Skype for Business SDN API 2.4.1 installation and configuration guide. Skype for Business is highly effective communications tools to organizations. However to accomplish audio quality is very difficult because many component involved. Microsoft Skype for Business SDN enables real-time tracking and diagnosis of calls in progress, as well as the collection of data for long-term analysis which will helps to troubleshoot audio quality issues. SDN Interface provides a subscription-based interface for network controllers or network management systems to receive call and quality data to monitor and analyze network traffic in order to optimize the Skype for Business media stream quality. Overview: This is installation and configuring guide covers most of the aspects regarding how to install and configure SDN API 2.4.1 and 2.2 with command syntax and actual examples. Also this user guide covers standalone and pool (HA) configuration methods with and without SQL express edition. I have written best practices and lesson learn which are covers most known and unknown issues. Following topics covered in this document.

SR.No. Topics

1 SDN API component and description.

2 Pre-requisite for SDN API

3 Set up standalone SDN manager

4 Set up SDN API Pool with SQL Express

5 Configure SDN manager using command line

6 Configure dialog listener

7 Lesson learned

Author: Balu Ilag, Microsoft MVP (Office Servers and Services) © 06.10.2016, Balu Ilag, System Administrator, Microsoft MVP Office Servers

and Services. Version 1.1

Contact me at: balasaheb.ilag@hotmail.com

Blog: http://communicationsknowledge.blogspot.com/. This document covers Skype for Business SDN 2.4.1 installation, configuration and some level of troubleshooting information. Target audience for this Admin guide is Skype for Business / Lync Administrator, Office365 Admins, and Network Administrator who manages Skype for Business and Lync server 2013 environment.

SDN API 2.4.1 installation and configuration guide.

Microsoft Skype for Business SDN provides an interface for network controllers or

network management systems to receive call and quality data to monitor and analyze

network traffic in order to optimize the Skype for Business media stream quality.

Download SDN API 2.4.1 URL: https://www.microsoft.com/en-

us/download/details.aspx?id=51195

SDN configuration settings are now divided in to three groups:

Subscriber: Contains settings specific to the receiver of the call and quality related messages. Typically, a subscriber is network controller, network management system, or ITPro tool.

Listener: Contains settings specific to a Skype for Business Server front-end pool. Multiple pools, having different configurations, may use the same SDN Manager pool.

Manager: Contains settings used by the SDN Manager pool. SDN Manager will send quality data to subscriber to real-time call details.

Note: The Skype for Business Dialog Listener can be installed on an SBS or SBA, if so supported by the SBA vendor. I have not tested dialog listener on SBA or SBS. Before starting installation make sure that you have Quality of Experience (QoE

recording activated) enabled on Lync Server 2013 or Skype for Business 2015.

Command to see QoE configuration:

Get-CsQoEConfiguration

In our example, EnableQoE attribute is set to True in the returned result, the QoE

recording has been activated. If the EnableQoE attribute is False, issue the following

command to activate the QoE recording.

Below command will enabled QoE for “SanJose” site:

Set-CsQoEConfiguration -Identity site:SanJose -EnableQoE $True

Enable QoE using Lync Server Control panel:

Setup DNS: (In this document I am not using DNS SRV record)- This is optional

When DNS service location records are used by the Dialog Listener by setting

checkdns=true in the configuration file, any configured value for the parameter

configurationserviceuri is ignored. The URI specified in the service location record is

used instead.

1. Log on to the DNS server and open the DNS Manager.

2. Open DNS and choose the zone to create the service location record for (Current

domain, forward lookup zone).

3. From the Context menu, select Other New Records ..., navigate to Service

Location, and choose Create Record.

4. Fill in the form (shown in Figure 1) by providing the following values:

Service: _sdninternal

Protocol: _http or _https

Port number: 9333 (9332 for https)

Host offering the LSM service: FQDN of the host computer (for example,

SdnPool.mydomain.com)

SDN Manager Server:

Initially, to receive messages from the SDN Manager you must provision at least one subscriber. However, you can no longer provision this subscriber in the setup. Rather, you must use the command line interface of the SDN Manager. At a minimum you need to call: sdnmanager.exe p s some-subscriber-name submituri=http://<your-receiver-url>

There are three different type of installation. A. Join (or create) a pool of SDN Managers using a REDIS cache. [Not covering this

document] B. Join (or create) a pool of SDN managers using a SQL database. [Covered in this

document] C. Set up an individual SDN Manager that does not share setting. [Covered in this

document] 1. Set up an individual SDN Manager that does not share setting (Known as

Standalone SDN installation):

This type of installation does not need SQL database on SDN manager. This is easier

for troubleshooting without SQL. I would recommend to use this option when you

are installing SDN first time to eliminate SQL troubleshooting.

Also make sure to use separate VM or hardware server for SDN manager. Standard

VM configuration (2-4 core CPU, 8 GB RAM and 80 GB HDD).

Follow the below steps to install SDN standalone manager.

Download SDN 2.4.1: https://www.microsoft.com/en-

us/download/details.aspx?id=51195

1. Download SDN 2.4.1 (SkypeForBusinessSDNManager.msi) and run as

administrator with elevated permission.

Click Next.

2. Check on accept license agreement and click on Next.

3. Choose Next to install on default folder or click on Change.. if you want to

change default installation directory.

And change the log directory. Check mark “Check to activate DEBUG level of

logging.” If you want to see full debug logs. And click on Next.

Note: While the number of log files is limited, for production environments it is not

recommended that you activate debug logging unless investigating a particular issue, as

extensive amounts of logs are written.

4. Select “Set up an individual SDN Manager that does not share settings”. And click

on Next.

5. Click on Finish.

6. Now time to configure SDN subscriber using command line. Configuration is same

for Standalone and Pool SDN configuration. Refer configuration section.

2. Join (or create) a pool of SDN managers using a SQL database. Using this Installation option. Using this option you will get high availability using two or more SDN manager

with individual SQL database. (You may use single SQL database).

Install SDN manager as pool with high availability mode.

1. First install .NET 3.5 (with Service Pack 1) and 4.5 or later to separate VM server

were SDN Manager going to install.

2. Install SQL Database. –

In a pool configuration, Skype for Business SDN Interface requires a data store to

share call states of concurrently ongoing calls or configuration settings among

multiple SDN Managers, which can be a SQL Server or other data store.

You can use any SQL Server edition, including the SQL Server Express edition. For

my installation I am using Microsoft SQL 2014 Express edition.

Download MS SQL 2014 Express Edition: https://www.microsoft.com/en-

us/download/details.aspx?id=42299

3. Now install SQL Express on SDN Manager server (separate than Lync FE Server).

Run SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU.exe as Administrator

Click OK to extract files

Select “New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing

installation.”

Accept license and click on Next

On feature selection page: Select “LocalDB”. As showed in above image.

Click on Next.

Type Instance name: as any friendly name. I have written as “sfbsdnmanager”

InstanceID: SFBSDNMANAGER

Click on Next:

Click on Next:

You can add any additional user as SQL server administrator and then Click on

Next:

Select “Install and configure” and then Click on Next:

Here you can see the LocalDB. Now you can open SQL Studio to and see of your

instance connecting or not. My SQL instance is connection correctly.

4. Now install SkypeForBusinessSDNManager.msi on this server where SQL Express

installed and configured LocalDB.

Download and double click on SkypeForBusinessSDNManager.msi

URL: Download SDN 2.4.1: https://www.microsoft.com/en-

us/download/details.aspx?id=51195

a. Run SkypeForBusinessSDNManager.msi as elevated (administrator)

permission to the server computer that will host the SDN Manager.

b. Click on Next.

c. Accept the license and click on Next:

Note: If you check 'Check to activate DEBUG level of logging' then you may see

extensive amount of logs can be written, it is recommended that this option not be

activated in a production environment unless investigating a particular issue.

d. Then change logs file path to your friendly path and install path if required.

Then click on Next:

e. Select “Join (or create) a pool of SDN Managers using a SQL database”. Then

click on Next:

f. In Skype for Business SDN Manager Database Setting’s wizard page, enter a

SQL Server name in the Database Server field, and the database instance

name, if appropriate, in the Database Name field. See the above image.

Example: Database Server: localhost\sfbsdnmanager and keep Database name as

default.

Select either the Integrated Security or SQL Authentication to specify the credentials

that the SDN Manager uses to access the database. Make sure to use the credentials

with the sufficient privileges to access, create and configure the database. I am using

“Integrated Security (SQL Server default)”.

Then click on Next:

g. You can change Database data and log files directory if require. I am keeping

as by default. Then click on Next:

h. Now ready to install and click on Install

Finally click on Finish.

You can verify your SDN manager installation using opening the SQL studio and

see if you are seeing database SDNManager22.

Now time to install Skype for Business dialog listener on each Skype for Business Front

End server: (You can Lync2013 then install Dialog listener on Lync Server 2013 front

end server)

1. Download and double click on SkypeForBusinessDialogListener.msi

URL: Download SDN 2.4.1: https://www.microsoft.com/en-

us/download/details.aspx?id=51195

Note: Remove in case you have previous LyncDialoglister installed on Skype for

Business (Lync) Front end server.

Copy the SkypeForBusinessDialogListener.msi file to each Front-End server and

double click on it.

Then click on Next:

Accept the License and click on Next:

Keep installation path as default (If in case you want to change path then click on

“Change..” and select appropriate path) and then change log file path. Finally click on

Next.

Note: While the number of log files is limited, for production environments it is not

recommended that you activate debug logging unless investigating a particular issue, as

extensive amounts of logs are written.

The configuration service is part of SDN Manager. You may dedicate a particular SDN

Manager to serve as the configuration service, or refer to an entire pool of SDN

Manager Instances by using their pool fully qualified domain name. The data store used

by this SDN Manager or pool defines the settings used by this SDN Interface system,

including the settings used for all Dialog Listener instances, the SDN Manager itself, and

settings for all subscribers. I am using two separate SDN manager.

If you have a DNS SRV record configured, selecting the checkbox (Use the DNS SRV

Record to get the URIs) will use the DNS records instead of the URL to locate the

configuration service.

Click on Next: (I am using SDN manager IP address with 9333 port.)

You may optionally select a client certificate for authentication when using an https

connection. For my configuration I am not using http connection.

Then click on Next

In Dialog Listener Service Account wizard screen, select the Network Service or Specify

an Account option and the select Next:

This screen is used to specify a user account to run the Dialog Listener Windows Service

or, alternatively, use the network service. The network service or the specified user

account must be in the RTC Server Applications or RTC Local Administrators local group.

Dialog Listener service may fails to start if it not part of RTC Server Application group.

You can simply add your service account (which you are using for starting the Dialog

listener service) to RTC Server Application group in each Skype for Business front end

server. See the below screen.

Open Computer Management > expand “Local Users and Groups” > Groups > double

Click on “RTC Server Applications”. Refer the below image.

Then select Next.

Click on Next:

On the 'Ready to Install' screen, click the Install button to start the installation.

On the 'Ready to Install' screen, click the Install button to start the installation.

Click on OK.

Now installation is completed and configuration started.

Configure Skype for Business SDN manager:

SDN API 2.2 onwards you cannot modify the configuration for adding subscriber or

changing any other configuration. You have to use command prompt or windows

PowerShell to add / remove / modify any configuration.

Disable complication of Personal Identifiable Information (PII): Disable this in order to

allow SIP address and LineURI etc. It is disabled by default after a new installation.

SDNManager.exe /p m hidepii=False

Add a subscriber to the Skype for Business SDN Manager

In the following steps, <SfB-site-name> has to be used consistently. They are not

interchangeable.

SDNManager.exe /p s <SfB-site-name> submituri=http://<Subscriber IP>:<Port-number>

e.g. sdnmanager.exe p s ArubaHQ1 submituri=http://10.XX.XX.XX:15790

sdnmanager.exe p s PrognosisHQ1

submituri=http://10.XX.XX.XX:3000/SdnApiReceiver/HQ1

Enable sending <Invite>, <Error> and <Bye> packets

SDNManager.exe /p s <SfB-site-name> signaling=True

e.g SDNManager.exe /p s PrognosisHQ1 signaling=True

Enable Raw SDP. This is required by subscriber to filter out non-audio packets.

SDNManager.exe /p s <SfB-site-name> sendrawsdp=True

e.g SDNManager.exe /p s PrognosisHQ1 sendrawsdp=True

Configure the output schema to be indistinguishable from SDN Manager 2.1, 2.1.1 and

2.2. Keeping schema as C as supported by Subscriber.

SDNManager.exe /p s <SfB-site-name> outputschema=C

e.g SDNManager.exe /p s PrognosisHQ1 outputschema=C

Add a Dialog Listener (on Front-End server) to the SDN Manager:

This needs to be done for every single Skype for Business 2015 / Lync Server 2013 Pool.

In case all Skype for Business Dialog Listeners belong to the same pool, it is only

necessary to do this once.

SDNManager.exe /p l <Front-End-Pool-FQDN> submituri="http://< SDN Manager

IP>:9333/LDL;http://< SDN Manager IP>:9333/Log"

e.g. SDNManager.exe /p l csbrmpool.corp.brocade.com submituri="http://

172.XX.XX.XX:9333/LDL;http:// 172.XX.XX.XX:9333/Log"

Now restart SDN and LDL service and wait for 30 min to see real time call quality data on

network management system or controller. In my setup I have configured two

subscriber one is Aruba controller and another is Prognosis.

Lesson learned:

1. You have to install SkypeForBusinessSDNManager.msi with Administrator rights.

Without Administrator rights you will see below error.

2. If you don’t have .NET 3.5 and Service Pack 1 or then you will see below error

message while installing SQL Express.

3. While installing SQL Express make sure to check mark LocalDB otherwise after

installation you will not see local SQL instance. Refer the below image.

4. While installing Skype for Business dialog listener, If the Dialog Listener service

fails to start using network service, it may be necessary to change the Windows

service definition and specify different credentials. The network service or the

specified user account must be in the RTC Server Applications local group on

Skype for Business (Lync) server. Refer the below image

5. If you are not seeing data on network management system. Then

Telnet network management device/ controller IP address with port number and

see if it allows.

Most of the time Windows firewall block the communication between SDN

manager server to network management system or controller. So turn OFF or add

allow inbound rule on the windows firewall on SDN manager and network

management system.

Thank you.