'Directions on Microsoft', an independent consultancy company, recently offered guidance into the Skype for Business transition into Microsoft Teams that was announced by the tech giant earlier this year.
The shift from Skype into Teams could mean some significant changes for businesses around the world, particularly if they're using the Skype for Business Server to power their data centres with on-premises installations. Jim Gaynor, a Vice President for research into enterprise infrastructure with Directions on Microsoft recently provided some insights for concerned customers on what the years ahead might hold.
Making the Transition into Teams
The first thing to note about Microsoft Teams is that there will be no on-premises version available for customers. This means that Microsoft Teams Office 365 capabilities will eventually diverge away from certain solutions that can only be offered on-premises.
By placing all of their focus on Teams integration, Microsoft will be using a newer infrastructure for video and voice, shared with the consumer version of Skype. The Microsoft Teams infrastructure will also expand to include new capabilities on par with those offered by Skype for Business Online. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve a complete feature parity before 2019, according to Gaynor.
However, Microsoft will continue to support the Skype for Business hybrid voice service, but features from that solution will be deferred in favour of a more simplistic PSTN connection model designed for Teams. The evidence suggests that the Skype for Business Online service will be around until about 2020.
What We Can Expect from the Years Ahead
According to the announcements given by Microsoft, current Skype for Business solutions should continue to work until at least the end of October in 2020. However, customers are encouraged to start re-thinking their Skype for Business solutions now and considering how they can make the move to Teams as smooth as possible. Ultimately, if you're thinking of starting any major projects for transition, then you should probably wait until Skype has moved into Teams if you want to avoid another new integration.
