Lync Overview

A major update to the Lync products in late 2010 were followed by updates to Web and mobile interfaces in 2011. Lync Server 2010 is the successor to Communications Server and delivers many voice and management improvements, enabling it to fully replace, rather than augment, a private branch exchange business phone system. Lync 2010 replaces two existing client applications—Live Meeting (for Web conferencing) and Communicator (for presence, instant messaging [IM], voice, and other kinds of communication)—although the Lync client is not supported with earlier versions of the server.

Lync clients shipped in 2011 for Windows Phone 7.5 devices and Mac OS X. Clients for other devices (such as the Apple iPhone) are planned. The Lync Server browser interface (Lync Web App) will also probably gain new features, such as the ability to initiate IM sessions rather than just join sessions already in progress.

Lync Online, a set of Microsoft-hosted communications services based on Lync Server 2010, launched with Office 365 in June 2011. It will probably receive further improvements in 2011; for example, the Lync Online multitenant service, which is offered to most Office 365 customers, will gain connectivity to the public telephone system and integration with Exchange Online voice mail, something only available to large customers with Lync Online dedicated plans today. Lync Online replaces two existing Microsoft-hosted service lines: Live Meeting (Web conferencing) and Communications Online (presence, IM, and peer-to-peer voice). However, Live Meeting will continue to be available until current customer contracts expire.