Greetings Everyone

Welcome to another Wednesday featured forum, today we will be looking at the Skype for Business Forum.

Do you know what Lync or Skype for Business server is?

Skype for Business Server (formerly Microsoft Office Communications Server and Microsoft Lync Server) is real-time communications server software that provides the infrastructure for enterprise instant messaging, presence, VoIP, ad hoc and structured conferences (audio, video and web conferencing) and PSTN connectivity ... (Snippet taken from Wikipedia)

Wow, that is a mouthful. To explain it in a nutshell it is instant messaging with a kick :-), back in the days you would have to get up and go to the 20th floor to talk to someone as they weren't answering their phone only to find out, well they in a meeting. With Skype for business you can now open up the client and immediately see the users status, whether they are available, busy, away, etc. saving you that trip.

What is also nice, instead of calling a meeting and have everyone get into a boardroom, you can sit at your desk and collaborate with your peers. Smarter way of doing things. You can also do file sharing, video presentations, chat to someone on the other side of the world from wherever you are.

Another great feature is the integration with Skype, now you can use 1 client for everything.

If we take this further, there is integration into Exchange and you can connect to an external PSTN and route your voice calls over the gateway. Below are the versions starting with Live Communications server all the way to Skype for Business Server and the new item on the list is called Teams. Yip it's changing again..

Versions history:

• 2015 - Skype for Business Server 2015
• 2012 - Lync Server 2013 (RTM 11 October 2012)
• 2010 - Lync Server 2010
• 2009 - Office Communications Server 2007 R2
• 2007 - Office Communications Server 2007
• 2006 - Live Communications Server 2005 with SP1
• 2005 - Live Communications Server 2005, codenamed Vienna
• 2003 - Live Communications Server 2003

Let's head over to the forums. You might assume that this will be a buzzing forum but it actually only has over 4000+ pages of questions.

To check out the forum, head over to this link.

Here are a few questions asked in this forum:

• Skype for business not signing in seamlessly via ADFS
• Skype for business chat history
• Missed call notifications

I encourage those in this space to grow this community, great opportunity to add your input.

If you are interested in studying this, head over to the following links:

• Microsoft Virtual Academy
• Microsoft Support Site
• Contact your local vendor to find out what training is available.

That is all for now folks.

All the Best!

Edward