| Microsoft VoIP server adds phone features |
Oct. 14, 2008
Microsoft has announced a new release of its unified VoIP, messaging, and collaboration platform. "Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2" will allow Windows Mobile phones to operate as an integral part of office telephone systems, the company says.
Office Communications Server 2007, first introduced in 2007, bundles capabilities including e-mail, instant messaging, Web conferencing, remote desktop access, and VoIP. It features "deep integration with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange Server, and Office SharePoint Server," and interoperates with legacy PBX and IP PBX systems, says Microsoft.
A key feature touted for Release 2 is the software's ability to integrate Windows Mobile devices into an enterprise telephone system. Users are always reachable via a single number, says Microsoft, because Office Communications Server 2007 forwards calls to their mobiles when they're not at their desks.
Other new features cited by the company for Release 2 of Office Communications Server 2007 include the following:- Dial-in audioconferencing, said to eliminate "costly audioconferencing services"
- Desktop sharing, allowing users to share desktops with people outside their organizations via a web-based interface
- Persistent group chat, enabling archived, topic-based discussions that persist over time
- Attendant console and delegation, allowing receptionists, secretaries, and others to route calls via a software-based interface
- SIP (session initiation protocol) trunking, which can set up a direct VoIP connection to an Internet telephony service provider
- A "response group" application, allowing incoming calls to be routed and queued based on user-configured rules (e.g., round-robin, longest idle, simultaneous)
In addition to the above, Release 2 of Office Communications Server 2007 is said to include new APIs (application programming interfaces) and Visual Studio integration. This will "enable businesses to build communications-enabled applications and embed communications into business applications," said Microsoft, though no further details were provided.
Further information
According to Microsoft, Release 2 of Office Communications Server 2007 is currently in private beta testing, and will be released publicly on Feb. 3, 2009. The software upgrade is being demonstrated this week at the VoiceCon show in Amsterdam, the company added.
For further information, see coverage by our sister publication eWEEK.com, here. More information may also be available on Microsoft's website, here.
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