Microsoft Office Communicator 2005
Encyclopedia
Microsoft Lync and Microsoft Lync for Mac are instant messaging
clients
used with Microsoft Lync Server or Lync Online available with Microsoft Office 365
and Live@Edu. They are replacements for Windows Messenger
which was used with Microsoft Exchange Server
.
Both Microsoft Lync and Microsoft Lync for Mac are enterprise software
; unlike Windows Live Messenger
, they have an expanded feature set that is targeted toward corporate environments.
, Voice Over IP
and Video Conferencing inside the client software. Advanced features are related to integration with other Microsoft
software:
The main new features of this version are the addition of real-time multi-client Collaborative software
capabilities, (which allow teams of people to see and simultaneously work on the same documents and communications session). These features are implemented as follow:
All collaboration sessions get automatically defined as conferences, where clients can invite more contacts.
Conference initiators (usually called organizers) can either promote participants to act as presenters or demote them to act as attendees. They can also define some basic policies about what presenters and attendees are able to see and do. Deeper details of policy permissions are defined at server level.
Following Microsoft's $8.5billion acquisition of Skype in May 2011, the company plans to deploy the VoIP technology within Lync, as well as its Windows Live Messenger and Xbox Live services.
instant messaging protocol for some features. As is the case with most instant messaging platforms, non-Microsoft instant messaging clients that have not implemented these publicly available extensions may not work correctly or have complete functionality. Lync supports federated presence and IM to other popular instant message services such as AOL, Yahoo, MSN, and any service using the XMPP protocol. Text instant messaging in a web browser is available via Lync integration within Exchange Outlook Web App.
Although other IM protocols such as AIM
and Yahoo!
do have wider support by third-party clients, these protocols have been largely reverse engineered by outside developers. Microsoft does offer details of its extensions on MSDN
and provides an API
kit to help developers build platforms that can interoperate with Lync Server and clients.
Microsoft is expected to add the ability to page other nodes: its absence has held up deployment in some educational environments as current PBX phone systems have this capability and need to retain it, whilst adding the other new functionality.
Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia was released on 4 May 2010. This version of Microsoft Lync is made for S60 software platform
3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 and is initially made available for Nokia E72
and Nokia E52
. This application is available from Nokia Ovi Store. With the launch of Nokia E7-00
, a supported Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia 2.0 has made into Symbian^3 operating system & it's available for download at Nokia Ovi Store.
Others
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
clients
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
used with Microsoft Lync Server or Lync Online available with Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft Office 365
Microsoft Office 365 is a commercial software plus services offering a set of products from Microsoft Corporation, with the initial plan including a Professional subscription and an Enterprise subscription...
and Live@Edu. They are replacements for Windows Messenger
Windows Messenger
Windows Messenger is a client by Microsoft that is included in the Windows XP operating system. Designed for use by corporate users as well as home users, it was originally created as a streamlined and integrated version of MSN Messenger...
which was used with Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft Exchange Server is the server side of a client–server, collaborative application product developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Servers line of server products and is used by enterprises using Microsoft infrastructure products...
.
Both Microsoft Lync and Microsoft Lync for Mac are enterprise software
Enterprise software
Enterprise software, also known as enterprise application software , is software used in organizations, such as in a business or government, contrary to software chosen by individuals...
; unlike Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
, they have an expanded feature set that is targeted toward corporate environments.
History
As of January 25, 2011 Microsoft Lync 2010 was generally available. The previous version was Office Communicator 2007 R2, released on March 19, 2009. An even earlier version, "Office Communicator 2007" was released to manufacturing on 28 July 2007 and launched on October 27, 2007. The full-featured desktop version of the client requires Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or newer.Features
Basic features include instant messagingInstant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
, Voice Over IP
Voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a family of technologies, methodologies, communication protocols, and transmission techniques for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet...
and Video Conferencing inside the client software. Advanced features are related to integration with other Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
software:
- Availability of contacts is based on Microsoft OutlookMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available both as a separate application as well as a part of the Microsoft Office suite...
calendars stored in a Microsoft Exchange ServerMicrosoft Exchange ServerMicrosoft Exchange Server is the server side of a client–server, collaborative application product developed by Microsoft. It is part of the Microsoft Servers line of server products and is used by enterprises using Microsoft infrastructure products... - Contact lists can be retrieved from a local directory service, like Microsoft Exchange Server
- Microsoft OfficeMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft Office is a non-free commercial office suite of inter-related desktop applications, servers and services for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, introduced by Microsoft in August 1, 1989. Initially a marketing term for a bundled set of applications, the first version of...
can show if other people are working on the same document - All communication between the clients is done through a Microsoft Lync Server server. This makes communications more secure, as messages do not need to leave the corporate intranet, unlike with the Internet based Windows Live MessengerWindows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Xbox 360, Blackberry OS, iOS, Java ME, S60 on Symbian OS 9.x and Zune HD...
. The server can be set to relay messages to other instant messaging networks, avoiding installation of extra software at the client side. - A number of client types are available for Microsoft Lync, including mobile clients.
- Uses SIPSession Initiation ProtocolThe Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
as the basis for its client communication protocol - Offers support for TLSTransport Layer SecurityTransport Layer Security and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer , are cryptographic protocols that provide communication security over the Internet...
and SRTPSecure Real-time Transport ProtocolThe Secure Real-time Transport Protocol defines a profile of RTP , intended to provide encryption, message authentication and integrity, and replay protection to the RTP data in both unicast and multicast applications...
to encrypt and secure signaling and media traffic. - Allows sharing files.
The main new features of this version are the addition of real-time multi-client Collaborative software
Collaborative software
Collaborative software is computer software designed to help people involved in a common task achieve goals...
capabilities, (which allow teams of people to see and simultaneously work on the same documents and communications session). These features are implemented as follow:
- Collaboration through Whiteboard documents, where the participants have great freedom to share text, drawing and graphical annotations.
- Collaboration through Power Point documents, where the participants can control and see presentations, as well as allow everybody to add text, drawing and graphical annotations.
- Polling lists, where Presenters can organize polls and all participants can vote and see results.
- Desktop sharing, usually by allowing participants to see and collaborate on your windows screen.
- Windows applications sharing, by allowing participants to see and collaborate on a specific application.
All collaboration sessions get automatically defined as conferences, where clients can invite more contacts.
Conference initiators (usually called organizers) can either promote participants to act as presenters or demote them to act as attendees. They can also define some basic policies about what presenters and attendees are able to see and do. Deeper details of policy permissions are defined at server level.
Following Microsoft's $8.5billion acquisition of Skype in May 2011, the company plans to deploy the VoIP technology within Lync, as well as its Windows Live Messenger and Xbox Live services.
Extensions
Lync uses a number of extensions to the SIP/SIMPLESIMPLE
SIMPLE, the Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions, is an instant messaging and presence protocol suite based on Session Initiation Protocol managed by the IETF...
instant messaging protocol for some features. As is the case with most instant messaging platforms, non-Microsoft instant messaging clients that have not implemented these publicly available extensions may not work correctly or have complete functionality. Lync supports federated presence and IM to other popular instant message services such as AOL, Yahoo, MSN, and any service using the XMPP protocol. Text instant messaging in a web browser is available via Lync integration within Exchange Outlook Web App.
Although other IM protocols such as AIM
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger is an instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the proprietary OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol to allow registered users to communicate in real time. It was released by AOL in May 1997...
and Yahoo!
Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger is an advertisement-supported instant messaging client and associated protocol provided by Yahoo!...
do have wider support by third-party clients, these protocols have been largely reverse engineered by outside developers. Microsoft does offer details of its extensions on MSDN
Microsoft Developer Network
The Microsoft Developer Network is the portion of Microsoft responsible for managing the firm's relationship with developers and testers: hardware developers interested in the operating system , developers standing on the various OS platforms, developers using the API and scripting languages of...
and provides an API
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
kit to help developers build platforms that can interoperate with Lync Server and clients.
Microsoft is expected to add the ability to page other nodes: its absence has held up deployment in some educational environments as current PBX phone systems have this capability and need to retain it, whilst adding the other new functionality.
Microsoft Communicator Mobile
Microsoft has released three editions of Microsoft Lync for mobile phones, dubbed Microsoft Communicator Mobile. There are three editions of this products: Communicator Mobile for Windows Mobile, Communicator Mobile for Java and Communicator Mobile for NokiaMicrosoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia was released on 4 May 2010. This version of Microsoft Lync is made for S60 software platform
S60 (software platform)
The S60 Platform is a software platform for mobile phones that runs on Symbian OS. It was created by Nokia, who made the platform open source and contributed it to the Symbian Foundation. S60 has been used by mobile device manufacturers including Siemens mobile, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Panasonic...
3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 and is initially made available for Nokia E72
Nokia E72
The Nokia E72 is a smartphone from the Nokia Eseries range that manufactured in Finland. It is the successor to the Nokia E71 and is based on a similar design and form factor, and offers a similar feature set...
and Nokia E52
Nokia E52
The Nokia E52 is a smartphone from the Nokia Eseries range, a Symbian OS v9.3 device with a 240x320 screen. It is available in Black, Black Aluminum, Metal Grey aluminium, White Aluminium and Gold. It comes with a 1GB MicroSD memory card, but it supports MicroSD cards with up to 16GB memory. It...
. This application is available from Nokia Ovi Store. With the launch of Nokia E7-00
Nokia E7-00
The Nokia E7-00, also known as Nokia E7, is a business-oriented QWERTY smartphone by Nokia from the Nokia Eseries It was announced at Nokia world in September 2010 together with the Nokia C6-01 and Nokia C7 and started shipping in February 2011...
, a supported Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia 2.0 has made into Symbian^3 operating system & it's available for download at Nokia Ovi Store.
See also
Similar products- Microsoft NetMeetingMicrosoft NetMeetingMicrosoft NetMeeting was a VoIP and multi-point videoconferencing client included in many versions of Microsoft Windows . It used the H.323 protocol for video and audio conferencing, and was interoperable with OpenH323-based clients such as Ekiga, and Internet Locator Service as reflector...
- Microsoft Office Live Meeting
- Windows Meeting SpaceWindows Meeting SpaceWindows Meeting Space is the name of a peer-to-peer collaboration program in Windows Vista that supports 2–10 users. Meeting Space does not exist in any version of Windows 7...
Others
- List of Microsoft–Nortel Innovative Communications Alliance products
External links
- Microsoft Lync. Official website.
- Microsoft Lync. Microsoft Office Online.
- Lync Support. Microsoft Office Online.
- Lync for Mac Deployment Guide. Office for Mac 2011: Help and How To.
- Lync for Mac Help. Office for Mac 2011: Help and How To.