This course is intended for IT consultants and telecommunications professionals who design, plan, deploy, and maintain solutions for unified communications (UC) and need to translate business requirements into technical architectures and designs for UC solutions. It is also intended for support staff in charge of maintaining UC solutions. The student should be familiar with Skype for Business Server 2015 or Lync Server 2013 technologies and the telecommunications standards and network components that support the configuration and deployment of Skype for Business architectures.
Designing a Skype for Business voice solution requires the understanding of many technologies. With Microsoft’s latest cloud based voice services, customers now have even more flexibility in deploying a voice solution for their enterprise, but with that flexibility comes further complexities that must be understood. In this module, you will learn about basic VoIP concepts, how they evolved from early telephony technologies, as well as Office 365 services and Microsoft’s entry into the voice world. You will also learn about on-premises and cloud based voice offerings now available as part of the Skype for Business product set.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
In this module, you will learn how to perform a network readiness assessment for an implementation of Skype for Business Server 2015 or Skype for Business Online. This module coincides with the Skype Operations Framework (SOF) Plan phase. Specifically, this module aligns with the Envision, Assess, and Design stages. You will learn about Skype for Business Online and Skype for Business Server 2015 features and functionality. You will also learn the supported architectures for Skype for Business Online and Skype for Business Server 2015.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
In this module, you will learn what is meant by the term split domain and what it describes relative to the Skype for Business product. You will also learn the benefits of split domain, the prerequisites needed to deploy this environment, and how to provision users once it’s been configured. Finally, you will learn to troubleshoot common issues.
After completing this module, students will be able to deploy and configure an environment where users of a domain are split between using Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Online.
Cloud PBX is a Microsoft-based PBX solution offered in Office 365. Cloud PBX enables organizations to eliminate their existing PBX infrastructure and migrate PBX functionality, as well as existing telephone numbers, to Office 365. Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) Calling provides a PSTN connection for users via Microsoft Calling Plans. PSTN Conferencing has been integrated into Skype for Business Online Meetings capability in Office 365 which allow users to create, manage, and host their own online meetings with PSTN integration for easy dial-in access.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
In this module, you will learn about Skype for Business Server 2015 Enterprise Voice. Enterprise Voice is a unified communications solution delivered by Skype for Business Server 2015. Enterprise Voice enables organizations to send and receive calls via the Publicly Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). You will learn how to configure voice components like Dial Plans, Voice Policies, and Routes that are an integral part of the Enterprise Voice solution.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
A key component to a successful organization is the ability to communicate between internal employees and customers and partners. In order for this to happen organizations need to bridge communications between their internal communications systems such as Skype for Business Server 2015 and the public switched telephone network by using an existing Public Branch Exchange (PBX), gateway, or Internet service provider (ISP). Connection to the PSTN enables enterprise users to make and receive calls from external numbers by using the same Skype for Business client used for internal calls. In addition, employees can leverage the broad range of Skype for Business features to improve their communications interactions with external users connected through the PSTN.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
This module discusses the implementation and configuration of Cloud PBX with an on-premises PSTN with an existing deployment. With many options for implementation, students should be familiar with the different methods and connectivity options. Implementing Cloud PBX requires a tenant with Office 365 and a network infrastructure that can be utilized for users at an office or on a public internet connection. It is important to remember that dial-in conferencing needs to be implemented via PSTN Conferencing or Audio Conferencing Provider (ACP). On-Premises PSTN Connectivity with Cloud Connector Edition will be covered in the next module.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Enterprises that have a voice solution on-premises that does not include Skype for Business Server 2015 or Lync Server 2013 can still integrate their current solution with Skype for Business Online by leveraging Cloud Connector Edition (CCE). It is important to choose the correct topology for CCE in order to support an organization’s voice requirements. This module will review the different supported topologies and provide guidance on the deployment process.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Enterprise Voice provides a number of specific on-premises features such as call parking, unassigned numbers, PSTN conferencing, and Response Groups. It also builds on the basic Enterprise Voice deployment scenario introduced earlier in the course. To use Enterprise Voice, you need to know about the various Enterprise Voice applications and how to implement and configure them. You will explore the Skype for Business Server Response Group Service (RGS) in some depth, including components such as RGS agent groups, RGS queues, hunt groups or basic workflows, and Interactive Voice response workflows. In addition, you should be able to describe the Attendant routing method.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
In this module, you will learn how to optimize voice communications on a network by planning for network consumption and implementing bandwidth optimizing technologies such as call admission control (CAC), quality of service (QoS), and software defined networks (SDN). You will also learn the media stacks available for Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Online.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Asserting, achieving, and maintaining call quality are imperative for a successful Skype for Business deployment, especially for voice and conferencing workloads. This module will detail Microsoft’s Call Quality Methodology as both a process and toolset that can be used to achieve these goals. Call Quality Scorecard, along with its accompanying script and the Call Quality Dashboard, will be described as additional tools to measure and maintain call quality goals set by an organization. The module will also show how to leverage native Skype for Business tools and datasets to help troubleshoot and further refine deployment quality.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Troubleshooting is a basic skill that is required to support Skype for Business Server deployments. Skype for Business infrastructure can be deployed in a variety of topologies, as has been described throughout this course. Skype for Business administrators should be familiar with both the core tools and the troubleshooting methods that apply specifically to Skype for Business Online and Skype for Business Server 2015. This module will introduce tools and methodologies for troubleshooting Skype for Business client, Skype for Business Server 2015, and Skype for Business Online. Various scenarios will be explored to provide familiarity with some of the common issues administrators face.
After completing this module, students will be able to: