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Does anyone here have a suggestion for a cross-platform IM solution which will work with VoIP/video on both Windows (XP and 7) and Mac OS X from 10.4 and upwards?

Right now, we're in a kind of mixed environment, with some Mac users using iChat server since they need video support (conference across several offices over VPN), but it won't work on windows clients. The rest of us are happily using Openfire+Spark, but there's no VoIP or video available from what I've found, unless you want to add in several 3rd party software (like red5 and asterisk).

Requirements:

  • As said before; must work on both Windows and Mac
  • Internal server (no Skype etc)
  • Video chat (person-to-person and person-to-many)
  • File transfer between platforms
  • SSO (Single Sign-On) via Active Directory authentication
  • Some sort of screen sharing would be a plus, like switching over to a screen capture (PowerPoint, software training etc)

We can afford to buy software if that's needed to get this working without any hiccups across platforms.

Thanks in advance to anyone who gives suggestions.

HopelessN00b
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pauska
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3 Answers3

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Microsoft Communications Server is exactly what you are looking for

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/communicationsserver/default.aspx

It supports everything you mentioned.

We are using it in an environment that is Windows and Macs and the Video chat works on both platforms. We also have offices in other locations and are able to use video chat over VPN with no problems.

I also was looking for a similar solution to what you indicated and here are some of the questions I posed and the answers I got.

What software is out there for Video Conferencing within our LAN

Video conferencing and screensharing options for Windows

Community
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dubRun
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I suppose Office Communications Server in version 2007 and later should work, as there seems to be a Mac client available that supports the things you want even if it doesn't support the awesome PBX integration.

Perhaps the 2010 version of OCS will be better at this as well - as I've heard it being coined as a PBX killer ^^

OCS also has a web client that supports screen sharing but not video chat.

Oskar Duveborn
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  • I wish I could give both you and dubRun the correct answer here, but his was more detailed (VPN) etc. Thanks alot, +1 given atleast :) – pauska Mar 19 '10 at 14:58
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The IM program JITSI should meet your requirement: It's a java program so runs on the needed plateforms, does video with jingle, share desktop too. based on xmpp you keep your actual server for working. SSO isn't supported for the moment, but that's not a showstopper with all these features

moobyfr
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