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How to remove the LastActive attribute from the aggregation state category in Lync Server 2010, Lync Server 2013, Skype for Business Server 2015, and Skype for Business Online

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Summary

This article describes how to remove the LastActive attribute from the aggregation state category in Microsoft Lync Server 2010, Lync Server 2013, Skype for Business Server 2015, and Skype for Business Online.

Note The Lync Server presence schema includes a method for calculating and displaying how long a user is away or offline. This is known as "Last Active." The LastActive attribute returns presence inquiries only from users who have the "Colleagues," "Workgroup," and "Friends and Family" privacy relationships. For more information about presence information in Lync Server, see the "References" section.

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Introduction

Lync Server always calculates the Last Active time stamp during presence aggregation for each user and stores it in a database. Last Active presence information is retrieved to satisfy individual presence inquiries and subscriptions by other users. This occurs according to the access level that the users were assigned. The design of the Last Active presence information has changed for the following reasons:
  • Last Active presence information may be incorrectly interpreted as reflecting the actual user's status at work. Therefore, users may rely on it to remotely monitor an employee's activity. However, this behavior is not enabled in some countries.
  • Last Active presence information that's provided to users should not disclose how long a user is away or offline for business reasons.
Note The aggregate presence data that's calculated by Lync Server contains the status history of each user's endpoints if a user is signed to multiple endpoints. The status of each endpoint changes automatically in response to system events (such as logon, logoff, workstation lock and unlock, and network connectivity events), configured timeouts, scheduled meetings, and user activity. The status of each endpoint can also be changed manually by the user. In this situation, Last Active presence information should not be considered an accurate measure of the user's presence. Last Active presence information is intended only to provide additional information about the user’s availability and willingness to communicate.

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Resolution

For Lync Server 2010, Lync Server 2013, or Skype for Business Server 2015

For Lync Server 2010, to remove the LastActive attribute from the aggregation state category, you must install the following update:
2701585 Description of the cumulative update for Lync Server 2010: June 2012

To remove the LastActive attribute, add a configuration entry in the configuration file on each instance of the server for which you want to remove the LastActive attribute. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Create a text file, name it Rtcaggregate.exe.config, and include the following configuration entry:

    <configuration>
        <appSettings>
          <add key="PublishLastActive" value="false" />
        </appSettings>
    </configuration>
  2. Save the file to the following folder:
    • Lync Server 2010: %Installation Folder%\Microsoft Lync Server 2010\Server\Core\
    • Lync Server 2013: %Installation Folder%\Microsoft Lync Server 2013\Server\Core\
    • Skype for Business Server 2015: %Installation Folder%\Skype for Business Server 2015\Server\Core\
  3. Copy this file to the path that's specified in step 2 on every front-end computer in the pool in which you want to remove the LastActive attribute.
  4. Restart the Front-End Server service (RtcSrv or RtcHost) to apply these changes.
Note This resolution affects only new data that's published after the update is applied. It does not fix old data. Users must change their presence manually or by signing in for the LastActive attribute to be removed.

For Skype for Business Online

Skype for Business Online provides tenant administrators to remove the LastActive attribute through tenant Remote PowerShell. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Configure your computer for Skype for Business Online management. To do this, see Using Windows PowerShell to manage Skype for Business Online.
  2. Start a Skype for Business Online Windows PowerShell session.
  3. Check the current LastActive attribute policy that's assigned to your tenant. To do this, run the Get-CsUserServicesPolicy cmdlet. The result resembles the following: 
    PS C:\Users\TenantAdmin> Get-CsUserServicesPolicy
    Identity                  : Global
    UcsAllowed                : False
    MigrationDelayInDays      : 0
    EnableAwaySinceIndication : True
  4. Disable the LastActive attribute. To do this, run the following cmdlet: 
    Set-CsUserServicesPolicy -EnableAwaySinceIndication:$false
    Note you may see a warning about unified contact store. You can safely ignore this warning.
  5. Recheck the LastActive attribute policy. The result resembles the following: 
    PS C:\Users\bdeakyne> Get-CsUserServicesPolicy
    Identity                  : Global
    UcsAllowed                : False
    MigrationDelayInDays      : 0
    EnableAwaySinceIndication : False
Notes
  • The LastActive attribute will be disabled after some hours.
  • Users must restart (change presence manually or sign out and then sign back in again) before the LastActive attribute is removed from their presence.
  • After the publisher has republished, subscribers must sign out and then sign back in again before the LastActive attribute no longer appears.
  • There is also a known issue in Skype for Business Online (see the "Known issues" section) in which outdated or inaccurate LastActive information is occasionally displayed.

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Workaround

To work around this issue, users can change the privacy relationship of other users to the External Contacts option. In this configuration, other users can see less information than in the other privacy relationship options. For example, in this configuration, other users cannot see a meeting's subject and location.

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Known issues

In Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Online, the LastActive attribute occasionally shows outdated information (for example, a user may see a colleague who was online yesterday as "Offline 88 days"). This behavior may occur even when the LastActive attribute is disabled.

For more information, see The LastActive attribute provides inaccurate information about a user’s status in Skype for Business Online .

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Keywords: kbqfe, kbfix, kbsurveynew, kbexpertiseinter, pscommand, kb

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Article Info
Article ID : 2684128
Revision : 1
Created on : 1/7/2017
Published on : 6/12/2015
Exists online : False
Views : 421