Deploying Skype for Business 24 November 2015 ulster.ac.uk
A True Story Donna O Kane Unified Communications Manager Ulster University d.okane@ulster.ac.uk Dave Mailer Principal Consultant 4C Strategies Ltd dmailer@4c.co.uk
Agenda Background Why Skype for Business? Where we are today The Skype for Business challenges What we d have changed Discussion
Background 4 x Campuses 2,500 staff, 26,400 students Ambitious estates plan Greater Belfast Campus due to open in 2018 4 x aging isdx telephone systems Coleraine isdx room due for demolition in mid 2016
Why Skype for Business Siemens announcement regarding isdx eol Undertook strategic review 5 years ago Full economic appraisal Costed over long-term 10 years Strategic partnership with Microsoft Wish to take advantage of existing Campus Agreement Vision for integrated services at the desktop Opportunity to use UC to merge the four campuses
The Solution Partners / Products selected 4C Strategies for consultancy support / programme management Freedom for deployment services Sonus SBCs (and SBAs) Polycom Phones (with Event Zero UC Commander) Jabra Headsets / personal conference units Gamma Carrier Services Netcall Contact Centre BTS Operator Consoles Tiger Call Logger
Where we are Today Lync 2013 pool deployed (and upgraded to SfB) Voice solution deployed (inc SBS and SBAs) Carrier Services migrated to SIP Acceptance testing completed IP phones solution deployed / tested IM and P rolled out University-wide Initial enterprise voice deployment to approx. 250 users Roll-out to commence imminently
The Skype Challenges Purchasing Architecture Deployment Migration SfB Devices Analogue Devices Training Support
Challenges - Purchasing Existing licence rights Perpetual vs Subscription User vs device licencing What sort of partner is right for you? Microsoft background or voice background? Structuring the procurement How many procurements / lots? Procurement Process
Challenges - Architecture On-premise vs Hosted Reference Architecture - pros and cons Fit with University architecture Voice architecture Survivability
Challenges - Deployment Timescales Everything takes longer than intended Partners learning Microsoft moving the goalposts
Challenges - Migration By user or by department Timescales at Ulster are now driving this towards geographic IM and P first Enterprise voice users Devices Legacy analogue estate
Challenges - Devices IP hardphones vs softclient vs smartphone Due diligence advised don t rely upon wi-fi devices Plan to mandate headsets has been diluted Some users hostile towards headsets Lack of audible ringer Cost case is not compelling LPE or 3 rd party client? Better together is mandatory Require a management tool Migration is very time consuming
Challenges - Analogue Estate What should remain analogue? Teaching Rooms / faxes / lifts / PDQs / Plant Rooms How should it be supported? SfB devices Analogue ports on gateways (SfB objects or not)? DELs GSM Other / remove the need Tenor g/ws did not survive SfB upgrade!
Challenges - Training It s Skype no training is required is it? Administration Training formal courses or knowledge transfer User Training Options On-line user guides Videos Train the trainer UC Ambassadors Identify key features and train to those Reference material for other capability
Challenges - Support In-house vs 3 rd party Hybrid approach will be required Need to define roles and interfaces Route to Microsoft will be required Wealth of on-line resources available but time-consuming to find and apply by trial and error.
What we got right Strong input into architecture Risk sharing with implementation partner Procurement strategy Carrier services at the right time Bespoke training materials Accurate data regarding existing environment Build a team (inc. legacy partner cooperation)
What we d have done differently? Start 18 months earlier.. Start 18 months later. Training more and sooner Administration and user Resources more and sooner Deal with devices and analogues sooner Ask us again in another 6 months!
Deploying Skype for Business Any Questions? Donna O Kane Unified Communications Manager Ulster University d.okane@ulster.ac.uk Dave Mailer Principal Consultant 4C Strategies Ltd dmailer@4c.co.uk