Tag Archives: Tools

Whats new in Skype for Business Monitoring Tool V1.3?

03 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by in Lync 2013 Monitoring, PowerShell GUI, Powershell Scripts, Skype for Business, Skype for Business Monitoring, Skype for Business Tools, Tools, UC Sorted Tools

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A few months back a new pet project resulted in an application called Skype for Business Monitoring Tool. Simply stated this application is a series of synthetic transactions in a PowerShell wrapper. The tool will run a selection of tests then report the results to the local event log.

Shortly after that a reporting module was added. The reporting module will compile an email report covering the previous 24 hour cycle of tests. The report includes a success vs failure rate and colour codes the ratio either green, amber or red to indicate health for each test in question.

What’s new in V1.3?

The following features have been added:-

Alert emailing

This is an alert email that is generated at the end of a test cycle if any of the synthetic transactions fail. The email consist of the Event ID and description of the error (the format is rough at present but server its purpose well – a review of this is planned)

UC Sorted Skype Monitoring
TIP
Since the FROM address isn’t checked for validity, I like to use this address to identify the Customer or Pool that’s reporting the issues. That way I can write an email rule that automatically deals with messages according to my required behaviour (eg escalate or also send to etc.). Of course you need to be sure that your email scrubbing policies allow these through.

More Tests

A total of 24 tests are now available, that equates to 12 new tests introduced in this release. These include:-Skype Monitoring Test

  • Group IM
  • Application Sharing
  • Persistent Chat
  • Data Conferencing
  • UCWA Conferencing
  • Web App Conferencing
  • Web App Anonymous Conferencing
  • Web Scheduler
  • XMPP
  • Audio Video Edge
  • Mobility IM
  • PSTN Peer-to-Peer

New “About”

A ReadMe.htm file now contains all the “About” information, version details, event ID references and notes. The ReadMe.htm file is also sent by email as the test email function

UCSorted Help File

Download

What’s planned for VNext?

A new module that monitors and reports on the Skype Server roles. The items I plan to include are as follows:-

  • Skype related Services
  • CPU usage and peaks
  • Memory usage and peaks
  • Disk usage
  • Daily report on Skype related Event Log warnings and Errors

Please do chime in if you have any suggestions or feedback.

-Sorted

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New Tool – Skype for Business Monitoring

03 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by in Lync Tools, Monitoring, Monitoring Tools, Skype for Business Monitoring, Tool, Tools, UC Sorted Tools

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Its surprising how many deployments I have seen that don’t monitor their SkypeLync environments. Its even more surprising how many monitor only the usual server type bits such as disk usage, processor, RAM utilization and services.

May I suggest that at the very least you monitor your environment by means of synthetic transaction.

Description

Test of SkypeLync modalities by utilizing Synthetic Transactions. Test results generate Event logs on the machine where the tool is being run, for easy identification by any monitoring platform.

All connectivity is over PSRemote Sessions to the Front End Pools. Automation is achieved by means of the schedule tab, this makes use of the Windows Task Scheduler.

What is a synthetic transaction?

Synthetic transactions are actions, run in real time, that are performed on monitored objects. In the case of LyncSkype for Business, synthetic transaction allow you to emulate actions such as sending an IM, making an outbound call, delivering a voicemail message, and so on.

So why do I need this tool?

Of course if you are a Powershell Guru and you have scripted your own Synthetic Transactions that great. However, this tool does more than simply run a bunch of synthetic transactions.

What else does it do?

  1. The results of each synthetic transaction are recorded in the Event Log of the PC where the tool is run from.
  2. Event log name where the results are recorded is separate from other event logs.
  3. The Event ID’s represent both success and failure of tests with separate ID’s depending on the result.
  4. Event ID’s also contain a brief description of the test being performed.
  5. The tool also has a Schedule tab that allows you to setup a scheduled task that will run on a repetition interval of your choice.
  6. Instead of trying to replace your existing monitoring tools, this tool generates Event Logs you can simply add to your monitored stack.

Besides running the Tool to monitor your environment, what else could it be used for?

  • Quick test after server rebootsserver updatestopology changes
  • Test against a particular Front EndEdge Server
  • Test specified user for things such as login or voicemail

Download Skype for Business Monitoring Tool – Installer

To see it in action click HERE

DISCALIMER

This tool is NOT a replacement for the commercially available tools such as Nectar, EventZero, Unify², Prognosis or GSX. If you are after statistical data and history, triggered actions, dashboards, network performance, Session Border Controller monitoring or even QoS and network monitoring etc. then please do spend the cash and talk to these folks.

Skype for Business 2015 – Visio Stencil

15 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Lync 2013 Tools, Lync Tools, Skype for Business Tools, Tool, Tools, visio, Visio Stencil

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As I start thinking about the design of Skype for Business solutions it becomes apparent to me that its time for a new visio stencil. Having been a little reserved with the new images that were introduced in the Lync 2013 stencil I thought its time to embrace the new.

The official Office Viso Stencil published on 19/01/2015 can be found here.

Having taken a look at these I must say that these will need to grow on me. Not a big fan of the dark shadow looking images that represent the servers (yet!). Feels a bit gloomy to me, I need clean, open looking shapes.

Below is an extract of the my Skype for Business stencil transformation

Skype visio stencil

So what shapes are in the stencil?

  • Skype for Business Servers, Roles and clients
  • Anywhere 365 Servers
  • Zeacom Servers
  • Sonus SBCs
  • Audiocodes SBCs
  • All the usual Infrastructure and Server roles
  • A bunch of Skype for Business\Lync related components

Here is a snippet of the shapes..

skype for business visio stencil

Of course I will update the library of shapes as and when needed. Happy to take on board suggestions.

Download S4B Stencil