Instant Messaging for Exchange Server 2003

[spyordie007]

I don't mind the minor advertisement for Lotus here...LCS absolutely kicks it's butt (Think Windows Server 2003 vs Windows 3.1)

I dont know that I'd totally agree with that. The Lotus Sametime client is my absolutle favorite IM client; it's so simple and it's worked 100% of the time for me (back when I was running it).

Communicator does integrate nicely with Office.

Another thing that Lotus Sametime does that (as far as I know) LCS doesnt is managed groups. With Sametime you could use your managed distribution lists (user groups) in the client, so the only time users had to add people on a user-basis is when they needed something custom. AFAIK this is not possible with LCS, every user has to build their own groups. Smilin if you know otherwise please let me know, this is probably our #1 LCS feature request.

One of my pet projects is trying to get LCS to integrate with our Cisco phone system (Call Manager). I've been having a hell of a time finding any documentation specific to these products, though in theory Call Manager is supposed to be able to accept SIP.

 

[Smilin]

I see a lot of folks coming over from Sametime with similar questions.

I'm not sure what Lotus is doing with groups but many users come over with these absolutely huge populated lists of users and wanting to know how to do the same in LCS. We don't really do it that way I guess.

When integrated with AD you just type someone's name and they are added to a conversation. If you are in Outlook and typing someone's name to send an email, the moment the GAL lookup completes (about the time you tab down to the subject line usually) you get a presence gumdrop next to their name. You can continue with the email or just detour over and send an IM instead if they are online.

The only big use for a user list is if you want to constantly see someone's presence information but that means you have to keep communicator (or Sametime) on the screen all the time. This doesn't make tons of sense really. If you want to send an IM you'll find out presence the moment you start to go about this whether by typing their name at the top of Communicator or by looking at them in your list (in Communicator or Sametime).

In Communicator we 'tag' people who's presence we want to track constantly. If you try to send an IM and someone is out you don't want to keep checking until they return. If tagged, you'll get toast pop up in the corner of your screen when they come online.

I think the big user list behavior is a carry over from people using IM at home where there is no AD or GAL to store everyone in. You have this whole addsomeone+getpermission+they appear on your list at some future time thing to deal with. In a corporate world it doesn't make sense. Employee=can send IM. No need to put them on a list. Just do it.

Ok, that was my whole philosophical answer of why not to. Here is the canned one you may have really wanted:

If you want to distribute a group out to someone, say everyone on your team gets a prepopulated user list with all team members there are scripts to do this that come in the free resource kit.

Resource kit link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta...-44C7-BA17-2CC4F85D8B51&displaylang=en

Run the resource kit installer on any machine. It doesn't have to be an LCS server, it can be your workstation. Navigate to:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft LC 2005\ResKit\WMI Samples"
Check the LCSAddContacts_readme.htm and associated script.

That's just the pre-canned stuff. You can modify to your heart's content.

Also, just FYI...The mother of all LCS documents link:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011526591033.aspx

Word of caution (especially for the Sametime guys with big lists): Every time you log on, go busy, dnd, away or offline a big stack of SIP notifys or benotifies has to be sent. Not a biggie in an organization with a few thousand users. You get up in the 10k range or more and it's going to start putting load on your back end databases and front end servers. It's just the nature of SIP.


Hope that helps, sorry about the delay in responding.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Woodie

Good response. We haven't had the federation presentation yet. I hadn't put it together that it's set up w/ TLS...that's a big plus in my book. I figured the "external connectivity" use fee was just a pass-through, but it's sure nice to see confirmation of that. Although, myself and th other poster are quoting $10/user/year, and you're saying $1. ??

$1/user/MONTH. Sorry, details I guess. I just support it, I don't actually pay for it so if you're saying it's slightly less than that I won't argue.

Get my butt hacked? ummm...I won't take that at face value. What I will agree with is that the corporate use of software (AIM/Yahoo/MSN) that's designed and contracted for the consumer market is just not a good thing. I believe the EULA for AOL even specifies home/personal use. In any case, having a supported, packaged version where the vendor is actually responsive to customer concerns is *all* good.

Yea, public IM is not the most secure stuff. The biggest hole is spoofing. When you chit chat or file transfer with billybob@aol.com are you positive it's him?

If he is required to authenticate and then is transmitting encrypted SIP from a server presenting a certificate from a trusted root, then yea, it's probably him.

I'm not sure what your Sarb/Ox requirements are at your corporation but many people are now required to log electronic communication (like email). You might need to log everything if you are a financial or govornment institution or maybe just headers for a typical enterprise. If you are required to log email, you gotta do IM as well.

IM may not be the first attack vector I would pick but few corporations can be casual about it.

The discussion over the "free" client is where we (IT) have to "sell it" to the business (end users)...who may not appreciate the benefits we're talking about here. I think the part that they're excited about is the "presence" APIs...where we can code logic into our call centers, and other applications, to route communications to users w/ particular skills or knowledge. That's something that can add huge value to our communications tools.

In it's guts that's all LCS is: Presence platform. The IM is just some app well suited to take advantage of it. The future is: Having a phone call or text message follow you from office PC to office desk phone to conference room IP phone to kiosk to cell phone to home pc.

In LCS you don't really "sign off" if you leave your PC and log in someplace else. At least not like you do with say MSN messenger or AIM or something. It maintains multiple points of presence and just tracks where you currently are to get things to you. Odd concenpt but you truly stay logged on at both places.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
As we all know, the common IM programs are scary from a security point of view. I haven't yet looked into how using LCS would improve the situation. I do have one client that considers public IM as CRUCIAL to their business, but I don't know if I'll be able to sell them on LCS when they haven't had a problem with the free stuff YET.

This is of course one of those speaking for myself and not on behalf of anyone else and I might be making this ****** up just so I'm not liable statements ..blah blah disclaimer blah bla......but...


If I manage to get you to do something stupid on public IM like accept a "security update" or "click this link to confirm your password" or some other socially engineered human exploit I'll likely get away with it.

If I try that crap in a federated domain there is just too much of a paper trail. The FBI will find my ass.

If I were out in the world doing server admin stuff again I would still use public IM for me and my grandma of course but I would never deploy anything but Sametime or LCS in my enterprise. There is a reason the big boys took so long to bring IM to the corporate world.

 

[Smilin]

k, that's it on the replies for tonight I'm busier than a one armed juggler these days so it may be a few before Im back again.

 

[Woodie]

Originally posted by: Smilin
In it's guts that's all LCS is: Presence platform. The IM is just some app well suited to take advantage of it. The future is: Having a phone call or text message follow you from office PC to office desk phone to conference room IP phone to kiosk to cell phone to home pc.

In LCS you don't really "sign off" if you leave your PC and log in someplace else. It maintains multiple points of presence and just tracks where you currently are to get things to you. Odd concenpt but you truly stay logged on at both places.

Hmm...this could be interesting. First off: I don't really want phone calls to follow me! It's one reason for going to a meeting or going to get a coffee! I have enough work w/o it following me everywhere.

Multiple logons...I'll go out on a limb here: I assume it won't follow my TS sessions? So if I'm one of the sysadmins, and I'm TSed into 6-10 different servers doing problem resolution, etc...it only recognizes my logon at my workstation, right? Probably follows where the client is installed (ie, not on most servers)?

Can you explain how it tracks multiple logons? I'm unusual, I have 2 work pcs: one at home, one at work. WorkPC is logged on pretty much 24x7, ~weekly reboots/logoffs. HomeLaptop is off 6 of 7 days, then is logged on (same domain acct) and VPNed in for a day or two, then shut down again.

 

[Smilin]

should you choose to logon to IM in those terminal sessions it will track you to each one, yes. More than likely you aren't running communicator on your servers though.

There is "an algorithm" to determine where you are. Things like sending a message from a location or doing a new sign on are obviously weighed heavily. It is possible to confuse multiple points of presence if you are signing on all over the place then rapidly switching between them without sending any IMs. You can potentially get an IM at a location where you aren't at. Then again the machine you have the most activity at (like your PC where you initiate the RDP sessions) is typically where you "are".

I run a Tools PC and a VM hosting PC at work plus VPN in from home. It tracks me between the three no problem.

Woodie,
In your 2nd paragraph (TS sessions) if you choose to logon to MOC at each TS session you could maybe run into trouble.

In your 3rd, and last, paragraph you are describing exactly what multiple points of presence was designed for. You'll get IMs delivered to where you're at, no problem.

If you try that today with just MSN messenger or something you'll have to remember to log on each time you sit down to a machine that was left running while you were elsewhere. (assuming you likely signed on there and logged yourself out here).

It's not magical, but definately clever.

 

[Woodie]

Alright. I like answers. Sounds like it will work pretty well for us.

I think we'll probably end up setting MOC to run through user-side GPO at startup. That way server logons won't trigger it (no user GPOs are allowed to run), and yet we'll know "where people are". I assume that users will be able to logoff/exit the client, in case they want to "hide", or not participate for some period of time.

PS: Took you long enough to reply! :| ...you mean you have "paying customers" who want your time/attention????

 

[Smilin]

Server logons wont trigger MOC if it's not installed on your servers

Just to be clear - multiple points of presence doesn't tell anyone where you are, it just makes sure it knows so it can get your IMs to you.

Yeah, you can always logoff. You also have status to work with to... online, meeting (triggered by outlook calendar), busy, DnD. DnD and/or Busy can be set to block messages.

Be sure to download the Intelligent IM filter. The IM filter that ships just has an on/off checkbox basically with no configuration. IM filters can be used to block files, hyperlinks stuff like that if you desire.