Lync - Screen Sharing cannot connect to ther server now issue with multiparty application sharing and screen sharing

We use Lync for internal chatting and screen sharing and the "presence" feature. I run a small shop with 100 users spread across 5 buildings. Lync really help our users collaborate.

Although Lync is a great product, it can be slightly complicated, especially if you are a small/medium business and are NOT setting up 5 separate servers for Lync.

I ran in to an issue where two users could share content (screen or application) with each other without error. The moment a third user was added to the mix (i.e. Alice sharing content with Bill and Bob), I received "Screen sharing cannot connect to the server now". Somewhat confusing because screen sharing was working just fine between just two participants.

I do not claim to be a Lync expert. I am passing along information to help any Lync novices.

When two participants are connected, the session is peer-to-peer.

When three or more participants are connected, the Application Sharing feature depends on the Front End Server Multi Point Control Unit (MCU) to provide the sharing stream to all parties.


Error: Screen sharing cannot connect to the server now.
Lync Server 2010

Internal client to internal client(s)

Single server install

This error is commonly reported when the Application Sharing Server (ASMCU) service is not running on the Lync Server Front End pool. If the ASMCU service is not installed on the Lync Front End it is likely because the components have not been enabled within the Lync Topology.

Step 1
Verify Application Sharing service is enabled in topology builder.
If not, enable it and publish the topology. Rerun component setup on FE pool using the Lync Deployment Wizard.

Step 2
Verify "Lync Server Application Sharing" and "Lync Server Web Conferencing Services" are actively running on FE pool. If not, try to start them. Check Lync Application Event logs if start fails.

*In my case the "Lync Server Application Sharing service" was bombed. Starting the service resolved the issue. The service started successfully.

If the service fails to start, check event log and begin Lync debug logging (another topic).

Step 3
Verify whether the user has the appropriate conferencing policy applied and that the policy applied has EnableAppDesktopSharing = TRUE.

Get-CsConferencingPolicy


Good luck w/ Lync. Next steps: Lync migration to 2013 on-prem.

credit to NextHop/LyncMd

http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2012/11/05/lyncmd-troubleshooting-lync-server-2010-application-sharing-internal-and-remote-scenarios.aspx

Lync 2010 server stops - Certificate Expired

The Lync server stop responding for all users. Lo and behold the certificate had expired. The last certificate was installed/updated 2 years ago. Fairly painless to update the certificate (i.e. install a new certificate) on the Server. We use an Internal Windows CA. Lync can use (and by default) a simple SSL cert.

Today, the Lync client bombs for all users. Lync 2010 client reads "there was a problem verifying the certificate from the server...". The login process seems to hang indefinitely.

I open the Lync Control Panel and get a security alert. View certificate yields the following. I should have reminded myself to update the certificate. It is unfortunate that the process isn't automated nor is there a good system of alerting for impending certificate expiration.

Look at the details of the cert. I am noting the SAN entries

The rest is fairly simple. Open the Lync Deployment Wizard. Select "Request, Install or Assign...".

For my installation, I was able to accept all the default of the Certificate generation  since I had previously received (installed) a certificate from the same CA server.

During the cert generation wizard, I am verifying that the auto-generated Subject Alternative Names (SAN) matches what I had previously. Notice the SIP.<domainname>.com SAN was not there. No sweat because it is added on the next screen.

.

Make sure the SIP domain is correct. Again, for me, all I had to do was accept the default.

Next, next, next and the new cert is generated and installed. From the Wizard I select "start services" for good measure.

I will be upgrading to on-prem Lync 2013 very soon. 

Good Luck.

Lync 2010, disable "suggested contacts" from Outlook 2010

We use Lync 2010. In my scenario, I ONLY want to see GAL/GAB, Lync Enabled users in Lync. Your situation may differ.

By default Lync 2010 pulls from Outlook's contacts when using "Search" in Lync. I find this feature annoying because we don't use Lync for calls of any kind. We only use Lync for IM and Presence internally. Hence, seeing my Outlook Contacts in Lync is of ZERO use to me. All of my Contacts show up as "Presence Unknown".

example: Tom Smith is a GAL, internal, Lync enabled user. Tom Jones of from my contact list.



Very simple Solution:

On Lync Server (mgt shell)
set-CsClientPolicy -Identity global -ExcludedContactFolders "Contacts"

This will now exclude Outlook Contact from populating Lync searches....great.

Fast Forward, upgrade Office from '07 to 2010.
Lync is now showing contacts again. This time from Outlook's "Suggested Contacts", a new feature of Outlook 2010. Suggested Contacts is a new contact folder starting in Outlook 2010. I find this feature completely useless but that is another topic.

To Get Lync to stop pulling suggested contacts into Lync searches do this:

set-CsClientPolicy -Identity global -ExcludedContactFolders "Contacts;Suggested Contacts"

To view the policy:

Get-CsClientPolicy -identity global

Check the settings: