14 DAY TRIAL // Provided that you know where to look, Microsoft has a range of free resources available for customers designed to make their life easier when it comes down to using its technology. Case in point: the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Workload Architecture Poster, which is currently available via the Microsoft Download Center. Offered as a free download, the poster is designed to deliver a visual representation of Communications Server 2007 R2 workloads. The Redmond company made sure to include information on both certificate requirements and DNS and firewall configuration.
“This poster of Office Communications Server 2007 R2 describes the traffic flow of protocols and ports used in each workload. Communications Server 2007 R2 supports the following workloads: IM and Presence, Conferencing, Application Sharing, and Enterprise Voice. These filtered views can assist you in architecting your deployment of Communications Server 2007 R2. The different server roles are described along with server certificate requirements. Firewall and DNS configuration requirements are also described,” revealed Johann Kruse, UC specialist, Microsoft Australia.
Office Communications Server 2007 R2 is an integral part of Microsoft’s Unified Communications (UC) vision, namely using software to power communications. Communications Server is a solution set up to deliver not only presence but also instant messaging, conferencing, and enterprise voice for business customers. The Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Workload Architecture Poster is bound to come in handy to IT professionals that are administering servers running the UC platform in an enterprise.
Of course, information on the ports and protocols used by Office Communications Servers and clients is also available on Microsoft’s IT pro community portal. Still, for those that want an offline resource, the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Workload Architecture Poster, which is essentially a PDF file, will prove invaluable. With Office Communications Server 2007 R2, Microsoft has kicked up a notch the capabilities of Office Communications Server 2007, with new chat room, IM, conferencing, and telephony functionality.
Office Communications Server 2007 R2 VHD is available for download here.