Lync Server 2013 testing - experiences

[3s-gtech]

Hi all,

Not sure how many of you use or have played with Lync Server 2013, but it's worth an ask. We have set up the trial (testing) version on a VM on our domain, which is now working after a few hiccups and snapshots/reverts! The server the VM is running on is an old HP DL140 G3, which is not much of a thing but has done the job. The Lync VM is the only one on the host.

 

It has:

1 x Xeon E5335 quad core 2.0GHz CPU

8GB RAM

A pair of SSDs (not in RAID)

A pair of HDD (in RAID)

 

This is no good for a production server (single PSU, getting old now too) and I wonder if any of you have experience of what works well. We've only tested this server with one HD video call, but it didn't break a sweat. We're hoping to use it for internal video calls primarily, max of around 10 at a time (very rarely that many though) with the possibility of expanding its use in time. Not looking at external SIP or integration with phones etc at present, but document sharing etc looks ace.

 

The MS recommended specs mention two hex core Xeons, 32GB RAM, SSDs etc, but that's for a server hosting a massive capacity for calls (5000 or so). I can match those if needed without breaking the bank, thanks to ICT Direct. I'm also hoping that Lync doesn't cost a fortune on EES.

 

Any thoughts?

[FN-GM]

How many users are going to be using it?

 

We had on premise but moved to office 365 Lync Online. Means we don't need to maintain a server or pay for the licences. Plus the free technical support is a bonus.

[3s-gtech]

Generally, we avoid offsite hosted services (I have Exchange 2013 on site, etc) just because I like being able to physically control the server and the data on it. Plus, it means I don't to think about having to sync our AD to anything offsite (plus our upstream net connection is not 100% reliable). I had thought of Lync Online, but it's obviously an important consideration so thanks.

[FN-GM]

Lync doesn't actually hold the conversations etc. They actually live on the Exchange server.

 

You didn't answer the question as to how many people will be using it

[3s-gtech]

Sorry - concurrently, probably 10 doing video. I'd like it to support maybe 40 doing typed chat. Total users will be 120 or so, pulled from AD.

[Domino]

Calls on lync with 2 participants are peer to peer, there's little interaction with the server.

 

Conference calls (more than 2 participants), doc sharing and pstn calls have the most impact server side.

 

Do you have an existing vm cluster? All our lync deployments globally live in vmware, the only physical boxes tend to be the asterisk servers that require ISDN cards

[3s-gtech]

We do have an existing set of decent VM hosts (ESXi and Hyper-V). I didn't want to bog them down for the sake of it (without knowing how hard this would hit), but they may be able to take the strain if it'll mostly be doing peer-to-peer (conference calls will be very rare). PSTN calls will be none for the foreseeable.

 

I wouldn't be installing it on bare metal, simply for the flexibility that it'll have as a VM.