Microsoft

Lync 2010 offers a full suite of UC functionality. Although the real-time functions in Lync — including voice, telephony, video and related conferencing — are not as mature as other functions (such as IM/P and Web conferencing, email and UM), they have improved significantly over the previous version, which was known as Office Communications Server 2007 R2. Microsoft has developed a strong set of technology and service partners that offer a growing ecosystem.

Microsoft offers a visionary approach for addressing enterprise communication and collaboration requirements. Enterprises looking into UC should consider the Microsoft solution and, at a minimum, understand the vision and how solutions of this type might change their business processes. Enterprises considering deploying Lync telephony and video should understand its limitations and infrastructure requirements.

Strengths

• Microsoft has had an impressive and growing list of Lync and Exchange UM deployments, from small (fewer than 300) to midsize to very large (more than 10,000) enterprises, in both centralized and distributed configurations. Although a few of the deployments report that they have completely eliminated their PBXs, most current deployments use Lync for some employees, while other employees and functions remain on the PBX.
• Microsoft’s pending Skype acquisition offer, along with the Lync Online and the Office365 cloud service offerings, suggest that Lync will mature as a comprehensive and hybrid UC product.
• Companies report that, once deployed, Lync functions can be integrated into business processes and applications, providing new, different and effective ways to perform tasks. In some cases, these new functions are achieved by deploying Lync enhancements from a growing list of ecosystem partners.
• Microsoft has better positioned Lync to compete in telephony markets by adding several partner telephone handsets, by bundling of basic Lync functions in the Core client access license (CAL) and by offering a specific Lync Voice CAL.

Gartner UC Magic Quadrant August 23rd, 2011

Here is the executive summary:

Miercom reviewed the latest unified communications offering from Microsoft applying an in depth methodology developed over the last 7 years in studying the development of UC products.  Microsoft Lync 2010 now affords Microsoft what it needs to compete and win in the battle for enterprise UC market share.  Significant developments in reliability, security, and a business enabling features make Microsoft Lync a viable option for businesses looking to revolutionize their current communications platform.  Components for Microsoft Lync are far less complicated then they were for the preceding product Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 R2. Installation for both Server and Client are now clean and straight forward.  The evaluation of MS Lync included exercise of the client and server side feature set as well as active or delivered tests using test systems for Performance, Resiliency, and Security.

Performance - Microsoft Lync successfully passed voice and video Quality of Experience (QoE) tests under heavily loaded and degraded network conditions. Even with significant jitter and a packet loss percentage in excess of 5% the voice and video quality of the Lync client with High Definition Video was superb. High Definition Video Conferencing was conducted over T1 bandwidth with an average bandwidth of only 142 Kbps needed to maintain the connection. Peak traffic utilization did hit 1.5 Mbps at times when there was full motion in the video sessions.

Resiliency testing on Microsoft Lync Client: To verify the branch resiliency Microsoft Lync 2010 was submitted through a series of tests including failing connections between Lync Client and the Lync Server as well as a failed WAN connection. We found the Lync Client to recover quickly (within seconds) upon restoration of the network connection to the Lync 2010 Server.  We also conducted failover scenarios for simulated branch location using a Survivable Branch Appliance (SBA) from NET the SX 20000. This appliance provided basic voice services to users in the branch during a WAN outage. Microsoft Lync passed resiliency tests for local client as well as branch office deployment.

Security testing for the Microsoft Lync Server revealed a “pass” rating for security testing for

Microsoft Lync 2010 (with an appropriate network firewall employed). No inherent vulnerabilities were discovered in Microsoft Lync Server 2010 outright using a battery of vulnerability and protocol analysis tests from leading test and measurement vendors Ixia, Mu Dynamics, and Touchstone.

Bottom Line Microsoft Lync 2010 is a resilient, scalable, feature rich Unified Communications

System. Microsoft Lync 2010 should be in the short list of top three to consider for enterprises communications infrastructure upgrades. Quality third party peripherals from Aastra, Polycom and SNOM will help Microsoft achieve more market acceptance at the Enterprise Desktop. Third party hardware such as the survivable branch appliance UX

The full report can be found here:

http://www.miercom.com/?url=reports/&v=113&tf=0&st=v

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for Aastra 6721ip and Aastra 6725ip

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for Polycom CX700 and LG-Nortel IP Phone 8540

Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition for Polycom CX500, Polycom CX600 and Polycom CX3000

Lync Server 2010 Hotfix KB 2493736

Lync 2010 Group Chat Hotfix KB 2467765

Lync 2010 Group Chat Admin Tool Hotfix KB 2467764

Lync 2010 Attendee Hotfix KB 2467760

Lync 2010 Attendee Hotfix KB 2467762 (Admin level install)

Lync 2010 Attendee Hotfix KB 2467762 (User level install)

Lync 2010 Hotfix KB 2467763 (64 bit)

While Microsoft and Cisco received Excellent scores ALU, Avaya, IBM, and NEC received Good scores

Here is the full Gartner Report:

http://www.gartner.com/technology/media-products/reprints/microsoft/vol14/article12/article12.html

There was an email that went out a couple of days ago that stated the following in regards to OCS 2007 R2 support:

Introducing BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 5.0 Service Pack 3. The newest BlackBerry Enterprise Server release continues to build upon the industry leading foundation by adding support for:

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 SP3       Tuesday January 11th, 2011 

• Managing personal liable devices by enhancing the ability to wipe only enterprise data on the BlackBerry device
• Enhanced single sign on via proxy authentication
• Support for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2
• Support for sending attachments with secure messaging from handheld
• Other key enhancements

Vox continues to be a Gold Certified Partner in the existing program but we are now one step ahaed when the partner program changes are final.

The Unified Communications Competency includes Microsoft Lync Server 2010 and all aspects of Enterprise Voice, and Microsoft Exchange 2010 and all aspects of the Exchange UM technology.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg425836.aspx