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Skype for Business

MindLink requires an existing Skype for Business deployment in order to function. Before getting the MindLink Management centers installed and configured there are requirements that need to be in place.


Persistent Chat

Identify if you have Persistent Chat enabled on your Skype for Business deployment.

Skype for Business Administrator

An administrator can check the Topology of the installation and check if there is a Persistent Chat Pool created with at least one server in the Topology Builder tool.

pChat Topology

As an end User of Skype for Business

Anyone within the organisation who may be Pchat-enabled will have this icon visible within the Skype for Business client, allowing them to participate in Chat Rooms.

pchat enabled

Alternatively, you can CTRL-SHIFT and Right-Click over the minimised tray icon of Skype for Business to show Configuration Settings of the local client. The last line of output will show the value for pchat Enabled? which should be TRUE

Group Chat Disabled

As of 17.3 MindLink Mobile supports a Skype for Business topology that does not have PChat installed; this is achieved by enabling administrators and subsequently users to choose between modalities (if supported). Please note: this should be discussed during the planning phase.

Prerequisites:

  • Service account with read/write permissions to the preferences repository

  • Preferences repository stored locally or on a network drive. The default location for Local Preferences Repository is \Program Files\MindLink Software\MindLink Mobile\Connector Service\preferences. This can be changed to any local or network file location within the 'Skype for Business' tab within the MindLink Management Center.


Auto-Provisioning Requirements (Optional)

Skype for Business auto provisioning is not necessary if you prefer to manually configure your Skype for Business front end FQDN , but allows auto discovery in case topology changes. Install Skype for Business Server Core Components from the Skype for Business server ISO onto the MindLink Server :

  • Install or Update Skype for Business Server System -> Install Local Configuration Store and Setup or Remove Skype Server Components
  • Enable Skype for Business auto discover for DNS/SRV records , skypediscoverinternal. and sipinternal.
  • The MindLink service account must be a member of the ' RTC Component Local Group ' local group.
  • Set the certificate

Setting the Certificate

1. Launch Skype for Business Server Management Shell which will now be installed on the MindLink Server On the Start menu, select All Programs > Microsoft Skype for Business Server > right-click Skype for Business Server Management Shell > click Run as administrator

2. In Skype for Business Server Management Shell , run the Set-CsCertificate cmdlet . In the following example, a certificate with a thumbprint of 14b04424b8316d90c72438dfefdf83d1fd917d39 is bound to the trusted application server. e.g. Set-CsCertificate -Type Default - Thumbprint 14b04424b8316d90c72438dfefdf83d1fd917d39


Trusted Application Pools

1 - Log onto the Front End Server

2 - Launch the 'Skype for Business server Topology Builder'

3 - In the left tree pane, right-click on the 'Trusted application servers' folder

4 - Select the option 'New Trusted Application Pool...' from the context menu

5 - Add the FQDN of the server (i.e. server.domain.com) where MindLink Anywhere is installed

6 - Select 'Single computer pool' if MindLink Anywhere is installed on a single instance, or 'Multiple computer pool' if MindLink Anywhere is installed in a load balanced configuration

7 - Click the 'Next' button

8 - Select the next hop which will be the front end (for Standard Edition) or the pool (for Enterprise Edition), click the 'Finish' button

9 - Publish the topology with the changes you have just implemented

10 - Launch the 'Skype for Business Server Management Shell' application and run the following command to create a trusted application:

New-CsTrustedApplication -ApplicationID -TrustedApplicationPoolFqdn-Port eg : New-CsTrustedApplication -ApplicationID MindLinkMobile -TrustedApplicationPoolFqdn mindlinkserver.domain.com -Port 4096

1 - ApplicationID : this is a string which describes the application, this can be anything (syntax requirements e.g. no spaces, no special characters etc.).

2 - TrustedApplicationPoolFqdn : The FQDN of the trusted application pool that was just created above.

3 - Port : Listen Port of the MindLink Server,each product has its own default port to allow collocation Default ports are

  • MindLink API is 4096
  • MindLink Anywhere is 4097
  • MindLink Mobile is 4099

Skype for Business server shell

11 - You will then be prompted to execute the Enable-CsTopology command to implement the changes. If the cursor moves to the next line without any errors, then the command has been executed successfully

12 - Launch the 'Skype for Business Server Control Panel'

13 - Under 'Topology > Trusted Application' you should now see the application you just added. If it is not there, just click on the 'Refresh' button and it should appear


Conversation History

Enabling Server Side Conversation History (up to Server 17.2)

When enabling the Skype for Business's Server Side Conversation History feature a user's IM history can be exported from MindLink to the user's Conversation History folder using Exchange. In order to utilise this feature in conjunction with MindLink the following minimum pre-requisites must be met.

  • Server Side Conversation History is supported by MS Exchange 2013 or above
  • Server Side Conversation History is supported by Skype for Business 2015 server or above.
  • MindLink Anywhere and MindLink Mobile version needs to be 17.1 or above.
  • Integration between Skype for Business 2015 and Skype for Business 2019 and MS Exchange needs to be enabled by creating a OAuth partnership between these applications.
  • Server Side Conversation History needs to be enabled in your Skype for Business environment.

After enabling the above, the MindLink administrator simply needs to enable conversation history through the management tool, by clicking the checkbox, save the configuration and restart the MindLink service. Please consult the administration guide for more details.

Enabling Conversation History (Skype for Business)

For conversation history to be saved to the users Conversation History folder within Exchange the following minimum criteria need to be met.

  • Server Side Conversation History is supported by MS Exchange 2013 or above.

  • Server Side Conversation History is supported by Skype for Business 2015 server or above.

  • Server Side Conversation History is supported by Skype for Business Online.

  • MindLink Anywhere and MindLink Mobile version needs to be 17.1 or above.

  • Integration between Skype for Business 2015/Skype for Business 2019 and MS Exchange needs to be enabled by creating a OAuth partnership between these applications. A guide to create this integration can be found here : https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj688151.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

  • Server Side Conversation History needs to be enabled in your Skype for Business environment. Documentation to enable this setting can be found here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn985897.aspx


Skype for Business Online Configuration

Compatibility:

  • Multiparties are compatible with SfBO

  • Conversation history is compatible with SfBO

In the Windows PowerShell change the directory to either the MLA or MLM directory

For Anywhere - Set-Location –Path “C:\Program Files\MindLink Software\MindLink Anywhere\ManagementTool”

For Mobile - Set-Location –Path “C:\Program Files\MindLink Software\MindLink Mobile\ManagementTool”

The below command imports the Skype for Business Online module

import-module ".\SkypeForBusinessConfigurationModule.psm1"

The management tool will need to be saved with group chat disabled after importing the Skype for Business Online module.

Enable-MlSfboConnector - This enables an SfBO connection to the server

Get-MlConnectorConfiguration - This will display what connection has been configured.

The command will need to copied and pasted into MindLink.Core.host.dll file in the directory MindLink Software\MindLink Anywhere\Connector Service. This will need to be pasted under the O365 settings.

Reset-MlConnectorConfiguration - This resets the connection back to the Skype for Business On Premise