Updated: July 13, 2020 (April 13, 2009)

Communications Technologies

As managing vice president, Rob Helm covers Microsoft collaboration and content management. His 25-plus years of experience analyzing Microsoft’s technology... more

Many different developer technologies support real-time communications in applications. Shown here are current APIs and other developer technologies that provide presence, instant messaging (IM), and other real-time communications functions on top of Communicator (Microsoft’s primary unified communications client) and Communications Server.

Microsoft frequently revises its API sets for real-time communications. Future development will probably focus on the Unified Communications Managed API (UCMA) and planned client APIs to follow. However, companies will have to rely on older technologies to build application types not supported by UCMA, such as browser clients. Companies might also opt for older technologies if they are wary of building on UCMA, which substantially expanded its scope in Feb. 2009, and is likely to receive further major updates with the next version of Communications Server in late 2010.

Two additional client-side APIs, the Real-Time Communications (RTC) Client API and the Windows Messenger Automation API, shipped with Windows XP and leave Mainstream support with that OS on April 14, 2009.

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