Hi all,

I am in the middle of a Skype deployment. We are still currently running LYNC 2010. I have setup the servers and am running through the plan provided here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn951386.aspx

I just wanted to make sure this is the correct way to go about this migration. Essentially I will be co existing the LYNC 2010 and Skype deployments. I am now at the Prepare AD part, which is followed by the DNS changes so I wanted to double check here I am not going to cause issues by completing the steps.

Any guidance on this install much appreciated. Thanks, Carl.

Hi Carl,

Since you have a working environment already,then DNS is not needed to be changed to point to New servers.

Would be better if you could describe Your environment a bit more (Frontend,Edge,monitoring and so on).

By default everything should be working fine,Lync will do the redirect that is needed.

DNS change is only recomended to do when most of users are moved to the New Pool.This is to avoid as less redirect as possible (meet,dialin and so on).

If you are using edge,keep the old one for Federation until you are ready for Edge switching.This can be done now or later in time and you can do a rip and replace or co-existing.For last part you will need extra IP and additional names for external services.Your certificate also needs to be changed.

Best is rip and replace,but that will require downtime and have good controll of re-pointing DNS (if Your Edge gets New IP).

Carl,

You are going good but I believe DNS changes should not be the next step as you are migrating from Lync 2010 infra to Skype for Business Server 2015 and would like to create coexistence and retain same DNS records. Only Host (A) record needs to be created  for new front End pool after preparing AD while you can update the SRV record when your new setup is up and running or while testing the pilot users.

DNS changes for Simple URL should be taken care when you are moving your SfB setup into production.

As far as the entire migration is concerned, you can follow the same approach which is defined for Lync Server 2010 to Lync Server 2013. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj205369(v=ocs.15).aspx 

Thanks for this. For info the current setup is a local Front End with all roles, and an Edge. I am setting up Skype in our Data Centre (Same domain). Again all main roles on a single FE Server and an additional edge.

I will continue with the AD prep and skip the DNS changes for now - I can see some requirements for DNS records already exist so probably best to leave that, or at least until the changeover.

Sorry for lack of info, loan SysAdmin learning another new Application as I go. Thanks, Carl.

Hi Ajay, thanks for that guide it looks pretty detailed. So you would suggest deploying as a co existence, in which I would download an existing topology, create a pilot pool and then migrate users across from there?

This looks a much better approach that what I thought would need to do - create a new topology.

Hopefully it will be as simple as the guide. Not sure why there is no upgrade path from 2010 - Skype, in that you would need to upgrade to 2013 first. I guess it is just not a 'supported' way to do it.