Instant Translation with Lync 2013

I was wondering if my Lync Client can translate my IM messages when i send the messages to other colleagues in their local language. I found the below work around to achieve my goal.

Open a Notepad and copy the below code and save it as Translate.Reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\MicrosoftOffice\15.0\Lync\Addins\{2b26edf9-92e0-4d9c-9d7a-f772fcd4f31b}]
"Name"="Lync Conversation Translator"
"Parameters"=""
"ExtensibilityApplicationType"=dword:00000000
"ExtensibilityWindowSize"=dword:00000001
"DefaultContextPackage"=dword:00000000
"InternalURL"="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=68810&Lync=y"
"ExternalURL"="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=68810&Lync=y"


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Lync\Security]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Lync\Security\Trusted Sites]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Lync\Security\Trusted Sites\conversationtranslator.cloudapp.net]
"http"=dword:00000001
"https"=dword:00000001

Right Click on the Translate.Reg and Click Merge and Click OK to update the registry entries

Exit and Restart Lync Client 2013

Once you start Lync 2013 you will find ... in the IM Conversation window, now you need to do the settings of yours and other user language. If you don't do then you will get below error

Once you provide the correct settings, you will be able to modify the language of your or others to which you are sending the IM message

Note: You must have Silverlight installed in your system

Modify the SIP address of an Enabled Lync User

For various reasons you may need to modify the SIP address for eg if you have acquired a new company and you want them to use the existing domain name in their SIP address.

For a Single User, you can run the below command:

Set-CsUser -Identity "Anil Kumar Nudurupati" -SipAddress "anilkumar.nudurupati@newsipdomain.com"

If the same task if you have to do for multiple users, then it will be a tedious task if you perform via Control Panel or by running above powershell command. For this you need to use the below PowerShell Script.

For Bulk Users

$users=Import-Csv .\users.csv
foreach ($user in $users)
    {
        $oldAddress = $user.SipAddress
        $newAddress = $oldAddress -replace "@oldsipdomain.com", "@newsipdomain.com"
        Set-CsUser -Identity $user.Identity -SipAddress $newAddress
    }

Introduction to Lync Server 2013

Lync Server 2013 and its client software, such as Lync 2013 enables users to connect in new ways and to stay connected regardless of their physical location.

IM and Presence: Instant Messaging (IM) and presence help users to find and communicate  with one another efficiently and effectively. 
IM provides an instant messaging platform with conversation history, and supports public IM connectivity with users of public IM networks such as MSN/Windows Live, Yahoo!, AOL, and Google Talk.

Note: An end of life date of June 2014 for AOL and Yahoo! has been announced.

 Conferencing: Lync Server includes support for IM conferencing, audio conferencing, web conferencing, video conferencing and application sharing, for both scheduled and ad-hoc meetings. All these meeting types are supported with a single client. Lync Server also supports dial-in conferencing so that users of public switched telephone network (PSTN) phones can participate in the audio portion of conferences.

Enterprise Voice: Enterprise Voice is the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) offering in Lync Server. It delivers a voice option to enhance or replace traditional private branch exchange (PBX) systems. 

Support for Remote Users: You can provide full Lync Server functionality for users who are currently outside your organization's firewall by deploying servers called Edge Servers to provide a connection for these remote users. These remote users can connect to conferences by using a personal computer with Lync 2013 installed, the phone or a web interface.

Mobile Client Support: With Lync mobility services, users can access Lync functionality when using supported Apple iOS, Android, Windows Phone or Nokia mobile devices and platform such as send/receive instant messages, view contacts, view presence.

Integration with Other products: Meeting tools are integrated into Outlook to schedule a meeting or start an ad-hoc conference with a single click and make it just as easy for attendees to join. Presence information is integrated with Outlook and SharePoint.

Simple Deployment:  To plan and deploy servers and clients Lync provides the Topology Builder. Topology Builder is an installation component of Lync Server. Topology Builder used to create, adjust and publish your planned topology.

Simple Management: 

1. Central Configuration Management, which enables you to manage changes centrally and have them replicated quickly to the entire deployment.
2. Lync Server Control Panel, a web-based graphical user interface for administrators. With this web-based UI, Lync Server administrators can manage their systems from anywhere on the corporate network, without needing specialized management software installed on their computers.
3. Lync Server Management Shell command line management tool, which is based on the Windows PowerShell command line interface. It provides a rich command set for administration of all aspects of the product, and enables Lync Server administrators to automate repetitive tasks.

Microsoft Lync Federation

                                              Lync 2010 Federation 

What is Federation?

Basically federation is the process of connecting our Lync/OCS/LCS environments with other Lync/OCS/LCS environments, such as our partner companies.  This connection allows users to easily communicate with users in other companies utilizing all the same modalities they have with users in their own environment (IM, Audio, Video, Desktop Share, etc….).

Type of Federation

In Lync 2010 there are 3 types of federation supported, those are Dynamic, Enhanced and Direct. Let us discuss each type in detail.

Dynamic Federation

Dynamic federation often called open federation is a method where a partner company’s edge server is discovered by looking up an SRV record (_sipfederationtls._tcp.domain.com).  Dynamic federation is perfect for an environment where users may need to add contacts from other companies quickly and without administrative intervention.  The firewall will have to allow inbound connections to the access edge server on port 5061 from any potential partners, typically most companies who use open federation, they allow traffic from everywhere on this port to prevent needing administrative assistance.

There are a couple of limitations on Dynamic federation, first when a partner is discovered via dynamic federation; limitations are put on how many SIP messages (20) can be received per second by that partner.  Also, there is a limit of 1000 contacts per federated contact.  Last, but not least, if you discover a partner via dynamic federation, the A record and certificate for their federated access edge must match the sip domain of the user.

Enhanced Federation

Enhanced Federation requires that you add your partners SIP domain to the “Federated Domains” list in the Lync control panel.  However, you do not need to add the FQDN of their access edge server.  Enhanced federation is not limited like dynamic federation so you will no longer have a cap on the number of messages or users. Below is a sample screen shot of how to configure enhanced federation configuration will look like

Direct Federation

Direct Federation just like enhanced federation, has no limit on the number of messages or users, but there is one big difference.  If your partner company has an access edge server with an FQDN that doesn’t match the SIP domain, you can still federate.  You will just need to put the FQDN of the access edge server and the domain name as shown in the screen shot below.

So, how do we know if we have an open federation? Simply open your Lync Control Panel, then Federation and External Access -> Access Edge Configuration and double click Global:

If Enable partner domain discovery is checked, it means the federation is open. You can also check the same using PowerShell, check if the EnablePartnerDiscovey is set to True with:

Get-CsAccessEdgeConfiguration

To close the federation you need to remove the Enable partner domain discovery checkbox in the Lync Control Panel or run the cmdlet:

Set-CsAccessEdgeConfiguration  -UseDnsSrvRouting  -EnablePartnerDiscovery $False

Enable or Disable Federation for an Organization

Follow the steps below to enable or disable federation for an Organization

1.  From a user account that is a member of the RTCUniversalServerAdmins group (or has equivalent user rights), or is assigned to the CsAdministrator role, log on to any lync server in your internal deployment.

2.  Open a browser window, and then enter the Admin URL to open the Lync Server Control Panel. For details about the different methods you can use to start Lync Server Control Panel, see Open Lync Server Administrative Tools.

3.  In the left navigation bar, click External User Access, and then click Access Edge Configuration.

4.  On the Access Edge Configuration page, click Global, click Edit, and then click Show details.

5.  In Edit Access Edge Configuration, do one of the following:

        To enable federated user access for your organization, select the Enable communications with      federated user’s   check box.

        To disable federated user access for your organization, clear the Enable communications with federated user’s   check box.

6.  If you selected the Enable communications with federated user’s check box, do the following:

        If you want to support automatic discovery of partner domains, select the Enable partner domain discovery check box.

    If your organization supports archiving of external communications, select the Send archiving disclaimer to federated partners check box.

7.  Click Commit.