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Corporate Messenger
- Thread starter jadams
- Start date
Is this phone (iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone), PC (Windows, Mac, Linux) or all of the above? I take it from the AD integration/SBS that you want this to be self hosted, not going through some third party (ie. Yahoo). Any requirements for encryption/logging/client controls? What's the organization size (<30, 100s, 1000s, more?)
Skylinerecording
Weaksauce
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- Oct 15, 2007
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I would look into Openfire it's XMPP based. I use it at a few clients you should def. be able to find a mobile client that will communicate with it. Runs great on SBS too. And their spark client is great on desktops.
deploying a VM now. thanks.
shabazkilla
Lurker
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- Jan 4, 2004
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Office 365 Lync only plans 
- Plan 1 is $2/user/month
- Plan 1 is $2/user/monthOpenfire is on the short list of java applications I can tolerate. It's extremely well written and well behaved, along with giving you a TON of management options. Integrates well with AD too, has managed contact lists and everything.
I am a fan.
shabazkilla
Lurker
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I never had too much luck with it. Basic functions were fine, but I saw a lot of issues with AD integration.
sdotbrucato
[H]ard|Gawd
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- Oct 7, 2005
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Openfire, or as mentioned, look at MS Lync.
YeOldeStonecat
[H]F Junkie
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Wow, really? I've been running it for 5+ years now, never had a hiccup.
I had it up and running a half hour after the vm was deployed. Easy to use. Mobile client xabber works for android. AD integration was a snap.
This was prompted when my boss brought up lync. He's in the business of blowing money. I seem to be the only on wanting to save it.
I like the screen shot feature and that you can easily send files through it.
What would we be missing out of sort to speak by choosing this over Lync? I'm really not that familiar with it.
Shit balls, we still use oc at my work lol
For a shop of less than 10 people, I am not sure the cost of Lync will be worth it.
Lync is pretty cool, easy to setup, and pretty powerful, but the cost of it may not be justifiable for them.
Angry_Birds
Weaksauce
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- Aug 16, 2011
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Lync really blew me away. We are still only on Exchange 2003, but the integration it provides with Office, Outlook, Powerpoint, etc. are absolutely incredible. With the MS Partner program, it was practically free as well. I would highly recommend it.
Yeah and the telephony aspects of Lync aren't half bad either...still think they have a lot of work to do on the telephony piece, buts whats available works pretty well. Very interested to see what the next iteration of Lync brings (Lync Server 15 or whatever they decide to call it).
RiDDLeRThC
2[H]4U
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- Jun 13, 2002
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We replaced our OS X Jabber server with a Windows Openfire Box and short of a java issue that required us to disable a feature we weren't using everything is great!
AD Integration works as expected, all the features we were using works as expected. I would recommend looking at it.
We do plan to move to Microsoft Lync in the next year or two but thats just because people are wanting more features from the IM client that Openfire just doesn't easily offer.
AD Integration works as expected, all the features we were using works as expected. I would recommend looking at it.
We do plan to move to Microsoft Lync in the next year or two but thats just because people are wanting more features from the IM client that Openfire just doesn't easily offer.
I'm also looking for something that is stupid dumb to manage too. I double as the IT Guy at our shop on top of what I already and responsible for. The openfire I installed was up and running in no time and from the looks of it all I have to so is create a startup item in the rare cases the server is rebooted. The one thing I don't like is hat it seems I have to run the server executable as an admin otherwise I get Java errors on its startup.
I'm also intrigued about the aforementioned integration into outlook and other office apps. Please elaborate. What am I missing?
I'm also intrigued about the aforementioned integration into outlook and other office apps. Please elaborate. What am I missing?
For example, with Lync and any user on Lync, there presence is also represented in the Outlook "Contact Card" By Outlook Contact Card, I am referring to the card that pops up when you hover a users address and a box with options for that address. Well when Lync is enabled, you have the option to carry on the email conversation via chat or call (if Lync telephony is used).
So if you chat, a chat box pops up with a conversation subject of that email thread subject and its history is saved in the email thread in Outlook. You can also call the user as long as the user is in Lync and Lync or you have a telephone number defined in a Outlook Business Card for that specific email address/user. If the user is in Lync, a Lync call will be made, but if you are dialing a telephone number, you need telephony enabled on the Lync Server. If multiple numbers exist, you can also choose which one to call (Lync Call, Mobile Number, Home Number, etc). So if you get an email and have to call the user, you can do it at ease of just hovering over there address and clicking call.
Also, your Outlook Calendar is synced to your Lync Presence. So if 10am has you in a meeting on the Calendar, at 10am, Lync automatically switches your presence to "In a meeting"
It may sound basic, but trust me, once you get used to it, you will want to have it and not go back. My examples are just with Outlook, but this functionality of course is in all the Office Products.