Skype for Business Unleashed

Skype for Business Unleashed

This is the most comprehensive, realistic, and useful guide to Skype for  Business Server 2015, Microsoft’s most powerful unified communications system. Four leading Microsoft unified communications consultants share in-the-trenches guidance for planning, integration, migration, deployment, administration, and more.

The authors thoroughly introduce Skype for Business 2015’s components and capabilities, as well as changes and improvements associated with the integration of popular Skype consumer technologies. You’ll find detailed coverage of IP voice, instant messaging, conferencing, and collaboration; and expert guidance on server roles, multi-platform clients, security, and troubleshooting.

Reflecting their unsurpassed experience, the authors illuminate Microsoft’s new cloud-based and hybrid cloud architectures for unified communications, showing how these impact networking, security, and Active Directory. They cover SDN for unified communications; interoperation with consumer Skype and legacy video conferencing; quality optimization, mobile improvements, and much more.

Throughout, the authors combine theory, step-by-step configuration instructions, and best practices from real enterprise environments. Simply put, you’ll learn what works–and how it’s done.

Detailed Information on How To

·         Plan deployments, from simple to highly complex

·         Deploy Skype for Business Server 2015 as a cloud or cloud-hybrid solution

·         Walk step by step through installation or an in-place upgrade

·         Overcome “gotchas” in migrating from Lync Server 2010 or 2013

·         Leverage new features available only in cloud or cloud-hybrid environments

·         Implement and manage Mac, mobile, Windows, browser, and virtualized clients

·         Establish server roles, including front end, edge, and mediation server

·         Make the most of Skype for Business Server 2015’s enhanced mobile experience

·         Manage external dependencies: network requirements, dependent services, and security infrastructure

·         Efficiently administer Skype for Business Server 2015

·         Provide for high availability and disaster recovery

·         Integrate voice, telephony, and video, step by step

·         Avoid common mistakes, and discover expert solutions and workarounds

Category: Business Applications

Covers: Skype for Business

User Level: Intermediate—Advanced

Part I Overview

Chapter 1 What Is Skype for Business?

Skype for Business Server Overview

    Instant Messaging and Presence

    Peer-to-Peer Audio

    Web, Audio, and Video Conferencing

    Enterprise Voice

    Persistent Chat

    Remote Access

Skype for Business Server Terms and Acronyms

Versions and Licensing

    Skype for Business Server Standard Edition

    Skype for Business Server Enterprise Edition

    Client and Server Licensing

Integration with Other Microsoft Applications

    Integration with Exchange Server

    Integration with SharePoint

    Integration with Microsoft Office

    Integration with Third-Party Applications

Summary

Chapter 2 What’s New in Skype for Business?

Animated Emoticons … and Consumer Integration

    The Consumerization of Lync

New Topologies and Supported Architectures

Hybrid and Online Features

    Broadcast Meetings

    Cloud PBX

    PSTN Calling

Enhanced Mobile Experience

In-place Upgrades

Summary

Chapter 3 Business Case for Skype for Business?

Why Unified Communications

    Instant Messaging and Presence

    Web, Audio, and Video Conferencing

    Enterprise Telephony

    Unified Messaging

Unified Communications Return on Investment (ROI)

    Unified Communications Investments

    Audio Conferencing Return on Investment

    Realizing ROI with Centralized Telephony

    Productivity Improvements

    Reduced Travel Costs

    Office Space Reduction

Why Skype for Business Server 2015 for Unified Communications

    Software-Based Unified Communications

    Lower Total Cost of Ownership

    Deployment Flexibility

    Remote Access and Federation

Summary

Part II Skype for Business Server 2015 Server Roles

Chapter 4 Skype for Business Server 2015 Front End Server

Front End Server Installation

    Active Directory Schema Extension in Skype for Business Server 2015

    Active Directory Forest Preparation in Skype for Business Server 2015

    Active Directory Domain Preparation in Skype for Business Server 2015

Installation

    Skype for Business Server 2015 Topology Builder

    Standard Edition Installation

    Enterprise Edition Installation

Configuration and Administration Overview

Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Summary

Chapter 5 Skype for Business Server 2015 Edge Server

Edge Server Overview

    Access Edge

    Web Conferencing Edge

    A/V Edge

    XMPP Gateway

    Collocation

Edge Server Installation

    Hardware Requirements

    Operation System Requirements

    Software Requirements

    Configure Networking

    Create the Edge Pool

    Install the Edge Server

Edge Server Configuration

    Enabling Edge Server Features

    Introducing High Availability

    Adding Edge Servers to a Pool

Edge Server Administration

    Editing the Global External Access Policy

    Creating a New External Access Policy

    Assigning External Access Policies

    Managing Federation

    Managing XMPP Federation

    Managing Public Providers

    Managing External Web Conferencing Features

    Managing A/V Edge Features

Edge Server Troubleshooting

    Firewall Ports

    Routing

    Certificates

    DNS Records

    Windows Event Logs

    Skype for Business Centralized Logging Service

    Skype for Business Server Management Shell

    Telnet

    Troubleshooting Skype for Business Services

Best Practices

Summary

Chapter 6 Skype for Business Server 2015 Monitoring and Archiving Best Practices

Installing Monitoring Components

    Installing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services

    Configuring Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services

Monitoring Configuration

Monitoring Administration

Monitoring Troubleshooting

Installation of Call Quality Dashboard Components

Enabling CQD in Skype for Business Online

Call Quality Dashboard Configuration

Call Quality Dashboard Administration

Archiving Components Troubleshooting

Archiving Components Installation

Archiving Configuration

    Creating Site and User Policies

    Using Cmdlets for Configuration Tasks

Archiving Administration

    Archiving Disclaimer

    Purging Archived Data from the Database

Archiving Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Summary

Chapter 7 Skype for Business Server 2015 Mediation Server

Mediation Server Overview

    Understanding Trunks

    Mediation Server Traffic Flows

Mediation Server Design Considerations

    Sizing and Topology

    High Availability

Mediation Server Installation and Configuration

    Prerequisites

    Create a Mediation Server Pool

    Install Skype for Business Mediation Server Components

    Adding Mediation Servers to an Existing Pool

    Mediation Server Configuration

Mediation Server Administration

    Services

    Services Management

    Topology Replication Status

Mediation Server Troubleshooting

    Connectivity to Gateways

    Connectivity to Edge Servers

    DNS Records

    Event Logs

    Skype for Business Server Management Shell

    Synthetic Transactions

    Telnet

    System Time

Best Practices

Summary

Chapter 8 Persistent Chat

Persistent Chat Overview

Persistent Chat Deployment

    Topology Options and Scaling

    Prerequisites

    Topology Update

    Installing the Persistent Chat Server Role

    In-place Upgrading the Persistent Chat Server Role

Configuring Persistent Chat

    Administrative Access

    Persistent Chat Policies

    Persistent Chat Server Options

    Chat Room Categories

    Chat Room Add-Ins

    Chat Rooms

    Compliance Configuration

Persistent Chat Administration

    Chat Room Management by Administrators

    Chat Room Management by End Users

Skype Online and Hybrid Environments

Persistent Chat Troubleshooting

Best Practices

Summary

Part III External Dependencies

Chapter 9 Network Requirements and Best Practices

Managed and Unmanaged Networks

IPv6 Support

Network Discovery

    Historical Data and Metrics

    Topology

    WAN Optimizers

    Virtual Private Networks

    Firewalls

Edge: Interactive Connectivity Establishment and External Communications

    Calls Between Internal People

    Calls Between External People

    Calls Between an External User and Internal User

    Conferences

    Office 365

Calculating Bandwidth Requirements

    Call Flows

    Bandwidth Utilization

    Bandwidth Calculations

Wireless Networks

    Planning Access Points

    Endpoints

Call Admission Control

Quality of Service

    Client Ports

    Front End Server Ports

    Using Defined Ports When Using a Site-to-Site VPN

    Configure DCSP Markings

Software Defined Networking

    How SDN Works

    What the SDN API Does Now

    Installing the SDN API

Summary

Chapter 10 Dependent Services

Active Directory Dependencies

    Schema Extensions

    Forest Prep

    Domain Prep

    Skype for Business Server 2015 Security Groups

Domain Name System Dependencies

    DNS Load Balancing

    Automatic Client Sign-In

    Simple URLs

Server Certificates Dependencies

    Skype for Business Server Certificate Requirements

    Installing Skype for Business Certificates

Network Dependencies

    Supporting Skype for Business Phone Edition with DHCP

    Ethernet Switch Considerations

    Defining Networks

Office Web Apps Server Dependencies

    System Requirements

    Office Web Apps Server Installation

SQL Server Dependencies

    Skype for Business Database Requirements

    SQL Backup Procedures

    Maintaining the Skype for Business SQL Databases

Summary

Chapter 11 Firewall, Reverse Proxy, and Security Requirements

Firewall Requirements

    Network-Based Firewalls

    Using Operating System Firewalls

Ports Required for Internal and External Access

Using Network Address Translation (NAT) with Skype for Business Server 2015

Reverse Proxy Requirements

    Why a Reverse Proxy Is Required

    Certificate Requirements

Reverse Proxy Configuration

    Creating DNS Records for Reverse Proxy

    Verifying Access to Skype for Business Web Services

File Share Permissions

Securing Service Accounts

Security Threats

    Attacks on Skype for Business Servers

    Attacks on User Accounts

    Attacks on Authentication Protocol

    Attacks on Clients

Summary

Part IV Administration and Management

Chapter 12 Monitoring