OCS 2007 Client Version Filtering

It is well known that OCS Front-End servers have the ability to allow or block certain clients (and specific versions) from connecting. There are few areas when actually implementing client filtering that can be confusing.

Enabling / Disabling Client Version Filtering

The Client Version Filtering is enabled as a managed server application and is enabled by default (with a default list of clients and versions). You can see what server applications are running, and enabled by right-clicking “Applications” under the Enterprise or Standard Edition server (in the console tree of the OCS Management Console). Right-click the Applications Properties to enable or disable any applications, including the client filtering capabilities.

To Read or Alter the Client Version Filter

Enterprise Edition: Right-click on the Pool | Application Properties | Client Version Filter…

Standard Edition:             Right-click on the Server | Application Properties | Client Version Filter…

The Client Version Filter screen contains a column for the “User Agent Header”.  The challenge is knowing which User Agent Header maps to the corresponding to a particular client (e.g. Office Communicator, Windows Messenger). The following TechNet article details which agent headers map to specific clients: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb936607.aspx Here is the default list for reference:

User Agent header

LCC – Microsoft Office Communicator 2005 instant messaging client

RTC – Real-Time Communications instant messaging client

RTCC – Real-Time Communications and Collaboration client

UCCP – Unified Communications Client Platform client

OC – Office Communicator 2007 instant messaging client

WM – Windows Messenger instant messaging client

CWA – Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access instant messaging client

COMO – Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile instant messaging client

LMC – Office Live Meeting client