Overview

Microsoft Lync Server enables users to handle multiple communication sessions simultaneously, thus allowing users to communicate with multiple parties at the same time. Users can place phone calls on hold or have calls forwarded to other users, groups, or even voicemail. These sessions may include multiple modalities such as instant messaging, voice and conferencing.

In certain situations it may be appropriate to allow for additional calls when a user is already busy with an active phone call. In other circumstances the appropriate way to handle secondary calls is the familiar busy signal, alerting the caller that the number they are trying to contact is busy. These features however are not available with the standard Microsoft Lync Server package.

Details

Unify2's BusyOnBusy solution adds this capability to Lync features, enabling companies to have secondary call suppression by sending the well-known busy signal back to a secondary caller. This can be either done by an administrator or by integrating it into existing workflows or self-service portals. Moreover, BusyOnBusy requires a simple server-side installation without requiring any client-side installations. The BusyOnBusy solution from Unify2 handles incoming calls for Lync users from a connected Private Branch Exchange (PBX), the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or Lync clients (internal & federated). Business need may warrant that secondary calls receive a busy signal rather than being sent to a call queue or voicemail. Unify2 BusyOnBusy solution sends back a SIP response that will result in a "User is in another call" message in Lync or the commonly known Busy signal for PBX or PSTN calls.

BusyOnBusy User Experience

Key Benefits

Specialized Job Functions:

Some positions require minimal distraction from tasks that require constant attention, or for legal or security requirements need to avoid outside interactions. Limiting non-critical phones to one call at a time can be part of the communication requirements in these situations.

Expected Caller Experience:

In some situations such as in sales organizations, representatives would like to concentrate on an active call & hence have secondary callers hear a busy tone.

Executive Conference Room Phones:

Often a separate line without voicemail is used in an executive conference room. While a phone call is active, it may be desirable to block additional calls by sending a busy signal.

Common Area Phones:

Deployments of common area phones are frequently limited to one active call in high traffic locations such as copy rooms and lobbies.

Enhanced Features

Support For Call Park & Call Transfer Scenarios:

Integration and support to allow parked calls and consultative call transfers for BusyOnBusy enabled users.

Ability Block Secondary Calls for Users In A Conference Or Meeting:

BusyOnBusy utilizes configurable global settings, which gives administrative control to block or allow calls for users that are in a meeting or in a conference

Remote Administration Support:

Provides return codes for key operations so that 3rd party applications can call into BusyOnBusy. Also provides a remote administration guide with examples for executing BusyOnBusy from remote machines

Improved Execution Speed:

Up to 2X faster execution speed when provisioning users for BusyOnBusy compared with previous versions.

IT Requirements/Product Versions

• Lync Server Standard Edition or Enterprise Edition (SBAs are not supported)
• BusyOnBusy 3.0 (Lync 2013): provides the functionality to either block or allow secondary calls at an enterprise-wide scope (with exception to Boss Admin/Delegate lines & response groups) or on a per-user basis. BusyOnBusy per user settings can be configured by the administrator. BusyOnBusy also provides the functionality to view users enabled or disabled for BusyOnBusy & view BusyOnBusy settings on a per-user basis.
• BusyOnBusy 2.5 (Lync 2010): provides the above functionality on Lync 2010

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Q: What is BusyOnBusy tool?
BusyOnBusy tool is a Server Managed API (MSPL) application running on each Lync Server Communications Server Enterprise Edition front-end server or Standard Edition server. On an incoming call to a Lync user, the BusyOnBusy tool will check whether the called user is already in a call (Presence state = “Busy, In a call”). If so, the tool will respond to the SIP Invite message with a 486 SIP Busy response that will result in a common “busy” signal to the calling user. Effectively this works similar to Secondary call suppression in the PBX world.

Q: Which versions of Lync Server/Office Communications Server are supported with V1.x and V2.0 of BusyOnBusy tool?
BusyOnBusy 2.x is for Microsoft Lync Server 2010 and BusyOnBusy 1.x is for Office Communications Server 2007 R2. Please contact sales@unifysquare.com for details.

Q: How is BusyOnBusy tool licensed?
BusyOnBusy tool is licensed per Enterprise Voice enabled user, regardless of whether the user will be enabled for BusyOnBusy functionality or not. The reason for this is, that figuring out in advance which user wants to use this functionality and which user not is neither practical for administrators nor for Unify². Please contact sales@unifysquare.com for a quote.

Q: How do I install BusyOnBusy tool?
The tool can be installed on Lync Server (BusyOnBusy 2.x) or on Office Communications Server 2007 R2 (BusyOnBusy 1.x), Enterprise Edition Front-End Server or Standard Edition Server by running a MSI package.

Q: How do I uninstall BusyOnBusy tool?
Go to installed programs (Control Panel -> Uninstall a program) and remove the program.

Q: Do I need to reboot the server when installing or uninstalling the BusyOnBusy tool?
No.

Q: Can I install BusyOnBusy tool on a Director server?
No, this is not recommended. BusyOnBusy should only be installed on a Lync Server or Office Communications Server that hosts users (Lync or OCS Enterprise Edition Front-End server or Standard Edition server).

Q: Are all users automatically enabled for BusyOnBusy behavior after the tool is installed?
No. By default, the behavior is disabled for all users by default. Users in a pool can either be enabled or disabled by the global BusyOnBusy configuration setting or users can be enabled or disabled individually by the administrator.

Q: Can I enable individual users for BusyOnBusy?
Yes, BusyOnBusy solution allows the administrator to enable an individual user for BusyOnBusy by entering the user’s SIP URI using a command line utility.

Q: Can I view the users that are enabled or disabled for BusyOnBusy?
Yes, you can run the /ListBlockedUsers and /ListAllowedUsers commands to view the lists of users that are enabled (multiple calls blocked) for BusyOnBusy and disabled (multiple calls allowed) for BusyOnBusy, respectively. Additionally, you can run the /ListUserSettings command to view the BusyOnBusy settings for a specific user.

Q: What if I want to enable all users for BusyOnBusy at once? Do I need to enable each SIP URI individually?
No, Unify² provides a PowerShell utility for that which can be found in the installation distribution. Individual users can be disabled after that. Alternately, users in a pool can be enabled or disabled by the global BusyOnBusy configuration setting.

Q: Is the user able to enable or disable BusyOnBusy functionality by himself e.g. out of his Lync or Office Communicator client?
No, only the admin can enable the user for BusyOnBusy functionality.

Q: What if a Lync / Office Communicator user is in a call and another Lync / Office Communicator user in the same enterprise calls this user?
This call will be blocked by BusyOnBusy tool. The user will not receive a secondary call alert. Effectively all secondary calls will be blocked now irrespectively of their origin.

Q: Are Secondary calls blocked even if I am in a conference (e.g., telephone or web conference)?
No. Secondary calls are blocked (busy tone) only when the presence status of a user is "Busy, In a call." During a conference, the presence status is "In a Meeting," therefore, if the user receives a secondary call, it rings.

Q: What if someone from the PSTN calls me and I am speaking on my Lync Phone Edition IP Phone or Office Communicator Phone Edition IP phone?
The behavior of the BusyOnBusy tool is the same for Office Communicator, Office Communicator Phone Edition or third party Office Communications Server registered endpoints as long as they publish presence states "Busy - in a call," "Online - available" etc. properly.

Q: What happens when I am enabled for BusyOnBusy and I am also a team member of someone else? Will I get a team notification when I am in a call and a call is coming in to the team owner from the PSTN?
Yes. Team notifications are not affected by the BusyOnBusy tool.

Q: Should I enable Lync Attendant Console or OCS Attendant Console users for BusyOnBusy?
No, as the purpose of these workspaces is to receive multiple calls at a time. Please make sure if you use a script to enable all users at once, that you disable SIP URIs of users that are using the Attendant Console.

Q: Does BusyOnBusy work in a topology with SBAs?
Installing BusyOnBusy on SBAs is currently not supported by Microsoft. We are looking into approaches to support BusyOnBusy on SBAs. Based on our findings, we will provide an update in the near future.

Q: How can I get support for BusyOnBusy tool?
For support please contact support@unifysquare.com, If you have an existing Software Assurance agreement with Unify². If you do not have a Software Assurance agreement, please contact sales@unifysquare.com.