In Lync Server 2010, device can refer to any unified communications (UC) device, including headsets and webcams, but the primary UC device that is discussed in this chapter is the phone. Phones running Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition allow users to interact with the Lync Server 2010 communication and collaboration features. They provide basic and advanced phone features, including new voice features such as Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) and the Call Park application, in addition to voice connections to Microsoft Lync 2010 and Live Meeting sessions. They can also access contacts, conversation history, and calendar information stored in Microsoft Exchange email. Lync Server 2010 supports IP, and USB, devices.

Note:
Support for analog devices is new for this release. For details, see Planning to Deploy Analog Devices. For details about the new voice features, see New Enterprise Voice Features in the Getting Started documentation. Enhanced 9-1-1 is currently supported only in the United States.

Lync Server 2010 supports three types of phones:

• Desk phones are handset IP, or USB devices that are designed to be used by employees at their desk. Desk phones are also known as information worker or knowledge worker phones.
  
  
• Conferencing devices are hands-free IP or USB phones that are designed to be used in meeting rooms.
  
  
• Common area phones are handset IP phones that are designed to be used in shared areas—such as lobbies, kitchens, factory floors, and shared workspaces—and that can be customized to provide different sets of Lync Server features.
  
  

For details about all three phone types, see Choosing New Devices.

Note:
Support for the IP conferencing device, and common area phones is new for this release. There is also a newly released IP desk phone. For details about all the new phones, see What's New for Devices.

When you manage devices with Lync Server 2010, your primary tools are the following:

• Lync Server Control Panel , the new web-based user interface (UI) for Lync Server features. For devices, use Lync Server Control Panel to manage the Device Update Web service (that is, to deploy new versions of software to IP phones), and modify phone-related settings and policies.
  
  
• Lync Server Management Shell , the command-line tools for Lync Server features. For devices, use the Lync Server Management Shell to prepare to deploy UC phones and to manage them.
  
  
• IP Phone Inventory Report, for monitoring IP phones. Use this tool to monitor usage and to generate usage and inventory reports for the IP phones in your organization. For details, see the “Improved Monitoring Capability” section in What's New for Devices.