Cloud Connector Edition Coexistence alongside On-Premises not on roadmap

Update 11/10/2017: We heard at Microsoft Ignite that making CCE work alongside SfB Server in the same customer/topology is no longer on the roadmap for CCE. Instead, if you have SfB Server and wanted CCE alongside it, Microsft is recommending instead a small deployment of SfB Server in the OPCH model or AudioCodes CloudBond which is essentially a single “CCE like” appliance but it runs full server so can run OPCH. Sonus’ CCE can also run Server on the appliance blade in “OPCH model” but they don’t have a SKU to buy it/have it officially supported by them in this model. Note all these models run full SfBS server in the “appliance”. Here is the official announcement from Paul Cannon 

Paul Cannon’s announcement: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftechcommunity.microsoft.com%2Ft5%2FSkype-for-Business-Blog%2FNew-CCE-version-due-later-in-November%2Fba-p%2F123336&data=01%7C01%7Ctom.arbuthnot%40modalitysystems.com%7C86a6b7adb7ab4436f5ba08d52861f879%7C9282106133c64b3fa78cc07ede52aa58%7C1&sdata=UDTkJQB%2BNsCGZ5xScufixs4tcbuoGOaFR9nHKfEp6hI%3D&reserved=0

Great news that CCE 2.0 is out. For those who missed it; in the really good Skype Broadcast from Oliver Chiu and @Bill Verthein, as well as going over new 2.0 features, Bill gave some details of this upcoming feature.

Many customers have SfBS deployed, possibly already in Hybrid but also want to deploy CCE, today that is blocked; you must be either SFBO and CCE or SfBO and SfBS hybrid. Why would you want both? Some examples:

• Customer has an existing SfBS, Lync2013S or Lync2010S deployment (with or without EV) and wants to move to SfBO/Cloud PBX without making further investments in server infrastructure
• A global customer has SfBS in some regions/countries, but now another country wants to deploy Cloud PBX with CCE and is blocked
• A customer has a small feature requirement for SfBS that isn’t available on SfBO today (server-side call recording for example) but would like to deploy the lighter weight CCE everywhere else

Coexistence is now due in CCE “2.1” (Bill used “2.1” to represent the “next version”). It requires some updates in the SfBO service and SfBS (specifically the Federation edge) hence it’s taking a little longer. As always, information and dates given at the development stage are subject to change.

• Coexistence will require the next version of CCE, “2.1” due “US Fall” which is October, November, December, or CY2017 Q4
• It will be supported for SfBS Hybrid
• It will be supported for Lync2013S Hybrid, but like OPCH you will require at least one SfBS pool and Federation Edge. So if you’re a Lync 2013 Install holding out for CCE get deploying at least one SfBS pool now
• Coexistence will Require Cumulative Update 6 (CU6) on SfBS (not yet released)
• Lync 2010 or OCS 2007 R2 will unsurprisingly not be supported, so if you are on these and want to move to CCE you’ll need to look at other upgrade and or migration options
• Private TAP (Technology Adoption Program, similar to “preview”) is due to start in August 2017

I wrote a blog post with a bit more detail here for those interested:

http://tomtalks.uk/2017/07/cloud-connector-edition-2-1-coexistence-premises-hybrid-due-2017-quarter-4-requires-sfbs-cu6/