Be there without going there.

Microsoft Lync is an enterprise-ready, unified communications platform that connects users everywhere, providing a consistent, single-client experience for presence, instant messaging, voice and video. Lync delivers an experience that is differentiated from other Unified Communications solutions by its best-of-breed integration with the Microsoft Office product suite.

Ranked as a leader in the 2013 Gartner Unified Communications Magic Quadrant, Lync improves productivity and enhances business processes.

1 in 4 #1 150%60%Enterprises deploying or planning to deploy Lync, including Enterprise Voice

Enterprises report Microsoft as preferred IP PBX Vendor

Lync enterprise voice seats sold growth in Microsoft’s fiscal year 2013

Microsoft is shipping more enterprise voice lines than any other technology company in the world

DRAFTStay in touch anywhere Lync enables users to communicate securely anywhere they have network connectivity, and automatically adapts to network conditions.

Use the device you want Lync makes communicating easier with a consistent and familiar experience available on Windows PCs, Windows Phone, iOS, and Android smartphones.

Communicate in the right way Lync unifies voice and video calls, Lync Meetings, presence, and instant messaging (IM) in one easy-to-use client, making it simple to choose and switch between different forms of communication.

Connect with the outside world Lync Federation extends unified communications securely over the Internet to customers, suppliers, and partners using Lync or Skype.

Take advantage of standards-based HD video Lync uses open standards including H.264 SVC to provide a high-quality video experience on a wide range of devices.

Make virtual meetings more effective See up to 5 meeting participants simultaneously with new multiparty HD video support. You can choose who to see or let Lync choose for you.

Easily join meetings Joining a Lync Meeting requires only a single touch or click on smartphones, tablets, and PCs.

Extend Lync Meetings outside your organization with browser-based accessThe Lync Web App allows PC and Mac users to join a Lync Meeting from a browser and delivers a full Lync Meeting experience including IM, voice, multiparty video, data collaboration and sharing.

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Connect to millions of Skype usersLync-Skype connectivity gives Microsoft Lync users the ability to communicate with 600 million Skype users worldwide. This enables Lync customers to take advantage of the global reach of Skype to connect with suppliers, customers, and partners - while still enjoying the enterprise capabilities of Lync. Current features include the ability to add contacts from Skype to Lync and vice versa, real time presence, audio calling and instant messaging. Future plans for the unification of the two platforms include the ability to video call from one to the other.

IM andPresence

LyncMeetings

VideoConferencing

Telephony

Great collaboration experiences from the desktop, a browser, mobile device and in the conference room

Thank you for your interest in Lync. To learn more and start an evaluation of Lync, please explore the resources below and schedule a meeting with your Microsoft account representative or a Microsoft partner. We recommend you work with Microsoft Partner Network members holding a Communications Gold or Silver competency.

General information: http://www.lync.comIT information: http://technet.microsoft.com/lyncDeveloper information: http://msdn.microsoft.com/lyncLync hardware and apps: http://catalog.lync.com<Partner website>

Lync FAQI’ve already invested in UC/VoIP, how does Lync differ?Lync provides a consistent, single-client experience for presence, instant messaging, voice, collaboration and eliminates the need to use a VPN for encryption when accessing these communications services.

Lync also allows an IT organization to manage all of its real-time communications using a single administration model, a single directory, and a single set of tools. This leads to lower costs for IT organizations to deliver more capabilities to their users.

How does Lync work with popular mobile platforms?Lync mobile clients are available for Windows Phone, iOS, and Android phones. Users can stay connected to their colleagues through instant messaging with rich presence information, can join Lync Meetings with a single touch, and can initiate and receive voice and video calls over the Internet and cellular connections all through a single, familiar app available for free.

Does Lync Server 2013 and Lync Online offer the same feature set?Lync Server 2013 offers the full set of critical enterprise voice features required by enterprises and can be deployed on-premise or in a partner-hosted private cloud.

Lync Online (Office 365) offers peer-to-peer IM, video, voice and online meetings but does not offer enterprise voice capability or PSTN access outside of conferencing.

Customers who are moving to the cloud can choose to run Lync Server On-Premise with other workloads in Office 365 or from a variety of partner-hosted offers including voice in the cloud. Please consult your account manager or Microsoft partner for details.

Work from AnywhereLync allows people to communicate securely and stay connected with colleagues and customers, from wherever they chose to work. Lync’s anywhere access capabilities not only enable telecommuting and remote work for employees, but also increase real estate flexibility and provide business continuity options for organizations.

Identity Based CommunicationLync uses identity to connect people, not traditional fixed-location phone numbers. Users authenticate with their Active Directory credentials, and, once authenticated, may be reached by name from Lync or from detailed contact cards now integrated into all Office applications. Lync voice users are also reachable via telephone: their Lync number rings wherever they are, whether in the office, at home, or on the go.

Seamless ConnectivityLync automatically establishes connections using your network or the Internet without requiring a VPN, yet keeps your communications safe using built-in encryption. Lync’s adaptive media stack ensures a high quality voice and video experience even on unmanaged networks like the Internet, while policy controls, QoS support, and call admission control allow administrators to closely manage corporate traffic.

Presence and HD VideoLync presence and HD video make remote work nearly as personal as being there. Presence based on Exchange calendar information, current PC or other device activity, and manual input indicates the current availability of users, and makes it easy to identify the right time to contact colleagues. Affordable HD video improves personal connections, and makes it possible to observe non-verbal cues and other intangible benefits of face-to-face discussions.

Call QualityUsers need assurance that other users can clearly hear, understand and/or see them while having a conversation. Lync allows users to test whether current network conditions are sufficient for high quality voice and video before they initiate a call, and provides a real-time quality indicator during calls. It also collects and stores over 100 data points about the call, enabling administrators to monitor performance over time and across different networks, groups of users, and conversation types.

Resources and Next Steps