What does PstnCallersBypassLobby do?

On premises Lync Server 2010. Clients mix of Lync 2013 and 2010.

We have a change in security requirements where dialin users now have to wait in the lobby whether the meeting organiser likes it or not. So, the global policy (the only policy) we set to PstnCallersBypassLobby $false. (See below.) However, PSTN dialin users still drop right into meetings without stopping off at the lobby. If I go into the meeting options (a newly created meeting), it says "Anyone (no restrictions)" which would explain it I guess. If I change it to "Only me..." then PSTN callers land in the lobby as you'd expect. My question is: if I have to set this on a per-meeting basis (or even if I "Remember Settings...), what is the point of the server-based PstnCallersBypassLobby option? I thought that the policy-based setting on the server was supposed to take precedence over the user settings? 

I have check DB replication - it's all working fine, there are no event log errors anywhere and to be safe I have rebooted the whole Lync envionment. But, PstnCallersBypassLobby still seems to be ignored. Is this intended behaviour?

Get-CsMeetingConfiguration

Identity                        : Global

PstnCallersBypassLobby          : False


TIA

m

EDIT: http://www.lynced.com.au/2014/07/set-all-conference-participants-to-wait.html implies that actually, PSTN users should not bypass the lobby with the above, so perhaps it's something wrong with the environment?


January 30th, 2015 6:04pm

I set it to $true and pstn callers join the meeting straight away without going to the lobby. If I set it back to $false, pstn caller also join the meeting straight away without going to the lobby. So, the PSTNCallersBypassLobby option doesn't seem to do anything.

EDIT: I am running the latest update rollup but the PSTNCallersBypassLobby still does not seem to do anything.
  • Edited by M.a.r.k.T. _ Saturday, January 31, 2015 12:14 PM
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
January 31st, 2015 1:12pm

After much research and experimentation I know the answer: private meetings. If the meeting is configured private at the server, PSTNCallersBypassLobby is ignored and all callers bypass the lobby. 

I'm sure someone will say it's not a bug, it's that way by design. I'd be OK with that if that's what the documentation said. But, having read tons of Technet and blogs, I could find anything that said that that the PSTNCallersBypassLobby=$false setting only works if the meeting is public. Oddly, IMHO bypassing the lobby is less secure, but most blogs describe private meetings as more secure!

If MS read this, I have a suggestion: rather than have 2 or three settings that can be true or false and Lync then works out some convoluted logic to link the answers whilst try to match the admin's requirements, how about a different approach: simply ask what setting is needed. Such as:

- [bool]Unique meetings IDs? (None of this pseudo-abstraction with "private" and "public".)

- [bool]pstn users always enter the lobby? (And stick to the answer - no "hidden" overrides)

- [bool]pstn users asked to enter their mobile number before entering the lobby? (Gives admin a chance to force the lobby but not have the callers asked to enter their mobile numbers.)

And so on. Just a thought. :)


February 1st, 2015 2:20am

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics