Web-Based Access

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 will reach end of support on January 9, 2018. To stay supported, you will need to upgrade. For more information, see Resources to help you upgrade your Office 2007 servers and clients.

Topic Last Modified: 2015-03-09

If you have users who cannot, or prefer not to, use clients such as Office Communicator, you can deploy Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access. Communicator Web Access provides Office Communications Server services – such as instant messaging (IM), presence, audio conferencing, and desktop sharing – to users with a Web-based client. You may need this feature to provide access to users who:

• Are not running the Windows operating system. For example, Macintosh or Linux users can participate in IM or desktop sharing sessions as long as they are running a supported version of the Safari or Firefox Web browser.

• Are not logging on from outside the organization firewall. For example, a salesperson can stay in constant contact with the home office by logging onto the Internet from a hotel room or Internet café.

• Have locked-down computers. A Web browser is all these users need to gain access to Office Communicator features such as IM and rich presence.

• Do not have accounts in your Active Directory domain or the Active Directory domain of a federated partner. If invited, these anonymous users can participate in audio conferences or desktop sharing sessions without needing to be authenticated.

The following table shows the Web browsers on which Communicator Web Access is supported.

Table 1. Communicator Web Access Browser Support