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Microsoft Launches Lync

SIP Trunking

Enterprise VoIP Featured Article

November 17, 2010

Microsoft Launches Lync

By Ed LaBanca
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I recently attended a workshop presentation for Lync which included a hands-on preview of a live system. This article also includes findings from Miercom’s testing of Lync in their testing labs. According to Microsoft, Lync Server 2010 is positioned to integrate with or replace legacy PBXs with all the requisite features and functions. It is a rebranding of the formerly code named Communications Server “14” with a new name: Microsoft Lync. It provides a full suite of communications capabilities in a single, unified platform to deliver Instant Messaging (IM), Presence, Conferencing, Voice and Video.

The image quality for video was very high even when projected on a large overhead screen. A key feature of video is that a user is first invited and then must accept the invitation in order to be viewed by other participants. Lync further leverages and integrates with Microsoft’s other enterprise client / server components including Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Silverlight and Exchange email / Unified Messaging. Voice mail integration shows a text translation as a preview or allows a user to read or listen to entire messages. Live Messenger includes federation for businesses and consumers. Lync Server 2010 supports federation with public IM networks such as Windows Live™, AOL, Yahoo!, and, through the XMPP Gateway, Google Talk, allowing workers to use their corporate identities to connect to customers and partners.


Microsoft Lync is positioned to integrate with or replace legacy PBXs with all the requisite features and functions. It is a rebranding of the formerly code named Communications Server “14” with a new name:



 Figure 1:  Contact List by Status



 Figure 2: Lync Point-to-Point IM



  Figure 3: Lync Point-to-Point Audio with IM




  Figure 4:  Lync Point-to-Point Video with Audio & IM

Status indicators include available, busy, do-not-disturb (DND), be right back, off work and appear away. The figures above show IM, voice and video in various point-to-point combinations. 


Sharing options include the users desktop, Microsoft Project, PowerPoint, whiteboards, and polls. Significantly, there is the ability to record complete sessions for playback later, including to those who may have been absent or for other interested parties. The system provides real-time feedback. One example is the recording indicator is yellow to alert the user that the station set is on mute. There is also an indicator for wireless Internet signal strength.



Figure 5 above shows a conference session with the functionality to invite additional attendees, mute the audience, make everyone presenters or attendees only, and play entry / exit announcements.

Information such as PowerPoint presentations can be downloaded to the user client. This enables the user to move ahead to slides, although the presenter can take control and get everyone to view the same slide. A hyperlink can be provided for external users to participate using Silverlight with audio and video being available with a downloadable client that does not require licensing. Lync administration and management provides the equivalent to messaging for establishing organizational policies regarding usage and security requirements. A new feature of Outlook 2010 is speech-to-text with previews and is available in approximately 12 languages thru optional language packs.

Instant Messaging and Presence

Presence aggregates information from contact cards, calendars, location settings, device capabilities and personal status updates. Color indicators are used. For example if an individual is available there is a green bar next to his or her picture in Lync. For Outlook, when a message is addressed to specific recipients, their presence is color-coded in the To: field of the message. SharePoint also provides presence information and many actions can be performed directly from SharePoint such as initiating a call or an IM. Presence is similarly integrated in Microsoft Word.

Conferencing

Lync enables ad hoc conferencing, such that a user can start with an IM and upgrade to a video call. After a video call is established additional individuals can be added by simply dragging the available individual into the conference window. The user can also easily downgrade from a video conference to audio only by selecting that option after clicking on the video tab in the user window. Users can also share programs including web pages, and white boards once the other party has accepted to share the program. Who has control of the program is accomplished in a similar manner.

Scheduled conferencing is enabled through Microsoft Outlook and provides ways to restrict participants using a lobby model where people cannot gain access without approval, and restrict presenters and those who can admit people from the lobby.

Conferencing interoperability enables organizations to use existing infrastructure including room systems and high-end conferencing solutions.

Enterprise Voice

Lync users can manage location, which in addition to informing his co-workers and team members of current geographic or physical location also supports e-911 emergency services. The user can initiate test calls to determine call quality at a particular time and place when using the Internet. Phone (News - Alert) devices can also be managed on the fly, such as switching from a PC’s built-in audio to a USB headset.

Control settings include sending a call to voice mail, and call forward settings to configure groups for team call or to delegate calls to alternate individuals with simultaneous ring.

Communications Enabled Business Processes

There are many ways for vendors to tap into this broad term. Microsoft cites its ability to integrate ecommerce applications by using live chat with skills-based routing. An example is an on-line shopper needing to verify product availability for same day shipping. The shopper sends an IM using a Silverlight-based chat window during the order entry process and is placed in queue. The chat is routed to an agent that has the ability to address the question. Furthermore, the available agent can elect to decline or accept the chat to answer the question and help to consummate the sale.

Deployment Options

Lync Server 2010 works with almost any PBX (News - Alert) system either through Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or qualified gateways, and integrates with qualified third-party SIP Trunking Service Providers. Microsoft Lync Server 2010 can be deployed on-premises, hosted directly by Microsoft, or hosted by a partner:

  • On-premises: To deploy Lync on-premises, a license is needed for each Lync Server instance and Client Access Licenses (CALs) for each user or device. Standalone licenses can be acquired for Lync, or licenses can be purchased in combination with other Microsoft products in the Enterprise CAL Suite.
  • Microsoft-hosted: For a Microsoft-hosted Lync deployment, a User Subscription License (USL) is needed for each user. Similar to on-premises Lync licensing, Lync Online subscriptions can be purchased standalone or in combination with other Microsoft products as part of the Business Productivity Online Standard Suite.
  • Partner-hosted: Microsoft has a large partner ecosystem to help customers build, deploy, and service Microsoft Lync Server 2010 products and solutions. Partners can be contacted directly to host the Lync infrastructure or help build a next-generation communications experience.

As part of a collaborative venture between CollabGen and Miercom Testing Labs, I had the benefit of participating in active testing of the very first public testing event of MS Lync involving performance, resiliency and security testing.



According to Rob Smithers CEO of Miercom, the Microsoft Lync passed an extensive battery of tests that are documented in their free testing report available by email request to [email protected].

Testing was conducted on an 8-way core i7 server with 16GB of RAM (News - Alert) containing five virtual machines using the Microsoft Hyper-V manager built into Microsoft Server 2008 R2. The five installed virtual machines included a Mediation Server, Domain Controller, Exchange Server 2010, SharePoint 2010 and a server running a Quality of Experience Monitor. These servers were used to view the total experience that Microsoft Lync 2010 has to offer. Other devices and software which contributed in Microsoft Lync server 2010 testing included the Aastra (News - Alert) 6725ip Lync phones, Microsoft HD webcams and Microsoft Lync client software.  

The MuDynamics Mu-4000 security appliance consists of a complete service assurance solution for determining the reliability, availability and security of IP-based applications and services. Also, the Mu solution is highly automated, with lights-out fault isolation and the Mu Test Suite speeds the remediation of software flaws by providing actionable reports and complete data on any faults. Mu-based testing is managed via a variety of interfaces, including its highly visual web-based graphical user interface or remotely controlled using REST- or XML-based APIs for integration into common laboratory automation frameworks such as HPQC or STAF. Protocol mutation attacks were generated and directed at Microsoft’s Lync server and NET’s UX-2000 appliance.

Touchstone WinSIP, a high-performance software-based SIP bulk call generator was used to generate calls through the Lync mediation server to test its ability to handle thousands of simultaneous SIP calls. SIP calls were generated using the G.711 uLaw audio codec and were directed to the mediation server to ring a client at the Lync site. Once the Lync client receives the WinSIP call the call will simultaneously ring another WinSIP user. The WinSIP receive side will answer the call and immediately disconnect it. Simultaneous calls were increased to stress the mediation server to see how many calls it can actually support.

The Apposite Linktropy 7500 Pro was used to simulate the WAN link between the Microsoft Lync environment and the NET UX-2000 branch site. HD video conferencing calls were initiated across the WAN link while simulating a 1.5 mbps T1 link. Analyzing video and audio quality at both ends were observed during the T1 simulation.

The Adtran Atlas 800 simulated a local PSTN which was connected with the UX-2000 branch site with a T1 connection. This connection to the local PSTN allows users at a branch site to make calls to the outside. In the event of a WAN link outage the UX-2000 can failover to the PSTN T1 connection back to the Microsoft Lync site through the Adtran Atlas 800 to maintain connectivity with Microsoft Lync.

An Ixia (News - Alert) XM12 chassis using IxLoad to apply IMIX background traffic while generating SIP calls for analysis was also used along with real-world traffic generated by Ixia’s test platform and test applications, principally IxNetwork for Layer 2-3 routing and switching traffic and IxLoad for Layer 4-7 application traffic.

The following summarizes the Miercom findings:

Performance testing:   

Microsoft Lync successfully passed voice and video Quality of Experience (QoE) tests under heavily loaded and degraded network conditions. Even with significant jitter and a packet loss percentage in excess of 5% the voice and video quality of the Lync client with High Definition Video was superb. High Definition Video Conferencing was conducted over T1 bandwidth with an average bandwidth of 142 Kbps needed to maintain the connection. 

Resiliency:

To verify the branch resiliency the Miercom engineers put Microsoft Lync 2010 thru a series of tests failing connections between Lync Client and the Lync Server. We found the Lync Client to recover quickly (within seconds upon restoration of the network connection to the Lync 2010 Server. 

We also conducted failover scenarios for simulated branch location using a Survivable Branch Appliance (SBA) from the NET UX-200. It can provide basic voice services to users in the branch during a WAN outage. Microsoft Lync passed resiliency tests for local client as well as branch office deployment.

Security:

Security testing for the Microsoft Lync Server revealed a “pass” rating for reliability and security testing for Microsoft Lync (with appropriate network firewall employed). No inherent vulnerabilities were discovered in Microsoft Lync Server 2010 outright using a battery of vulnerability and protocol analysis tools from Ixia, Mu Dynamics, and Touchstone.

For more information on Microsoft or other vendor products contact: [email protected]. Your comments, questions and ideas are welcome.

For more information on Miercom testing services contact [email protected]

CollabGen provides consulting services for vendors, dealers and end-user enterprises (www.CollabGen.com). Analyst reports are available via www.CXOReports.com.

Miercom is the leading independent testing center that has provided unbiased thorough engineering test analysis to more trade publications includingTMC than any other testing lab. Additional information on Miercom can be found www.miercom.com or message [email protected].


Ed LaBanca, a veteran of the telecommunications industry with more than 30 years of experience in product design and management, writes the Enterprise & Contact Center Communications column for TMCnet. To read more of Ed’s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Stefania Viscusi


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