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Note - One of the key changes Microsoft has made in this release is
rebranding the Microsoft Office Communications portfolio. In this new
release (formerly code named Communications Server “14”) Microsoft
announced a new name for the product: Microsoft Lync. Lync aligns with
their goal of ushering in a new connected experience that transforms
every communication into an interaction that is more collaborative,
engaging, and accessible from virtually anywhere. Microsoft’s vision is
about connecting people in new ways, anytime and anywhere—and the Lync
family of products represents this aim.
In addition to a new
name Microsoft Lync Server 2010 now delivers complete presence, instant
messaging, conferencing and enterprise voice capabilities through a
single, easy-to-use interface that is consistent across PC, browser, and
mobile device. Administrators benefit from a single, consistent
management infrastructure, new capabilities to increase availability,
and interoperability with existing systems.
Key New Features Include:
- Find and communicate with the right person, naturally. With native Active Directory integration, Lync Server 2010 helps users find the right person to connect with, view their presence, and then communicate with them in the most effective way—via voice, video, or sharing an application or PowerPoint. If desired, users can initiate these connections directly from the new Contact Card. With Skill Search powered by SharePoint, users are also able to search for others based on skills, expertise, and group information.
- Stay connected from virtually anywhere, with just a standard Internet connection – NO VPN Required! Microsoft Lync 2010 offers the same rich functionality and security features outside the firewall without requiring a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection, and enables mobile and Web access across leading browsers and platforms.
- Enhanced virtual meetings for improved ‘productivity. Users can schedule a meeting from Microsoft Outlook® and join through Lync 2010 via the PC, phone, or Web interface. Lync Server 2010 provides a meeting user interface with integrated audio and video that enables participants to share presentations, annotate slides, superimpose text, and use visual pointers for more effective discussions. Additionally, users have the options to create ad hoc meetings, moving from an IM conversation, for example, to a Live Meeting, directly from the Lync interface.
- Complete set of enterprise-grade voice features – Replace Your PBX with Lync! Lync Server 2010 delivers a standalone voice offering to enhance or
replace traditional PBX systems, and extends these capabilities outside
the office via Internet access without requiring a VPN connection. This
includes common calling features such as answer, forward, transfer,
hold, divert, release, and park, along with Enhanced 9-1-1 calling* for
North America, and support for legacy devices and a broader range of IP
and USB user devices from partners. The solution is designed to support
high availability through Call Admission Control, branch office
survivability, and extended options for data resiliency.
- Integrate with existing PBX systems. Lync Server 2010 works with almost any PBX system either through Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or qualified gateways, and integrates with qualified third-party SIP Trunking Service Providers.
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Easily deploy systems of any scale, and manage with ease.
Lync Server 2010 can provide presence, IM, and conferencing for organizations of literally any size, with up to 10,000 users per server, 100,000 users per pool, and an unlimited number of pools.
Automated tools not only simplify capacity planning and topology design, but also automatically push configuration information and changes to all servers in the network, thus eliminating manual work and the associated chance for errors.
The new Lync Server Control Panel consolidates scenario-driven tasks in a single interface, while PowerShell support allows administrators to automate repetitive tasks using a familiar tool. Lync Server 2010 relies on Active Directory, eliminating the need for separate user and policy databases, and uses Role Based Access.
Purchasing Options for LyncMicrosoft Lync Server 2010 offers a number of flexible deployment options. It can be deployed on-premises, hosted directly by Microsoft, or hosted by a partner. Depending on which deployment option you choose, there are three different ways to buy Lync:
- On-premises: To deploy Lync on-premises, you need a license for each of your Lync Server 2010 instances and Client Access Licenses (CALs) for each of your users or devices. You can acquire standalone licenses for Lync, or purchase licenses in combination with other Microsoft products in the Enterprise CAL Suite.
- Microsoft-hosted: For a Microsoft-hosted Lync deployment, you need a User Subscription License (USL) for each of your users. Similar to on-premises Lync licensing, you can purchase standalone Lync Online subscriptions or in combination with other Microsoft products as part of the Business Productivity Online Standard Suite.
- Partner-hosted: Microsoft has a large partner ecosystem to help customers build, deploy, and service Microsoft Lync Server 2010 products and solutions. Contact a partner directly to host your Lync infrastructure or help you build a next-generation communications experience.
Key Licensing Changes for Lync Server 2010
New Plus CAL
The Lync Server 2010 CAL offerings now include a new CAL: the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL which includes Enterprise Voice features. Please refer to section 2.5 Lync Server 2010 Client Access Licenses for further details. Changes to the Enterprise CAL and ECAL Suite Some Enterprise Voice-specific features previously offered with the Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 R2 Enterprise CAL will now only be offered in the new Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL. Additionally, the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL and its associated features will not be included with the Enterprise CAL (ECAL) Suite. Though Enterprise Voice features are being discontinued from the Enterprise CAL with Lync 2010, Microsoft is offering rights to the Plus CAL to customers who qualify. Qualified customers include those who have purchased OCS 2007 R2 Enterprise CAL or the ECAL Suite and have maintained their Software Assurance benefits by the availability of Lync Server 2010.
Grandfathering PolicyCustomers that have purchased Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Enterprise CAL or ECAL Suite and have maintained their SA benefits by the general availability of Lync Server 2010 will benefit from either of the following two SA rights: a) Purchased prior to July 1, 2009 and maintain SA: - You will receive a perpetual license of Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL at its general availability date.
- If you maintain SA on the Office Communications Server Enterprise CAL or the ECAL Suite, you will have access rights equivalent to the rights under the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL for two releases (Lync Server 2010 and release N+1 where N=Lync Server 2010).
- You may separately renew the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL SA at your first renewal period post the release N+1 in order to maintain SA benefits for future releases.
b) Purchased after July 1, 2009 and before the release of Lync Server 2010 and maintain SA: - You will receive a perpetual license for Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL at its general availability date.
- You may separately renew the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL SA at your first renewal period post the Lync Server 2010 general availability in order to maintain SA benefits for future releases.
Customers that do not have SA, or do not maintain SA, on their Office Communications Server Enterprise CAL or the ECAL Suite at general availability of Lync Server 2010 will not qualify for either grandfathering offer and will be required to purchase the Lync Plus CAL when it is released in order to have rights to the Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL functionality.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: I have Office Professional Plus 2010 with active Software Assurance as of the General Availability of Lync Server 2010. Will I receive rights to the Lync 2010 client?
A: Yes, your Office Professional Plus Software Assurance benefits include rights to the latest version of the Lync 2010 client.
Q: What high-availability options exist in Lync Server 2010 if I want a highly stable and scalable infrastructure for our Lync architecture?
A: Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Server offers additional flexibility for licensing and deploying high-availability servers.
Q: Are there any licensing prerequisites for Lync Server 2010?
A: Yes. Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 are required to run Lync Server 2010. For each Lync Server 2010 CAL, there are other possible prerequisites for underlying Microsoft technologies—primarily dependent on the features within Lync you would like to utilize. These include, but are not limited to, Windows Server CAL, Exchange Server Standard and Enterprise CAL, SharePoint Enterprise CAL, and Office Professional Plus.
Q: Can I purchase a specific feature (such as Click to Call functionality) separately in place of licensing the CAL?
A: No, features are available as part of the assigned CAL and are only available in the CAL or ECAL Suite (if applicable).
Q: What are the key licensing and pricing changes in Lync Server 2010?
A: While there have been numerous improvements across all the Lync offerings, we have focused some of our biggest investments on the Lync Server 2010 Enterprise CAL and the new Lync Server 2010 Plus CAL separating Audio, Video, and Web Conferencing and adding new Enterprise Voice functionality to the Plus CAL. As a result, we have decreased the price of the Enterprise CAL by over 20 percent. All other prices are unchanged.
Q: Why is the Lync Server 2010 Enterprise CAL price increase more than ECAL Suite price increase?
A: Our standalone pricing decisions are based on market and competitive research. Due to its multi-product discount, the ECAL Suite price increase is smaller; making it an even better value for customers interested in Lync Enterprise CAL functionality plus other Microsoft products.
Q: If I am a Software Assurance customer with rights to Lync Server 2010 Enterprise CAL, will I pay less due to the price change?
A: Remaining Software Assurance payments are determined at the time of your original purchase. By having Software Assurance, you benefit from the OCS 2007 R2 grandfathering rights and are eligible to receive a perpetual license to Enterprise Voice features provided in the Plus CAL. At your renewal period, if you wish to continue use of the rights provided in the Plus CAL, you will have the option to renew Software Assurance on the Plus CAL. For more details on the Lync Server 2010 Grandfathering Policy, please refer to the Product List Notes.
Q: Does the Lync Server 2010 licensing and pricing change any of the existing Office Communications Server 2007 R2 differences between Standard and Enterprise CALs?
A: Lync Server 2010 will add new and enhanced features the Standard, Enterprise, and Plus CALs (such as Skill Search, in the Standard CAL), but the existing differences for OCS 2007 R2 will remain. For example, the Standard CAL still has Instant Messaging and Presence while the Enterprise CAL offers multi-party application sharing.
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