1. Walkie Talkie

With common digital business communications features like chat, video calls, voice notes, Microsoft Teams portal is soon to launch a feature titled Walkie Talkie. This push-to-talk feature implements a traditional walkie-talkie experience over the cloud resulting in a smooth and clear voice result at both ends. At the time of this writing, the feature is in Preview mode and is expected to become a part of the official Teams app in the first half of 2020.

2. Streamline Task Management

The new Teams portal features different levels of Teams collaboration. For better task management, Tasks targeting, publishing and reporting is coming to Teams which allows leadership to delegate tasks lists to relevant locations and be able to track progress. The shift workers will always have a task to do after they finish off the current task in line.

3. The introduction of “Shifts”

For shift workers, this is the basic feature that can manage their tasks well in time. Team’s users can easily plan, and create Shift schedules. As a response, employees can make shift change requests that can be catered. All in real time through their mobile phones. With Time Clock feature, managers can geofence a specific location and use to make sure if the employees are at their worksite or not.

ALSO READ: Latest Microsoft Teams Features for a better cloud user experience

4. Workforce Management System Integration

Teams provide the flexibility to companies to integrate their workforce management systems into Teams via a set of Graph APIs. So, for customers using third party Workforce Management Systems, such as JDA for scheduling and Kronos, direct integration into Teams has now become easy with Shifts Graph APIs and SDK.

5. Latest Teams controls beneficial for first line workers

A few other latest controls include Off-Shift Access controls, SMS sign-in; Shared device sign-out, Delegated user management and many others are also in preview mode and will be out in 2020 for a better digital business communications experience.

MachPanel Automation Module for Microsoft Skype for Business

MachPanel is a complete cloud automation platform beneficial for your business. Its Automation Module for Microsoft Skype for Business is a Complete Orchestration for Hosted Skype for Business Service Providers and Enterprises. With the hype all around the business space where Skype is merging into Microsoft Teams, MachPanel can help its customers merge Skype into Teams seamlessly. Whether you are looking to offer IM and Presence or complete Enterprise Voice, MachPanel gives you complete automation with multi-tenant Control Panel for Microsoft Skype for Business for an increased employee engagement.

Get on board with MachPanel and get your hands on the tools required to enhance employee engagement for better business productivity.

Lets TalkRequest a Demo

The post How Microsoft Teams portal can benefit shift workers appeared first on MachSol Blog.

With the general availability of Microsoft Skype for business server 2019, there is a hype to know what features are actually present in the final release, as promised in the public preview. Since Microsoft is showing Cloud-first approach for most of its products, this was the most awaited version for the cloud users who were promised a great many features in the public preview. Let’s dig deep into the final release of Microsoft Skype for business Server 2019.

Cloud Services for On-Premises Users

This is the most exciting part of the Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019. When this version is used in a hybrid topology, on-premises users are able to get their hands on the same apps that the cloud users can get like, for voicemail support, Cloud PBX users use Azure VM and not Exchange Unified Messaging, with Microsoft Skype4B Server 2019, users can leverage the same techniques too. A support is given for Hybrid Modern Authentication for all users. Further Hybrid aware Microsoft Office 365 Portal for Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019 is introduced which simplifies easier management for Skype for Business Online/On-Premises /Teams.

Cloud Voicemail Support

The Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019 enable all users, whether they are on-premise users or Skype4B Online users, to get access to cloud voicemail. Cloud Voicemail feature can be used when Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019 is paired with Microsoft Exchange Server 2019. The new Exchange Server 2019 is not offering Unified Messaging. This technique of Cloud Mail is an alternate to that. With Cloud Mail, voice messages will be able to get stored in a user’s inbox. However, if you don’t wish to migrate to Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, you can still continue to use the voicemail feature that is provided by Unified Messaging on your current Exchange deployment. For those who are planning an up-gradation to Microsoft Exchange 2019 should first plan to deploy Cloud Voicemail.

Cloud Call Data Connector

The Cloud Call Data Connector enables simplification of call monitoring in a hybrid environment with the help of online tools which enables monitoring of users call quality. Call Analytics is essential to every Call related system. This feature has been integrated to the core experience related to management and administration in Microsoft O365. Now, you have the ability to upload call quality data into your O365. It means there is no need to store this data on local devices. With Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019, CQD (Call Quality Dashboard) is available for on-premise users.

Migrations to Teams

Administration experience has been improved in the latest release of Microsoft Skype for Business Server to make users move from on-premise to Teams. The experience to migrate to Microsoft Teams has been further streamlined for on-premises users. This is crucial for those on-premises users who plan to shift to the cloud.

TLS 1.2 Support

This TLS 1.2 support provides additional security for the Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019 users and this version of Skype for Business Online deprecates TLS 1.0/1.1.

MachPanel Automation module for Microsoft Skype for Business

MachPanel provides a way of smooth Enterprise Voice with its Skype for Business Automation experience for its customers who offer hosted or on-premise Microsoft Skype for business Server 2019, 2015, Lync 2013 and 2010. With MachPanel, you can get an automated experience of Skype for business in your environment as a hosted service. The support and management of the automation module is persistent throughout for a hassle-free user experience at your end.  The Multi-Cloud Service Orchestration & Delivery Platform (MSOP) offers Hosters and Partners a lot of options to manage communications like Billing and Reporting, Dial Plans, Response Groups, Phone Numbers, Persistent Chat in a reliable manner. It offers professional support for 24/7. MachSol also offers complete Turnkey solution where its certified and experienced technology experts can design and deploy highly available and secure Skype for business infrastructure.

So, all you Skype for Business Online users, grab this opportunity and switch to MachPanel for an excellent Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019 experience for a better communication channel in your business.

Lets TalkRequest a Demo

The post Microsoft Skype for Business Server 2019 is Finally Here! appeared first on MachSol Blog.

Microsoft has been widely recognized worldwide as the most promising player in the UC market over last several years. It is due to the fact that it competes with Cloud service along with the necessary software to focus more established collaboration vendors. Recently Microsoft is again in the news as it has announced its Skype for business Server 2019 public preview. Let’s have a closer look at what Microsoft has to offer in the upcoming version of Skype for Business Server 2019.

Deprecated Stuff

Like all other visions, the latest version Skype for Business Server comes with a set of things that have been considered as primitive and hence they are deprecated.  The features deprecated with this version release of Skype for business are:

1. Mobility Service (Mcx)
2. Persistent Chat for Skype for Business Server
3. XMPP Gateways for Skype for Business Server
4. In-place upgrades
5. SQL Mirroring for Skype for Business Server

In place for SQL Mirroring, SQL AlwaysOn Clustering and Availability Groups is there for SQL in Skype4Business Server 2019. SQL Mirroring was a popular method of SQL HA but it was said by Microsoft for a long time that this feature will be deprecated soon and SQL AlwaysOn along with Clustering will take its place. In place of persistent chat, there is Teams already present in Skype4B. In Place upgrades also needed tweaking every time you configure them, so most users are pleased that it’s gone. The legacy Mcx Service is replaced by UCWA, that’s more popular too in Skype for business Server 2019.

Hybrid All The Way

Yes, Hybrid is needed in order to take advantage of the newest features in Skype for business Server 2019. This will also make migrations easier to Skype for Business Online or Teams.

You can still use the Standard edition. Enterprise edition is popular too. To take maximum advantage of Windows Fabric, it is ideal to have three FE’s. Office Online Server along with Office Web Apps is still used.

System Requirements

Standard Edition requires dual 6 core processors along with at least 32GB RAM. It deploys SQL Express 2016. For the Enterprise Edition, you would need, dual 6 core processors along with 64GB RAM for each EE Front End and Back End Servers. That makes it needing double the memory needed to run Skype for business Server 2015 a few years back! It can also run QL Server 2016/2017 with latest updates. For Operating systems: the only platform where it can run is Windows Server 2016.

ALSO READ
Features To Be Seen In Microsoft Exchange Server 2019

MachPanel Automation Module for Skype for Business

MachPanel is an integrated Control Panel especially designed to cater the needs for CSPs. Its Automation Module for Microsoft Skype for Business also supports Lync 2013 and 2010. It offers Enterprise Voice service, billing and reporting, Persistent chat, Service for phone numbers. There is a centralized management control panel which offers flexibility and control to Providers, Resellers and End Customers.  If you are looking for a streamlined solution to your business call handling, MachPanel Automation module for Skype for Business is the answer.

So, gear up and get your hands on this promising Automation module for a successful growth of your business.

Lets TalkRequest a Demo

The post Announcing the Skype for Business Server 2019 Preview appeared first on MachSol Blog.

Deployment Requirements

A minimum of SQL 2016 and Windows 2016 is now required to run Skype for Business Server 2019. The availability of in-place upgrades is also becoming extinct in the upcoming Skype for business server version. Further, direct roles have also been dropped out of system. The new version will not support the side by side deployment of Cloud Connector Edition (CCE). However, it will support side by side up gradation from Lync 2013 or Skype for Business Server 2015.

Standard Edition vs Enterprise Edition

The upcoming Skype for business Server 2019 will not include the option for the deployment of Standard Edition server. Rather, it will be supporting to upgrade the Enterprise edition with a single server node instead. Yes, the announcement raised a few eyebrows at the Ignite conference but the announcement is for good. An entirely separate Backend SQL server will be a basic requirement for a single server deployment. It is to encourage the customers that form the smaller market to come to the cloud option rather than keep on developing on-premises Standard Edition servers.

Cloud Services

The on-premises users will now be able to access the same apps as the cloud users do. It is, however, possible only if it is deployed in a hybrid topology.

ALSO READ
Features To Be Seen In Microsoft Exchange Server 2019

Other Announcements

1. Silverlight is deprecated
2. Skype for business Server 2019 will be backward compatible with UCWA/UCMA along with the service of smooth transition using Third-Party Add-ons and customer developed applications.
3. Enhanced interoperability and migration to Microsoft Teams. Teams are the preferred clients of Microsoft Skype for business Server 2019, as previously mentioned in a Microsoft announcement.
4. Another feature that will be deprecated is Direct Server role
5. Cloud Connector edition will coexist with the Skype for business Server 2019
6. A single portal for call reporting and analytics.
7. Auto attendants will be integrated as a standard along with voice mail and call queues. These will be integrated with reduced server dependency.

MachPanel – an efficientsolution

MachPanel offers a smooth experience of Enterprise Voice with its Skype for Business Automation that supports Skype for business Server 2015, Lync 2013 and 2010. MachPanel is suitable for service providers who want to control and manage clients and their communication infrastructure in a flexible and efficient manner. It provides a centralized control panel for the management of End customers, along with Providers and Resellers.  With MachPanel Automation Module for Microsoft Skype for Business, Selling, Billing, Provisioning, reporting, Dial plans manipulation, Phone numbers inventory management, persistent chats and response groups can be managed with comfort.

The post The all new Microsoft Skype for Business 2019 Announced appeared first on MachSol Blog.

Skype for Business – Automation and Provisioning Solution

MachPanel Skype for Business enables you to experience and offer Skype for Business to your customers and grow your business. Now with MachPanel Skype for Business, you can provisioning, manage and bill your customer for Skype for Business and leverage UCaaS (UC as a Service) across the globe.

Do you need help to deploy Skype for Business?

MachSol offers turn-key services for Microsoft Skype for Business deployment, configuration, management and setting up complete infrastructure to let you offer Unified Communication as a Services (UCaaS). We can help you migrate or upgrade from legacy Microsoft Lync environment to Microsoft Skype for Business.

Get More Details on MachPanel Skype for Business

The post MachPanel Cloud Automation – Skype for Business is Available Now! appeared first on MachSol Blog.

• – New look and feel
• – Call from Skype for Business using your desk phone for audio
• – Integration with the Skype directory
• – Call Monitor
• – Rate My Call
• – Quick access to call controls
• – Emoticons

The new UI is much similar to Skype and probably intended to keep the same user experience between the two different versions of the Skype. This includes the format of the IM, presence indicators, buttons, icons and other UI elements including emotions in Skype. Calling features include dialling to your desk phone if you have Skype for Business Server 2015 and it is just seamless call experience aside having rich integration of Skype directory to locate contacts. Call monitor is another good and handy feature introduced in Skype for Business which can expand to full screen and to the smaller miniature window for active Skype calls with complete call controls and quick access. Similar to the commercial version of the Skype, you can rate call quality which will help Skype for Business Server administrators to identify problems and improvements based on feedback data collected via rate my call features. However, this feature of Rate My Call works only for the on-premise deployments.

In short, Skype for Business has finally taken over to Microsoft Lync for better messaging, audio and video calls, online meetings and precisely the unified communications.

MachPanel module for Skype for Business helps complete automation for provisioning, management and billing of Skype for Business users. We can even help you to deploy Microsoft Skype for Business and migrate or upgrade from Lync legacy version to Skype for Business.

The post Lync is now Skype for Business — What’s New! appeared first on MachSol Blog.