Microsoft Lync Integration

Last modified on 2022/11/08 13:22
Contents

About this integration

IntegrationIntroduction

You can integrate third-party systems with Service Manager in many ways. The method you select will depend on business requirements, architectural and security constraints as well as the characteristics specific to each third-party application or service.

This document describes an integration process that has already been implemented in a customer context. 

To find out more about this integration (e.g. scripts to be used), please do not hesitate to contact your EasyVista contact, or your service provider and integrator.

Integration Summary

This integration enables Service Desk technicians or users in a Microsoft Lync chat to access the quick call screen of an incident in Service Manager for one of the contacts in the Lync conversation window. The quick call will automatically be pre-loaded with information belonging to the Lync contact. 

There are two integration methods possible and they are described in the step-by-step integration process.
 

Integration Data Feed (direction) Authentication Type Integration Connector Options

Logo - EV Service Manager.png

Up arrow.png

Logo Icon - Lync.png
  • SaaS Service Manager: SSO (SAML)
  • On-premise Service Manager: SSO and authentication/authorization function

Method 1:

  • Configure Lync by adding an EasyVista Quick Call command to the contextual menu. To do this, you add a key to the Windows registry on the Microsoft Lync server.
  • Send a HTTP request to the quick call screen via a Back Office Web page (script) and a specific Service Manager Web page (SaaS-based).

Method 2:

  • Configure Lync by adding an EasyVista Quick Call command to the contextual menu. To do this, you add a key to the Windows registry on the Microsoft Lync server.
  • Send a HTTP request to the quick call screen via a Back Office Web page (script) and an auto connection link to Service Manager (SaaS-based or on-premise version 2016).
Method 1 available versions (Back office web page (script) / Specific Service Manager web page)
SaaS On Premise
Service Manager Check icon.png Not check icon.png
Method 2 available versions (Back office web page (script) / Auto connection link)
SaaS On Premise
Service Manager Check icon.png N/A
Third-party product Check icon.png Check icon.png

Notes

  • Versions supported by third-party products: Lync 2010 ; Lync 2013

Step-by-step integration process

Method 1: Specific Web page, in SaaS version only

Description of the process:

  • To perform the integration, you add a specific command to a contextual menu in the Lync conversation window by modifying the Windows registry on the Microsoft Lync server.
  • The command sends a HTTP request to a Back Office PHP Web page by passing the contactId parameter whose value is identical to the URI SIP (or SIP-ID) parameter of the relevant Lync contact.
    The URI SIP parameter used is %contact-id% and its value is Contacts=<sip:surname.name@domain.com>.
  • The Back Office Web page (script) changes the initial parameter value and keeps only the email address (e.g. firstname.lastname@domain.com based on your configuration). It checks if the email address in the contactId parameter exists in the Active Directory via the ADUserclass.
    • If the email address exists, the page is redirected to a specific PHP Web page, sso_samlindexlync.php, that will open the quick call screen in Service Manager (SaaS-based). The value of the url_requestor parameter is the email address (USERID required by Service Manager) of the previously selected Lync contact. The screen will automatically be pre-loaded with information belonging to the Lync contact.
    • If the email address does not exist, the page will be redirected to the Service Manager login page, sso_samlindex.php.
       

Using this method, you can integrate Lync in Service Manager in four easy steps:


Step 1: Check the list of requirements.

    Note: 

For SaaS-based Service Manager, EasyVista can provide and configure two specific PHP Web pages for SSO authentication to help you integrate Microsoft Lync. You should submit your request to the Support team.

  • For your production environment: https://companyname.easyvista.com/sso_samlindexlync.php?do_quickcall=1&url_requestor=USERID
  • For your sandbox environment: https://companyname.easyvista.com/sso_samlindexlyncsbox.php?do_quickcall=1&url_requestor=USERID

The other information described in the integration process, such as the registry key and Back Office PHP Web page, should be taken as an illustration and, as it does not come from Service Manager Support, may not correspond to your specific requirements. Depending on your business requirements, you can use other methods or development languages to produce similar or different results.

The important point is to pass the email address of a user identified in your Service Manager employee directory (e.g. firstname.lastname@domain.com based on your configuration) as the value of the url_requestor parameter in the PHP pages indicated below. This value will be the unique ID between Microsoft Active Directory and the Lync server and your Service Manager environment (USERID).

 

List of requirements:

  • Your Active Directory must be correctly synchronized with the SaaS-based Service Manager employee directory.
  • You must have the relevant rights and privileges for adding a key to the Windows registry on the Microsoft Lync server.
  • The SSO mechanism must be enabled on your SaaS-based Service Manager platform.
  • The profile of Service Desk technicians running the contextual menu command in the Lync conversation window must authorize them to use the Service Manager quick call screen for incidents.
     


Step 2: Create a Back Office PHP Web page.

This step consists of converting the ID (URI SIP parameter) of the Lync contact (associated with the enabled contextual menu command) into a unique ID in your Service Manager environment using the two specific URLs mentioned in step 1.

Example documentation icon EN.png  You can use a Web page and the PHP code below to run integration tests in your Service Manager sandbox environment:
    http://sysweb/easyvista/ssolyncsbox.php?contactId=%contact-id%

$url1 = "https://companyname.easyvista.com/sso_samlindexlyncsbox.php?do_quickcall=1&url_requestor=";
$url2 = "https://companyname.easyvista.com/sso_samlindexsbox.php";

if (!empty($_GET["contactId"])) {
    $contactid = $_GET["contactId"];
    $contactid = str_replace("Contacts=<", "", $contactid);
    $contactid = str_replace(">", "", $contactid);
    $aduser = new ADUser();
    $aduser->loadFromSIP($contactid);
    if ($aduser->valid) {
        $url1.=$aduser->userid;
        header("Location: " . $url1);
        exit;
    }
}
header("Location: " . $url2);

 


Step 3: Add a key to the Windows registry on the Lync server.

    Open url.png See the Microsoft TechNet article: Adding Commands to Lync 2010 Menus
    Open url.png See the Microsoft TechNet article: Adding commands to Lync menus in Lync Server 2013
    Open url.png See the Microsoft MSDN article: Add custom commands to Lync menus

1. In the registry, double-click to add a new key.
2. Enter the value of the key and save the registry.
3. Restart the Lync server.

Example documentation icon EN.png   You add a key to run the Service Manager quick call screen using a command called EasyVista Quick Call Sandbox from the contextual menu of the Lync conversation window.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\YourServerConfigurationParameters\Microsoft\Communicator\SessionManager\Apps]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\YourServerConfigurationParameters\Microsoft\Communicator\SessionManager\Apps]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Communicator\SessionManager\Apps\{e865bf6c-a2ab-4187-aed5-c04ecd394385}]
"Name"="EasyVista QuickCall Sandbox"
"Path"="YourBackOfficeWebPageURL"
"ApplicationType"=dword:00000001
"SessionType"=dword:00000000
"ExtensibleMenuAll"="MainWindowRightClick;ConversationWindowActions;ConversationWindowRightClick;ContactCardMenu"
"ExtensibleMenu"="MainWindowRightClick;ConversationWindowRightClick;ContactCardMenu"

    Note:

  • You can replace the value of the Name parameter as required.
  • You can add a second key to display another entry point for creating an incident in another Service Manager database, e.g. 50004.

 


Step 4: Run the command in the Lync client.

1. In the Lync conversation window, right-click the name of the Lync contact for whom you want to create an incident and select the menu command configured in step 3.

         Example documentation icon EN.png  EasyVista Quick Call Sandbox
         Contextual option example.png

2. The Service Manager quick call screen for incidents will open displaying the pre-loaded information of the Lync contact.
         Quick Call.png

Description of the process:

  • To perform the integration, you add a specific command to a contextual menu in the Lync conversation window by modifying the Windows registry.
  • The command sends a HTTP request to the Service Manager Web server via an auto connection link by passing the contactId parameter whose value is identical to the URI SIP (or SIP-ID) parameter of the relevant Lync contact.
    The URI SIP parameter used is %contact-id% and its value is Contacts=<sip:surname.name@domain.com> (e.g. firstname.lastname@domain.com based on your configuration).
  • The quick call screen for incidents will open displaying the pre-loaded information of the Lync contact.

Note: The auto connection link uses a unique ID between Microsoft Active Directory and the Lync server and your Service Manager environment (USERID). We recommend that you use the Lync contact email address.
To do this, you should define a Back Office Web page (script) using your preferred language (PHP, etc.) to keep the email address only in the URI SIP parameter.

Using this method, you can integrate Lync in Service Manager in five easy steps:


Step 1: Check the list of requirements.

  • Your Active Directory must be correctly synchronized with the SaaS-based Service Manager employee directory.
  • You must have the relevant rights and privileges for adding a key to the Windows registry on the Microsoft Lync server.
  • The profile of Service Desk technicians running the contextual menu command in the Lync conversation window must authorize them to use the Service Manager quick call screen for incidents.
     


Step 2: Create an auto connection link in Service Manager.

    Open url.png To find out more, see the auto connection link.

1. In Service Manager, select Administration > Access Management > Auto Connection Link in the menu. 

2. Enter the information as shown below.
         Auto Connect Link.png

3. Click [ GENERATE LINK ].

4. Copy and paste the link in the URL field.
 


Step 3: Create a Back Office PHP Web page.

In this step, you will define a Back Office Web page using your preferred language (PHP, etc.) to keep the email address only in the URI SIP parameter.

In the next step where you add a key to the Windows registry, this will enable a redirection to this page in order to define the following type of URL: https://companyname.easyvista.com/autoconnect_mail.php?field1=5C0F051E580F056F19&field2=&field4=%7B90D54E77-40A5-4F0F-8029-5A7A05F5814D%7D&field5=ViewDialog&field6=contactId. 

  • The value of the contactId parameter is the email address in the URI SIP parameter corresponding to the Lync contact associated with the enabled contextual menu command.
     


Step 4: Add a key to the Windows registry on the Lync server.

    Open url.png See the Microsoft TechNet article: Adding Commands to Lync 2010 Menus
    Open url.png See the Microsoft TechNet article: Adding commands to Lync menus in Lync Server 2013
    Open url.png See the Microsoft MSDN article: Add custom commands to Lync menus

1. In the registry, double-click to add a new key.
2. Enter the value of the key and save the registry.
3. Restart the Lync server.

Example documentation icon EN.png   You add a key to run the Service Manager quick call screen using a command called EasyVista Quick Call Sandbox from the contextual menu of the Lync conversation window.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\YourServerConfigurationParameters\Microsoft\Communicator\SessionManager\Apps]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\YourServerConfigurationParameters\Microsoft\Communicator\SessionManager\Apps]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\YourServerConfigurationParameters\Microsoft\Communicator\SessionManager\Apps\{YourServerConfigurationParameters}]
"Name"="EasyVista QuickCall Sandbox"
"Path"="YourBackOfficeWebPageURL"

"ApplicationType"=dword:00000001
"SessionType"=dword:00000000
"ExtensibleMenuAll"="MainWindowRightClick;ConversationWindowActions;ConversationWindowRightClick;ContactCardMenu"
"ExtensibleMenu"="MainWindowRightClick;ConversationWindowRightClick;ContactCardMenu"

    Note:

  • The value of the Path parameter corresponds to the auto connection link URL obtained in step 2 when you replaced the value of field6 (e.g. morley) with %contact-id%, i.e. the email address of the relevant Lync contact.
    Notes: The structure and codes indicated in the auto connection link will always remain identical in your Service Manager environment. Only the value of field6 will differ. However, the codes indicated may vary from one Service Manager environment to another.
  • You can replace the value of the Name parameter as required.
  • You can add a second key to display another entry point for creating an incident in another Service Manager database, e.g. 50004.

 


Step 5: Run the command in the Lync client.

1. In the Lync conversation window, right-click the name of the Lync contact for whom you want to create an incident and select the menu command configured in step 3.

         Example documentation icon EN.png  EasyVista Quick Call Sandbox
         Contextual option example.png

2. The Service Manager quick call screen for incidents will open displaying the pre-loaded information of the Lync contact.
         Quick Call.png

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