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Phase 10: Migrate Communicator Web Access (2007 Release) (Optional)

 

Topic Last Modified: 2011-07-18

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 has replaced Communicator Web Access with a new Microsoft Silverlight-based client called Microsoft Lync Web App. Lync Web App does not support instant messaging (IM) and presence. Depending on the requirements of your organization, you have the following options for migrating browser-based functionality to Lync Server 2010.

  • IM and presence are not required for browser-based scenarios

    In this scenario, only Lync Server 2010 is deployed. You do not need to perform any additional migration steps.

  • IM and presence are required for browser-based scenarios

    If browser-based IM and presence are required for your organization, you must also maintain a deployed instance of the previous version of Communicator Web Access in your environment. Because Communicator Web Access can point to a Lync Server pool, you do not need to maintain a separate Office Communications Server pool.

During the coexistence phase of migration, the user experience varies depending on where the user is homed and on whether the user uses Communicator Web Access or Lync Web App.

Note

When Communicator Web Access is deployed, all users who sign in through Communicator Web Access have support for IM and presence. It does not matter if they are homed in the Office Communications Server pool or the Lync Server pool.

If you decide to use the previous version of Communicator Web Access to support browser-based IM and presence in your Lync Server environment, you need to first decommission your Office Communications Server pool, including Communicator Web Access, and then reinstall Communicator Web Access. For details, see Redeploy Communicator Web Access (2007 Release) for IM and Presence.

Deployment Scenarios

If a deployment contains a Communicator Web Access server, all users can access IM and presence functionality regardless of the following conditions:

  • Whether users are homed in an Office Communications Server pool or Lync Server pool

  • Whether the Communicator Web Access server points to Office Communications Server or Lync Server

The following table describes the behavior for the various deployment scenarios and end user experience.

Scenario Behavior

  • All users are homed in the Lync Server pool

  • Communicator Web Access points to the Lync Server pool

Note

This scenario applies when your migration to Lync Server is complete and you deployed the legacy version of Communicator Web Access to support IM and presence.

All users have support for IM and presence through Communicator Web Access and for meetings through Lync Web App.

  • All users are homed in the Lync Server pool

  • Communicator Web Access points to the Office Communications Server pool

Note

This scenario applies after you migrate all users to Lync Server but before you decommission your legacy pools.

All users have support for IM and presence through Communicator Web Access and for meetings through Lync Web App.

  • Users are split between the Lync Server and the Office Communications Server pools

  • Communicator Web Access points to the Office Communications Server pool.

Note

This scenario applies during the migration coexistence phase.

Lync Server homed users have support for IM and presence through Communicator Web Access and meeting access through Lync Web App.

Office Communications Server homed users have support for IM and presence, in addition to meeting access, through Communicator Web Access.They can also join meetings hosted on Lync Server by using Lync Web App.