Configuring OCS Server QoS Part 2: Mediation Server

Part 2 of this series will cover the enabling QoS on the Mediation server. This is slightly different than the FrontEnd as you will need to enable QoS on every Mediation server rather than just the pool. Similar to the last post I will use the TechNet documentation in conjunction with screen shots to make stepping through this the first time a little easier and in some cases you may want to use this in it entirety to help create internal documentation.

Here is a basic overview:

-Using Wbemtest change ServerQoSenabled setting to TRUE on each Mediation server.

-Enable packet scheduler (each Mediation Server)

-Set GPO for conforming packets

Configuring an OCS Mediation Server step by step:

1.Log on to the Mediation Server as a member of the RTCUniversalServerAdmins group or an account with equivalent user rights.
2.Click Start, and then click Run.
3.In the Open box, type wbemtest, and then click OK.
4.In the Windows Management Instrumentation Tester dialog box, click Connect.
5.In the Connect dialog box, in Namespace, type root\cimv2, and then click Connect. and then click Enum Classes.



6.In the Windows Management Instrumentation Tester dialog box, click Enum Classes.
7.In the Superclass info dialog box, leave the name blank, and then click OK.



8.In the Query Result dialog box, double-click the class name MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting.



9.In the Object editor for MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSetting dialog box, click Instances.
10.In the Query Result dialog box, double-click the MSFT_SIPMediationServerConfigSettingInstanceID instance (which should be the only instance available on this Mediation Server).



11.In the Object editor dialog box, in Properties, click QoSEnabled, and then click Edit Property.



12.In the Property Editor dialog box, in Value, specify True, and then click Save Property.



13.In the ObjectEditor dialog box, click Save Object.
14.Restart the Mediation Server service.
15.Repeat the preceding steps on each Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Mediation Server.

To install the QoS Packet Scheduler on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003

1.Log on to the computer as a member of the Administrators group or an account with equivalent user rights.
2.Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3.Click Network Connections.
4.Right-click the network interface on which you want to enable the QoS Packet Scheduler, and then click Properties.



5.Click Install.
6.In Select Network Component Type, click Service.
7.Click Add.



8.In Select Network Service, click QoS Packet Scheduler, and then click OK.



To verify service type settings on a computer

To support DSCP the GPO settings used by the packet scheduler for GUARANTEED (voice) and CONTROLLEDLOAD (video) must be set to non-zero and enabled.

1. Log on to the computer as a member of the Administrators group or an account with equivalent user rights.
2. Click Start, and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type gpedit.msc.
4. In the Group Policy Object Editor dialog box, expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Template, expand Network, expand QoS Packet Scheduler, and then click DSCP value of conforming packets.



5. In DSCP value of conforming packets, verify that Guaranteed service type and Controlled load service each have the following settings:
• Enabled with a nonzero value. To see the value, right-click the setting, and then click Properties.
• The correct DSCP value

This first sceen shot is of the GUARANTEED values set to Enabled and a DSCP value of 46 (EF)


This second shot is of the CONTROLLEDLOAD value set to enabled and a DSCP value of 34which is typical of video.



Hopefully this has been somewhat helpful. Once complete with QoS configuration on the servers also ensure that you network switch port is set to trust your DSCP markings from your servers for both network ports for the Mediation Server. In the case of Cisco if QoS on a network switch has been enabled this must be set otherwise all DSCP settings will be return to 0. Which means all your hard work would be for nothing.

This is the last post in this series.

Comments and questions welcomed.

VoIPNorm

Wave 14 Resources

It is early on but here are some publicly available resources for Microsoft’s Communications Server “14”. With links to Gurdeep’s keynote and the VoiceCon RFP, it is worth checking out.

http://www.microsoft.com/communicationsserver/en/us/whats-new.aspx

The next link is Microsoft's VoiceCon RFP response with Wave 14. Noteworthy are the mentions of branch survivability, E911, Call Admission Control and new IP phone devices. Also of interest are the answers to the Call Center section. Although Aspect’s Unified IP was used to answer some of these questions, a large portion can be solved using OCS Response Groups which is included in the licensing cost of OCS ECAL.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/B/9/3/B939AA7C-AB08-49E2-B85D-136EDDAF4071/RFP%20-%20IP%20Telephony%20System.xps

Having seen a few telephony RFP’s during my career this is pretty standard template that VoiceCon have chosen to use and doesn’t really address unified communications. Hopefully next year with the name change to Enterprise Connect, telephony will be part of the all-encompassing UC RFP.

VoIPNorm

VoiceCon day 3: Microsoft Communications Server “14” Announced

Well it has been officially announced. Wave 14 is now public knowledge with some key new features being talked about publicly for the first time. I am not going to try to cover all that was announced but it was certainly interesting. From a high level in no particular order:E911 location tracking, Call Admission Control, Expert Search using Sharepoint to name a few. Probably the thing I saw as the most telling way the industry was heading was when Gurdeep presented the map of the show floor and highlighted every partner that Microsoft have either interoperability or platform integration with for OCS. Well over half of the companies on the showroom floor. Interoprability was also highlighted during IBM's keynote as well.

With the VoiceCon IP-PBX RFP results released today there was another boost in the arm for Microsoft. OCS was the most economical solution based on Wave 14 responses. This included a subset of devices that where the new standalone IP phones and not jsut PC endpoints. I will post a link to the material when they become available.

I took some more shoots today. These are the two new phones that are going to be released for Wave 14 from Aastra and Polycom.

Aastra Information Worker Model...



Polycom's Information Worker model...



IBM are giving away copies of Windows now as their keynote presentation slide said “Windows Free”. JK. Photo from the IBM keynote...



Opps sorry about that, this is the view at the Disney Animal Kingdom from the rooms:- )

This will be the last post from the show as I head home tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.

VoIPNorm

VoiceCon Day 2: VoIPNorm Hits the Microsoft Booth

Unfortunately today I have no photos to share but I hit the Microsoft booth to do demos for customers. Being the first time I have done this as an exhibitor it was a truly tiring experience and I have a greater appreciation for the people that man the booths at these types of events. Basically, it was nonstop talking and demoing for the 3 hours I was there. It made the time pass quickly but in the end I was beat.

The only session I attended today was the Cisco keynote. IME was one of their big announcements which was kind of underwhelming for those more familiar with federation which has been around for the last five years or so. Basically, its kind of like federation but with telephone numbers and intelligent call routing. From what I could gather it was for audio and video only but I could be wrong. It was a very high level presenation as you would expect so I am sure more details will follow after the annoucement today.

Tomorrow (which by the time I post this will be today, somewhat of a late night) Microsoft will be doing their keynote and I promise to get more photos up.

Till Tomorrow.

VoIPNorm