Edge servers enable your internal and external users to communicate using Microsoft Office Communicator or the Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007 client. In this reference architecture you will install the following edge server roles:

In addition to these Office Communications Server roles, you might need to install a Reverse Proxy.

The following table provides an overview of how these servers are used.

Table: Edge server requirements overview

Server Required to Support Corresponding Internal Server Required Protocol

Access Edge Server

Any external user scenario, including public IM connectivity, remote user access, federation, external access to conferences, and external access to voice functionality

Office Communications Server 2007 server or pool and, optionally, a Director

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)

Web Conferencing Edge Server

External Web conferencing

Web Conferencing Server

Persistent Shared Object Model (PSOM)

A/V Edge Server

A/V conferences with external users

Point-to-point A/V calls with external users

A/V Conferencing Server

RTP/RTCP, Simple Traversal of UDP through NAT (STUN)/

Reverse Proxy

Group expansion, address book file download, and access to meeting content (such as slides) for Web conferencing by external users

Web Components Server (IIS)

HTTP(s)
Note:
Download and review the document Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Edge Server Deployment Guide for detailed information on planning and configuring your Edge Servers, Perimeter Network, Routers, Firewalls, and Load Balancers. It is beyond the scope of this document to prescribe network, routing, and firewall configuration.

To enhance edge server performance and security, as well as to facilitate deployment, use the following guidelines when establishing your deployment process:

  • Deploy edge servers only after you have finished deploying Office Communications Server 2007 inside your organization, unless you are migrating from Microsoft® Office Live Communications Server 2005 with Service Pack 1 to Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. For information about the migration process, download and review the document Migrating to Office Communications Server 2007.
  • Deploy edge servers in a workgroup instead of a domain. Doing so simplifies installation and keeps the Active Directory® Domain Services out of the perimeter network. Locating Active Directory in the perimeter network can present a significant security risk.
  • Use a computer that has two network adapters to provide physical separation of the internal and external network interfaces.

Tasks Summary

  1. Publish (Reverse Proxy) the Address Book Web Components to the Internet
  2. Install the Edge Server Roles
  3. Configure the Edge Server Roles
  4. Configure Certificates for the Edge Server
  5. Start the Services on the Edge Server
  6. Connect Your Internal Servers with your Edge Servers
  7. Validate Your Edge Configuration