Are You Ready for the Shutdown of Skype for Business?
In July 2019, Microsoft formally announced they’ll be shutting down Skype for Business as of 31 July 2021. After that date – which is now just around the corner – users will no longer be able to access the service and must migrate to Microsoft Teams instead.
While this will certainly present challenges for Australian organisations that have been relying on Skype for Business up until now, there’s no reason to panic. With more than three months remaining until the shutdown, you still have plenty of time to address the issue appropriately, before it becomes a problem. But to avoid complications or disruptions, it’s important to take action right away.
Here’s what you need to know about the shutdown of Skype for Business, as well as Engagis’s advice on how to remedy the situation.
Why is Microsoft making this change?
The purpose of this transition is to drive more organisations from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. Teams allows organisations to make calls, hold meetings, share files, and collaborate from one single place. It also offers a wider array of features than Skype for Business, including group chat to video call with a single click, secure access to files and documents in real-time, cloud voicemail, and call transfers.
Initially launched in 2017, Teams has now become the primary communication platform for Microsoft, making Skype for Business effectively redundant.
“We’ve worked closely with customers to refine Teams, and we now feel we’re at the point that we can confidently recommend it as an upgrade to all Skype for Business Online customers,” wrote James Skay, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Microsoft Teams in Microsoft’s announcement.
“Customers who have already made the move tell us that Teams has not only helped them improve collaboration generally, it has also provided a rare opportunity to rethink the way work gets done in their organisations.”
What your organisation needs to do about it
If you’re currently using Skype for Business, you’ll no longer be able to use the system for video calls or conferencing from your office or between offices starting 1 August 2021. To prevent any disruptions and to keep your organisation’s collaboration running smoothly, address the situation right away and make immediate plans to migrate to Microsoft Teams or another platform.
Whilst the exact framework for doing so will vary from company to company, the general process will look something like this.
Microsoft specifically recommends following seven key steps:
- Perform pre-upgrade activities like determining your organisation’s readiness for Teams
- Plan the transition by identifying key stakeholders and defining your project goals and timeline
- Prepare by optimising your networks for Teams and getting your IT staff ready
- Run a pilot where you test your plan and evaluate the results
- Deploy Teams where you run it alongside Skype for Business for a short period
- Make the final upgrade where you officially make the move to Teams
- Assess the success of the upgrade and refine until it’s fully optimised
This resource from Microsoft will walk you through these seven steps in greater detail, as well as point you to other helpful pages to streamline the process. They also have a dedicated resource for transitioning from Skype for Business to Teams that you may find useful.
How Engagis can help
Microsoft has given plenty of heads up about the move, and their transparency has certainly helped lessen the sting. That said, the situation still isn’t ideal. Many Australian companies are still finding the idea of transitioning to Teams overwhelming, especially those that have invested a great deal of time and money into Skype for Business.
If you need assistance making the transition, Engagis can help you every step of the way to ensure a smooth migration of your technology or hardware to Teams. We know the ins and outs of this platform and can work with you to deploy the optimal solutions in order for you to comfortably meet Microsoft’s 31 July 2021 deadline.
Our support doesn’t stop with the initial migration. Engagis offers end-to-end service to not only ensure Teams is properly installed but stays continuously running. Our AV services, for example, ensure you get the absolute most from your video conferencing setup, improving the productivity and overall experience of your team members, regardless of their location.
To learn more about how we can help and get expert assistance on how to make the migration from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams, contact Engagis today.
