Video Interoperability Server (VIS) is a new server role which has been introduced in Skype for Business (SfB) Server 2015. VIS will simplify interoperability between SfB infrastructure and legacy Video Teleconferencing Systems (VTCs).

Video Teleconferencing Systems (VTCs): Typically Video teleconferencing devices has been used in conference rooms and come up with one or two screens. Few expensive VTCs come up with MCUs which can host the conferences. Cisco/Tandberg VTCs support SIP, H.323 and support SDP for negotiations while support RTP/RTCP and H.264 AVC codec for media.

Legacy Cisco/Tandberg VTCs was the enormous concern for many customers because they were using large number of VTCs in their premises. To overcome this concern, Microsoft has built a new standalone server role called Video Interoperability Server (VIS) in SfB. VIS is a scalable server role which eliminates the need of third party infrastructure to between legacy VTCs and SfB infrastructure.

With the help of VIS, VTC can join the conference meeting as an audio/video endpoint and be displayed in the video gallery to provide the consistent and familiar experience to end users. It can also be used for peer to peer calls. Lync Server 2013 can also take advantage of VIS with SfB deployment, SfB registrar pool will be the next hop for VIS. In the same way VIS is the next hop from CUCM also. VIS sends media to VTC directly, does not support media bypass and VTCs cannot become an ICE candidate behind Edge.

VIS doesn’t support transcoding of video streams. Therefore, Lync 2010 client can’t be displayed on VTC via VIS and vice-versa because Lync 2010 supports RT Video and VTC supports H.264. Lync 2013 and SfB clients can communicate with VTCs via H.264.

VTCs can dial into conference via CAA while drag-and-drop option is not supported. VIS only supports one way call from VTCs to VIS, calls from VIS to VTC is not supported. Application sharing and Telepresence Interoperability Protocol (TIS) is also not support but later can be added.