Reference Architecture for the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting
Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting
Published: February 2012
Abstract: Microsoft® Lync® Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting is a unified communications (UC) solution for telecommunication and hosting providers. The solution allows hosting providers to host their own fully integrated, multi-tenant unified communications service targeted to small and medium sized businesses. This is possible due to the unique multitenant aspect of the Microsoft unified communications solution making the hosting services solution cost-effective.
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Contents
Executive Summary 1
Solution Overview 1
The Microsoft UC Hosting Solution 1
Designed for Telecommunications and Hosting Providers 1
Providing a Rich, Fully Integrated UC Solution 2
Supporting the Customer’s UC Demand 2
Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack Detailed Feature Sets 3
Reference Architecture 5
Reference Architecture: Dependencies, Zones, and Layer Descriptions 6
Reference Architecture: Physical and Logical Structure 7
Physical Topology Description 7
Routing and Layer 3 Devices 7
Data Center Compute Block 8
Logical Zone Descriptions 8
Server Descriptions 8
Estimating the Cost of Building a UC Infrastructure 8
How to Use these Build Lists 8
To estimate costs 9
Build Lists 10
Lync Server Infrastructure Build of Materials (BOM) 10
VoIP systems 11
Reference Architecture for the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting
Executive Summary
A hosted unified communications (UC) solution provides a great option for customers looking for UC expertise, lower upfront capital costs, predictable ROI and streamlined deployment. As an extensible platform, the Microsoft® Lync® Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting enables the hosting provider to customize the offering to the specific needs of their customers allowing for a wide array of solutions. The hosted solution is optimized for the cloud, providing a user experience similar to an on-premises solution. However, most importantly, it is designed to solve today’s most pressing communication needs for the end user.
The purpose of this reference architecture white paper is to provide:
· Reference topology: Built for 50,000 users across multiple tenants.
· Best practices: As recommended by each partner involved.
· Vendor list: An experienced vendor list with services and hardware that are tested and optimized for the cloud.
· Build lists: To be used to create cost estimates through vendor partners.
· Detailed feature lists: To understand the available out-of-box functionality.
· Customization options: To understand how to the service offering can be extended through a rich partner ecosystem of add-on solutions.
Solution Overview
The Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack is a Microsoft UC hosting solution for telecommunications and hosting providers. The solution enables Microsoft hosting partners to deploy a single instance of the Lync Server software to securely and economically host multiple tenants with a rich, fully integrated UC solution.
The Microsoft UC hosting solution was developed to enable Microsoft hosting partners to add a cost-effective UC service offering customized to the evolving needs of their current customers. The offering enables Microsoft hosting partners to access new customers that they never had access to before.
Additional Resources
For more information about a real world case study of the reference architecture, seedetailed information about the reference architecture, see A Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting Reference Architecture Case Study at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=245458.
For more information about the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack, see Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting Resources at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=245434.
The Microsoft UC Hosting Solution
The Microsoft UC hosting solution integrates communications platforms including email, voice mail, telephony, instant messaging, and voice and video conferencing into an integrated hosted offering. The solution is installed in the hosting partner’s data center, adding a UC layer to the partner’s overall service infrastructure. This multitenant UC layer adds integration that interconnects the communications systems with the hosting partner’s core services to be configured or customized as needed.
Designed for Telecommunications and Hosting Providers
The Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack and its supporting partner ecosystem enable Microsoft Hosting Partners to create an economical UC service offering through:
· Multitenant functionalityThe ability to manage multiple customers in the same public cloud making the offering cost-effective.
· Virtualization supportThe entire Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack infrastructure can be virtualized, further reducing costs with superior scaling and pay-as-you-grow capabilities.
· Clustering supportThis enables unscheduled maintenance and scaling to be performed without affecting the customer experience. Clustering is critical for maintaining six nines, carrier class availability.
· Compatibility with existing infrastructureThe Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack was designed to be compatible with the UC hosting provider’s existing network. The UC hosting provider can use this solution as a stand-alone system with its own physical infrastructure as shown in this reference architecture or can integrate it with their existing infrastructure. Integration with the UC hosting provider’s existing infrastructure reduces costs and increases system reliability.
· A strong partner ecosystemLync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack has a strong partner ecosystem that provides add-on solutions that will integrate seamlessly through the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack. By using this extensive ecosystem, UC hosting providers can enrich the feature set and value provided to their customers.
Providing a Rich, Fully Integrated UC Solution
The Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack enables telecommunications and hosting providers to provide core Microsoft Lync Server 2010 functionality to multiple tenants on a single deployment. It adds multitenant functionality, integration with third party solutions, and other UC hosting provider-specific functionality as seen in the following graphic.
Figure 1: Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Pack for Partner Hosting functionality
Supporting the Customer’s UC Demand
The functionality of the offering from a customer perspective depends on how the hosting partner customizes, packages, and delivers it. However, here are some basic elements expected in a typical hosted Microsoft UC offering:
· Unified hosted communications servicesThe offering will likely provide hosted email, voice mail, telephony, instant messaging, and voice and video conferencing. The customer will need to consolidate these services with their new UC hosting provider.
· UC clientCommunication tools are combined into a single user interface through an installed Lync client. This Lync client is installed on office PCs and laptops and a third-party Lync mobile client is installed on smart phones. UC hosting providers typically provide some form of secure online access to the Lync client as well.
· Unified mailboxUC results in a single mailbox for all communication channels such as email, voice messages, text messages, and so on.
· Productivity tools integrationThe integration with productivity tools enhances collaboration with desktop or application sharing, presence awareness, collaborative workflow, ad hoc video and voice conferencing with white boarding, large file transfer, and more.
· Enhanced conferencingThose that require more than the native Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack capabilities will request enhanced conferencing capabilities such as integration with existing legacy video conferencing rooms.
· End pointsThe customer will want the UC hosting provider to provide or list compatible endpoints such as phones, conference phones, mobile phones, video/audio conferencing systems, and so on.
· One-stop communication shopBy owning all customer communication channels, the UC hosting provider will likely become the one-stop shop for all future customer communication needs.
The UC hosting provider has a unique opportunity to assist a more sophisticated technology buyer. Today’s technology consumer was raised on technology and is looking for a more sophisticated integrated communications solution. Yesterday, these consumers were checking their cell phone voice mail messages by opening their email. Tomorrow, these consumers will want real-time collaborative video interaction, on the road or from their desk, with desktop, application, and whiteboard sharing.
Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack Detailed Feature Sets
The following tables list the supported features sets provided with the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack. In addition to what is provided below, there are unsupported features that can be enabled or third party services that can be added. More information about adding third party services through the Lync Add-on layer is provided later in the “Add-On Layer Partners” section.
Feature Sets Excluding Voice
Service / Feature /Presence / Presence/Contacts list
Presence / Address Book Web Query Service
Presence / Distribution List Expansion Protocol (DLX)
Instant messaging (IM) / Point-to-point IM
IM / Multiparty/Group IM
Other clients / Mac Messenger
Other clients / Lync Attendee (meeting only)
Conferencing and sharing / Point-to-point audio/video (A/V)
Conferencing and sharing / Video conferencing over IP
Conferencing and sharing / Audio conferencing over IP only
Conferencing and sharing / Ad hoc audio conference dial-out
Conferencing and sharing / Meet Now audio conference dial-out
Conferencing and sharing / Schedule audio conference dial-in and dial-out
Voice Feature Sets
Service / Feature /Sharing / Point-to-point or multiparty data conferencing (white boarding)
Sharing / Point-to-point or multiparty file sharing
Sharing / Point-to-point or multiparty desktop and application sharing
Sharing / Point-to-point or multiparty PowerPoint slide sharing
Sharing / Polling
Integration / Outlook integration: IM, Presence, Calendar (users must be on same hosting partner)
Integration / SharePoint integration: IM and Presence (users must be on same hosting partner)
Federation / Inter-tenant federation
Compliance / IM filtering
Basic calls / PSTN calling through Lync (incoming/outgoing calls)
Voice associated / Partner hosted Exchange UM integration for voice mail
Reference Architecture
The reference architecture provides the topology for a 50,000 user deployment of the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack. It includes the core layer components as well as networking and application layers. Hosting Partners should use the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack reference architecture as a best practice topology and a reference for their own designs.
The reference architecture was designed to:
· Integrate with existing hosting partner infrastructure: Intended to be a baseline UC architecture, the reference architecture includes a complete topology for a new core infrastructure. However, telecommunications or hosting providers can easily substitute their existing core layer infrastructure components as desired.
· Integrate with third-party enhancements: This baseline UC architecture integrates with Microsoft and partner communication solutions using third party plug-ins for additional communications enhancement.
Reference Architecture: Dependencies, Zones, and Layer Descriptions
To build the reference architecture topology we used a three layer architected solution. The following figure illustrates the layers in the reference architecture solution.
Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Hosting Pack reference architecture topology
· Core layerincludes the networking layer components. These core layer components include firewalls, routing, Session Border Controller (SBC), switching, servers, load balancing, storage area network (SAN), and storage systems.
· Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Hosting Pack and Exchange layerStores the UC integration components. The UC integration components allow information exchange between communication technologies. The layer applications include:
o Lync Server Hosting Pack
o Exchange Server
· Add-on layerThird-party UC solutions are able to integrate with Exchange Server and other line of business software. The addition of third-party feature allows the telecom and hosting services companies to continually increase and improve their customer offerings.
Reference Architecture: Physical and Logical Structure
This section presents the physical and logical descriptions of the reference architecture. This section includes the physical and logical components of the core, application and add-on layers of the reference architecture. A description of the server types/roles within the architecture is also included.
Physical Topology Description
The following figure illustrates the physical topology of the reference architecture.
Physical topology of the Lync Server 2010 Multitenant Hosting Pack reference architecture
This section describes the layer 2 and layer 3(+) systems of the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack reference architecture.
Routing and Layer 3 Devices
The hosting provider provided the infrastructure used to connect with external sites and with the internet. Data coming from outside the reference architecture enters through the edge server router cluster. Data from the router cluster, then moves to the data center core cluster where the data can take one of two paths.
· Path 1 Core systems Data is routed to a core data center compute block firewall systems.
· Path 2 VOIP communication data is routed to the VoIP systems.
Data Center Compute Block
The compute block is comprised of the Ethernet and storage fabrics, application delivery controllers, servers (connected via fabric adaptors) and SAN storage. The Ethernet fabric connects and distributes data from the Data Center Core to the servers. Similarly, the storage fabric connects and distributes date from the servers to the SAN storage. The application delivery controller connects to the Ethernet Fabric to load balance the various server roles in the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack.
Logical Zone Descriptions
The reference architecture is made up of three logical zones. Each zone represents a natural demarcation between roles and functions within the Lync Server Multitenant Hosting Pack infrastructure.
· Edge Zonethis zone is demarked by the routers and the firewall systems. Systems in this zone include: External facing DNS, Lync Server Edge pool, SBC, and external facing SMTP.
· Proxy zoneProtected by the Edge zone, the proxy zone allows communication systems pools to forward data to the appropriate technology server pools within the core zone. Server pools include: The Exchange Hub Transport servers, the Exchange Client Access Servers (CAS), and Exchange UM servers.