Lync Server 2013 On-Premises Architectures

Architectural design guidance for planning and deployment

Components of a Lync Server 2013 deployment Example Architectures for Increasing High Availability and Disaster Recovery
Lync Server 2013 relies on a large number of external components. Required Components
No High Availability Limited High Availability Full High Availability Full High Availability and Disaster Recovery with Geographic Failover
These consist of systems such as operating systems, database Lync Server 2013 requires a number of external components in order
systems, networking systems, and phone systems. for all features to function properly. It is important to be familiar with Limited deployment, product evaluation, Simple fault tolerance, does not support Advanced fault tolerance and full high availability Multiple pools, geographic redundancy
these components when planning a Lync deployment. These include: development, and testing high availability
Lync Pools Two or more Lync Server Enterprise Edition
 Wide Area Network (WAN) — A WAN is a network that spans a One Lync Server Standard Edition servers with dedicated backend high Two or more Lync Server Enterprise Edition
Certain Lync roles can be combined on multiple servers to provide Two Lync Server Standard Edition servers, servers with dedicated backend high
geographic distance between locations. A WAN is important when server with all roles: paired, with all roles: availability database
fault tolerance and high availability. When a role is combined across  Evaluation  Advanced fault tolerance availability database and geographically
a Lync deployment includes branch locations. A Survivable Branch  Basic fault tolerance separated mirror
multiple services it is called a pool. Lync Server 2013 can  Very light and simple workloads  Users live in pool; no service disruption
Appliance can be sued to accommodate an unreliable WAN.  Manually move users from one server to  Geographically advanced fault tolerance
accommodate the following pools:  One server with one pool another in the event of a server failure in the event of a single server failure
 Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) — The traditional  Does not have any fault tolerance  Dedicated backed database servers and disaster recovery
 Front End Pool — Provides services such as user authentication and  Allows for scaling up number of  Users live in pool; no service disruption
phone network.  Scale # of servers based on # of users
registration, presence information, address book services, instant Standard Edition servers to increase in the event of a single server failure
 PSTN Gateway — A device that connects the Lync phone system to number of users
messaging, web conferencing, dial-in conferencing over PSTN,  Dedicated backed database servers
the traditional phone system.  Scale # of servers based on # of users  Scale # of servers based on # of users
audio visual conferencing, and application hosting. In addition, the
 Reverse Proxy — A way for external traffic to communicate with an Standard Edition
front end pool can optionally accommodate roles such as
internal network without connecting directly to systems on the Enterprise Edition Pool
monitoring, archiving, and persistent chat.
internal network. Instead an external user connects to the Reverse Standard Edition Pool
 Edge Pool — Edge servers can be combined into pools in order paired high speed connection
Proxy and the Reverse Proxy connects to the internal system.
allow a large number of external users the ability to access your
Lync deployment.
 Firewall — A special filter for network traffic. SQL Server Express
..... Edge Server
Geographic location A Geographic location B
 Office Web Apps Server — A server that provides Microsoft Office
 Mediation Pool — The mediation role accommodates voice and
PowerPoint integration with conferencing.
multiple servers can be combined to form a pool. SQL Server Express SQL Server Express
Enterprise Edition Pool Enterprise Edition Pool
 Internet Information Services (IIS) — Microsoft’s web server which is
 Director Pool — Using the Director role is not recommended in SQL Server Express
included as part of the Windows Server operating system.
Lync Server 2013, however, a pool can be created using multiple
servers.
 SQL Server — Microsoft’s database server. SQL Server Express
All database information
located in local databases
Presence databases located on
all Front End Servers ..... Edge Server ..... Edge Server
Edition is used by all Lync front end servers. SQL Server Enterprise
 Persistent Chat Pool — To accommodate a large amount of
Edition can be mirrored for high availability databases. Failover
persistent chat conversations multiple servers can be combined.
happens automatically when a SQL Server Witness is implemented.
Central Site  Active Directory — Lync requires Active Directory Domain Services SQL Server Express SQL Server Express

A central location that provides services to non-central locations. to maintain groups, users, and other topology information. In Important: The example architectures in this poster are not definitive. It is important to SQL Server
addition, Lync Server requires a Certificate Authority for secure, understand the underlying needs of the user base.
Branch Site Enterprise SQL Server
encrypted data transfer and Active Directory Certificate Services SQL Server SQL Server
A geographically separate location from the central location. Enterprise Mirror Enterprise
can provide this service. SQL Server Enterprise SQL Server
Example: A small organization might need very high availability for mission critical processes and
 File Share — Lync requires a shared directory for file storage. Enterprise Mirror Enterprise Mirror
cannot wait for the manual fail over that is required with Standard Edition Servers. In this

What’s New in Lync Server 2013 scenario, even though the organization is small, Enterprise Edition with automatic fail over and
geographic redundancy might be recommended. Configuration and user databases
located in backend servers
SQL Server
Witness
High Availability and Disaster Recovery Enterprise Voice Enhancements SQL Server SQL Server
Front End pools can be geographically dispersed which Improvements in voice features, routing, Witness Witness
provides benefits such as: and support for multiple trunks provide
 Front End pool can fail over to another geography increased stability and reliability in voice
 Central Management can be failed over and then act as
the active master for managing both sites
operations.
Example Architectures for Small, Medium, and Large Organizations
Also, SQL Server can be mirrored with automatic failover
when a SQL Server Witness is deployed. Sample Small Organization Sample Medium Organization
high speed connection
Conferencing Enhancements
Site A Site B The conferencing capabilities of Lync Server
2013 include:
 Support for new clients such as Android, Two Standard Edition Servers Edge Server Branch Site Survivability Three Enterprise Edition Servers Database Servers Mirrored Edge Servers Office Web Apps Deployed
iOS, and Windows Phone
Reduced Topology Complexity  Gallery view of shows live video feeds of Sample statistics for this organization: Edge Server not required for internal In this example a pilot program using Sample statistics for this medium The SQL Server backend servers are Multiple edge servers are deployed In this example a server is deployed for
To reduce complexity and increase availability a number of conference participants with increased  4,000 users at central site IM, presence, and conferencing but Enterprise Voice for a complete voice organization: mirrored: as a pool: Office Web Apps Servers:
changes were made to simplify Lync topologies. In visibility into the current speaker  Paired Standard Edition servers recommended to provide external solution is depicted:  20,000 users at the central site  Provides high availability for  Accommodates larger number of  Provides integration with Office 2013
particular, the Director role is now optional (and not  More advanced PowerPoint integration  2,000 users homed per server communications:  Some pilot users located in a  Three Enterprise Edition servers central databases external users  Recommended for conferencing
recommended) and a number of roles are now collocated including the ability to view a slide deck  All user information synchronized  Accommodates home and out of branch office make up the front end pool  If a database server fails the  Supports federation with more  Enables ability to share PowerPoint
on the Front End Servers. These include: independently of what is being between servers to accommodate office users  Branch does not have a reliable  Provides full High Availability for secondary database can take over partners, vendors, and customers slides in web conferences
 Monitoring presented simple (manual) fail over  Accommodates users outside the Wide Area Network (WAN) so a Front End Servers  Failover happens automatically if a
 Archiving Everything should be made as simple as possible,  Provides simple fault tolerance organization Survivable Branch Appliance is SQL Server Witness is deployed
but not simpler. – Albert Einstein  Supports federation with partners, deployed Branch Site Deployment Options System Center Operations Manager
vendors, and customers  If branch WAN link goes down Enterprise Voice deployed as voice Provides health monitoring of Lync
branch users still maintain voice solution: Servers:
Lync Web Application Hybrid Support for On-Premises and and messaging capabilities
Lync now has a web application with full  Branch Site 1 includes a Survivable  Recommended to help ensure
Office 365 Branch Appliance service availability for end users
conferencing support. This allows people to Increased support for hybrid scenarios
join conferences without the requirement of  Accommodates unreliable Wide  Added to SCOM through a
where some users are located on the Area Network (WAN) connection Management Pack for Lync
installing a local Lync client. local premises and some users are Exchange Unified Messaging Deployed
located in the cloud on Office 365.
In this example a server is deployed DNS Load Balancing Exchange Unified Messaging Deployed

Server Roles
Administrator
for Exchange Unified Messaging DNS Load Balancing deployed for
(UM): In this example a server is deployed
Front End Pool and Edge Pool SIP for Exchange Unified Messaging
 Call answering and voice traffic:
messages (UM):
 Hardware load balancers focused  Call answering and voice
Front End Servers Additional information about Front End Servers  Messages received through email on HTTP traffic
in Outlook messages
Front-End Server Roles  Each server stores user and conference data in local  Reduces setup and maintenance  Messages received through email
 Audio / Video Conferencing databases using SQL Server Express Edition  Auto attendant and fax services of hardware DNS solution in Outlook
 Mediation  In Lync Server 2013 the Monitoring and Archiving  Auto attendant and fax services
 Persistent Chat roles are always co-located on the Front End Servers
 Monitoring  Mediation is optional in the front end pool and can
 Archiving SQL Server also be stand-alone Office Web Apps Deployed Disaster Recover Option Monitoring Server
Express
In this example a server is deployed Disaster recovery is an option: In this example a monitoring server is
Stand-Alone Server Roles Additional information about Stand Alone Servers  This scenario does not include deployed:
 Edge Services  The Director role is optional in Lync Server 2013 for Office Web Apps Server:
Stand Alone Servers  Provides integration with Office disaster recovery  Enables you to measure quality of
 Persistent Chat  Mediation can be co-located on front end  Disaster recovery could be added Enterprise Voice calls and Audio
 Mediation  Persistent Chat can be co-located on front end 2013
 Enables ability to share PowerPoint by establishing a second data Visual conferences
 Director when using Standard Edition center  Monitoring deployed on all front
slides in web conferences
end pool servers, databases
deployed on back end servers
Backend Database Servers SQL Server Database Mirroring
Databases on the backend servers include:  Redundancy and throughput
 Persistent Chat Back End SQL Servers  Increases availability
 Compliance  Increases data protection
 Monitoring SQL Server
 Improves availability of databases Sample Large Organization with Multiple Data Centers
 Metrics Enterprise during upgrades and updates
 Archiving
 Configuration Paired Front End Pools Monitoring and Archiving Server DNS Load Balancing SIP Trunking and Mediation Server Persistent Chat Exchange Unified Messaging Deployed Office Web Apps Deployed
 Others Sample statistics for this organization: In this example a monitoring server is When using SIP trunking a stand- Multiple Persistent Chat servers In this example a server is deployed In this example a server is deployed
 Each site has a front end pool with deployed: DNS Load Balancing deployed for alone Mediation server is deployed: for Exchange Unified Messaging for Office Web Apps Server:
six servers  Enables you to measure quality of Front End Pool and Edge Pool SIP recommended:  Provides ability to handle load of (UM):  Provides integration with Office
 The front end pool of site A is Enterprise Voice calls and Audio Visual traffic:  When not using SIP trunking it is high number of users  Call answering and voice 2013

Installation Overview for Lync Server 2013 paired with Site B for disaster
recovery
conferences
 Databases located at site B on
dedicated server, data for all sites
 Hardware load balancers focused
on HTTP traffic
 Reduces setup and maintenance
recommended to co-locate
Mediation server on front end
servers
 Provides high availability
 Includes servers for compliance
messages
 Messages received through email
in Outlook
 Recommended for conferencing
 Enables ability to share PowerPoint
slides in web conferences
Database Servers Mirrored of hardware DNS solution  SIP trunking adds resource  Auto attendant and fax services
Standard Edition Server Branch Sites
1: Setup Windows Server utilization to Mediation server
5: Prepare First Standard Edition Server The SQL Server backend servers are Branch site is using Lync Server
 Add required roles, services, and Sample organization includes over 50
 Use Lync Server Deployment Wizard mirrored: Standard Edition: branch sites, only three shown:
features to the Windows Server  Provides high availability for  Site C is a branch with only  Survivable Branch Appliances
central databases 600 users deployed at sites without a reliable
 If a database server fails the  Avoids running site C WAN connection
secondary database can take over conferences over Wide Area  Site B has reliable WAN
 Failover happens automatically if a Network (WAN) connection and direct connection
2: Install Lync Files and Administrative Tools SQL Server Witness is deployed to Public Switched Telephone
 Insert media and install Setup files Network (PSTN)
6: Design, Define, Configure and
 Results in Lync Server Manager and
Publish New Topology
Lync Server Deployment Wizard
 Use Lync Server Topology Builder
 Open Lync Server Deployment Wizard
which was installed in Step 2 with
and Install Administrative Tools
the Administrative Tools

3: Prepare Active Directory

 Use Lync Server Deployment Wizard
to prepare Active Directory domain 7: Install Lync Server System
 Use Lync Server Deployment Wizard

4: Create DNS Records

 Use DNS Manager on the Active
Directory server to configure DNS
records for Lync 8: Add and Enable Users
 Use Lync Server Control Panel

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