Client Management Suite

Hi, I have been asked to upgrade MS communicator on x86 and x64 machines to Lync 2010 (we also have a lot of machines with Lync 2010 already of them) There are 2 installs depending on the architecture. Can anyone point me to anything that would help me setup a job to do all this ?

Package each version of Lync (32 and 64 bit) seperately as two separate Software Releases. When you import the package software you should associate it with the Software Component that shoiuld already have been discovered by inventory as you already have installs of it.

Edit the Config.xml file to give the install options you require. I keep the name Config.xml and put it in the root of the package with setup.exe.

For each Software Release create both a Detection and Applicability rule, the Applicability rule will be 64 bit only or NOT 64 bit only.

Have one Managed Delivery Policy with both Software Releases (32 and 64 bit) and set the Advanced Option of each to Continue on fail.
 

Hi, thanks for the quick response Andy. Couple of questions.

1. I was just going to run a silent install of the lynce.exe - we have GPO in place to apply users settings

2. Something I have never really got to grips with is the software catalog side. see screenshot below. I have lots of Lync undefined software listed (I assume different versions) Do I associate all of them with Lync 2010 I imported. ?

You should have imported two Lync versions, 32 and 64 bit. You need to merge each one with just the corresponding version discovered from Inventory.

If you select the imported one, right-click > Actions > Resolve Duplicate Software Resources. Click Browse for the top line (where the imported software is at the moment) and in the search box type the exact version number. This should give you two resources, the imported one and the inventory one.

You need the Inventory one on the top line and the imported one on the bottom; then merge them.

If you have more than two entries for the version, keep merging them.but make sure you don't mix 32 and 64 bit versions.
 

Are you using Lync in conjunction with the O365 service?  If so, make sure you are familiar with the pre-requisites.  Namely .Net Framework and the MS Online Sign-In assistant.   The Sign-In software is required for authentication to work properly on Lync 2010 but not on Lync 2013, although this is not documented well.   Also, For W7 systems, you may want to consider using Lync 2013 Basic which I believe is included as part of the O365 licensing.

Hi, thanks for that heads up. Yeah, the intention is too move to O365 very soon hence the reason for the upgrade.

Thanks

Thanks Andy, got the policy up and running. As for the merging of the software version I am totally confused. 

As usual the documentation is rubbish. I guess that will have to do.

Thanks again.

Beware mixing Office 2010 and Office 2013 products.

We had sharepoint access issues when our Lync Basic 2013 install updated a shared office component that borke some sharepoint functionality - the fix was in Office 2010 SP2 but we weren't in a position to upgraded immediately.

And Lync Basic isn't allowed and won't install in Terminal Server/Citrix environments.
 

Merging the Software Components isn't critical but you might find that results of reports and displays in the console are confusing.

In future the best way to go might be to:

1. Find the correct version of the Software Component that Inventory has discovered.
2. Right-click > Actions > Assign type and select Software Release, Update or Service pack as appropriate.
3. Open the newly assigned Software Release, Update or Service pack, and "Add package" from the Package tab.
    

On testing this I see it throws up a few errors if outlook is open on XP machines. Is there anyway close outlook if machine is not compliant ?