Skype for Business Terminology and Definitions

There is a lot of jargon thrown around in Skype for Business and UC. This page is an attempt to define some key terms

Skype for Business – The marketing name for the product for the Microsoft Unified Communications Platform, previously called Live Communications Server (LCS), then Office Communications Server (OCS), then Lync (who doesn’t like a regular rebrand ). Can refer to a Server variant or an Office 365 Online variant (see below).

Skype for Business Server – The “install it yourself” ISO, traditionally on-premise (though it can be hosted be hosted in dedicated instances by hosters/partners). Comes in a more scalable and resilient Enterprise Edition, and a single server Standard Edition. Both editions have the same end user features.

Skype for Business Online – The Microsoft hosted Office 365 multitenant version of Skype for Business. Has a slightly different feature set to the Server Version (e.g. some features are missing, less 3rd party integration options), but is priced per user per month with minimal setup and maintenance.

Lync / Skype for business Online Dedicated – I’ve actually only seen this as “Lync Online Dedicated”. This is Microsoft hosted, however the customer is now getting their own dedicated hardware and Lync server instance for the deployment (it is not shared platform). They would still share the core infrastructure in this datacentre such as networking equipment, power and the physical property. Microsoft seem to be moving away from this model to pointing customers towards normal multitenant Office 365.

Office 365 ITAR – Microsoft Office 365 ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) support plans are a variation of the Microsoft Office 365 dedicated plans. The primary difference is that ITAR-support plan solutions are designed to meet the security, privacy, and regulatory FISMA/FedRAMPcompliance requirements for U.S. federal government agencies and support the regulatory needs of companies operating under ITAR.

Skype for Business Hosted – The used to be an option for hosters to install a “Multitenant Hosting pack” add-on to Lync and install a single instance and split it between multiple customers. That no longer exits, but hosters may find their own way to split a single instance into multiple tenants, or more likely, hosted dedicated Skype for Business Server instances per customer.

Skype (Consumer) – “Skype” without “for Business”, usually refers to the consumer version of Skype Microsoft bought. It’s a different product/code base, is cloud only, and aimed at consumers rather than businesses. Some of the UI and media stack is shared code between Skype for Business and Skype Consumer, and the the two can “federate” to allow communications between the two platforms.

Presence – a visual “traffic lights” representation of of a user’s availability, or presence e.g. Red for busy, Yellow for away, green for available

Enterprise Voice – On Skype for Business Server only “Enterprise Voice” is the ability for a user to make and receive PSTN phone calls, either via a software client or IP phone. It’s the feature that enables Skype for Business Server to replace the PBX phone for a user.

Cloud PBX – On Skype for Business Online only “Cloud PBX” is the ability for a user to make and receive PSTN phone calls, either via a software client or IP phone. It’s the feature that enables Skype for Business Online to replace the PBX phone for a user. There are variable ways for Cloud PBX to connect to the PSTN:

Cloud PBX with PSTN Calling – Microsoft will provide phone numbers and telephony features from Office 365. They will act as the carrier with their own carrier service from their cloud. While this currently offers only a subset of on-premises Enterprise Voice features, and only in limited regions, both features and regions will expand over time.

Cloud PBX with on-premises PSTN connectivity – Allows users in Skype for Business online to utilize PSTN connectivity via on-premises PBX, SIP Trunk, or qualified gateway to E1/T1 lines. This will be ideal for customers who want to host users in Office 365 but take advantage of on-premises for PSTN connectivity – either because “Cloud PBX with PSTN Calling from Microsoft” is not available in their region or because they have long term PSTN contracts they want to use. Requires Skype for Business Server or “Cloud Connected Edition”.

Cloud Connector Edition – referred to as Mintop or Minimal Topology in preview, “Cloud Connector Edition” allows to deploy minimum virtual servers on-premises to leverage on-premises PSTN for users hosted on Skype for Business Online without the need for a full scale on-premises Skype for Business pool. 

PSTN Conferencing (Microsoft) – “PSTN Conferencing” simple refers to conferences where phone users can dial in. Microsoft have a “PSTN Conferencing” service where Microsoft will provide PSTN numbers for to dial in to and out from Skype for Business Online meetings. PSTN users will directly connect to the Skype Meeting. Users need to be hosted in Skype for Business online in order to schedule meetings with “PSTN Conferencing”. (For users on-premises you can still provide Dial-in conferencing via on-premises PSTN connection).

“Audio Conferencing Providers” (ACPs) –Third party providers (PGi, BT, Intercall) who can provide dial-in and dial-out capabilities for your meetings in Skype for Business Online. Users will dial in into a bridge provided by the third party provider and this bridge will be connected into the Skype for Business Online meeting.

Skype Meeting Broadcast – “Skype Meeting Broadcast” allows you to stream meetings to up to 10,000 users via Office 365. In order to leverage Skype Meeting Broadcast users can be hosted online or on-premises, but for on-premises users you have to establish Skype for Business Hybrid. While presenters will use the Skype for Business client, meeting attendees will use a browser to attend the meeting. Meeting attendees do not need to have a Skype for Business account.