September 13 - Issue 52

Lync Forum is an independent forum on
Microsoft Communications & UC-Unified Communications. 

Microsoft is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation.
In This Issue
Lync Summit Announced
QoS Series
CompTIA Training
3 Amigos
Get Bandwidth Now
Next Hop
SIP Training
Cisco Book Review
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Greetings!

Welcome to the Lync Forum. 

Well, the wait is finally over.  MS announces Lync.
 
Click here for MS Lync Product Page

A new look for a new era in unified communications.  In you would like to see your Lync products highlighted, reviewed and presented here, contact us.

Here is the official Microsoft PR:

"Microsoft Lync ushers in a new connected experience transforming every communication into an interaction that is more collaborative, engaging and accessible from anywhere.  A single interface unites voice, IM, audio-, video-, and web-conferencing into a richer, more contextual offering.   This includes a visually compelling experience that is consistent throughout Microsoft Office and other business applications, including color-coded presence icons, pictures, high-resolution video and desktop sharing. End-users can instantly see the availability of their contacts, start a conference call from right within Office applications, or sit down for a "face-to-face" video-conference.   A single identity connects users to contacts inside and outside of the organization with communications that are federated with corporate and leading public IM networks. And a single experience across the PC, phone, web or mobile means that users have the choice to connect from many devices. For IT, the benefits are equally powerful, with a highly secure and reliable system that works with Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint and uses Microsoft management tools to facilitate easier management and lower cost of ownership.  Interoperability with existing systems enables smoother deployment and migration."



NOTE: Product logos for Microsoft Lync are located on Media Bank.

Lync Summit 2011 Announced - June 15-17
Westin Westminster Colorado

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opportunities, call 303-594-1694 or email.






A new look for a new era in unified communications.  In you would like to see your products highlighted, reviewed and presented here or in other publications such as:
QoS Series - Part 1 - Jitter: Causes & Cures
Let's review Causes of Jitter - Congestion

QoS is critical to business VoIP as any congestion can cause "stutter" delays, "voice skips" from packet loss or "jitter" in the conversation. In a "two-box" environment, the premise router can only look to the cable modem but not "look ahead" to see network congestion which limits QoS.  Data networks are called "bursty" networks because data arrives randomly and in large amounts often causing "traffic jams."  A "one box" environment enhances QoS by making "smart decisions" about prioritizing network traffic.   Adding bandwidth is just one way to reduce voice/data "log jams" and VoIP "stuttering" problems.  Advanced routers or other devices such as network optimizers and equalizers are hardware software devices that give the network administrator control over every type of packet and TCP port.

The animation details all the processes.  Click here to view, note it moves pretty fast, so if you are too old or just hate animation or simply don't understand the internet, then you may want to just read the text.



The security features of many routers include capabilities such as hardware-based virtual private network (VPN) acceleration, firewall and intrusion prevention.   These and other techniques are critical as video, gaming, video mail and other complex systems such as virtual reality emerge.

Cures

One of the key advantages of new routers is providing both a traditional T-1 circuit and a "metro" cable ethernet solution for routing.  Either circuit can be the primary routing circuit, however, in case of circuit failure; alternate circuits can be selected automatically.  In addition, protocols like HSRP-hot Standby Routing Protocol can be implemented for more protection. 

Network equalizing is another choice in balancing of traffic allowing for time/delay-sensitive voice, video and priority data to receive an "equal share" of the available bandwidth.  Network equalizing is a dynamic QoS process which can respond to changes in network conditions.  In addition, as more and more applications are placed on the network, network equalizing is critical to "filling the pipe" and not paying for idle bandwidth (see animation for complete details).

More Cures in the next issues - Clock Synchronization and Clock Drift - Jitter Buffers and more

QoS Series - RTCP-Real Time Control Protocol

This section is included to educate viewers on the key elements in RTCP and to have a QoS strategy in place BEFORE implementing SIP/OCS to avoid an RGE.

NOTE: IF YOU CAN'T READ THE SLIDES CLICK HERE


NOTE: Click here for the complete details on the RTCP-XR-MRB.

RTCP-XR-Real Time Control eXtended Reports  is one of the key tools in diagnosing and troubleshooting VoIP networks. XR-eXtended Report technology can be integrated into IP Phones or PSTN Gateways.  XR packets (see graphic for packet format) are sent periodically during the call to provide real time feedback on call QoS-Quality of Service. However, VoIP/SIP network planners need to consider the amount of XR traffic that also consumes and reports on voice traffic.  That is, diagnostic XR traffic consumes bandwidth to diagnose traffic.  The RTCP MRB-Metrics Report Block provides measurements (metrics) for monitoring quality of VoIP calls and conversations. These measurements include packet loss and discard metrics, delay metrics, analog metrics, and voice quality metrics. The Metrics Report Block reports individually on packets lost (discarded) on the IP channel as opposed to packets that have been received and then lost by the receiving jitter buffer. MRB reports on the combined effect of losses and discards which can be used to determine corrective actions on voice QoS.


Thanks to AudioCodes for their help in this presentation. 
TECHtionary Announces training on two CompTIA certificate programs.
For complete details click here.  

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New OCS 2007 R2 Cumulative Update 6 available

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Link to: Three Amigos - MS Education Gurus
 
Domestic & Global Network Services
Bandwidth and other Communications Services

Vimenture has teamed with TECHtionary to provide data, internet, conferencing and other network services including:



-      MPLS-Multi-Protocol Label Switching
-      Ethernet - Metro
-      Hosted Servers - Cloud Computing
-      Telecommunications Bill Audits
-      Security Assessments
-      International Connectivity
-      Voice Over IP - SIP Trunking
-      Conferencing Services - Audio
-      Professional Services - Planning, Integration, Consulting

Click here and mention PromoCode OCSVIM.
 
MCS Knowledge Source

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Click here for Next Hop from MS -- "Whether you're new to Office Communications Server and Unified Communications, simply looking for some helpful hints, or trying to get some serious information, we'll help you find what you need."
 
Onsite SIP Course Get SIP Smart
"Proxies are signaling - Media servers are content"
For SIP Course details click here.

SIP Trunking is one of the first complete books to planning, evaluating, and implementing high-value SIP trunking solutions. Most large enterprises have switched to IP telephony, and service provider backbone networks have largely converted to VoIP transport. But there's a key missing link: most businesses still connect to their service providers via old-fashioned, inflexible TDM-Time Division Multiplexed trunks. Cisco® authors show how to use Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking to eliminate legacy interconnects and gain the full benefits of end-to-end VoIP. Written for enterprise decision-makers, network architects, consultants, and service providers, this book demystifies SIP trunking technology and trends and brings unprecedented clarity to the transition from TDM to SIP interconnects. The authors "separate the true benefits of SIP trunking from the myths and help you systematically evaluate and compare service provider offerings. This book includes detailed cost analyses, including guidance on identifying realistic, achievable savings." SIP Trunking also introduces essential techniques for optimizing network design and security, introduces proven best practices for implementation, and shows how to apply them through a start-to-finish case study.
Book Review
"VoIP Performance Management and Optimization"
By Adeel Ahmed, Habib Madani, Talal Siddiqui.
For Cisco Press details click here.



There is really nothing about this book I don't like except that it is only on paper, not electronic but read below and you get access to it online.  That is the only negative think I can say about this book and if you are serious about VoIP (SIP) performance, QoS, security, monitoring and infrastructure integration (hardware) and more, then you need to read and know everything that is in this book.  And like what my mom said to me a long time ago, "if you think you know what's going on, then you are really full of s##."  Seriously there is just too much really good information to mention in less than 300 words (trying to keep in brief).  Here's one of my favorites: on page 262 "signaling traffic is also vulnerable to attack, including Spam over Internet Telephony-SPIT.  SPIT leverages SIP proxy impersonation to sent unsolicited bulk messages to SIP endpoints.  VoIP phishing (vishing or fishing) involves CallerID spoofing and then call rerouting to dummy IVR systems for further exploitation of the SIP call processing resources." This one of the many great "actionable" tutorials you will find in the book.

With your book purchase you are entitled to free, instant online access to that book on Safari Books Online for 45 days. After you've completed your purchase, you will receive instructions on how to log into Safari Books Online. If you do not want to receive online access to the book, simply uncheck the box for Instant Online Access in your cart.

Sales Performance Improvement


 Cross Passes Microsoft Partner Network Sales and Marketing Competency Assessment for Unified Communications

If you need help in making sales, training your sales people or
helping improve sales (job aids, marcom),
proven performance and results are always available click here.
  TECHtionary Knowledge Source

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Click here for TECHtionary -- World's First and Largest Animated Library on Technology with more than 3,015 animated tutorials.
MCS FORUM MARCOM Opportunities


Click here to get your ad and copy about your products and solutions.

MCS Forum provides classroom and webseminar training as well as a non-production environment for those IT departments without additional equipment, budget or time.  This allows planners and users to test ideas, dial in and dial back out, IM file transfers, remote desktop sharing, video conferencing, run scenarios, review logs, break linkages and learning about new telephony features and network access.  MCS Forum is also designed for both the system integrator/consultant who wants to learn about MCS without having to build their own system as well as the enterprise customer who doesn't have the time, resources or knowledge to develop one.  MCS Forum Labs are designed to be "hands-on" or "over-the-shoulder" with experts available for Q&A and classes for feature-specific review.
 
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MCS Forum is a vendor-independent laboratory environment designed for learning, technical guides, knowledge resources and online "live" services.  MCS Forum provides planning, project management, consulting, training, case studies, white papers, speaking engagements, market/customer research, network planning and other services. 
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