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

 

Alex Lewis, MCITP, CISSP, has a mixed background in technology and business spanning 20 years. He has worked with a wide range of environments, from small organizations to large enterprises requiring complex or custom communications solutions, and is responsible for architecting and implementing some of the largest Lync and Skype for Business deployments in the world. Alex is a strong believer in aligning technology to business goals to create a competitive business advantage. Including titles on Active Directory and Exchange, and three on Lync, Alex has participated in writing nine books from 2004 to present. He is currently Vice President at Event Zero, the global leader in real-time analytics for Skype for Business. In his spare time Alex enjoys scuba diving and beach volleyball.

 

Pat Richard is a Unified Communications consultant and PowerShell Developer who began working with Microsoft Exchange and evolved into working with the full Microsoft Unified Communications stack. He has been involved in some of the best-known deployments and migrations in the world, including those in the defense, finance, government, real estate, manufacturing, and services fields. Pat maintains the renowned ehloworld.com blog, which focuses on solutions, ideas, scripts, and information centered on PowerShell and Unified Communications. His PowerShell scripts, Excel design calculators, and other tools have been used by many of the major consulting firms, large enterprises, small- and medium-sized shops, and even Microsoft Consulting Services to deploy and manage millions of seats on Exchange Server, Lync Server, and Skype for Business Server. Pat is the host of the popular Exchange/Lync/Skype for Business/Office 365 focused podcast “The UC Architects” and has been recognized by Microsoft and awarded the Microsoft MVP award more than 10 times across three products. He has contributed to several books, spoken at international conferences, and has been spotlighted by some Microsoft marketing campaigns.

 

Phil Sharp is a Unified Communications consultant with over 10 years of experience working with Microsoft Unified Communications solutions. His career in Microsoft UC began with one of the first Office Communications Server 2007 voice deployments in the U.S. He has extensive experience architecting, implementing, and supporting Microsoft Active Directory, Office Communications Server 2007/R2, Lync Server 2010/2013, Skype for Business, and Exchange for organizations of all sizes and verticals. In Phil’s current role at Modality Systems, he leads a world-class team of Microsoft UC consultants who specialize in telephony integration of Lync and Skype for Business.

 

Rui Maximo started in the Microsoft Skype for Business product team at Microsoft since the early days of RTC in 2003. As a lead program manager, he managed multiple areas of responsibility on the server side, including AD schema, topologies, management, setup, Enterprise Voice, and CWA. Rui has authored over 40 technical articles, training videos, whitepapers, and multiple books.

 

In addition to writing technical books, Rui is the principal software architect of the Security Filters (www.lync-solutions.com), a suite of seven security products that protect Skype for Business Server against denial-of-service (DoS) and over 20 different types of attacks, provide granular control of federation traffic, and restrict access to only authorized mobile devices. He consults and does contract work for clients looking to integrate their products with Skype for Business Server 2015.