[This is pre-release documentation and subject to change in future releases. This topic's current status is: Milestone-Ready]

Topic Last Modified: 2010-07-18

The following topics are discussed in this section:

Changes to Online Meetings in Communications Server 2010

Previous versions of Communications Server have two types on online meetings:

  • Conference calls (Communicator client, conf:// URL prefix)

  • Web conferences (Live Meeting client, meet:// URL prefix)

In Communications Server 2010, all newly-scheduled meetings use Communicator "14" as the primary client, and have a URL prefix of https://.

During migration, Communications Server 2010 fully supports the earlier meeting types:

  1. Previously scheduled conference calls and Live Meeting web conferences are moved to the Communications Server 2010 server

  2. For users who have been migrated to the Communications Server 2010 server but do not have Communicator "14" installed, previous meeting types can still be modified or created

See “User Experience During Migration” later in this topic for details.

Default Communications Server 2010 Meeting Options

In earlier versions of Communications Server, online meetings allowed anonymous users by default. In Communications Server 2010, meeting access is set to “My company” by default.

Communications Server 2010 Online Meeting Clients

The following clients can join new meetings scheduled through the Online Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Outlook

  • Communicator "14"

  • Microsoft Communicator Web App

  • Microsoft Communicator “14” Attendee

  • Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2, but only if the administrator has enabled them. For detailed information, see “Configuring the Meeting Join Web Page” later in this topic.

The following clients cannot join new meetings scheduled through the Online Meeting Add-in for Outlook.

  • Communicator Web Access

  • Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007

The Communicator Web App or Communicator “14” Attendee are the recommended alternatives for users who do not have Communicator "14" or Microsoft Communications Server 2010 Attendant installed.

Migrating Users Based on Their Conferencing Needs

Consider migrating frequent meeting organizers early in the process so that they can take advantage of the new sharing, collaboration, and lobby management features of Communications Server 2010.

For users who need web conferencing features specific to Live Meeting—particularly support for large meetings and break-out rooms—you have the following options:

  • Advise organizers to use Live Meeting service, if available in your organization

  • Leave the organizers homed on the previous server version, so they can continue to schedule server-based Live Meeting web conferences

Migrating Existing Meetings and Meeting Content

When a user account is moved from Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to a Communications Server 2010 server, the following information moves along with the user account:

  • Meetings already scheduled by the user, including Communicator conference calls (conf:// URL prefix) and Live Meeting conferences (meet:// URL prefix).

  • The user’s PIN. The user’s current PIN continues to work until it expires or the user requests a new PIN.

The following information does not move to the new server:

  • Meeting content. You should advise meeting organizers to reload content into their scheduled meetings after migration.

Note:
When the Online Meeting Add-in for Outlook is first used to schedule new meetings, a new default conference identifier is created. The default conference identifier is the http address and conference ID that is normally reused for all scheduled meetings.

This should only be an issue for organizers who memorize their conference identifier and give it out to others. Most meeting attendees will join by clicking the join link in the new meeting invitation, and previously scheduled Office Communications Server 2007 R2 meetings will continue to work.

User Experience During Migration

This section discusses the conferencing experience of users migrated to Communications Server 2010 both before and after Communicator "14" is installed.

Before Communicator “14” Is Installed

After a user is migrated to the Communications Server 2010 server, but before new clients are installed, the following Office Communications Server 2007 R2 client functionality continues to work on the new server:

  • All scheduling functionality in the Conferencing Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook.

  • All meeting links in previously sent meeting invitations.

  • Meet Now conferences in Communicator 2007 R2.

  • Escalation to Live Meeting (Share Information Using Live Meeting) from Office Communicator 2007 R2.

  • Dial-in conferencing numbers. Existing dial-in conferencing numbers work whether the meeting is hosted on Office Communicator 2007 R2 server or a Communications Server 2010 server; however, the latest Office Communicator 2007 R2 cumulative update is required on the Office Communicator 2007 R2 server pools.

After Communicator “14” Is Installed

When a migrated user installs the Communicator "14" the Online Meeting Add-in for Communicator also installs, which has the following effects:

  • The Online Meeting Add-in for Communicator installs automatically with Communicator "14" and all subsequently scheduled meetings are in the new online meeting format (which uses an https:// address instead of the legacy meet:// Live Meeting address.)

  • For an existing meeting that is migrated to Communications Server 2010, the organizer can modify meeting details, such as the meeting date or time, the presenter list, or meeting access. However, the meeting automatically converts to the new online meeting format and the join URL changes to the new https://address. After the organizer makes changes, an updated meeting invitation is sent to all participants.

  • Installing Communicator “14” removes the legacy Conferencing Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook, unless the user has configured a Live Meeting service account. In this case, both add-ins coexist and the user can continue to schedule Live Meeting service meetings using the legacy add-in.

The following meeting functionality continues to work for users who have installed Communicator “14”:

  • All meeting links in previously sent meeting invitations, including Communicator conference calls (conf:// URL prefix) and Live Meeting conferences (meet:// URL prefix).

  • Audio conferencing information in previously sent meeting invitations, including meeting IDs.

  • Sharing functionality in Office Communicator 2007 R2 meetings.

  • Sharing functionality in peer-to-peer conversations or conferences that include Office Communicator 2007 R2 users.

    Note:
    In meetings in previous versions of Communications Server, all users could initiate desktop sharing. In Communications Server 2010 only meeting presenters can initiate desktop sharing. In recurring meetings that are migrated to Communications Server 2010, attendees will find they can no longer initiate desktop sharing. If they need to do so, they must have a meeting presenter promote them to presenter so that they can initiate desktop sharing.

Meetings With Federated Organizations Using Previous Clients

Users in federated organizations who are using Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 or Microsoft Office Communicator 2005 clients cannot join Communications Server 2010 meetings in your organization if those meetings are locked by the organizer. You should reschedule these meetings in Communications Server 2010 so that when federated participants join the meeting by using the new https:// meeting URL, they have the option of using either Communications Server 2010 Attendant or Communicator Web App.

Communicator “14” Compatibility with Meetings on Earlier Server Versions

Users who have Communicator "14" installed can attend meetings hosted on earlier server versions, but the following considerations apply:

  • For Communicator online meetings, new Communicator "14" features are not available

  • For Live Meeting web conferences, Communicator "14" users must also have the Live Meeting client installed in order to attend. The email invitation contains instructions for installing the Live Meeting client.

Configuring the Meeting Join Web Page

You can control the clients that are available for joining scheduled Communications Server 2010 online meetings by configuring the meeting join page. This page opens each time a user clicks a meeting link and provides a way for users to join online meetings using an alternate client.

The meeting join page detects whether a client is already installed on the computer. It then starts the default client and opens the meeting join web page, which contains links for alternate clients. The scenarios are as follows:

  • If Communicator "14" is installed, Communicator "14" starts. The meeting join web page also appears, giving the user the option to use Communicator Web App.

  • If Communicator "14" is not installed but Communications Server 2010 Attendant is installed, Communications Server 2010 Attendant starts. The meeting join web page also appears, giving the user the option to use Communicator Web App.

  • If neither Communicator "14" nor Communications Server 2010 Attendant is installed, the meeting join web page appears, giving the user the following options:

    • Use Communicator Web App

    • Download Communications Server 2010 Attendant

    • Use a previous version of Communicator

For the scenario in which neither Communicator "14" nor Communications Server 2010 Attendant is installed, you can configure the meeting join page by using the New-CsWebServiceConfiguration or Set-CsWebServiceConfiguration Windows PowerShell cmdlet with the following parameters:

  • ShowDownloadCommunicatorAttendeeLink

  • ShowJoinUsingLegacyClientLink

For example, if you prefer not to deploy Communications Server 2010 Attendant, you can remove the download link from the meeting join page by setting the ShowDownloadCommunicatorAttendeeLink to false.