Updating the clients is the last task that affects users. You need to ensure that users, especially remote and external users, are fully functional with the Office Communicator 2005 client before deploying Office Communicator 2007 R2. For the external and remote users, ensure that the Domain Name System (DNS) and supporting elements of the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Edge Server are fully functional and provide the desired external and remote services before you deploy the new client. Live Communications Server Access Proxy server does not support the Office Communicator 2007 R2 client.

Administrators should investigate the new Active Directory Group Policy settings that are available for the Office Communicator 2007 R2 client as there have been significant changes made since Live Communications Server was released. For details, see the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Client Group Policy documentation which is available for download at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140494 .

The Office Communicator 2007 R2 installer uninstalls the existing Office Communicator 2005 client, installs the Office Communicator 2007 R2 client, and assumes all of the users’ preexisting settings. If you are using Windows Messenger 5.1, the Office Communicator 2007 R2 installation also removes that client and assumes all of the users’ preexisting settings.

Follow these steps:

  1. Deploy Office Communicator 2007 R2 across your organization by using any method that supports a Microsoft Windows Installer package (that is, an .msi file). In addition, you can control key features and settings by using installation scripts or Active Directory Domain Services Group Policies. For details about the new client and supported features, see Communicator 2007 R2 Deployment Overviewand Deploying Communicator 2007 R2.

  2. Deploy the new version of the Outlook Conferencing Add-in. The add-in is available as a download at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140651 .

  3. Deploy the new version of the Live Meeting Client. The client is available as a download at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140654 .

For details about the user experience during this phase, see User Experience during Phase 8 of Migration.

See Also