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A Few Hints About Microsoft OCS R2A Few Hints About Microsoft OCS R2

This Microsoft blog has some hints about what the next release of Office Communications Server (OCS) will feature. The focus appears to be on supporting 64-bit operating systems, which aims to reduce the number of servers that an OCS implementation requires.

Eric Krapf

September 4, 2008

1 Min Read
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This Microsoft blog has some hints about what the next release of Office Communications Server (OCS) will feature. The focus appears to be on supporting 64-bit operating systems, which aims to reduce the number of servers that an OCS implementation requires.

This Microsoft blog has some hints about what the next release of Office Communications Server (OCS) will feature. The focus appears to be on supporting 64-bit operating systems, which aims to reduce the number of servers that an OCS implementation requires.Writer Peter Schmatz says:

By leveraging x64 hardware, we are able to use inexpensive memory to support more concurrent processing of real-time media streams (audio, video, conferences) on smaller number of servers. With the change to x64, we can simplify and consolidate OCS deployments while supporting additional capabilities.

Note, however, that, "Customers who are using 32-bit hardware systems to run OCS 2007 will need to upgrade to x64 systems to install and run the next release of OCS."

The blog cites "customer feedback" as the motivation for the development, and that certainly makes sense. VoiceCon's top OCS expert, Brent Kelly of Wainhouse Research, has observed during his OCS tutorial that "it takes a village (of servers)" to implement OCS. Here's a table Brent used in his latest tutorial, spelling out just what the requirements are:

Microsoft isn't saying when OCS R2 will be shipping; this blog post says the beta just shipped, but it isn't clear exactly to whom.

About the Author

Eric Krapf

Eric Krapf is General Manager and Program Co-Chair for Enterprise Connect, the leading conference/exhibition and online events brand in the enterprise communications industry. He has been Enterprise Connect.s Program Co-Chair for over a decade. He is also publisher of No Jitter, the Enterprise Connect community.s daily news and analysis website.
 

Eric served as editor of No Jitter from its founding in 2007 until taking over as publisher in 2015. From 1996 to 2004, Eric was managing editor of Business Communications Review (BCR) magazine, and from 2004 to 2007, he was the magazine's editor. BCR was a highly respected journal of the business technology and communications industry.
 

Before coming to BCR, he was managing editor and senior editor of America's Network magazine, covering the public telecommunications industry. Prior to working in high-tech journalism, he was a reporter and editor at newspapers in Connecticut and Texas.