Here's Allan Sulkin's analysis of the Microsoft Office Communications Server Release 2 announcement:
The new Communicator Attendant is a PC client soft console option that supports a variety of traditional attendant operator features, including several sophisticated call transfer operations, such as passing IMs and/or typed notes with the call transfer. ACD Response Group includes a set of workflow and routing rules, IVR and queuing, agent presence, Music on Hold (MOH), and inbound call context. Although this package won't replace existing contact center systems, it does provide sufficient functionality for more efficient handling of incoming calls.
Several features with the new release address cellular extension support for mobile workers. Single Number Reach provides for a single voicemail box for calls directed at desktop telephone instruments or the cellular handset. Other cellular extension features include Call Detail Recording (CDR), support of customer dial plan for calls placed from the cellular extension, and the ability to place calls to external system users through the host system (OCS 2007 dials the call and calls back the cellular handset to complete the connection). Support of additional communications devices from Nokia and Motorola were also announced.
Other new telephony features include Delegation (assistant/executive support capabilities), Call Monitoring (call records, call voice quality, usage reporting, and ROI analysis), and SIP trunking direct from the OCS 2007 Mediation Server to the ITSP (PSTN and Cellular networks) without need for a premises SBC.
New conferencing and collaboration capabilities include station user desktop enhancements, video conferencing and audio conferencing enhancements. Desktop sharing provides for one click screen sharing from Microsoft Office Communicator and Communicator Web access supports a browser experience for external system users for screen sharing sessions. Video conferencing support for peer to peer sessions will use VGA as the default standard (640 x 480 pixels, 4:3 ratio) and support an optional High Definition (HD) (1280 x 720 pixels, 16:9 ratio). Polycom and Tandberg endpoints will be supported, and users or administrators will have configurable resolution setting capabilities. Audio conferencing enhancements include dial-in conferencing (scheduled or ad hoc bridging for internal and external) with either VoIP or PSTN access. A new Conferencing Attendant soft console will enable an operator to see the call roster, authenticate conferences, drop callers from conference, and reset a conference PIN.
Another major Release 2 announcement pertains to presence/IM and business process integration. Enhancements include station ability to click-to-call within business applications, availability of APIs for presence and call control, an agent dashboard for dynamic CRM, and built-in transport encryption/authentication.
Microsoft's announcement is a strong indicator that they are taking a serious shot at establishing themselves as a major player in the enterprise communications market for Unified Communications tools. Real time voice communications is still a vital business process despite the increasing number of text-based interactions, be it email or IM. The OCS 2007 solution may not yet be ready to fully replace TDM-based PBXs or substitute for a current generation IP telephony system from a traditional voice communications system supplier, but it can certainly be deployed by customers to work behind an installed voice system for UC applications only, or in defined workgroup environments for converged voice and UC requirements. Microsoft's actions are not merely to expand its market reach, but to protect itself against competitors like Cisco Systems who are attempting to make strong in-roads in traditional Microsoft markets such as email and desktop user/group applications. The battle for the customer desktop and the supporting enterprise communications ecosystem is up for grabs, and Microsoft intends to be at its forefront. It would be folly to discount what they are capable of doing.
