Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Workshop–Day 1

Shuvro

Hi Guys,

Here is the summary for Lync Workshop Day 1: Will post the Video Soon in my YouTube Channel and also here.

Server Roles Discussion

Roles and their brief description:

Front End

Provides most of Lync Services. There are two types of Front End Server, Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition. To achieve high availability, deploy an enterprise edition front end pool.

AV Conferencing Service / Server

To provide audio video conferencing to Lync users. This server is installed on the front end server but can be separated out onto a standalone server.

Mediation Service / Server

To translate codec between Lync internal clients (RTA–RealTIme Audio) and PSTN clients (G711). This server is installed on the front end server but can be separated out onto a standalone server. You do not need this service if you do not want to use enterprise voice.

Archival Server

To archive mainly – instant messages, meeting contents.

Monitoring Server

To capture call detail records and quality of experience details.

Media Gateway

To “link” the mediation service/server to the PSTN cloud (via E1 or T1 line). Media gateway may not be required if you setup a SIP Trunk to your telco provider. This is only required if there is a need to have Enterprise voice capabilities.

Certified Devices:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/lync/gg131938.aspx

Survivable Branch Appliance/Server

Deployed when there is a need to have high availability for user’s PSTN Calling in branch sites.

Directors

Deploying the Director role is not mandatory (although it is recommended to have a director). Directors are generally more important in environments with multiple front end pools. Directors only directs/connects to proper front end pool where the user profile resides; in a multi front end pool server scenario.

Edge

To allow connections from internet. It is recommended to deploy this even if you have VPN. This is because VPN Lync connections have double layer of encryption which can have the possibility of affecting call quality.

Reverse Proxy

To provide HTTPs services to Lync clients on internet. To provide Lync mobility services to Lync clients on mobile phones.

SQL

Stores bulk to information on Lync, user’s contact list, central management store etc…You will typically also host your file shares on the SQL servers, especially when the SQL server is clustered for high availability.

File Share

File Stores contain data such as meeting content metadata, meeting compliance logs, update logs for device updates, and audio files for the Response Group, Call Park, and Announcement applications.

Stores:

  • Application Server files. (CPS, RDP and Rgs)
  • Archiving Server.(DataConf, MeetingConf)
  • CMS File Store. (Including all all Lync server and roles)
  • Web Services. (ABFiles, CollabContent, CollabMetadata, DeviceUpdateLogs, DeviceUpdateStore, LMStaticData, MeetingComplianceData, MeetingContent, MeetingContent, MeetingFiles, MeetingMetaData and WebAuthStore.)

Active Directory Requirements

Windows Server 2003 native mode active directory functional level is required for the forest and domains.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg412955.aspx

Lync User Model

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg398811.aspx

Capacity Planning Using the User Models

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg615015

Lync client impact on Exchange

http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/06/30/understanding-lync-2010-client-scaling-and-workload-impact-on-exchange-2010-client-access-server.aspx

SQL Database Growth Rate

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg412771

Collocation Rules

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg398102

Recommended Hardware Config

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg398835

Virtualization Host and Guest Hardware Config

Can be used to determine how to scale down:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg399035.aspx

Refer to documents from other hardware vendors on Lync Virtualization:

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/solutions/lync_server_2010_solution_architectures.pdf

What are some of the virtualization considerations?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21129