The Skype for Business client for Windows Phone received an update last night.
No major changes or additions (as far as I can see).
No changelog for the app at the Windows Store.
App version is now 6.3.1551.0
Category: Updates
November 2015 update for Skype for Business and Lync 2013
Microsoft released an update for Skype for Business and Lync 2013.
The update resolves vulnerabilities in Microsoft Lync 2013 and Skype for Business as described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-116 and Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-123.
This security update also fixes the following issues:
- Sent emoticons are displayed differently in instant messages between Lync 2010 or 2013 and Skype for Business clients
- Large conversations in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business) are lost in the Conversation History folder in Outlook
- Skype for Business client crashes when you search for a contact in the Skype Directory tab
- No phone numbers are displayed for a user whose photo is disabled in the contact list in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
- The Current Conversations option is missing when you do a consultative transfer in Lync 2013
- Call button is unavailable (grayed out) for a meeting organizer in Lync 2013 (Skype for Business)
- Registry key isn’t honored when you customize the title name of user interface in Skype for Business
- Lync 2013 (Skype for Business) users can’t save meeting contents to a redirected folder that’s in Offline mode
Note that this update will upgrade your Lync 2013 client to Skype for Business.
*** The download link was removed by MS – I will update as soon as it’s available.
*** Update is available again.
Source: Microsoft
MS15-104 Security update breaks Lync Server 2013 web services
Microsoft released a KB article describing issues with the Web Components Server on Lync Server 2013 after installing the latest security update.
It affects the following:
•Users can’t sign in to your dial-in page.
•Lync Mobile clients can’t sign in.
•External clients can’t sign in.
•Address book web queries fail.
•Users are prompted for credentials for some web services after they sign in internally to Lync desktop clients.
To resolve this problem, uninstall security update 3080353, install the July 2015 cumulative update, and then reinstall security update 3080353.
Source and additional information: Microsoft.
September 2015 Update for Skype for Business Server 2015
Following the release of the MS15-104 security update, Microsoft released the first CU for Skype for Business Server 2015, as described in KB3061064.
The CU includes the following patches:
- KB 3090687 September 2015 update for Skype for Business Server 2015, Core Components
- KB 3080355 MS15-104: Description of the security update for Skype for Business Server 2015 (Web Components Server): September 8, 2015
- KB 3080352 MS15-104: Description of the security update for Skype for Business Server 2015 (Enterprise Web App): September 8, 2015
- KB 3063353 June 2015 cumulative update 6.0.9319.55 for Skype for Business Server 2015 and Unified Communications Managed API 5.0 Runtime
- KB 3063352 June 2015 cumulative update 6.0.9319.55 for Skype for Business Server 2015, Response Group Service
- KB 3061059 June 2015 cumulative update 6.0.9319.55 for Skype for Business Server 2015 (Front End server and Edge server)
The link to the CU installer and some of the updates is currently broken but the download is available here.
September 2015 update for Lync Server 2013
The September 2015 CU for Lync Server 2013 is out, raising the Server version to 8308.920. 8308.927.
The purpose of this update is to address the vulnerabilities described in MS15-104, and it updates the Lync Server 2013 Web Components Server.
Download the update (KB3080353) here.
Download the CU (KB2986072, KB2982389, KB2992965, KB2982390) here.
Skype for Business Server Response Groups Migration Gotcha
Noticed something weird during a recent upgrade to from Lync Server 2013 to a new Skype for Business Server pool.
I was double-checking my self against Greig Sheridan‘s very detailed guide and as expected, everything worked just fine.
We tested and confirmed that calls are coming through and the response groups are all working as expected – that was easy.
The next week I’m getting a phone call saying the Response Groups’ managers can’t change some of the settings they used to be able to.
Checking AD permissions – OK.
Opening the Workflow – I can’t see the managers and the workflow is set to “Unmanaged”.
I thought it was just a misconfiguration but then I checked the “Get-CsRgsWorkflow” export we did earlier (Never underestimate documenting!) and all workflows that were set to “Managed: True” are now set to “Managed: False“.
I thought it was a bug, but no – it’s by design. I couldn’t see it in the migration documents (nor thought I should look for it!) but the Microsoft planning document for Skype for Business Server 2015 states very clearly vaguely that “When you migrate response groups from a prior version to Skype for Business Server, the type is set to Unmanaged.”
Here, check for yourself.
I’m not sure if this is the behaviour when performing an in-place upgrade to Skype for Business, but assuming it is.
Skype for Business in-place upgrade and SQL Express 2012
If you’re a small business using Lync 2013 standard edition, you might want to in-place upgrade your current Lync server to the new Skype for Business Server.
If you followed the prerequisites I previously listed here, or better yet, Greig Sheridan’s comprehensive article on how to upgrade, you should have the basics ready by now.
Lync 2013 is originally installed with SQL Express 2012, However, if you’re falling behind on SQL updates, you might not be able to complete start the installation as Skype for Business Server 2015 requires at least SQL Express 2012 SP1:
Upgrading SQL Express 2012 to SP1 or SP2 is an easy task, but might be a little time consuming if you do it manually: You’ll need to update each database individually, meaning running the process 3 times (for RTC, RTCLOCAL, LYNCLOCAL).
A faster way is to run it via command prompt or PowerShell:
First, download SQL Express 2012 SP2 (I know they only ask for SP1, but walk that extra mile, will ya?).
Choose to download the SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe file, this is all you need.
Place the file in a local folder on the server and run the following command:
SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe /action=Patch /allinstances /quiet /IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms
The above will do the following for you:
- Run the update process (/action=Patch)
- Update all instances on the server (/allinstances)
- Hide the GUI part where you need to use the mouse at least 5 times (/quiet)
- Accept the T&Cs on your behalf (/IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms)
You’ll have no visibility of the update process (unless you choose to omit the /quiet switch) so go grab some coffee, this might take up to 20 minutes.
Look for event 17069 in the Application Log. you’re expecting to see “Microsoft SQL Server 2012 – 11.0.5058.0 (X64)” on the first line of the event – this means your upgrade process is complete:
There should be an event per updated database.
Once completed, a restart of the server is recommended. Additionally, you’ll have to update the Lync databases with the following command:
Install-CsDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn <FEServer.domain> -Verbose
This will update the databases and will show you the following output in the log:
****Creating DbSetupInstance for ‘Microsoft.Rtc.Common.Data.LisDatabase’****
Trying to connect to Sql Server FE02.y0av.local\rtc. using windows authentication…
Sql version: Major: 11, Minor: 0, Build 5058.
Sql version is acceptable.
You can now run the Skype for Business Server 2015 installation on this server.
Security Update for Microsoft Office Web Apps Server 2013
Microsoft has released a security update for Office Web Apps Server 2013 as part of the MS14-081 security update from December 12, 2014.
The update resolves a security vulnerability that could allow arbitrary code to run when a maliciously modified file is opened.
Download the update (KB2889851) here.
More information about the update here.