Hello,

I have an interesting dilemma. 

We're trying to deploy Skype for Business to our workstations. We have Lync, in a three variations. They are:

- Workstations with Lync Basic 2013
- Workstations with Office 2013, which includes Lync 2013
- Workstations with O365 Pro Plus, which includes Lync 2013

We've approved and deployed updates KB3039779 and KB2889853 via SCCM, which should apply to the first two variations of Lync. We've also implemented GPO's across our domains that will turn on the automatic updates setting within O365, which should apply to the third variation. And we've also turned on the Skype for Business UI via Powershell for all users. 

As we talk to the user community, we're finding out that many workstations still do not have the Skype for Business UI. 

In an attempt to monitor the deployment, I have created different WQL queries. The first one is based on the SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.DisplayName, but that will only work for Lync Basic 2013, since the other instances of lync are wrapped up into the Office suites. 

The second one is based on SMS_G_System_SoftwareFile.FileName = "lync.exe" and SMS_G_System_SoftwareFile.FileVersion = 15.0.4719.1000, but as I looked through the results, I saw computers that I knew did not have Skype yet; they still have Lync. 

Finally, I created a third query to just look for workstations with "lync.exe" and its version, and that's when I threw in the towel; there were several workstations reporting that they had two or three instances of lync.exe, all different versions. I figured that there were some old records that needed to be purged in SCCM, so I changed the task "Delete Aged Collected Files from 90 to 10 days" on a Friday, hoping that would do the trick, but the results had not changed when I came back in on Monday morning. 

My questions are:

1. How has everyone else been deploying Skype for Business? 
2. How has everyone been monitoring the deployment of Skype for Business?
3. What do I need to do to clean up old records SCCM? 

The data will likely NOT be old data, it will be exactly what is listed within Add/Remove Programs. Not all applications clean up after themselves and remove the entry within ARP.  

Use a sub-select query to find only those PC with a particular version. http://www.enhansoft.com/?s=subselect&post_type=post

When I created my query to look for "lync.exe", and found several computers reporting that they had multiple instances of the executable, that raised a flag. I went to some of those computers and only found one instance of "lync.exe". Based on those findings, I feel that there are old data records somewhere within SCCM that need to be purged. Why else would SCCM say there are multiple versions of one file? Is it because it keeps a history of the file revisions? If so, then why weren't more computers reporting to have multiple instances of "lync.exe"?

If you are looking for Lync.exe that will use SW inventory which I NEVER recommend enabling.

CM12 will only show you what is listed in the database. If a computer has gotten out o sync with the database the force a full inventory to occur.

Personally I would use the ARP data or AI data to determine that lync is install and not SW inv.

Thanks. We're using SCCM 2007, FYI.

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

• Edited by Mike Ciccolo 18 hours 17 minutes ago

Thanks. We're using SCCM 2007, FYI.

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

• Edited by Mike Ciccolo Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:18 PM

Thanks. We're using SCCM 2007, FYI.

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

• Edited by Mike Ciccolo Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:18 PM

Thanks. We're using SCCM 2007, FYI.

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

• Edited by Mike Ciccolo Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:18 PM

Thanks. We're using SCCM 2007, FYI.

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

• Edited by Mike Ciccolo Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:18 PM

Thanks. We're using SCCM 2007, FYI.

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

• Edited by Mike Ciccolo Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:18 PM

Again, in this particular case, I couldn't use the ARP data because, from what I'm seeing, the S4B update is not listed in ARP as "Microsoft Skype for Business 2015", but rather it remains "Microsoft Lync Basic 2013."

So it is a SU then use the SU reports instead.

That doesn't work either because not all of the computers require the various Lync/S4B updates. 

That doesn't work either because not all of the computers require the various Lync/S4B updates. 

I guess you should ask within a Lync forum how to detect this, give all the issue you are having with SU, ARP and AI.

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator 13 hours 57 minutes ago

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Monday, July 06, 2015 5:39 PM

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Monday, July 06, 2015 5:39 PM

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Monday, July 06, 2015 5:39 PM

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Monday, July 06, 2015 5:39 PM
• Marked as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator 17 hours 44 minutes ago

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Monday, July 06, 2015 5:39 PM
• Marked as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Saturday, July 25, 2015 1:53 PM

Thanks, Garth. I appreciate your responses. I actually have posted this in the Lync forum, but no one can provide me answer there either. 

• Proposed as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Monday, July 06, 2015 5:39 PM
• Marked as answer by Garth JonesMVP, Moderator Saturday, July 25, 2015 1:53 PM