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

With more than 20 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, Alex Lewis brings a wealth of real-world experience to unified communications projects and strategies. As a globally recognized technology expert, Alex has spoken at the Lync/Skype for Business conference on business strategies for UC, Aruba Atmosphere on Software Defined Networking in addition to a host of other events. Alex is a 5-time Microsoft MVP for LCS, OCS, Lync and Skype for business and the founder of the Silicon Valley Lync/Skype Users Group.

Pat Richard is a Sr. Consultant and UC Automation Lead for Modality Systems. He has specialized in design, planning, and deployment of unified communications solutions built on the Microsoft stack since OCS 2007 R2. Pat has been involved in large scale deployments and migrations in enterprise environments for government, financial, higher learning, manufacturing, and services customers. He has authored many deployment, troubleshooting, and administration tools that are in use by companies worldwide. He is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for work in the technical community with Lync/Skype, and has spoken at conferences and events. Pat is also the host of the popular “The UC Architects” podcast, which centers around Microsoft’s unified communications products.

Phil Sharp runs the Lync/Microsoft UC User Group in the Saint Louis Metro area (http://www.meetup.com/msucUG-STL/). He has written and presented on many relevant topics, including:

Skype for Business Architecture

Skype for Business Best Practice

Skype for Business and Private Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Skype for Business Load Balancing Best Practices

New Developments and Features in Skype for Business

Skype for Business Administration and Troubleshooting

Skype for Business Enhanced 911 Configuration

Until recently, Rui Maximo was a lead program manager on the Skype for Business Server development team at Microsoft, having been part of it since the early days of RTC in 2003. In that role he oversaw multiple features on the server side including AD schema, management, setup, Enterprise Voice, CWA, etc.   Rui is currently the architect of the Security Filters (www.lync-solutions.com). In his current role, he consults and does contract work for clients seeking to integrate their products with SfB.  Rui is the author of many technical articles, training videos, whitepapers, and books. To find out more, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximo

INTRODUCTION
PART I. OVERVIEW
1. What Is Skype for Business?
2. What's New in Skype for Business
3. Business Cases for Skype for Business

PART II. SKYPE FOR BUSINESS SERVER ROLES
4. Skype for Business Front End Server
5. Skype for Business Edge Server
6. Skype for Business Monitoring and Archiving Best Practices
7. Skype for Business Mediation
8. Persistent Chat

PART III. EXTERNAL DEPENDENCIES
9. Network Requirements and Best Practices
10. Dependent Services and SQL
11. Firewall and Security Requirements

PART IV. ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
12. Monitoring Skype for Business
13. Administration of Skype for Business
14. High-Availability and Disaster Recovery

PART V. MIGRATING FROM OLDER VERSIONS
15. Migrating from Lync Server 2010/2013

PART VI. SKYPE FOR BUSINESS VOICE, VIDEO and INTEGRATION
16. Skype for Business Telephony and Voice Integration
17. Advanced Skype for Business Voice Configuration
18. Skype for Business Native Video and Data Conferencing
19. Skype for Business Video Integration with Third Party Products and Services

PART VII. INTEGRATION WITH OTHER APPLICATIONS
20. Unified Contact Store, Exchange and SharePoint 2013 Integration
21. UCMA, UCJA and Extending Skype for Business

PART VIII. OFFICE 365 and SKYPE FOR BUSINESS ONLINE
22. Office 365 overview/Skype for Business Online and Hybrid Deployments
23. Skype Integration

PART IX. CLIENTS
24. Mac Client
25. Mobile Clients
26. Windows Client
27. Browser Client
28. VDI
29. UC Endpoints

PART X. PLANNING FOR DEPLOYMENT
30. Skype for Business Online and Office 365 Hybrid
31. Virtualization Support
32. Planning for Basic Skype for Business services
33. Planning to Deploy External Services
34. Planning for Voice Deployment