Adding Ext attribute to bulk users with PowerShell

Ever had the need to bulk modify users Tel URI and add the “;ext=” attribute with the extension. Well here is a PowerSHell command to do just that.

get-csuser | ? {$_.lineuri} | ? {$_.lineuri -notlike "*;ext=*" } | % {$newlineuri = $_.lineuri + ';ext=' + $_.lineuri.substring($_.lineuri.length - 4); set-csuser $_.identity -lineuri $newlineuri}

That’s one line in PowerShell. It will get all the users in Lync that have a line URI set but where that line URI does not already have the “;ext=” syntax in it. Then, it will take the last four digits of the user’s line URI and use that to set a new line URI that has “;ext=XXXX” appended. (If you want to change the length of the extension, change the 4 to something else.)

Be careful with this command. It “should” be pretty safe. We can’t completely promise that suddenly adding “;ext=XXXX” to everyone’s line URI won’t cause an unexpected issue. Make sure to test in a lab first.

Thanks to Doug Lawty for the command and explanation of its use.

VoIPNorm

Seattle Event: UC + SIP Trunking: Keys to Successful Deployment

Join Level 3 Communications,Microsoft and Unify² for a practical discussion

Unified communications (UC) is touted as a game changer: a way to bring collaborative applications together, lower costs, enable mobile workers and boost productivity. Come join me along with Level 3 and Unify² to discuss how to avoid the biggest challenges faced by companies making the change to UC at Big Picture in Seattle.

RSVP today

Our agenda:

· Why UC? The challenges for enterprises

· Expert guidance on architecture options and requirements

· Tips on planning and implementing a SIP migration

· Best practices for deployment – avoid the landmines!

· Open discussion

Who should attend? This discussion is most relevant for director, manager, VP and SVP levels in Voice Infrastructure Architecture & Engineering or Applications Engineering, Voice Operations and Information Technology.

We’ll continue the discussion over a drinks and appetizers in the lounge.

About the speakers:

Josh Moormann, Senior Solutions Architect, Level 3 Communications

An engaging speaker, Josh has a knack for conveying the most essential elements of a UC strategy and finding the best deployment approach for each client’s unique situation. Josh was recruited to Level 3 in 2006 after establishing a reputation within the industry as a "go-to guy" for complex network architecture solutions.

Justin Stevens, Director, UC business transformation, Unify²

Justin is a Lync software developer and implementer with 16 years of experience in telecommunications. He brings a wealth of experience within Microsoft IT where he helped the company deploy more than 100,000 Lync voice seats worldwide and the transition of legacy technologies (voice, video and conferencing). He’s adept at development and recognition of ROI scenarios from VoIP evangelization to business transformation.

Chris Norman (that’s me), Lync Technical Solution Professional, Microsoft

Like you don’t already know who I am. You’re reading my blog already!

I hope to see you there.

VoIPNorm

!!!!! Lync Conference 2013 Announced !!!!!

 

Finally a Lync conference to match those Exchange guys! The Lync Conference is scheduled for February 19 - 21, 2013 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. This reminds me of the Interact conference from 2008 where I actually managed to meet a lot of the Microsoft Lync (OCS at the time) team, customers and partners. This is surely to be a huge Lync geek fest so make sure to get it in your travel budgets and save those dates.

And before anyone asks I will be there of course. Okay, at least pretend like you care and spare my feelings:)

VoIPNorm

Lync 2013 Mobile and Desktop Click-to-Join for Non-Enterprise Voice Users

Recently I blogged about  the available options in Lync 2010 for non-voice enabled users. Basically there are two different administrative options in 2010 depending if it’s the mobile client or the desktop client in 2010. For the mobile client the click to join configuration was superior to the desktop/web client which relied on static routes and had very little control over gateway selection and call authorization. 2013 this has changed dramatically with an improved more flexible configuration that better adheres to voice policies. Now in the conferencing policy you are able to select “Allow participants not enabled for Enterprise Voice to dial out”.

Below is a blurb in the Lync Wiki page for 2013 new features:

Conference Dial-Out for Users Not Enabled for Enterprise Voice

While this was possible in earlier versions of Lync using a static route it was always less than an optimal solution fortunately Lync Server 2013 makes it much easier for Administrators to enable users who are not enabled for Enterprise Voice to initiate dial-outs from a conference. This means that meeting organizers who use this Conferencing Policy setting can accommodate participants for conference dial-outs. The meeting organizer can also initiate a conference dial-out, even if he or she is not enabled for Enterprise Voice.

The screen shot above shows the new policy option. Of course if you allow this configuration to be enabled then you also need to apply a voice policy to the non- voice user that wants to host conferences. So users trying to dial-out are controlled as per the flow diagram below:

The important things to remember for non-voice users are as follows-

1. Is the host part of a conferencing policy that allows non-voice users to dial-out?

2. Has the host got a voice policy assigned?

If you have a high demand for mobile clients (which nearly everyone does) applying a default voice policy as part of the initial user configuration regardless of voice enablement seems to make a lot of sense. If you automate through PowerShell the initial enablement would mean the addition of a line to assign a voice policy. I see this as an easier way to apply the policy rather than going back after the fact and assigning a voice policy.

Hopefully this helps shed some light on a configuration that was problematic in 2010 and now a lot easier in 2013. The experience across mobile and desktop/web applications in 2013 is consistent from an administrative and user point of view which makes everyone's lives a lot easier.

VoIPNorm