Learn Skype Web API Day -2 : Server Prerequisites

As at the time of writing, the Skype Web SDK doesn’t impose any additional requirements on the server, over and above those required for UCWA. So, if you’re already accessing your Skype for Business environment using the Unified Communications Web API, you should find that you’ll be able to start using the Skype Web API straightaway (as long as you host your code on the same domain, see below).

For the rest of us, however, you’ll need to do the following steps before you can begin to use Microsoft’s latest API for Skype for Business:

Step 1 – Upgrade your Servers

You need to be running at least Lync Server 2013 CU 1 on all Front End, Edge & Director servers.

Step 2 – Bootstrap

You need to run the Bootstrapper on each of the aforementioned servers. To do this, run: %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Lync Server 2013\Deployment\Bootstrapper.exe on each server.

Step 3 – Set-CsWebServiceConfiguration

As a security measure you need to tell your Lync / Skype for Business servers which domains to trust connections from. You do this by running Set-CsWebServiceConfiguration.

First, run Get-CsWebServiceConfiguration to find the identities you have. If you only have one, make a note of it. If you have more than one, pick one and make a note of it.

To add a new domain for UCWA, create the domain using New-CsWebOrigin and then add it to the CrossDomainAuthorizationList:

$x = New-CsWebOrigin -Url “{https://thoughtstuff.co.uk}”
Set-CsWebServiceConfiguration -Identity “{YOUR_IDENTITY}” -CrossDomainAuthorizationList @{Add=$x}

This is the domain where your Skype for Business code will be running. In a pinch, or if you have a test environment, you can specify localhost as the domain and then host your code locally. However, this is a security risk for public-facing systems as it means anyone can access your server (as long as they host on localhost)

You have to add separate entries for http and https, and any specific port numbers (ie thoughtstuff.co.uk is different to thoughtstuff.co.uk:8080)

You need to do this on every FE, Edge and Director server. (the same list as steps 1 and 2)

Written by Tom Morgan

Tom is a Microsoft Teams Platform developer and Microsoft MVP who has been blogging for over a decade. Find out more.

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Related posts:

UCWA Prerequisites: Before You Start Upgrading Lync to Skype for Business in 5 Steps Skype for iPhone update 5.10 – Skype Call URIs are back! Skype for Business Server: System Hardware Requirements Lync Development APIs: What’s supported in Skype for Business?