Microsoft Office Communications Server2007R2
Deploying Microsoft Office Communicator2007R2
Published: June 2009
Updated: July 2009
Updated: April 2010
For the most up-to-date version of the Deploying Microsoft Office Communicator2007R2 documentation and the complete set of the Microsoft® Office Communications Server2007R2 online server and client documentation, see the Office Communications Server TechNet Library at
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Contents
Deploying Communicator
Communicator 2007 R2 Deployment Overview
New Features and Required Server Roles
Communicator 2007 R2 Upgrade and Interoperability Issues
Special Considerations when Migrating from Live Communications Server 2005 with SP1
Audio and Video Interoperability with Communicator 2005 is not supported
Updating from Office Communications Server 2007
Group Policy Deployment Strategies
Deploying Communicator 2007 R2
IT-Managed Installation
Installing on Machines with Multiple Users
Windows Installer Command Line Options
User-Managed Installation
Client Post-Setup Verification
Uninstalling Communicator 2007 R2
Customizing Communicator 2007 R2
Configuring Custom Tabs in Communicator 2007 R2
Configuring Context-Sensitive Custom Tabs
Defining the Registry Setting
Creating the Custom Tab Definition File
Tab definition file example
Configuring Custom Presence States in Communicator 2007 R2
To localize custom presence states using Locale ID schemas
To add custom presence states to Office Communicator 2007 R2
Adding Commands to the Communicator 2007 R2 Menus
Defining a Custom Command
Accessing a Custom Command
Integrating a Third-Party Collaboration Program with Communicator
Integrating an Internet-Based Collaboration Program with Communicator 2007 R2
Integrating a Server-Based Collaboration Program with Communicator 2007 R2
Customizing the Communicator 2007 R2 Help Menu
Adding Custom Text to the Communicator 2007 R2 Instant Messaging Page
Executing the Communicator 2007 R2 Shell
Settings Information for Communicator 2007 R2
Office Communicator 2007 R2 Group Policy Settings
Group Policy Precedence
Group Policy Updates
Media Port Range Registry Keys
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Deploying Communicator
These topics describe how to deploy Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 in your organization by highlighting the new deployment considerations and changes from the Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 release. It is assumed that you have already completed the setup for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 in either the Enterprise Edition or Standard Edition topologies.
In This Document
Communicator 2007 R2 Deployment Overview
Communicator 2007 R2 Upgrade and Interoperability Issues
Deploying Communicator 2007 R2
Customizing Communicator 2007 R2
Settings Information for Communicator 2007 R2
Reference
To prepare for Communicator 2007 R2 deployment, consult the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 documentation, available at the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 TechNet Library at
You might also find the following documentation helpful:
Client Technical Reference
Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Release Notes at (for Office Communications Server 2007 R2, clients, and devices)
User Education Materials Downloads at
Communicator 2007 R2 Deployment Overview
You can deploy Communicator 2007 R2 across your organization using any method that supports a Microsoft Windows Installer package (.msi file). In addition, you can control key features and settings using installation scripts or Active Directory Domain Services Group Policies.
New Features and Required Server Roles
Communicator 2007 R2 provides several new features, some of which require deployment of additional Office Communications Server 2007 server roles.
New Calling Features. No additional server roles required. Use alternate phone numbers to invite participants; use the keyboard during a call; and copy and paste numbers into the dialpad.
Contact List Enhancements. No additional server roles required. Sort contacts alphabetically, display Delegates, or display your Team-Call Group. Search for a contact that corresponds to a Response Group and add it to your Contact List.
Phone-only contacts. No additional server roles required. Add phone numbers to your Contact List for quick calling (for example, add phone numbers for friends and family members).
Voice Mail Enhancements. No additional server roles required. Access a contact’s voicemail directly, or change your voice mail greeting.
Call Delegation. No additional server roles required. Select one or more assistants (delegates) to receive your incoming phone calls. Delegates must use Office Communicator 2007 R2 Attendant instead of Communicator.
Team Call. No additional server roles required. Set up a group of contacts who can answer your incoming phone calls.
Dial-In Audio Conferencing. Requires Unified Communications Application Server. Add a conference call number to a Communicator conference so that invitees can dial into the audio using any phone.
Response Groups. Requires Unified Communications Application Server. Create workflows to route and queue incoming phone calls to one or more designated agents.
Desktop Sharing. Requires Application Sharing Conferencing Server. Display entire computer desktop to other Communicator participants.
Meet Now. Requires Application Sharing Conferencing Server. Quickly create a conference and invite internal or external (anonymous) participants through e-mail. Participants use Communicator or Communicator Web Access to join the conference.
Automatic Updates. No additional server roles required. Configure Communicator to receive automatic updates.
Archiving, Call Detail Records, and QoE. New Monitoring Server combines Call detail record (CDR) and Quality of Experience (QoE) functionality. Archiving Server provides archiving.
Video enhancements. Requires in-band provisioning option to enable/disable receiving video capabilities. VGA (640x480 at up to 25 frames/sec ) and HD (1280x720 @ up to 25 frames/sec) resolution format supported for peer-to-peer calls as long as hardware, webcam and bandwidth requirements are met.
Desk Phone Integration. No additional server roles required. When the USB cable is used to connect the desk phone to the computer, the desk phone becomes the preferred audio device for calls, conferences, and Microsoft Office Live Meeting sessions.
Communicator 2007 R2 Upgrade and Interoperability Issues
The Communicator 2007 deployment documentation addresses several interoperability factors to consider when you move from Communicator 2005 to Communicator 2007. These considerations are also important when you move from Communicator 2005 to Communicator 2007 R2.
Special Considerations when Migrating from Live Communications Server 2005 with SP1
During a migration from Live Communications Server 2005 with SP1 to Office Communications Server 2007 R2, users are re-homed on Office Communications Server 2007 R2 servers so that they have access to new features and capabilities. Users do not need to update their clients before they are re-homed on the new servers. However, Office Communicator 2005 users will operate in legacy mode until they are switched to rich presence mode, after which they can use Office Communicator 2007 R2, Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access 2007 R2, and telephony devices that provide rich presence capabilities.
Audio and Video Interoperability with Communicator 2005 is not supported
Audio and video interoperability with Office Communicator 2005 is not supported in Office Communicator 2007 R2.
Updating from Office Communications Server 2007
To access new features and capabilities, Office Communicator 2007 R2 users must be homed on Office Communications Server 2007 R2. When you update from Office Communications Server 2007, you can update clients to Communicator 2007 R2 by using managed installation software (such as, Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003), a Group Policy object, or Windows logon scripts.
Moving users from Office Communications Server 2007 to Office Communications Server 2007 R2 involves re-homing users on the new servers. However, clients are not required to be upgraded in advance before they are re-homed on new servers, so the process of updating clients can be phased over time.
To enforce the use of Communicator 2007 R2, you can use the client version control feature in Office Communications Server 2007.
Note:
In Office Communications Server 2007, if you configured the media port range registry key settings to reduce the ports that can be used for media, the recommendations have changed. For details about the port recommendations, see Media Port Range Registry Keys.
After a Communicator user upgrades to Communicator 2007 R2, the Call Forwarding settings in earlier versions of Communicator may become unavailable. For example, if the user has already upgraded Communicator on one computer and then signs in to an earlier version of Communicator on another computer, the user may be unable to change some or all of the Call Forwarding settings. The user should upgrade all instances of Communicator or sign in to the Communicator 2007 R2 version to change Call Forwarding settings.
Group Policy Deployment Strategies
For details about the additions, changes, and deletions to Group Policies for Communicator 2007 R2, see Office Communicator 2007 R2 Group Policy Settings.
Deploying Communicator 2007 R2
You deploy the Communicator 2007 R2 client using the Microsoft Installer package (.msi file). You can perform an IT-managed rollout, or allow your end users to install Communicator individually. The method you choose depends on the size and security requirements of your organization, the deployment methods you already have in place, and the experience level of your users, among other factors. The following sections discuss these options in more detail.
IT-Managed Installation
Office Communicator 2007 R2 can be deployed in a managed-desktop environment using the following methods:
Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 (SMS) or Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2. Use these products for more complex software installation scenarios, where scheduling, inventory, reporting, status, and support for an installation across a wide-area network (WAN) are required.
Active Directory Group Policy. You can create a Group Policy object to deploy Communicator 2007 R2 to specific users or computers based on group memberships.
Windows logon scripts. The logon script performs an unattended installation of Communicator 2007 R2 when a user logs on. Group policy objects can be used to target logon scripts to specific devices or users.
Note:
The new Office Communicator 2007 R2 Automatic Update feature cannot be used to upgrade to Office Communicator 2007 R2 from Office Communicator 2007 or other previous Communicator versions.
Installing on Machines with Multiple Users
After Communicator 2007 R2 is installed on an individual computer, it is available to all users of that computer. Configuration settings for each user are stored in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry hive. Communicator 2007 R2 cannot be installed on a per-user basis on an individual computer.
Windows Installer Command Line Options
Quiet-Mode Installation
When deploying Communicator 2007 R2, you can suppress the installation user interface by using the Windows Installer command-line option /qn in your script, as follows. (The filename Communicator.msi is used as an example only. The actual name of the Communicator 2007 R2 .msi file that you deploy may be different.)
msiexec /qn /i Communicator.msi
Windows Installer command line options are not case sensitive. For details, see Windows Installer documentation on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site.
Generating a Log File
You can generate a log file during Communicator 2007 R2 setup by adding /l*v followed by a file name to the Windows Installer command line. For example:
msiexec /qn /i Communicator.msi /l*v logfile.txt
The asterisk specifies that all possible errors, warnings, and status messages are written to the log file, and the v specifies that all messages are verbose. Other log file flags are possible. For example, /lem generates a log file that contains only errors and out-of-memory or fatal exit information. For a complete list of log file options, see the Windows Installer documentation on the MSDN Web site. Event trace log (ETL) files, which may also be generated on your computer in the <username>/Tracing folder, enable administrators and Microsoft support technicians troubleshoot problems. For details, contact your Microsoft support representative.
User-Managed Installation
Communicator 2007 R2 can be installed in your organization using a file server on your network as a software distribution point for the Communicator 2007 R2 Windows Installer package. At rollout time, you can send an e-mail to users explaining the installation process and provide a link to the distribution point.
Note:
Administrator privileges or administrator credentials (in Windows Vista Standard User mode) are required to install Communicator 2007 R2. The files in the installation package are protected from tampering by using digital signatures.
Note:
When you try to download and run the .msi installation file, if users see the error message “A network error occurred while attempting to read communicator.msi,” the file was corrupted during the download. The user should download the installation file and run it again.
Client Post-Setup Verification
To complete a quick check of address book and telephony integration on a client machine, locate a contact name and try to call the contact from within Communicator 2007 R2.
Uninstalling Communicator 2007 R2
To uninstall Communicator 2007 R2 using a script, include the following command line in your script:
msiexec /x Communicator.msi
To uninstall Communicator 2007 R2 manually, do the following:
1.Log on to your computer with administrative credentials.
2.Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Programs and Features.
3.Click Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2.
4.Click Uninstall at the top of the window.
Customizing Communicator 2007 R2
With Office Communications Server 2007 R2, administrators can add organization-specific elements to the Communicator 2007 R2 user interface. Customization enables a company or organization deploying Office Communications Server to provide links, content, or Web-based applications in the Office Communicator window.
There are various ways to customize Communicator 2007 R2 to meet the needs of your organization. For example, you can add custom tabs to the Office Communicator window, add custom presence states, and add commands to Communicator 2007 R2 menus. You can also integrate Communicator 2007 R2 with any third-party online collaboration program, add Help menu items, add custom text to the instant messaging window, and execute the Communicator shell.
The following sections discuss each of these options in more detail.
Configuring Custom Tabs in Communicator 2007 R2
Configuring Custom Presence States in Communicator 2007 R2
Adding Commands to the Communicator 2007 R2 Menus
Integrating a Third-Party Collaboration Program with Communicator
Customizing the Communicator 2007 R2 Help Menu
Adding Custom Text to the Communicator 2007 R2 Instant Messaging Page
Executing the Communicator 2007 R2 Shell
Configuring Custom Tabs in Communicator 2007 R2
In Communicator 2007 R2, the procedure for configuring context-sensitive custom tabs has been modified in the following ways:
The context-sensitive custom tab definition includes a new <client> attribute, which enables the custom tabs to appear in Office Communicator as well as the Communicator Web Access client. Custom tabs do not display in other clients (such as Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Attendant).
The custom tab area is limited in size to one-third of the overall height of the Office Communicator contact list window.
In Communicator 2007, when a tab was added to the Office Communicator contact list window, you could pass the URIs of the current user and any selected contacts to the custom tab. In Communicator 2007 R2, the URI of the current user can still be passed to the custom tab, but the URIs of selected contacts can no longer be passed.
You can now add custom tabs to the contact card. The URI of the contact displayed can be passed to the Web page or application defined on the custom tab.
This topic discusses configuring context-sensitive tabs in more detail.
Note:
Only Communicator Web Access can be specified in the <client> attribute; other clients are currently not supported by this attribute. When you configure custom tabs for both Office Communicator and Communicator Web Access, make sure that you test the functionality in both clients to ensure that it works as expected.
Configuring Context-Sensitive Custom Tabs
You can extend the Office Communicator 2007 R2 user interface by adding pages of Web-based content to the Office Communicator window. The pages appear in a pane just below the Contact List, and the user switches between pages by clicking tabs at the bottom of the pane. Custom tabs are particularly powerful because they enable Office Communicator to pass the URI of the current user to the tab defined in the Office Communicator window.
In Communicator 2007 R2, you can now also add tabs to the contact card. The tabs appear at the bottom of the contact card, and clicking a tab opens a browser window with the defined page. The URI of the contact displayed in the contact card can be passed to the page defined in the custom tab.
The process for displaying a custom tab in Office Communicator consists of the following steps:
Creating the content that you want to load in the custom tab. Save the content to a location on your network that will be accessible to Communicator and any other clients that need to display custom tabs. Content can be a static Web page or a Web application that includes HTML, JavaScript, ActiveX controls, and pop-up windows.
Creating and configuring the XML file that is used to configure custom tabs for Office Communicator. The format of this XML file has been modified to include a new <client> attribute, which specifies whether the custom tab should also appear in Communicator Web Access clients.