Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 increases productivity

The latest unified communications product from Microsoft delivers new collaboration. Beta users share their experiences.

In summary:

When you ask the beta users of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 to cite the benefits they are getting from their deployment, they consistently mention faster decision making. Decision making is a human capability, not one typically ascribed to software, but it’s true, nonetheless.

A server-based upgrade from Live Communications Server 2005, Office Communications Server 2007 works in conjunction with the Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 client application. Office Communications Server 2007 enables you to communicate using e-mail, voice, instant messaging (IM), and video conferencing. In addition, you can move easily between those modes. For instance, from within Microsoft Office Outlook, you can dial someone directly from your computer to initiate a phone conversation. While you are on the phone, you can set up a video conferencing session, and, from your desktop, you can even invite others to participate.

Not surprisingly, many of the beta users of Office Communicator 2007 work in the IT departments of companies with multiple locations, so they need good access to co-workers—no matter where they are. The IT departments are deploying pilots of Office Communications Server 2007 not only to test it for the rest of the company but also because IT departments and users benefit greatly from rapid response by team members and support. Several beta users have noted that they can get technical support questions answered immediately, rather than waiting for technicians to return to their desks. This means that employees with computer problems can get back to work quickly.

Top of page

Multiple levels of integration

It was important in designing Office Communications Server that we give customers the flexibility to move forward at their own pace. Clint Patterson Director Microsoft Unified Communications Group

Enabling the complete functionality of unified communications and incorporating unified messaging require multiple levels of systems integration. On the server side, Office Communications Server integrates out of the box with Microsoft Exchange Server (either 2003 or 2007) and Microsoft Windows Server Active Directory. On the client side, through gateways or open standards with legacy voice over IP (VoIP) or PBX systems, Office Communicator integrates out of the box with Microsoft Office 2003 or the 2007 Microsoft Office system.

Through this integration comes the concept of presence, which means that users can right-click a colleague’s name to see his or her availability for contact via phone, IM, or e-mail, based on what is listed in that person’s Office Outlook calendar. Because this integration extends to all Microsoft Office applications, users can click the name of someone who has left a comment in an Office Word document and see his or her availability, as well. "Presence is the new dial tone," says Clint Patterson, a director in the Microsoft Unified Communications Group. "With presence, I know their availability at a glance, and it makes me more productive."

Those who are tired of the constant flashes of Windows Messenger instant messages may wonder about the value of such visibility. Yet, therein lies the value: If someone knows exactly how to reach you at any given moment, that should eliminate repetitive messages by e-mail, IM, and voice mail. As one IT staffer noted, "At least there aren’t one hundred e-mails in my Inbox at the end of the day."

Office Communicator also gives you more control over your time and availability. You can create a profile with rules of contact based on time, place, and the individual who is contacting you. For example, if you’re on a business trip and you check e-mail in your hotel room at the end of the day, you can set your profile as available (unless, of course, you would like some uninterrupted work time). When you are at home, you can set up rules. For example, you can set a rule to forward calls to your cell phone, but only if it’s a superior calling; all other calls go to voice mail.

The integration between Office Communications Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2007 provides the capability of a unified Inbox, a concept first suggested in the early 1990s and now coming to fruition. (You can also obtain unified messaging by enabling the unified communications feature in Exchange Server 2007.) This means that voice mail, e-mail, and faxes go to the same Office Outlook Inbox. People consider this a time saver because there’s no need to use multiple methods of communication to find colleagues—both voice mail and e-mail are in the same place: your Office Outlook Inbox. In addition, you can see who sent a voice mail message in the same way that you can now see who sent an e-mail message. The ability to identify and open an urgent voice mail from a client—without having to listen to less important voice mails in sequence—saves time and allows you to prioritize responses.

Top of page

Flexible implementations

Although Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007 work with different versions of Exchange Server and Microsoft Office (that is, with both Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007 Microsoft Office system), certain features, like presence, are available only if you use the 2007 versions. This was an intentional Microsoft design decision, according to Patterson. "Customers are at different points in the evolution of their infrastructure," he says. "It was important in designing Office Communications Server that we give customers the flexibility to move forward at their own pace."

Other facets of Office Communications Server 2007 include federation capabilities. These allow employees to integrate their own communication systems with those of customers and partners that are also using the applications—or even with public IM networks, like Yahoo!, MSN, or AOL. One beta user, a law firm, is already using this feature to allow attorneys and clients to exchange instant messages by using a single system with consistent naming conventions (as opposed to the personal names frequently associated with public IM systems). Microsoft also offers a communications system known as RoundTable, a conference room telephone that integrates with the video conferencing capabilities in Office Communications Server. It features a built-in 360-degree camera and speaker recognition so that the speaker’s image is transmitted to remote participants.

By using Office Communications Server and Office Communicator, companies can create a new level of communication and collaboration that enables people to get the insight they need from colleagues faster. Ultimately, better-informed decisions can help any organization increase its competitive advantage.

Silicon Valley-based freelancer Howard Baldwin writes regularly for the Microsoft Midsize Business Center. His work has also appeared on AllBusiness.com and in CIO.

Top of page