Create custom external access policies

• 4/17/2018
• 3 minutes to read
• Contributors
  • 
  • 

• Applies to:

  Skype for Business

Skype for Business Online allows you to create additional external access policies. Unlike client or conferencing policies, where you can have multiple combinations, there are three predefined external access policies that can cover most of the scenarios. These are:

• No Federated or Skype Consumer Access (Tag:NoFederationAndPIC )

• Federated Access Only (Tag:FederationOnly )

• Federated and Consumer Access (FederationAndPICDefault)

Custom external policies allow you to create additional polices that aren't covered by the settings above. When the policy was created, you would be required to set all required parameters and you couldn't alter them later. Creating new custom policies allow you to control features such as Skype consumer access or a policy to disable public cloud audio/video, which is something that wasn't covered with predefined settings. Custom external access policies follow the same syntax as client, mobility, and conferencing policies. You can find out more about those settings here.

To make this work, the user must be using a supported version of 2016 Click-to-Run Skype for Business app that supports it. The following minimum version of Skype for Business 2016 Click-to-Run client is required:

Verify and start Windows PowerShell

• Check that you are running Windows PowerShell version 3.0 or higher

1. To verify that you are running version 3.0 or higher: Start Menu > Windows PowerShell.

2. Check the version by typing Get-Host in the Windows PowerShell window.

3. If you don't have version 3.0 or higher, you need to download and install updates to Windows PowerShell. See Windows Management Framework 4.0 to download and update Windows PowerShell to version 4.0. Restart your computer when you are prompted.

4. You will also need to install the Windows PowerShell module for Skype for Business Online that enables you to create a remote Windows PowerShell session that connects to Skype for Business Online. This module, which is supported only on 64-bit computers, can be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center at Windows PowerShell Module for Skype for Business Online. Restart your computer if you are prompted.

   If you need to know more, see Connect to all Office 365 services in a single Windows PowerShell window.

• Start a Windows PowerShell session

1. From the Start Menu > Windows PowerShell.

2. In the Windows PowerShell window, connect to your Office 365 organization by running:

   Note

   You only have to run the Import-Module command the first time you use the Skype for Business Online Windows PowerShell module.

    Import-Module "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Skype for Business Online\Modules\SkypeOnlineConnector\SkypeOnlineConnector.psd1"
    $credential = Get-Credential
    $session = New-CsOnlineSession -Credential $credential
    Import-PSSession $session
   

   If you want more information about starting Windows PowerShell, see Connect to all Office 365 services in a single Windows PowerShell window or Connecting to Skype for Business Online by using Windows PowerShell.

Create a custom external access policy for a user

To do this, run:

New-CsExternalAccessPolicy -Identity BlockSkypeVideo -EnablePublicCloudAccess $True -EnablePublicCloudAudioVideoAccess $False -EnableFederationAccess $True 
-EnableOutsideAccess $True

Grant-CsExternalAccessPolicy -PolicyName BlockSkypeVideo -Identity amosm@contoso.com

Want to know more about Windows PowerShell?

• When it comes to Windows PowerShell is all about managing users and what users are allowed or not allowed to do. With Windows PowerShell, you can manage Office 365 and Skype for Business Online using a single point of administration that can simplify your daily work, when you have multiple tasks to do. To get started with Windows PowerShell, see these topics:

  • An introduction to Windows PowerShell and Skype for Business Online

  • Why you need to use Office 365 PowerShell

• Windows PowerShell has many advantages in speed, simplicity, and productivity over only using the Office 365 admin center such as when you are making setting changes for many users at one time. Learn about these advantages in the following topics:

  • Best ways to manage Office 365 with Windows PowerShell

  • Using Windows PowerShell to manage Skype for Business Online

  • Using Windows PowerShell to do common Skype for Business Online management tasks

Related topics

Block point-to-point file transfers

Set up client policies for your organization

Set up conferencing policies in your organization