB 975611

Get it here

Version:
6907.56

Knowledge Base (KB) Articles:
KB975611

Date Published:
10/27/2009

Language:
English

Download Size:
378 KB - 53.8 MB*

Issues that this update package fixes

This update package fixes the following issues:

975892 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975892/ ) Error message when you send a meeting request for a conference call that is hosted in Office Communications Server 2007 R2, Enterprise Edition

975894 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975894/ ) Event ID 44031 for trusted domains is logged frequently in Office Communications Server 2007 R2

This cumulative update also includes the following previously released updates:

968955 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968955/ ) A computer that is running Office Communications Server 2007 R2, Audio/Video Conferencing Edge Server crashes when it tries to process a Relay NAT message

972714 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972714/ ) Two users unexpectedly join the same conference when they try to join separate conferences in Office Communications Server 2007 R2

972709 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972709/ ) Error message when a SIP message request is sent from a federated partner in Communications Server 2007 R2: "500: Server Internal Error"

972700 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972700/ ) When Office Communications Server 2007 R2 routes a voice mail call to an Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging server, the corresponding invitation message does not indicate that the request originates from Office Communications Server

971844 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971844/ ) No calling party name appears in Communicator 2007 R2 when a Private Branch Exchange telephone user calls a Communications Server 2007 R2 user

971845 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971845/ ) The delegate permissions feature in Office Communicator 2007 R2 is unavailable to non-unified communications users

968879 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968879/ ) You cannot forward a call between federated users in Communications Server 2007 R2

968938 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968938/ ) The Communications Server 2007 R2 - A/V Edge Authentication Server does not recognize a token request if the locale for RTCProxyService is not en-US/409

969010 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969010/ ) Communications Server 2007 R2 performance counters are missing in Performance Monitor

968910 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968910/ ) Communications Server 2007 does not detect the changes when Unified Messaging dial plans or UM servers are added

This update package fixes the following issues that were not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

• The license expiration date for Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 R2 Evaluation Edition was calculated incorrectly. This causes OCS 2007 R2 Evaluation Edition to expire on July 13, 2009. This update fixes the license expiration date calculation for the OCS 2007 R2 Evaluation Edition. By downloading this update, the expiration date will be calculated correctly, based on the installation date of the server.
• Earlier updates of OCS 2007 R2 required Microsoft Message Queuing to be installed on OCS 2007 R2 Enterprise Edition Distributed – Front End or the OCS 2007 R2 Standard Edition. This update removes that requirement.
• The RTC Media Relay driver in OCS Edge Server has also been updated this update.

Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 Hotfix KB 972884

Get it here

Version:
6907.56

Knowledge Base (KB) Articles:
KB972884

Date Published:
10/27/2009

Language:
English

Download Size:
9.9 MB

Issues that this update fixes

This cumulative update fixes the following issues:

• 976045 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976045/ ) Error message when you try to add a contact to Outlook in Communicator 2007 R2: "Cannot connect to Microsoft Office Outlook to add a contact because Outlook is not responding"

• 976046 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976046/ ) Hyperlinks are converted to lowercase if you send them in an instant message as text in Communicator 2007 R2

• 976048 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976048/ ) Error message when you log off, restart, or shut down a computer that is running Communicator 2007 R2: "End Program - Communicator"

• 976050 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976050/ ) When you answer an incoming call on a device that uses a simultaneous ring number, Office Communicator 2007 R2 generates a missed call notification

• 976051 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976051/ ) The Communicator 2007 R2 screen freezes intermittently for several seconds when you are in an audio or a video conferencing session

• 976052 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976052/ ) The display name of a contact is unresolved when you send a meeting request in Communicator 2007 R2

• 976054 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976054/ ) Audio skips in Communicator 2007 R2 during Communicator calls or during Public Switched Telephone Network calls on a computer that is running Windows Vista

This cumulative update, together with update 969696 and update 969821, fixes the following issue:

• 971628 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971628/ ) When a delegate on behalf of a manager tries to use the Conferencing Add-in for Outlook to schedule a live meeting or to schedule a conference, the delegate's information instead of manager's information displays in the conferencing request unexpectedly

  Note To resolve this issue, you must apply update 969695, update 969696, and update 969821.
  For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  969696 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969696/ ) Description of the update for Live Meeting Conferencing Add-in for Outlook: July 2009

  969821 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969821/ ) Description of the update package for Office Communications Server 2007 R2: July, 2009

This cumulative update also includes the following previously released updates:

• 971843 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971843/ ) Enterprise administrators cannot both set and enforce the Personal Information Manager settings for Outlook Integration to be able to turn off Outlook Integration for Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2

• 972085 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972085/ ) Error message when you start Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2: "Either there is no default mail client or the current mail client cannot fulfill the message request. Please run Microsoft Office Outlook and set it as the default mail client."

• 972087 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972087/ ) In Communicator 2007 R2 when you use Tanjay to call a user, you hear both the ringing and the audio from the user side

• 972090 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972090/ ) Your voice is discontinuous when you use Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 to make a call on a Windows 7 or a Windows Server 2008 R2-based remote desktop

• 972091 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972091/ ) Error message in Communicator 2007 R2 when you try to join a conference call from Outlook: "Can't open the program because Office Communicator or Office Communications Server Attendant is already running on your windows user account"

• 971845 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971845/ ) The delegate permissions feature in Office Communicator 2007 R2 is unavailable to non-unified communications users

• 971846 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971846/ ) Video frames are not displayed in Office Communicator 2007 R2 on a Windows XP-based computer

• 972093 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972093/ ) Error message when you try to adjust the volume during a call in a Communicator 2007 R2 conversation window on a computer that is running Windows XP: "Cannot adjust the speaker volume"

• 972097 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972097/ ) Error message when distribution group expansion fails in Office Communicator 2007 R2: "Cannot save a local copy of your distribution groups."

• 972099 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972099/ ) A "Meet Now - Invite by Email" HTML e-mail message that is generated by Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 has unreadable text in the message body

• 972403 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972403/ ) Communicator 2007 R2 users may experience network performance issues that are caused by Global address list (GAL) full file download or GAL delta file download

• 971844 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971844/ ) No name appears in Communicator 2007 R2 when a Private Branch Exchange telephone user calls a Communications Server 2007 R2 user

• 971078 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971078/ ) An Automatic Update download is not initiated on a computer that is running Office Communicator 2007 R2 build 3.5.6907.9

• 968504 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968504/ ) Description of the Communicator 2007 R2 update for Microsoft Online Services

• 968623 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968623/ ) You experience one-way audio when LG-Nortel IP8540 or Polycom CX700 phones are used in an Audio Video call on Windows XP

• 968624 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968624/ ) Error events occur when you disconnect a computer that is running Communicator 2007 R2 from the network: "Event ID: 3" or "Event ID: 7"

• 968625 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968625/ ) Description of a hotfix that applies the initial changes for the integration of Office Communicator 2007 R2 and the next version of Office after the Office 2007 release

• 968628 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968628/ ) Communicator 2007 R2 stores the Actual Remote Number (The number that is dialed) for outgoing calls to a remote party

• 968631 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968631/ ) The font in the Conversation window is very small when you run Office Communicator 2007 R2 on a Windows Vista-based computer that has high DPI (120 DPI) with Internet Explorer 8 installed

• 968632 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968632/ ) You cannot click the password field and enter a password when you sign in to Office Communicator 2007 R2

• 968634 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968634/ ) Description of Office Communicator 2007 R2 update to support Polycom roundtable devices

• 968690 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968690/ ) In Office Communicator 2007 R2, User A gets a failure-to-deliver message after sending an IM to User B even though User B receives the message

FIX for OCS: kb974571 MS09-056: Vulnerabilities in CryptoAPI could allow spoofing

Resolution for the known issue

A fix that resolves this issue is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center. To obtain the fix, visit the following Microsoft Web page:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=168248 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=168248)

The fix (OCSASNFix.exe) is governed by the Microsoft Software License Agreement for Office Communications Server 2007 R2, Office Communications Server 2007, Live Communications Server 2005, Office Communicator 2007 R2, Office Communicator 2007, and Office Communicator 2005.
This fix works for both clients and servers, and it is applicable to the following roles for all versions of Office Communications Server and Live Communications Server 2005 SP1 and for evaluation versions of Office Communicator:

• Standard Edition Server
• Director server role
• Enterprise Edition Consolidated
• Enterprise Edition Distributed – Front End
• Edge Server
• Proxy server role
• Office Communicator 2007 Evaluation version only
• Office Communicator 2007 R2 Evaluation version only
• Office Communicator 2005 Evaluation version only

To run the fix, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

ocsasnfix.exe

When you run the command on a computer that is running Office Communication Server 2007, Office Communication Server 2007 R2, or Live Communications server 2005 Service Pack 1, you receive a message that resembles the following:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/974571

If you are using non US Explorer, this is the link
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/974571/en-us

After installing KB974571 the OCS server might stop working

After installing KB974571 the OCS server might stop working with events like this (se below)

The solution for now, is to remove KB974571 again and stop automatic install update if it’s turn on. just do the setting “download but let me choose when to install them” for now.

After removing KB974571 you need to restart the server.

Event Type:    Error
Event Source:    OCS Server
Event Category:    (1000)
Event ID:    12290
Date:        16-10-2009
Time:        19:47:41
User:        N/A
Computer:    XXXXXXXX
Description:
The evaluation period for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007  has expired. Please upgrade from the evaluation version to the full released version of the product.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Event Type:    Error
Event Source:    OCS Server
Event Category:    (1000)
Event ID:    12299
Date:        16-10-2009
Time:        19:47:41
User:        N/A
Computer: XXXXXXXXX   

Description:
The service is shutting down due to an internal error.

Error Code: C3E93C23 (SIPPROXY_E_INVALID_INSTALLATION_DATA)
Resolution:
Check the previous event log entries and resolve them. Restart the server. If the problem persists contact Product Support Services.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Update Update :)

Update: client update, this is not the case (or at least not on my XP client)

But on my Windows 7 it’s a problem having kb974571 installed  

User desktop that has the KB974571 installed will not be able to login.
Remove the KB974571 from the desktop PC and restart, this should fix the problem.

Source for some of the information on this blog: http://golumolu.in/blogwp/2009/10/ocs-front-end-service-stopped-with-service-specific-error-3286842403-0xc3e93c23-due-to-windows-update-kb974571/