Overcoming Key Skype for Business Challenges: A Practical Guide for IT

With Cisco’s acquisition of BroadSoft, Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is poised for significant consolidation. Yet Skype for Business stands out—its reliance on a diverse mix of vendors can make integration, monitoring, and management more complex. IT teams can simplify this by focusing on three core domains: Server/Infrastructure, Network, and Endpoints.

1. Choose the Right Server and Infrastructure Strategy

Skype for Business offers on‑premises, cloud, and hybrid deployments, plus support for numerous third‑party extensions. As the industry moves toward cloud‑first models, the breadth of options can be overwhelming, especially since Microsoft continually updates the platform’s capabilities and limitations. For instance, the September 2023 release of Skype for Business Server 2019 eliminates the Standard Edition; the Enterprise Edition can now run on a single server node, but this configuration requires a separate back‑end SQL Server.

Organizations that are ready to adopt the cloud can reduce many of these complexities, while those that prefer on‑premises must re‑evaluate their long‑term communications roadmap.

Regardless of the chosen deployment, success hinges on clear objectives. Key questions include:

• What budget constraints exist?
• How much control is required, and are there regulatory or compliance mandates?
• Which endpoints will need to connect?

2. Build a Robust Network that Supports Mobility

Skype for Business isn’t just for in‑office collaboration; it’s built for a mobile workforce that works from home, hotels, airports, and public Wi‑Fi hotspots. That breadth introduces network pain points.

Prior to deployment, conduct a comprehensive network baseline assessment that covers:

• All network paths delivering Skype for Business services.
• Carrier‑provided bandwidth and other performance metrics.
• Compatibility with existing network traffic.
• Impact of peak utilization on normal business operations.

3. Ensure Seamless Endpoint Performance

End users now operate laptops, tablets, iPhones, Android devices, and more. Their connectivity habits vary widely, as do the quality issues they encounter. When selecting endpoint partners, evaluate whether custom software or gateways are needed to interoperate with Microsoft, and how voice and video quality might differ across devices.

For organizations that support bring‑your‑own‑device (BYOD) policies or maintain a heterogeneous device fleet, a diagnostic tool that isolates whether a quality problem lies with the endpoint, the network, or the application is essential.

While the ecosystem may seem complex, troubleshooting doesn’t have to be. AppNeta offers an end‑to‑end view of your entire environment—whether on‑premises, cloud, or hybrid—across all users and locations. Request a free trial today and gain the visibility needed to keep your Skype for Business deployment running smoothly.