Communications Server Closes on PBX

Communications Server 2007 Release 2 (R2), Microsoft’s unified communications product, closes gaps in its predecessor’s voice features and adds an audio-conferencing bridge, moving it one step closer to becoming a viable alternative to traditional telephony infrastructure. Released just 18 months after Communications Server 2007, R2 could see adoption of more than the instant messaging (IM) and presence features most customers have focused on to date. However, R2 still lacks important features found in private branch exchanges (PBXs) and audio-conference bridges and is exclusively a 64-bit application, which could complicate migration for existing customers.

Supports Unified Communications

Communications Server (which Microsoft calls Office Communications Server, or OCS), a major component of Microsoft’s unified communications strategy, delivers services such as voice, video, presence information, and IM over IP-based networks. Ultimately, unified communications over IP promises to reduce ongoing equipment, service, and management costs by combining the separate telephony network and directory infrastructure that companies maintain for voice communications with its computer network and directory infrastructure. It also promises more efficient communication for users; for example, linking voice mail to e-mail inboxes could simplify access to voice mail and help prevent missed messages.