Broadcast Messages

The server context includes an action named BroadcastMessage. This action allows Office Communications Server administrators to send an alert to all SIP-enabled users or users hosted on a specific pool. The content of the message would typically be to announce service outages, virus malware, or any other kind of Office Communications Server information. Here's the syntax.

LCSCmd /Server:<Server FQDN> /Action:BroadcastMessage /Role:<SE : EE : Proxy : WorkgroupProxy : AP> [/RefDomain:<Domain FQDN> ][/PDCRequired:[TRUE|FALSE] ][/GlobalSettingsDC:<DC FQDN> ][/DC:<DC FQDN> ][/GC:<GC FQDN> ][/Global:<Configuration | System> ][/GroupDomain:<Group Domain FQDN> ][/GroupDomainDC:<Group Domain DC FQDN> ][/PoolName:<Pool Name> ][/Message:<Message Text.> ][/MessageFile:<Message Text File.> ][/MaxSession:<Maximum Session Number> ][/CertIssuer:<Certificate Issuer> ][/CertSerial:<Certificate Serial Number> ][/L:<log file path> ][/XML:[TRUE|FALSE ][/?:[TRUE|FALSE]]

Here is an example.

LCSCmd /server /action:BroadcastMessage /Role:Proxy /Message:"The system is going down for maintenance at 7:00 PM PST."

Where:

Parameter Description

/Server

Executes the action for the specified server FQDN.

/Role

Specifies the role of the server.

/Action

Takes a string that specifies the action name. Valid action names include CheckLCServerState, Activate, Deactivate, and Diag.

/RefDomain

Specifies the reference domain FQDN.

/PDCRequired

Specifies whether PDCs are required for the action. Default is TRUE.

/GlobalSettingsDC

FQDN of the of a global settings domain DC. This must be the local domain DC if the settings are in the configuration container, root DC is the settings are in the system container.

/Global

Specifies the global setting location. Possible values are Configuration and System.

/GroupDomain

Specifies the FQDN of the domain where Office Communications Server universal groups are located.

/GroupDomainDC

The FQDN of a DC in the domain where Office Communications Server universal groups are located.

/PoolName

The name of the pool on which to send the message.

/Message

The text of the IM being sent.

/MessageFile

A file containing the test of the IM being sent.

/MaxSession

The maximum number of sessions (threads). The default is 10.

/CertIssuer

The name of the issuer of the trusted certificate.

/CertSerial

The serial number of the trusted certificate.

/Force

Specifies whether to force task execution.

/L

Specifies the log file path. If not specified, %TEMP%\<ActionName>[<Date>][<Time>].html is used. To disable logging, use a dash character (-) as the log file name.

/XML

Specifies whether the log file to be generated should be in XML format instead of HTML.

/?

Shows Help on usage.

When a broadcast message is sent out, all signed-in users for a pool will be alerted. In a pool with 15,000 users signed in, the message will take up to 7 minutes to be distributed to all users. In a pool with 50,000 users signed in, you should expect the message to take up to 27 minutes to be distributed.