Ignite 2020 - OD251 - On Skype for Business? Design your path to Microsoft Teams

Presented by: Lisa McKee and László Somi

Session summary:
Join this session to learn and determine the most suitable approach based on your current Skype for Business implementation and business goals. Whether you are a Skype for Business Online or Server customer, we will share best practices, resources and guidance to get to Microsoft Teams today.


My Notes:

A customer case from DSM started the presentation. DSM moved Skype for Business on-premises to Skype for Business Online to Teams. All employees got surface devices and Teams at the same time. In the following two months after deployment chat messages are double the amount compared to the number of emails. This implies users are communicating in a more conversational and immediate way then they had been doing before.

Running Teams and Skype side-by-side is a powerful and manageable way for your users to get comfortable with Teams. However, it is more than an "upgrade" - success comes from technical preparation and user readiness. Driving adoption is critical for success. The end goal is the "Teams Only" mode. Use https://aka.ms/SkypeToTeams to plan for a successful upgrade and organizational change.

Microsoft has guidance and resources to help you
plan and implement your upgrade journey.

Skype for Business Online will be retired on July 31, 2021. This date is valid also for when Hybrid setups, such as Skype broadcast, Cloud Connector Edition and On-Premises Configuration Hybrid, will be deprecated. Use https://aka.ms/SkypeToTeams-Faq if you have further questions. Transition paths to Teams for users homed in on-premises Skype for Business will exist beyond the retirement of Skype for Business online.

Teams upgrade planning workshops are a series of four, live, interactive upgrade planning workshops, where Microsoft will share guidance, best practices and resources designed to help you plan and implement your upgrade to Teams.

If you are using any kind of PSTN calling in Skype for Business this can be replaced by Calling Plans or Direct Routing in Teams (and Calling Plans for Teams are available in Sweden now.)

There will be a new version of Skype for Business on-premises during 2021 which will be available in a subscription model. Side by side upgrade from Lync 2013 or Skype for Business Server 2015 will work and there will be an option of an in-place upgrade from Skype for Business Server 2019.

Teams are not standing still, see coming features in the roadmap at
https://aka.ms/Teams_Roadmap