A single platform that unifies enterprise voice, IM, and presence, along with web, audio, and videoconferencing, Lync helps your team collaborate in a more connected communications environment. A single user experience across PC, phone, mobile device, and browser gives workers more ways to stay in touch. Rich presence and skill search features make it easy to find and communicate with the right person at the right time. Enhanced mobile location information makes on-the-go workers easier to reach. Regardless of your location, HD video and crystal-clear audio can help your conversations feel more interactive and face to face. When you’re away from the office, Lync forwards your messages to any person, phone, or email Inbox you designate, so you can keep projects moving forward.

Lync builds on your existing unified communications capabilities and can take them to the next level of integration and interoperability with Microsoft and third-party applications. Unparalleled out-of-the-box integration with Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, and Microsoft Office 2010 means you can seamlessly mesh your communications tools for a richer, more contextual experience. Find and contact team members from directly within Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the other core productivity tools you use most, to immediately collaborate in context. Built-in application, desktop, and virtual whiteboard sharing let you work even more closely together, in real time, from wherever you are.

Create a complete enterprise Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony solution that can enhance, extend, or completely replace traditional and IP private branch exchange (PBX) systems. Lync Server 2010 supports common calling features, such as answer, forward, transfer, and hold, and extends these capabilities outside the office via secured Internet access—without requiring a VPN connection. Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Call Admission Control supports audio/video bandwidth management, and Enhanced 911 supports state and local government requirements for emergency services. Federation extends all of the communications capabilities of Lync Server 2010, including audio/video federation with Windows Live and Kinect, over the Internet to other organizations, trusted partners, and others. You can keep in touch more easily—both inside and outside of your agency—while helping to save on phone costs and third-party conferencing services. In addition, security, encryption, archiving, and call detail records are built in to help your agency meet regulatory requirements.

With simplified application programming interfaces, based on industry-standard technology, Lync Server 2010 provides an extensible and open platform that enables developers, partners, and customers to develop customizable solutions. Easily leveraged programmable interfaces make it straightforward to embed communications in business applications and workflows. Developers can use Visual Studio, familiar Microsoft .NET Framework, and web service programming paradigms to build powerful communications solutions—without having to be a communications technology expert.