Features Licensed by Lync Server CALs

Client access to Lync Server 2010 is licensed with three different Client Access Licenses (CALs): Standard CAL, Enterprise CAL, and Plus CAL. All three types can be purchased for each user or for each accessing device, usually a PC or desktop handset.

The Standard CAL (pictured at the bottom) licenses Lync Server’s basic features, including exchanging instant messages (IMs) with one or more other users; viewing other users’ presence information to determine if they are available to receive IM or other communications; initiating immediate transfer of a file to another person; participating in continuously updated discussion boards (Group Chat); searching for people in their enterprise by skill set (skill search); placing and receiving point-to-point voice and video calls using Lync 2010 or Communicator PC client software; and participating in, but not initiating, conferences. Microsoft defines “conference” as a real-time communication between multiple participants excepting IM, group chat, and two-party PC-to-PC voice calls—in other words, audio/video sessions between three or more participants, or any use of sharing of PowerPoint presentations, joint use of group whiteboards, or application sharing (for example, multiple people using a shared instance of Word to collaborate on a document).