Microsoft Lync is one of our favorite business applications because it provides a wide variety of business benefits that help to improve both internal and external communications.
What is Microsoft Lync?
Formerly known as Office Communications Server, Microsoft Lync is a communications software solution that provides instant messaging, videoconferencing, VoIP calling, and live meetings.
Microsoft Lync unifies enterprise communications while easily integrating with Microsoft Office applications and Exchange mail. It is designed to combine instant messaging services, voice communications and high definition video conferencing with data and information delivered in real-time.
Additionally, Microsoft Lync provides enhanced interactive capabilities with the availability of mobile and web apps that allow you to use VoIP and instant messaging and join meetings from anywhere using your mobile device.
Collaborate with Lync.
Microsoft Lync gives you the ability to share screens and presentations with colleagues and team members, providing easy access to instant messaging, video, and audio separately or all at the same time. Lync is designed to handle team collaboration with the ability to use whiteboards and PowerPoint documents for example. Collaboration sessions are defined as meetings in which users can invite additional contacts to participate in the session.
Is Microsoft Lync secure?
All communication using Microsoft Lync is achieved using Microsoft Lync Server, which provides secure communications typically required by most enterprises. The connection is secure since communication takes place on the corporate intranet. Lync Server can also configured to send messages to other networks to eliminate the requirement for software to be installed on the client side server.
What is Lync Online?
You can also opt to use Lync Online, which allows you to use Microsoft Lync applications as a hosted service. With Lync Online, you can access the services we described above using a variety of operating systems, a web browser, and an Internet connection.
How Does Microsoft Lync Work and how can it Be Used?
Regardless if you choose to use Microsoft Lync Online or Lync Server, you still get access to a broad range of features that allow your business to improve communications and collaboration. Lync can be accessed on a corporate intranet if you choose Lync Server or it can be accessed using a web browser and Internet connection.
Microsoft Lync can be used for:
VoIP Calling: Lync is equipped with VoIP calling that allows you to call other Lync or Skype users using a PC or mobile device. Lync Federation provides unified communications over a secure Internet connection to your suppliers, partners, and customers. Skype connectivity provides global communications and enables IM, presence sharing, and voice calls to anyone across the globe. The primary reason for the implementation of both methods of communication is you will find users that do not use Lync Federation to communicate and instead use Skype more frequently.
Instant messaging: Everyone at Our IT Department uses the Lync instant messaging service. Its a great way to pass on messages onto your colleagues and start a conversation thread between multiple users. You can share images by drag and drop, and you can even watch you tube videos within Lync when someone shares the URL with you. It really is a fantastic tool for service driven organisations.
HD Videoconferencing: Microsoft Lync supports 1080p high definition resolution quality for videoconferencing to provide sharp images that make videoconferencing meetings more productive. The technology that is used to deliver videos provides improved flexibility and compatibility across a wide variety of devices and operating systems using H.264 SVC. This is a standard video codec that works with many devices, configurations, and operating systems.
Microsoft Lync also provides a multiparty HD video gallery which offers the capability to view multiple high definition video streams and contact card photos. Contact card photos are a dynamic card that shows the photo for a specific contact along with a status note, the contact’s presence, organization, and location.
The video streams and photos are displayed as a gallery. If a user cannot access the videos, they can choose a photo from the gallery to replace active speaker video. Video streams that are displayed in the gallery can be selected by those with video capability and the ability to see the name of the participants and active speakers.
Presence: The Presence feature in Microsoft Lync allows you to easily see the location of every contact using visual presence indicators. This feature will tell you whether a colleague is currently working outside of the office, participating as a presenter, busy in a meeting, and more.
Online Meetings: Microsoft Lync provides online meeting capability that allows you to setup pre-planned meetings with people in or outside of your enterprise. You can also create meetings on-the-fly and then invite others to join the meeting, regardless if they user Microsoft Lync or not. The meetings can be setup to be just audio, video and audio, or online web conference format.
When you use the Lync Web App, you can easily join a meeting from a PC or Mac using a web browser that is HTML5-based. HTML5 enables interactivity and provides the end user with complete meeting access and functionality. It also ensures users can interact using high definition video, instant messaging, desktop sharing, and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).
Lync Meeting is easily accessed with one click of your mouse or a tap of your finger. You can access the meeting in a variety of ways such as from a meeting reminder in Microsoft Outlook or the calendar window on iOS, Windows, and Android mobile devices using Lync Mobile Clients.
Workgroups: Microsoft Lync can be configured to include virtual workgroups that are focused on specific topics. This allows team members working on specific projects to collaborate in real-time. The intuitive search function allows you to search past discussions as a reference to keep track of all topics that have been covered during collaboration. This feature is referred to as Persistent Chat on the Microsoft Lync Server platform.
Screen Sharing: Microsoft Lync provides screen sharing and whiteboard functionality which helps to enhance online presentations during meetings and brainstorming sessions. It is also possible to share business applications that are used to accomplish various tasks and project milestones.
Integration with Microsoft Outlook and Exchange: Microsoft Lync is designed to integrate with Microsoft Outlook and Exchange mail. Additionally, you can opt to use the archiving tool with Exchange Online which allows you to store instant messages, emails, and the contents of Lync meetings. The archive provides a search function known as Exchange e-Discovery to save time searching the archives for specific information.
Mobile Apps: Microsoft Lync is offered with mobile apps for Android, Windows Phone, and iOS devices. This makes the Lync platform available from virtually anywhere with access to VoIP calling, instant messaging, and Lync Meeting. Instead of designing the mobile apps exclusively for Windows devices, Microsoft has extended the capabilities to other devices to accommodate the needs of all enterprises with a diverse group of mobile users.
Office 365: Enterprises that are using Office 365 can use Microsoft Lync as part of the Office 365 package. Although integration with Office 365 is a separate cost, Lync is still designed to be fully integrated with the business version of Office 365 if you are not already using this version of Office.
Windows 8 App: Lync is optimized for Windows 8 to provide touchscreen functionality for hands-on access to communications across a broad range of devices and configurations. The Windows 8 app is available in the Windows Store and allows you to setup meeting controls and other configurations associated with the Microsoft Lync platform.
Security and Compliance: Although Microsoft Lync is designed for sharing and collaboration, it does not mean that these activities go uncontrolled. Instead, when they are properly implemented, Lync provides secure unified communications with server-to-client and server-to server communication encrypted by default. Additionally, to meet compliance and other regulations, Lync can be monitored from a central location to enhance security and to meet compliance standards.
Microsoft Lync can also simplify deployment and management of corporate intranets by reducing the number of server roles that may have been previously managed separately. This feature is available when you opt to use Microsoft Lync Server and helps to reduce infrastructure costs.
The server architecture has also been given a makeover to handle a larger number of end users while still maintaining high availability of applications and communications. Administrators can easily manage Lync with the Active Monitoring service that allows network administrators to manage Lync using an Internet connection and user interface, even when your infrastructure involves multiple locations.
The advantages of using Microsoft Lync in the Workplace.
The features and capabilities offered by Microsoft Lync can quickly translate into many advantages both from the business standpoint and the financial angle. Many enterprises are opting to use Microsoft Lync as a replacement for deploying separate communication resources including PBX lines and third party online meeting and conferencing solutions. Also, in terms of a mobile workforce, Lync saves time and costs associated with traveling to meetings and improves productivity by providing a more efficient way of getting things done.
Other advantages include:
Scalability: Instead of deploying a solution that requires you to plan for future growth, Microsoft Lync is flexible and allows you to add or subtract services as your business needs change.
Improvements in Business Culture: Because Lync provides many components that are accessed from a unified location, this changes the way your employees work. It also greatly improves working practices that tend to be complex through email communications with workers located in different corporate offices or areas of the globe.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Providing a platform that can accommodate a larger number of users without sacrificing high availability capability typically means a lower TCO for most enterprises.
Flexibility: Lync is designed to support other Microsoft offerings such as Exchange, Outlook, and SharePoint, as well as a handful of other third party technologies such as contact centers and videoconferencing systems that are room-based.
Improved Security: Lync provides improved security for communications and sharing as opposed to the unmanaged applications such as Windows Live, Skype, and Yahoo Messenger, used by many organizations.
User-friendly Interface: Lync interface does not require a learning curve to begin using the platform. This saves on training costs and allows your organization to be quickly up and running.
High Quality Audio and Video: High definition video and superior quality audio improves communications and collaboration.
Support for BYOD: Many enterprises are embracing the idea of Bring Your Own Device. Microsoft Lync integrates with many different types of devices and platforms without the need to deploy additional infrastructure.
Consistency: Microsoft Lync provides the same interface regardless of the device or operating system you are using to access the platform.
How much does Microsoft Lync cost?
When you look at the pricing and plans that Microsoft offers on its website for the Lync service, it can be really confusing. Basically, there are two routes you can take to implement Microsoft Lync:
1. Lync Online
Lync Online can be purchased as a standalone service from Office 365 if your organization does not currently use the Office 365 suite of productivity applications. In this case, you can choose from Lync Online Plan 1 or Plan 2.
Lync Online Plan 1: This plan costs £1.30 per user per month with Microsoft Office interoperability, public cloud instant messaging with Windows Live, Skype connectivity, Lync to Lync calling with voice and high definition video, and support for Lync Mobile Clients.
Lync Online Plan 2: This plan costs £3.60 per user per month and includes everything from Plan 1 plus, desktop application and whiteboard sharing, multiparty audio, video, and content sharing, meeting controls, OneNote sharing and in-meeting note taking, Lync audio conferencing, interoperability with third party providers of audio conferencing, Lync multi-party video, enterprise voice functionality, and Lync Web App.
If your enterprise already uses the Office 365 enterprise productivity suite, then there is no extra cost since Lync is included in this version of Office 365. The enterprise suite for Office 365 includes Microsoft Office Professional Plus, Lync Online, SharePoint, Microsoft Office Online, and Exchange Online.
Enterprises that use Lync Online have complete control over the collaboration services without having to invest the time to maintain software on the premises. This is because the Lync servers are hosted and maintained in Microsoft’s data center while still maintaining access by users across a wide variety of devices over the Internet or from a corporate intranet.
2. Lync Server
If your enterprise does not use Office 365, it is necessary to purchase, setup, and install Lync Server. Prices for Lync Server vary according to the configuration you require. The good news is that you can download an evaluation of Lync Server and test run it for 180 days. Then you must work with Microsoft to determine the configuration and setup that is right for your organization along with the appropriate system requirements.
Should I invest in Microsoft Lync?
If you are looking to improve internal communications, productivity, and collaboration, Microsoft Lync is worth adding to your list of comparisons. Microsoft has made significant improvements to the interface and functionality for Lync, making it easier to use the controls and collaborative tools without having to spend time on tutorials.
Do you require assistance?
As a Microsoft Gold certified partner, Our IT Department provides strategic guidance and expert advice, helping business across London to meet their communication needs and challenges. Contact us today for more information about our consultancy services for London business.
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