Lync and Mavericks Integration

[Jpcorzo]

I know this might not be the best place to find a solution to this but I wanted to see if any of you had experienced the same problem.

Lync 14.0.x is not creating/updating the GALContacts.db file so existing users won't update the address book automatically or new user won't even get an address book. Have any of you dealt with this yet? we have a case open with MSFT but haven't heard anything yet.

[ernstcs]

I haven't done a clean install of Lync into Mavericks at this point, just upgrades to Mavericks from 10.8. Both my GalContacts.db and GalContacts.db.idx have been updating fine, did so this morning infact. Lync 14.0.6 and Lync 2013 Server. So not much help, but info about one that is working at least. Haven't moved up many systems to Mavericks yet.

[Serge]

I've seen this issue here in our environment and we resolved it by specifying a specific AD controller for Outlook to talk to. It's not a primary controller, and it's not the one we bind our Macs to, rather it's one configured specifically to do just AD lookups for other apps. Usually, once a user connects for the first time and it's properly configured, it takes about an hour for the GAL to download to the client.

[seabash]

This Lync 2011 behavior is not exclusive to Mavericks or Lync 2013 Server—we have this GAL-creation issue on Mt Lion and running Lync 2010 Server. We're still using Lync 2011 v14.0.4 in production, since v14.0.5 broke AD-auth and v14.0.6 tends to lock-out AD accounts.

Anyone have a more detail on the specific events that trigger creation of GALContacts.db and GALContacts.db.idx files? I've sifted thru pages and pages of Lync log files, but don't see a "smoking gun".

I've confirmed that copying said files to other Macs (correcting user permissions, of course) allows users to immediately lookup names in Lync. I realize this is a stop-gap until the files are eventually updated. Seems like Lync eventually builds this these cache files—after a number of days pass.

P.S. Sorry to add to this Microsoft-specific issue on JAMFnation

[scottb]

What about removing Lync and the "~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Microsoft Lync Data/ folder (backup somewhere) and the ~/Library/Preferences/com.microsoft.Lync.plist?
Install it again and configure. Seems it should rebuild the account.

[seabash]

Install it again and configure. Seems it should rebuild the account.

The issue I'm talking about occurs on freshly-imaged Macs with first-launch Lync 2011 users: they cannot perform GAL contact lookups until some inordinate amount of time has passed (days, weeks or longer).

I'll report on how my kludge works; packaging-up GALContacts.db and GALContacts.db.idx, which reside here...
/Users/johndoe/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Microsoft Lync Data/sip_john.doe@mycompany.com

[scottb]

Is there any way your images have any MS cache/plists in them?
What if you just take a Mac out of the box, don't image it, and then install/config Lync? Does that work?
I've not seen this issue with either Outlook or Lync (yet).
The files are rather large here "(~/Docs/MUD/Microsoft Lync Data" is 463MB on mine as an example once downloaded).

I'm sure you've already done so, but:
Quit Outlook 2011, if Open. This is supposed to rebuild those files you need.
Navigate to ~/Library/Caches/Outlook/Main Identity/# (the "#" is a number, depending on how many identities you have created)
Move the # folder to the trash
Restart Outlook and let the new data download.
Also, quit Lync, remove:
~/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.Lync/

[bentoms]

I had this issue when using Kerberos, can you try username & password?

[Jpcorzo]

We've tried both methods and still no luck. Based on the SR we have with MSFT, they don't support Mavericks yet and are aware of the issues and trying to release an update soon.

[scottb]

Well, it's not inherently incompatible as we have a lot of test Macs running Office 14.3.8 and Lync 14.0.6 with Mavericks successfully. There are a lot of variables of course so it could be in another area of your company setup. Hopefully you get it sorted soon.

[Jpcorzo]

@boettchs does your Lync setup creates a working ContactsGAL.db file on a fresh image with Mavericks ?

[Laubach]

I can confirm the above issues with Lync 2011. If the user had Lync running on Mountain Lion and then upgraded to Mavericks the GAL files are present but will no longer update. If you perform a fresh install of Mavericks and a fresh install of Lync 2011 14.0.6 on a machine the GalContacts.db & GalContacts.db.idx will not create leaving you with no address book.

I can confirm this issue has resided in all the Developer releases of Mavericks and the official release. I have opened a ticket with Microsoft for them to look at it. I believe they will need to rework their client to resolve this issue.

[mm2270]

^ Ditto for us here with Lync 2011. Same exact situation. The GALContacts.db doesn't get pulled down with a fresh install and setup, or doesn't get updated with an existing install, once the Mac is running Mavericks.

[nessts]

I am missing something here.
I dont have a GALContacts.db, yet I can look up people I have never chatted before, what is the GALContacts.db needed for?

[mm2270]

The file is used for lookups, so if you're not sure of a person's email address, typing part of their name in the search field pulls up results you can scan through. If you know someone's email address i think it allows you to chat with them anyway, just by typing in that address. Its more if you need to search. In a huge organization, not being able to search would be a problem

[scottb]

OK, so I went and imaged a Mac clean with 10.8.5. Configured Lync and it created the files instantly.
Blew away the whole folder on a 10.9 Mac (~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Microsoft Lync Data/) and relaunched Lync (14.0.6). All but those two files were created.

I reckon I updated this (10.9) Mac and that's why those files remained and worked.
So it does appear that a clean install of 10.9/Lync fails to create the needed .db and .db.idx files.
My bad for not catching this Mac was upgraded.

[nessts]

I have never chatted with my CEO and i type the first 4 characters of her last name in, and it pulls up all the people that have those letters in their last name including her. Maybe the db is just for offline use in outlook, and Lync has little use for a db as its probably doing some sort of live lookup in the tool these days.

[mm2270]

Well, since my Mac is connected to the network at the time I do any tests, if it was true its only using it for offline purposes, why would search fail for me, and presumably others here? I don't think the db is just for offline use. I think it uses it first and foremost for lookups and periodically copies a new version down from the servers to keep everything synced.
I can't explain why you're able to search for someone without that file, but if that isn't there for us, search fails, unless I put the entire email address in. Can't explain the difference. Maybe its related to how your org has the Lync server set up.

[nessts]

ok, so i found the DB with GalContacts.db, and Find is pretty literal in the case sensitivity. and mine is old from september 17 so i would assume its not updating too. Sorry i now understand where you are coming from.

[scottb]

Do those with no db files showing have an entry in their Outlook: Outlook/Prefs/Accounts/Advanced/Server field? I just noticed this was not populated on the current Mac I'm using. I'm going to test this now on another Mac on a client site where this is populated. See if that makes a difference.

[bentoms]

Are you authenticating via Kerberos or Username & password?

Ours fails to update on any Mac OS if via Kerberos (despite kerberizing the IIS on the Lync server).

For us, contacts wouldn't update & we couldn't see people's pictures.

[Jpcorzo]

I've tried both authentication methods but have not been able to get the results i want with the ContactsGAL.db . It is a very annoying issue and from what i've heard in our telephony/Lync team, MSFT has not provided a possible coming resolution -_- !

[Laubach]

This is a known issue with the Lync 2011 client and OSX 10.9. Microsoft is working on a 14.0.7 patch to address this. Everyone will need to wait until Microsoft releases the update to the client to fix the issue.

[perrycj]

@Laubach Did you get confirmation from Microsoft that 14.0.7 is definitely being worked on/released? Just wondering because we are experiencing the same issue with Mavericks and Lync.

[AlgirdasR]

Until the update arrives, there is a workaround.

There are three types of policies for reading address book:
1. WebSearchOnly (when cache is not built locally on client)
2. FileDownloadOnly (when cache is built on client - in this case something in Mavericks prevents Lync to do it)
3. WebSearchAndFileDownload (if client does not support caching, e.g. mobile app, it will be using websearch in other way - filedownload)

In our case it was the 3rd one in our settings and it was not possible to find contacts, unless we used full email address. Setting this policy to 1st fixed the issue.

You can set this policy with this command:
Set-CsClientPolicy -Identity Global -AddressBookAvailability WebSearchOnly

If you are creating a new policy, you also need to run grant command. More information about commands: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg398300(v=ocs.14).aspx

After this is done, client needs to quit Lync and launch it again - it works instantly.

[nkalister]

14.0.7 is out today. I'm seeing one new bug- lync crashes every time I connect a mac to a thunderbolt display, both on 10.9 and 10.8.5. Anyone else seeing that?

[scottb]

So far, no joy in getting GAL info to populate. Lots of stuff did update in ~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/Microsoft Lync Data but I don't get any contact info in the Find field that's not in my Contacts yet...

Lots of fixes listed, but I don't see this one mentioned?

The update fixes the following issues:

2909665 Lync for Mac 2011 crashes in a conference call when an attendee drops out
2909671 Additional Lync for Mac 2011 icon is created in the Dock when you upgrade Lync for Mac 2011
2909681 Crash when you disconnect from a conference call by using Lync for Mac 2011
2913447 An update is available for Lync for Mac 2011 to implement missing QoE data
2913463 Initial instant message isn’t stored when a user doesn’t click "Accept" to accept the message in Lync for Mac 2011
2913465 Error message when you make a video call by using Lync for Mac 2011 in a MacBook Air laptop
2913468 Can’t use the DTMF functions in the dial pad during a call in Lync for Mac 2011
2913469 Can’t sign in to Lync for Mac 2011 by using an Office 365 account when the password has more than 16 characters
2913470 Your display name is displayed as a SIP address when you sign in to Lync for Mac 2011
2913477 Delay occurs when you sign in to a Lync for Mac 2011 client that is moved from a corporate network to an external network
2913479 Instant message window closes when Lync for Mac 2011 disconnects from the network

[mm2270]

Same here. Pretty pissed off at Microsoft right now. Mavericks has been out for a month and a half now and was in developer previews for months before the release. And they come out with an update that STILL doesn't address a pretty major issue with the product? Are they asleep at the wheel? I guess the one developer they have working on Lync must have gotten burned out just figuring out how to make the product recognize the built-in iSight cams in the 2013 models.

Sheesh! This really puts a damper on our Mavericks rollout. I would even argue that no ability to do lookups is more of an issue than the camera deal. How many people do video conferencing as opposed to simply locating someone and chatting with them?

[scottb]

What seems more pathetic is that they can't piggy back on the Outlook GAL info? Outlook is working fine. I'm testing on a newly imaged 10.9.x Mac and nothing was held over to screw things up either. Well at least they fixed the duplicate Dock icon bug, whew! :)

[nkalister]

there seem to have been some changes in camera support, too. the old version wouldn't use the internal camera in any haswell-based macs. the 14.0.7 update seems to have fixed that for the haswell airs, but I'm still having issues with my haswell 15" retina. internal camera works with the lync client, but not the lync web plugin. still getting the 'could not start your video' error from the plugin.

[mm2270]

@nkalister I didn't even test the web plugin yet, so thanks for mentioning that. I'll need to take a look.

[nkalister]

definitely could use some confirmation on that one mm2270, let me know what you find. also would like confirmation on the thunderbolt display crash, if anyone has the equipment at hand to test. I'd like to open cases on both items with MS today if I can.

[bentoms]

@mm2270, wait.. What's that about iSights?

We're just globally rolling out Lync video.. That & the GAL issue would me no Mavericks & no new macs for us.

Yes it's that big of a deal.

[mm2270]

Since the Mid 2013 MacBook Airs, and then the Late 2013 MacBook Pro were released, the built in webcam wasn't being recognized in most apps that tried to use it. That included, but not limited to, Lync and Jabber Video. Cisco Jabber Video was updated some weeks ago with an update to address that, and the just released 14.0.7 update for Lync also fixed that. What @nkalister][/url is reporting though is that, while it works in the client, it doesn't seem to be working via the web plug-in, at least not with the Late 2013 MBP.

The GALContacts.db issue unfortunately still isn't addressed, which means anyone setting up Lync fresh will not have a locally synced GAL file to use for lookups. If you know someone's full proper email address, you can type it in and locate them., but if you only have a name, no luck in looking them up, This doesn't apply to anyone who you have pinned already to your contacts list. This also only happens on Mavericks. On Mountain Lion it syncs down fine.

This latter issue is a big problem for us as we're also in the middle of a Lync pilot, getting ready for global rollout very soon, and also almost ready to update our imaging workflow to support Mavericks. We're going to need to figure out some workaround or else hold off on Mavericks and new Macs, which is going to be pretty tough to do.

[nkalister]

the workaround for the GAL that AlgirdasR posted is working for us on 10.9.

[seabash]

AlgirdasR wrote:

Until the update arrives, there is a workaround.

There are three types of policies for reading address book:
1. WebSearchOnly (when cache is not built locally on client)

I also saw AlgirdasR post about this on TechNet, thanks for sharing!
Policy 3 must be the default, because that's what we had in our environment (with no customization). As you said, changing to policy 1 immediately fixed this for our test Mavericks users so far. Our Lync administrators will address this on a per-user basis.

Haven't tested Lync v14.0.7 yet with (default) policy 3, but will report back next week.

Anyone who's using policy 1 noticed a performance hit—on client searches or Lync Server?
I'm assuming the cache option is to minimize server load for GAL lookups.

[bentoms]

@seabash.. I'd be interested on that too.

Also, we I guess online only has some issues when offline? Have you seen any difference.

FWIW, we've changed all our clients to use username & password as using Kerberos wasn't downloading the GALContacts.db file.

[seabash]

No dice w/ Lync v14.0.7 and GAL read profile of "3. WebSearchAndFileDownload" on OS X 10.9 (13A603).
Profile 3 is our default for Lync Server user accounts. Still no clue about GAL search performance, since Lync admins have only tested for one user.

@bentoms][/url][/url
We also found that Kerberos auth prevented GAL from caching (pre-OS X 10.9 Macs), and have deferred to un & pw.

Man! Lync has a sordid history w/ Kerberos-integration; 14.0.5 broke Kerberos outright (creating an auth loop); 14.0.6 claimed to fix Kerberos, but required removal of user data, e.g. sip_username, etc, to avoid account lock-outs. We'll see which bugs 14.0.7 fixes and which it introduces.

[seabash]

Microsoft Premier support acknowledged this as a bug, confirmed the work-around by @AlgirdasR][/url][/url][/url (and others) and said the fix will come w/ 14.0.8 (ETA is "March").

We currently have no Lync test environment, but I'll report our performance findings once we start flipping Lync client policy to WebSearchOnly.

[mm2270]

Someone here got pretty much the exact same information from our MS support rep. They must have set an official roadmap to get this addressed so they're getting the word out.
Kind of sucks that the real fix won't be until March. I guess we'll need to do the server side changes for now.Better than nothing I suppose.