Exchange 2016 and IM Integration

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Michel de Rooij

Those configuring IM integration for OWA and Lync or Skype for Business know the drill of editing the web.config files on your Exchange servers and configuring the certificate thumbprint and Lync/SfB pool? That especially became a nuisance as after each Cumulative Update those settings needed to be reconfigured, for which I wrote a Configure-IMIntegration script.

The Exchange team has obviously listened to feedback from customers and made this setting persistent in Exchange 2016. No longer is it required to dive in those web.config files after installing each CU. Instead, you now configure these settings using the Set-Override cmdlet, which will store the setting in Active Directory.

For example:

New-SettingOverride -Name '<Description>' -Server <Server/Wildcard> -Component OwaServer -Section IMSettings -Parameters @("IMServerName=<Server/Pool FQDN>","IMCertificateThumbprint=<Certificate Thumbprint>") -Reason "<Reason>" -MinVersion "<Minimum Version To Apply To>" -MaxVersion "Maximum Version to Apply To"
Get-ExchangeDiagnosticInfo -Process Microsoft.Exchange.Directory.TopologyService -Component VariantConfiguration -Argument Refresh

For example, to configure the override for all servers with a name starting with EX16, configuring lync.contoso.com as pool FQDN and a specific thumbprint, only for Exchange builds starting at 15.1.225.42 (Exchange 2016 RTM), you could use:

New-SettingOverride -Name 'IM Integration' -Server EX16* -Component OwaServer -Section IMSettings -Parameters @("IMServerName=lync.contoso.com","IMCertificateThumbprint=12345678123412341234567812345678123126789") -Reason "Configure IM" -MinVersion "15.01.0225.42"
Get-ExchangeDiagnosticInfo -Process Microsoft.Exchange.Directory.TopologyService -Component VariantConfiguration -Argument Refresh

Finally, restart the OWA App pool to have OWA reread the new settings:

Restart-WebAppPool MSExchangeOWAApppool

Lync Conference 2013 Recordings

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Michel de Rooij

A quick heads-up for everyone working with or interested in Lync Server 2013.

In February, the inaugural Lync Conference was held in San Diego. The conference not only had excellent sessions on Lync and UC related topics but also featured our The UC Architects monster prize draw.

Now, if you were unable to attend – like me – you missed out on but could buy the content for $199 as of March.Fortunately, Microsoft has decided to make presentations and session videos available for free.

You can download the slidedecks and videos here.

Exchange 2013 RTM available! (and Lync 2013, Office 2013, ..)

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Michel de Rooij

If you’ve got a TechNet or MSDN subscription, you can get the RTM bits of Exchange Server 2013, Lync Server 2013, Office 2013 Professional Plus and Sharepoint 2013 NOW!

With the RTM bits available, you can start testing the product itself as well as compatibility with 3rd party products or in-house developed solutions. Be advised that a schema update is required to support Exchange Server 2013.

Finally, the updates for Exchange Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2010 required for co-existence are still not available. Exchange 2010 SP3 is expected first half of 2013; no details have been disclosed on the update for Exchange Server 2007.