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Skype for Business (Lync) for Beginners

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What is Skype for Business (Lync) and its various versions?

Microsoft Skype for Business is instant-messaging clients used with Skype for Business Server (available with Microsoft Office 365 also).They replace Windows Messenger, which ran with Microsoft Exchange Server. It is one of the best tool used for communication and collaboration purposes in the business world.

Various features of Skype for Business

Below are some of the features included

  1. Messaging
  2. Presence Info
  3. Desktop Sharing & File Sharing
  4. Enhanced User Interface
  5. Contact Card
  6. PSTN Calling
  7. Integration with Exchange and other PBX
  8. Federation with other domain Lync clients, Skype for Public, Google Talk etc.
  9. Audio & Video Chat
  10.  Emergency Services Support
  11. Online Meetings

Various Versions of Lync

Lync was introduced with Live Communications Server 2003 and then continued until Skype for Business. Various Versions of Lync are listed below.

  1.  Live Communications Server 2003
  2. Live Communications Server 2005
  3. Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007
  4. Office Communications server 2007 R2
  5. Lync Server 2010
  6. Lync Server 2013
  7. Skype for Business 2015

Differences between Lync 2010 and Lync 2013

Lync 2010

Lync 2013

Director Server is mandatory in Lync 2010

It is Optional Server

Separate servers for Archiving and Monitoring roles

 It is collocated in the Front End Servers. No need of Separate Servers.

Persistent Chat was group chat in 2010

 Name changed to Persistent chat server
Mobility on Lync 2010 does not support VOIP Calls

 Mobility on Lync 2013 Supports VOIP calls

Clustering of databases

Concept of Mirroring is used.

The below TechNet article will be helpful for in-depth comparison. [https://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/library/gg425836(v=ocs.1 .aspx](https://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/library/gg425836(v=ocs.1%20.aspx)

Skype for Business

Skype for Business is just the re-branding of Lync 2013 with few bug fixes and changes in the interface. The noticeable change in Skype for Business is the integration of Skype (Public) in the Skype for Business interface where you can chat with Skype (Public) users and the introduction of Video Interop Server.

**Deployment Options
**Skype for Business could be deployed in your organizations with your own servers (On-Premises) or it could be cloud deployment. You could also use hybrid setup by integrating both On-Premises and the cloud Setup.

Editions of Skype for Business Server

  1. Standard Edition
  2. Enterprise Edition

The standard version is used by small organizations with a limited number of users with no or minimum High availability options. Enterprise editions are used by large organizations with more number of users with better High availability options included. Standard edition does not even require a separate database server. SQL Express edition is installed in the Standard Lync Server whereas separate database server is required for Enterprise edition. Multiple Front End servers are also required in the Enterprise edition and all the Front End Servers together will form a Pool of servers.

Skype for Business Server Roles

  1. Front End Server
  2. Back End Server
  3.  Monitoring & Archiving Server
  4.  Director Server
  5.  Mediation Server
  6.  Edge Server
  7. WAC Server
  8.  Persistent Chat Server
  9.  Video Interop Server

For a detailed explanation of Skype for Business Server roles please follow the below TechNet article.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/library/dn933894.aspx

Basic Skype for Business Architecture

The above image consists of three Front-End servers in a pool which will host Skype for Business and two Back-End Server which will have the database installed. Mediation server and persistent chat server are optional. The need of Mediation server arises when deploying PSTN calling facility and Persistent chat server will help you to store all the old messages and could be reviewed later. It lets you create topic-based rooms that will be available over time. You can also share new ideas and information’s in real time with a group of people.

Edge servers are used to connect Skype for Business from the Internet and used for federations with other domains. It could also federate with public providers like Skype (Public), Google talk etc.

Various clients used along with Skype for Business server are Skype for Business client, Skype for Business Mobile APP, Skype Phones and Skype for Business Web App.

Technical difference between Standard and Enterprise edition

Standard Edition

Enterprise Edition

It Supports a Max of 5000 users

It Supports up to 80000 users

No or Min High Availability

It Supports High Availability

Less deployment cost

High deployment Cost

Collates both Front End and SQL in Single Server

It requires min of three Front End server and Separate SQL server

Supports all the features that Enterprise Supports

Supports all the features that Standard Supports

Single server concept

Concept of the pool is used which contains multiple servers. Min of 3 servers and Max of 10 servers can be deployed in a pool.

Hardware Specification for deploying Standard and Enterprise editions

Hardware Components

Recommended

Memory

32 GB for Front End, Back End, Standard and Persistent Chat Servers. 16 GB for Edge, Mediation, Video Interop and Director Servers.

CPU

64-bit dual processor, hex-core, 2.26 gigahertz (GHz) or higher.

Disk

8 or more 10000 RPM hard disk drives with at least 72 GB free disk space

Network

1 dual-port network adapter, 1 Gbps or higher (2 network adapters can be used, but they need to be teamed with a single MAC address and a single IP address).

Edge servers will require two network interfaces that are dual-port network adapters, 1 Gbps or higher (or two paired network adapters, for a total of four, each pair being teamed with a single MAC address and a single IP address, for a total of two pairs).

On standalone Mediation Servers the installation of additional network interface cards (NICs) to allow the configuration of a specific PSTN IP address is supported.

OS

Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter, Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard, Windows Server 2012 Datacenter, Windows Server 2012 Standard with the latest updates in all the OS. You can also use Windows server 2008 R2 but it has reached the end of Support on 13/1/2015.

BackEnd databases

Standard and Enterprise editions of Microsoft SQL Server 2014, Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 with the latest updates.

The concept of SQL Mirroring, SQL Clustering and SQL Always On can be used for back-end server databases.

For more details please access the TechNet article https://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/library/dn951388.aspx

Skype for Business Administrative tools

  • Skype for Business Server 2015 Deployment Wizard: Used for installing various components of Skype for Business server. 
  •  Skype for Business Server 2015 Management Shell: PowerShell that allows for administration of Skype for Business Server 2015 & used for automation purpose.
  • Skype for Business Server 2015 Topology Builder: Program used to build, deploy, and manage topologies.
  • Skype for Business Server 2015 Control Panel: Program used to administer the installation.

Implementation of Skype for Business Server

Since there are already many documents available online for implementation of Skype for Business servers I would share the link for the same.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn951362.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Clients for Skype for Business

  1. Skype for Business 2016 Standard
  2. Skype for Business Basic
  3. Skype for Business Phone edition
  4. Skype for Business Mobile App
  5. Skype for Business Web App

High Availability in Skype for Business Server

Pooling of servers in SFB makes high availability possible and for disaster recovery, the concept of pool pairing is used. Back End server High availability includes Always on Availability groups, Mirroring and Clustering. High availability makes sure that SFB services are always available even if one or more SFB goes down. Preserving of data in the event of a natural or human-caused disaster are referred to as disaster recovery.

High availability for most of the server roles in SFB is via pooling. If a server fails, another server in the pool takes the load. This is applicable for Front End, Meditation, Director and the Edge servers.

Front End pools also serve as disaster recovery options in SFB. It can be set up in two different geographical areas to serve as a backup to each other servers. In case if the entire pool goes down the backup pool can serve as a service provider to users at both the sides.

In the next article, we will discuss briefly the concepts of Enterprise Voice and Automation.