OpsMgr R2, Notifications – Setting up Instant Message (IM) Channel

Setting up the IM-Channel in OpsMgr can be a bit tedious before it starts to work. However, when one follows these steps there is a big change everything will work pretty fast.

1. Notification Action Account
   Many times will e-mail / sms notifications work without configuring this account and profile. However, IM needs it. And not just that, the domain account being used here needs to be configured as well in AD for using IM ((Live) Communications tab of the AD account properties in ADUC). So be sure to configure this AD correctly including the users SIP URI and Office Communications Server (OCS Server) or Pool Name.
   
   Create a new Run As Account in OpsMgr (Notification Action Account), select the AD account you have just made and target this account to the RMS. Select as distribution mechanism Most Secure here.
   
   For the Run As Profile (Notification Account) select the earlier created Run As Account. Target it at the Class Alert Notification Subscription Server and save it. An exclamation mark will be shown. Use the link to open the Run As Account screen and close it. Now all is well. Close all open screens.
   
   
   
2. Create the IM Notification Channel
   Use the wizard to create the IM Channel. The second screen of this wizard is the most important one. Use only the FQDN for the IM Server. As Return Address the sip address of the Notification Action Account has to be used. This has to be a valid sip address. The format of a sip address is: sip:marnix.wolf@scom.com (for instance).
   
   Now another important part: the Protocol Option. When Office Communications Server R2 is being used, TLS is default. Also the used IM Port is important here. When the Protocol Option and IM Port do not match, the IM Channel won’t work. The wizard already tells you what the most common combinations are: Protocol Option/IM Port: TCP/5060 or TLS/5061.
   
   Last but not least: the Authentication Method. Mostly NTLM will suffice.
   

Setting up the rest (subscriber and subscriptions) is done the normal way so I won’t write about it. In order to test, make a subscription (use a valid sip address for the receiver) and select nothing for the criteria. Even when an Alert is closed, an IM Notification will be sent. This way one can test it the fast way whether all is well.

Trial & Error.
When OpsMgr raises an error about not getting out the IM notification, start with checking/changing the Protocol Option/Port. Change only one thing at a time in order to keep track of it.