Lots of news coming out of Microsoft Ignite this week. Thanks to Tobie Fysh my colleague at Modality for this one. Obviously, there is loads of Microsoft Teams news (I have a big backlog of blogs coming), as that is Microsoft’s focus, but there was some Skype for Business news.
In the session On Skype for Business? Design your path to Microsoft Teams (23 minutes in), Microsoft confirmed another version of Skype for Business Server beyond 2019. Microsoft uses “vNext” as a placeholder until they know the version, but assuming it follows the same naming as all other versions it will be Skype for Business Server 2022. To be available second half of 2021.
Interestingly they also announced it will be available on a subscription model (and *only* be a subscription model). The subscription model will also apply to Exchange Server and SharePoint Server vNext.
Tony Redmond has more on the subscription model for the new server versions over at Petri.
It will be a direct side by side upgrade from Lync 2013 or SfB 2015 or have the option of an in-place upgrade from SfB 2019. For some reason the in place upgrade will be supported for ‘about 2 years”.
Skype for Business Server 2019 mainstream support ends 09/01/2024, with extended support until 14/10/2025.
Stay tuned to the blog for more news on Skype for Business Server vNext as I have it.
Sourced from: TomTalks Blog. View the original article here.
