Installation of Skype for Business Server 2015 Enterprise Persistent Chat

The role of Persistent Chat Server allows users to participate in multi-stakeholder thematic conversations persistent over time.
Teams can efficiently share information, ideas and decisions with each other. Discussions are persistent, allowing users in different geographical areas to participate even when they are not simultaneously online.
This role allows you to search content, to create notifications and filters to follow conversations on specific topics.
Since Lync Server 2013, the feature is available directly in the Lync client.
Persistent Chat server is an optional role in Skype for Business 2015. Servers are managed in a dedicated farm and depends on the front end to the routing of the messages.
This role is primarily composed of conversation and compliance services. The Conversation is responsible for persistent chat server database service. The compliance service enables archiving of the content of conversations and events.
Web services, dependent on IIS, they are handled by the front-end server. Web services are used for the publication and recovery files as well as the management of the conference rooms.



 
Persistent Chat Server uses two databases:
The database 'mgc' for the hosting of data such as history and the content of conversations, configuration and provisioning of user data
The database "mgccomp" for compliance data archiving
These databases can be located in the same SQL Server instance or different SQL Server servers.
Persistent cat is the only role Skype for Business server whose farm can be stretched between two sites.
Various architectures options available:
Environment Standard edition including the role of persistent chat collocated with the front end server
Environment Standard edition including the role of persistent chat deployed on a dedicated server
Environment in Enterprise edition including the role of persistent chat deployed on a dedicated server
Environment in Enterprise edition including the role of persistent chat deployed on several separate servers
The following table summarized the capabilities supported by the role:

 



 
This paper presents a Skype for Business 2015 Enterprise Server installation.
The upgrade scenario diagram is as follows:




The prerequisites to deploy Skype for Business 2015 Persistent Chat Server:
The good success of a deployment must take into account all of the technology.
 
Operating systems supported for Skype for Business:
  Windows Server 2012 R2 Enterprise OS
Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard OS
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter OS with SP1
Windows Server 2012 Standard OS with SP
**Windows Server 2008 R2 (Lync Server 2013 migration required)

Back end support for the following databases:
Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Enterprise (64-bit Edition)
Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise (64-bit Edition)
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise (64-bit Edition)
Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Standard (64-bit edition)
Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Standard (64-bit edition
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard (64-bit edition)

Back end support for the following database services: SQL Mirroring
SQL Clustering
SQL Always On

Applications required on all servers Skype for Business Persistent Chat:
  Windows PowerShell 3.0
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5
Windows Identity Foundation
Remote Server Administration Tools
MSMQ
 

Step 1: Install prerequisites
Installation prerequisites on Persistent Chat Server with the command:
Add-WindowsFeature Net-Framework-Core, RSAT-ADDS, Windows-Identity-Foundation, NET – WCF-HTTP-Activation45, Web-Asp-Net45, MSMQ
 
Step 2: Topology builder
The beginning of the installation consists in the creation in the builder of our farm topology of persistent cat in Enterprise version consists of a single server
 
Open the topology builder, select Persistent Chat pools and New Persistent Chat Pool
 



 
Specify the name of your pool, in our case, the chosen option is This pool has multiple servers
 



 



 
You can specify a display name for your farm. Compliance activation option is optional, for this example, it will be enabled
 



 
Select the SQL Server from host the database mgc
 



 
Select the SQL Server from host the database mgccomp
 



 
Specify the file used by the farm share
 



 
Select your Server Front end as next hop farm
 



 
The configuration is summarized below
 



 



  
After you have validated the information, we can now publish the topology
 



 
Select Next
 



 



 
Select Use SQL Server instance defaults
 



 



 



 
The help file we callback to validate replication
 



Step 3: Installation of the components
The installations of the components step takes place on the server from host role
 
Run the installation setup and choose 'Install' to deploy the Core module
 



 
Accept the terms
 



 
The deployment wizard is now available. Choose install or update the Skype Enterprise Server system
 



 
Run step 1 to deploy the instance SQL Server Express 2014 going to host a local replica of the CMS
 



 
Choose the default option and select Next
 



 
End of the installation from step 1
 



 
Start step 2. From the information contained in the local replica of the CMS, the deployment wizard will deploy the components assigned machine name declare in the topology builder
 



 
Choose Next
 



 
You observe in the logs installation of desired components
 



 
Start now step 3 to assign a certificate to the role
 



 
Choose Ask
 



 
Select certification authority from answer your query
 
Specify information such as:
 
– Friendly name
– Organization name
– Name of the organizational unit
– Country/Region
– Department/Provence
– City/town
 
You can choose the 'Advanced' option to specify alternative configurations
 
Select "Next" to start the process
 



 



 



 



 
After you have validated all the information, you can send the query by selecting Next
 



 



 
It is possible at this stage to assign immediation certificate to the role
 



 



 



 
Logs allow us to confirm the success of the operation
 



 
You can run services with the command Start-CsWindowsService
 



 
Validation can be performed with the Get-CsWindowsService command
 



 
Step 4: Configuration persistent cat:
The security group CsPersistentChatAdministrator allows to grant privileges of Directors for this role (a) of the identified users. Members can access various commands of the role through the PowerShell interface or control panel Skype for Business 2015
 



 
At this stage, we can now configure strategies servers and users
 
For example, the configurations will be carried out "globally"
 
You can customize the strategies the role servers in Control Panel Skype for Business, navigate 'Persistent Chat' – 'Persistent Chat Configuration.
 



 
Customizable settings are visible below
 



 
Now navigate Persistent Chat – Persistent Chat Policy and activate the option Enable Persistent Chat
 



 
Several permanent chat rooms can coexist and can be arranged into a set of categories on the server. Each chat room belongs to only one category. The categories allow to manage access to chat rooms and the different roles
 
The configuration of a category is done in 'Persistent Chat' – 'Category.
 



 
Select your farm
 



 
Set the desired settings for this category
 



 



 
The category is now active and possesses no chat room
 



 
It is possible to associate URLs with permanent chat rooms
 
Now navigate through 'Persistent Chat' – 'Add-in '.
 



 
Select your farm
 



 
Set the name and the URL
 



 
The configuration for this example is completed
 
Step 5: User Experience
The user now has a new tab in its Skype business client
 



 
The user now has the required permissions to create a chat room
 



 
The selected option directs you to a web page
 



 
Create a new chat room
 
 


 
Set the desired parameters
 



 



 
The permanent chat room is now accessible from your Skype enterprise client
 



 
Accessible via a single click