Soft Endpoints
The main component on the client side is Office Communicator 2007, a unified communication client for use with OCS. Users can see the presence status of contacts and initiate an instant message or phone call with them. By adding a Web cam, video calls can also be made. Users can initiate an IM session and progressively add voice and video with the click of an icon. All of this we found straightforward and easy to use.
One of the aspects that was very useful, in our opinion, was how users can define their own presence. Contacts can be put into groups, each of which has its own definition for a user’s presence state. For example, one group could be defined to show your presence as unavailable even if the user is logged in. At the same time, a second group for VIPs could show the user as available even during meetings. The ability to control how various contacts perceive users’ availability can increase productivity and decrease interruptions.
When using voice, the Office Communicator (OC) uses the Microsoft RTA codec. It can be used with the computer or laptop’s built-in speakers and microphones, but a qualified OC endpoint such as external headset or handset is recommended. When using video, OC automatically recognizes any installed video sources (such as a webcam) and activates it when needed, making video setup easy.
A four-party chat was initiated by simply setting up our client machines with Office Communicator 2007 and Microsoft LifeCam 3000 Web cam. We started the call by clicking on contact names and inviting them to a chat. Once all parties were joined, voice was added by clicking on the appropriate icon. For one-on-one calls, the RTP stream is directly between the two endpoints. Once a third call is added to the mix, the RTP streams are directed to the AVMCU (Audio Video Microsoft Conferencing Unit), which is a service running on the OCS server. Since the RTP streams are now progressing through the conferencing server, there is no limit to the number of parties that can join (except for what the administrator sets as the upper limit per call). When video is added, it functions in the same manner.
The testers using the client could discern no difference with calls between two parties or conference calls with multiple parties. The video quality was what could be expected from a Web cam. Again there was no discernable difference for one party versus multi-party, although in the case of video this was less of a concern since only the active talker’s video is shown, switching automatically when a new party speaks.
Another intriguing feature about calls initiated from OC to another OC client was the ability to add a subject field. This would be presented in a pop-up (toast) at the bottom of the screen that appeared to the called party and would be saved in the call log, making call records more easily searchable.
When Microsoft Outlook 2007 was added to the mix, the communication options within Outlook were further enhanced. The first thing we noticed was the presence “gumdrops” (those little grey circles) next to contact’s names. When looking at an email, all the contacts in the TO and FROM fields now had colored gumdrops according to their availability. Clicking on the gumdrop provided a list of options including the ability to respond with an email, instant message or call. The response could be to that specific individual or everyone listed on the email, instantly inviting them into a chat room or calling all of them and bridging them in a conference call. No meeting IDs, PINs or security codes were required. We changed various clients’ availability and the changes were all reflected immediately without further actions.
Another new feature is the addition of a new Outlook folder called Conversation History. Copies of all instant messages and calls are saved, allowing them to be searched when needed. The instant message items contained a complete transcript of the conversations, the contacts, date and time. The call log items kept similar information and users could augment them with notes and subjects.
For scheduled conferences, a free plug-in called Microsoft Conferencing can be added. This allows for conference calls to be scheduled from within the calendar portion of Outlook, and includes call details and automatic reminders sent out. OC users who receive the invite will be able to click on the link to join the call.
