You could deploy OCS in either a consolidated topology or in an expanded topology. If you've ever deployed the enterprise version of the original OCS, you know that there were two installation options. One of Microsoft's primary goals in creating OCS 2007 R2 was to simplify the setup process by reducing the number of servers required for deployment. Key: 1: Virtually inoperable or nonexistent 5: Average, performs adequately 10: Exceptional You'll have to do some additional Active Directory preparation before you can bring OCS 2007 R2 into an existing OCS deployment. You can run OCS 2007 R2 on Windows Server 2008, Standard or Enterprise Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard or Enterprise with Service Pack 2 (SP2) or higher or Windows Server 2003, Standard or Enterprise with SP2 or higher.īe aware that even if you already have the original release of OCS up and running, you're going to have to do some additional Active Directory preparation before you'll be able to install OCS 2007 R2 (see Figure 1).įigure 1. This helps OCS 2007 R2 to be much more scalable than the original release to manufacturing (RTM) version.Īlthough a 64-bit OS is a requirement, you have several different choices for what that OS can be. In doing so, Microsoft has allowed OCS 2007 R2 to take advantage of more memory than is supported by 32-bit operating systems.

As such, Microsoft made the decision to make OCS 2007 R2 available only on 64-bit platforms. One of Microsoft's primary goals in creating OCS 2007 R2 was to allow organizations to make better use of their server hardware. That being the case, my goal in this review is to talk about some of the changes that OCS has undergone and to discuss whether or not I think a migration to OCS 2007 R2 is worthwhile. OCS 2007 R2 offers a few new features and uses new hardware architecture, but for the most part it's very similar to the original version of OCS 2007. Microsoft has a history of calling a new product R2 when it's really a minor release, and OCS 2007 R2 is no exception. Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 has been out for quite a while now, and Microsoft only recently released an R2 version. The update to Office Communications Server doesn't offer a lot of new features, but it could come in handy in certain organizations. Product Reviews Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2

Microsoft office communicator 2007