We were teased with the inclusion of an introduction screen in a recent update to Lync 2013 Mobile for Windows Phone, but as of Monday 6th July, version 6.0.1430.0 has been released – Skype for Business for Windows Phone.
At the moment, it seems to only be available for Windows Phone, with pretty much the same features, with an updated UI as it seems, but I will update if and when I find any differences, also as and when the iOS and Android apps are released – Happy Monday!
During a recent engagement, I had ran into an issue updating the firmware version on Lync Phone Edition Devices.
I initially kicked off with checks around DNS, Certificates, Ports and everything checked out but phones would still not update.
Test Devices had been configured correctly (using serial number and one using MAC) – still no joy.
The IIS logs are extremely useful; Jeff Schertz has excellent blog posts on Configuring LPE for Lync and Updating LPE devices which go into reviewing the IIS logs. In summary, it enables you to confirm whether devices are communicating with the device update site running on within the front-end pool, or in our case – NOT.
Now please someone correctly if I’m severely behind the times with this one, but whilst having a play around with Lync Mobile running on iOS I noticed a new section appear in my contacts list, added by as well as a notification in the contacts section;
Added by Section
Contact Notification
I am easily pleased….
so when contacts add you to their contact list, as does the Desktop client, the mobile client now also provides you with notification. Expanding the group obviously shows you who has added you; Continue reading
First and foremost – RIP Lync 😦
For those that have missed it, Microsoft have now released the Skype for Business client, KB2889923. Although the Skype for Business Server 2015 server components haven’t been released yet, we can still use the new clients against Lync Server 2010 or 2013.
In this post, I will be running through the client experience, when using the new client against a Lync Server 2013 Pool, as well as the experience when changes are made to the client policy switch parameter, EnableSkypeUI.
And so the announcement is [finally] made….. the next version of Lync, set for 1H 2015 will become ‘Skype for Business’. I think we all knew that this was going to happen, it was just a matter of when. I think we are all also in agreement that is the logical step for Microsoft to take, considering the audience and global presence that Skype has.
Me personally, I am keen to see the approach taken to upgrades (in place hopefully!), content sharing and federation now that we are essentially “one platform”. With new client and server releases and updates to Office 365 there are busy times ahead for all of us!
Check out the Skype blog for more info!
Apologies for quite a delayed response, I have just returned from a visit to Bodrum (very entertaining and lively) so currently playing catch-up to life!
Whilst I was away, several updates have been released, which are summarised below:
1. Lync Server 2013 CU5 and Supporting KB Article
Of significance, is the inability to install CU5 on any Lync Servers that have only the Core Components and/or Administrative tools installed, as pointed out by Greg in this post Lync Server 2013 CU5 OcsCore Update Fails and also confirmed by Microsoft in KB2993188
2. Microsoft Lync Client KB2881070 (15.0.4641.1000) kb article and 32bit/64bit packages
Prerequisites:
List of resolved issues:
Lync 2013 signs out and then signs in every 30 minutes
Lync 2013 crashes when you manipulate a pivot table field during an Excel worksheet presentation
Error “Event ID from source Lync cannot be found” instead of event logs from Lync 2013 appears in Event Viewer
Cannot join a meeting by using Lync 2013 when the ACP MCU services are running on multiple front-end servers
Cannot send CER data when a user cannot join meetings in Lync 2013
Lync 2013 meeting issues after you install Lync Meeting Add-in for Office 2013
Cannot select audio device during a VoIP call in Lync 2013 when a user is enabled for RCC
Lync 2013 does not display telephone number of an Outlook 2010 contact in the contact card
An update enables Lync 2013 users to select the default unselected check boxes for saving instant message and call logs
Artifacts remain in chat input area in Lync 2013 after an instant message is sent
Lync 2013 dials the number that calls are forwarded to instead of the last dialed number
A user’s work number is listed in the “Forward Calls To” list in Lync 2013
Cannot paste data from a webpage to Lync 2013 conversation window
Can’t join online meeting that is created in a non-federated organization by using Lync 2013
Can’t sign in to Lync 2013 by using a cached certificate in Lync online hybrid deployment
Additionally, this update resolves the Lync 2013 issues that are described in the following KB articles:
MS14-036: Description of the security update for Microsoft Lync 2013: June 10, 2014
Description of the Lync 2013 update 2863908: March, 2014
Description of Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Description of the Lync 2013 update 15.0.4551.1005: November 7, 2013
MS13-054: Description of the security update for Lync 2013: July 9, 2013
Description of the Lync 2013 update 15.0.4481.1004: May 2013
Description of the Lync 2013 update 15.0.4481.1000: March 2013
Description of the Lync 2013 update: February 2013
Known Issues:
Screen readers cannot read aloud keystrokes during a Lync 2013 application or desktop sharing session in Windows
Persistent Chat file transfer fails between an external user and an internal user in Lync 2013
I’m lucky enough to have hands on time (for quite a while now) with the Large Smart Lync Room system. I do plan on doing a full review, so keep an eye out for that.
For those out there with LRS deployed, you will be happy to hear the latest updates have been released, taking it now to version 15.10.0.
Firstly, a more subtle change, but the version numbering is no longer in the Major.Minor (15.XX) format. Microsoft have now opted for a more granular approach, now formatting the version numbers as per the image below (15.XX.XX)
Secondly – ROOM PC VIEW….
We now have the ability to constantly stay connected to a laptop device, which may sound like a simple thing to do, but without understanding the way LRS works prior to 15.10.0, its usefulness will be taken for granted.
In prior versions, when connecting a laptop device to the Lync Room System, the display was automatically output and it would be solely down to the laptop OS to control whether the screen was displayed or not.
Now whilst attending the laptop this may not be a problem but consider the scenario where a client may wish to permanently connect a given display card to LRS and control the whether or not to display that device from LRS, without travelling to separate rooms to do so. Microsoft have released Room PC View, which allows us to do exactly that.
What Room PC View does, is allows administrators to optionally display a new button on the LRS Console, that allows for the connected display device to be displayed (or not) all from the LRS Console Screen. In the image above, the button is greyed out as I do not have anything connected to the HDMI/VGA input.
Following the updates – don’t forget to turn it on under the admin settings!
Important – If the update is to be deployed via SCOM – LRS must be joined to the same domain as per the below KB article.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2933446
I see many functional reasons as to why this would be required, if you have been using, or have used LRS – let me know what you think!
Microsoft have released an update to the Lync 2013 client (including Basic), a list of fixes can be seen below:
One for the Mac users out there:
Here are some of the issues addressed within 14.0.9 (Please read the release KB for more information):
Check out the Office Blog for more information!
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