Last updated: 24.10.2012

When deploying Lync Server 2010 you will most likely come across a lot of strange behaviour and stuff that don’t work as expected due to configuration errors or environmental issues. I will in this post try to collect the solutions and articles I find and update along the way, to have troubleshooting tips in one place. Please let me know if any good blog posts or articles that solve some specific problems is not listed here.

General Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Lync may be a daunting task since there is a lot of elements that is involved in a deployment. Over the years troubleshooting OCS and Lync I have found a routine for eliminating problems. If you have deployed Lync Server and there is connectivity issues or some features not working I usually go about it in the following order:

• Remember to run the Lync Control Panel, Lync Server Management Shell, BPA and other tools by right clicking and choose “Run as administrator”
• Check that services are running
  • Use PS command: Get-CsWindowsService -ExcludeActivityLevel | ft Name, Status
• Start any stopped services
  • Use PS onliner:  Get-CsWindowsService -ExcludeActivityLevel | where {$_.Status -like "Stopped"} | Start-CsWindowsService
• Check CMS replication
  • Use PS command: Get-CsManagementStoreReplicationStatus
• Check Event Viewer on Server and Client if there are any errors
• Open the Topology Builder, check for misconfiguration
• Check that ports are open and listening using the PortQueryUI tool
  • Download it here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310099
  • Use netstat: netstat -an | find /i “5060”
• Install the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Resource Kit Tools, if its not already installed
  • Download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=80cc5ce7-970d-4fd2-8731-d5d7d0829266&displaylang=en
• Run the TopologyValidator from the Resource Kit
  • Using the Lync Topology Validator: http://www.confusedamused.com/notebook/using-the-lync-topology-validator/
• Install and run Lync Server 2010, Best Practices Analyzer
  • Download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=030548df-0dc7-4f86-b8a9-2f5ec8de8ba5&displaylang=en
• Break out Lync Logging tool and analyze traffic with Snooper from the Resource Kit
  • Lync Logging Tool: http://www.ultimate-communications.com/2010/11/how-to-troubleshoot-lync-using-lync-server-logging-tool-snooper-v4/
  • Snooper: http://blogs.technet.com/b/drrez/archive/2011/01/17/microsoft-lync-server-2010-resource-kit-tool-snooper.aspx
  • More on Snooper: http://howdouc.blogspot.com/2012/02/lync-snooper-more-than-just-log.html
• Analyze protocol traffic with Network Monitor or Wireshark
  • Network Monitor: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=983b941d-06cb-4658-b7f6-3088333d062f&displaylang=en
  • Wireshark: http://www.wireshark.org/
  • Wireshark Capture Tips: http://blog.schertz.name/2011/10/wireshark-capture-tips/
• Stress test the solution to see if load is the issue, download and install Lync Server 2010, Stress and Performance Tool
  • Download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=94b5f191-6d80-4dec-94c2-fca57995f8b7&displaylang=en

If you have any tips of commands or tools not listed here, please let me know

Deployment Troubleshooting

• Lync Server 2010 Setup or Remove Lync Components Fails on Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/03/15/lync-server-2010-setup-or-remove-lync-components-fails-on-windows-server-2008-r2-sp1.aspx
• Error 0×80070020 when you try to run Setup Lync Server Components: https://msunified.net/2010/12/15/error-0x80070020-when-you-try-to-run-setup-lync-server-components/
• Dedicated Lync Server 2010 Mediation Server with two NIC’s: https://msunified.net/2011/02/22/dedicated-lync-server-2010-mediation-server-with-two-nics/
• Message Queuing Issues on Microsoft Lync Server 2010: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/05/03/troubleshooting-microsoft-message-queuing-issues-on-microsoft-lync-server-2010.aspx
• Error Deploying Lync 2010 Monitoring Reports: http://waveformation.com/2011/03/31/error-deploying-lync-2010-monitoring-reports/
• Troubleshooting Lync Edge, XMPP Gateway, and TLS Negotiation Errors: http://blogs.pointbridge.com/Blogs/Crockett_keenan/Pages/Post.aspx?_ID=7
• Useful Tips for Testing Your Lync Server 2010 Edge Server: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/12/07/useful-tips-for-testing-your-lync-edge-server.aspx
  • NOTE: If audio/video immediately gets disconnected when joining conferences, check your Edge certificates and ports with this nifty command, run it from a Front End
  • C:\Program Files\Microsoft Lync Server 2010\Reskit\msturnping -serverrole audiovideoedgeserver

Client Troubleshooting

• How to check SRV records for OCS/Lync and Exchange: https://msunified.net/2010/08/09/how-to-check-srv-records-for-ocs-and-exchange/
• Lync cannot verify that the server is trusted for your sign-in address: http://blogs.technet.com/b/jenstr/archive/2011/02/10/lync-cannot-verify-that-the-server-is-trusted-for-your-sign-in-address.aspx
• Troubleshooting Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Clients: Help Desk Resource: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=4222e61c-c199-47e0-b649-495b12d0b5e7&displaylang=en
• TechNet Article Troubleshooting Clients: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg195811.aspx
• TechNet Article Troubleshooting Devices: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg425952.aspx
• Troubleshooting Connectivity for Mac clients: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2010/12/13/troubleshooting-connectivity-for-messenger-for-mac-7-0-2-and-communicator-for-mac-2011-with-communications-server-2007-r2-and-lync-server-2010.aspx
• Lync 2010 stopped joining Online Meetings: http://trogjels.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/lync-stopped-joining-online-meetings/

Control Panel Troubleshooting:

• TechNet Article Troubleshooting Lync Server 2010 Control Panel: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg195689.aspx
• “Insufficient access rights to perform the operation” when attempting a move user or enable user command: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2466000#appliesto
• Lync Control Panel Fails When Moving Legacy Users: http://blogs.pointbridge.com/Blogs/Crockett_keenan/Pages/Post.aspx?_ID=4

Post Deployment

• Stale OCS objects showing up in Lync BPA: https://msunified.net/2011/04/13/stale-ocs-objects-showing-up-in-lync-bpa/
• Lync Server Front End: Lost connection to the Web Conferencing Edge Server: https://msunified.net/2011/02/09/lync-server-front-end-lost-connection-to-the-web-conferencing-edge-server/
• Troubleshooting Archiving Server: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/05/09/troubleshooting-archiving-server.aspx
• Understanding and Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server Integration White Paper: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/05/11/understanding-and-troubleshooting-microsoft-exchange-server-integration-white-paper.aspx
• Logging on a Lync Enterprise Pool – Federation Troubleshooting: http://ocsguy.com/2011/07/11/logging-on-a-lync-enterprise-pool/

Also se the Lync Resource Kit Book chapter about Troubleshooting Basics: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=8c64a1e1-f0b3-479c-a265-e480875c61d8&displaylang=en