About Me

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This is a blog for John Weber. One of my joys in life is helping others get ahead in life. Content here will be focused on that from this date forward. John was a Skype for Business MVP (2015-2018) - before that, a Lync Server MVP (2010-2014). I used to write a variety of articles (https://tsoorad.blogspot.com) on technical issues with a smattering of other interests. I have a variety of certifications dating back to Novell CNE and working up through the Microsoft MCP stack to MCITP multiple times. FWIW, I am on my third career - ex-USMC, retired US Army. I have a fancy MBA. The opinions expressed on this blog are mine and mine alone.

2010/12/16

Pre-sales project information

When you are in front of clients in the pre-sales mode, you need good, solid information that you can relate.  And the information needs to come from reliable, quotable resources.  This article on Forbes.com presents an initial analysis of a new McKinsey report on collaboration.  I encourage you to track down the actual report so you dig out the nuggets that will help you be more successful.  There is nothing in this particular article that is vendor specific; rather, the information is business related and gives quantifiable data points using common metrics.  Perfect for creating credibility and focusing the discussion on business requirements and pain points.

2010/12/06

Lync Project Elements

Part of being a consultant in knowing what needs doing and what does not need doing – and this is per project.  However, there is always the starting, generic list.  What follows is an example of that list.  The elements of this list represent those subject areas that need attention at some point in the Lync project.  Each of these elements has between three and 10 more sub-elements.  In some cases, the sub-elements have tertiary elements.  If a task needs to be at the quaternary level, I consider it for a move or maybe that I need to move its’ parent up a level.  This avoids the issue of having too many project levels and getting lost in the weeds during planning; or worse yet, overlooking a project task.  Remember that not all of these will apply to each project you do.  And this list can be easily modified to meet core Exchange projects also.

1. Conduct Requirements discover

2. Design Lync 2010 Server System

3. Specify Client Deployment

4. Build Host Servers

5. Train the Trainer

6. Install SQL 2008 as two-node cluster

7. Install and configure 2 Lync EE FE servers as pool

8. Migrate existing R2 pool and users and component functionality

9. Remove existing R2 system

10. Install and configure HLB devices

11. Install and configure Monitoring and Archiving Lync Server roles using VM

12. Create Hyper-V specifications

13. Modify DNS

14. Modify External DNS

15. Assist with Certificates (External)

16. Assist with Internal PKI

17. Firewall rules

18. Configure ISA/TMG RP

19. Install and Configure Lync Edge Server pool

20. Define IP (internal and external)

21. Install and configure media gateway

22. Assist with Avaya PBX changes

23. Install, configure, & test Exchange UM

24. Create Dial Plan

25. Implement Dial Plan

26. Project Management

test 02 Feb

this is a test it’s only a test this should be a picture