Topic Last Modified: 2011-02-01

Before you start the process of preparing Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) for Microsoft Lync Server 2010, ensure that your Active Directory infrastructure meets the following prerequisites:

• All domain controllers (which include all global catalog servers) in the forest where you deploy Lync Server 2010 run one of the following operating systems:
  
  
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system
    
    
  • Windows Server 2008 operating system
    
    
  • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise 32-Bit
    
    
  • 32-bit or 64-bit versions of the Windows Server 2003 R2 operating system
    
    
  • 32-bit or 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003
    
    
• All domains in which you deploy Lync Server 2010 are raised to a domain functional level of Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2003 native mode. Windows Server 2003 mixed mode is not supported.
  
  
• The forest in which you deploy Lync Server 2010 is raised to a forest functional level of Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2003 native mode. Windows Server 2003 mixed mode is not supported.
  
  

  Note:
  To change your domain or forest functional level, see "Raising domain and forest functional levels" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=125762.

• A global catalog is deployed in every domain where you deploy Lync Server computers or users.
  
  

Lync Server 2010 supports the universal groups in the Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 operating systems. Members of universal groups can include other groups and accounts from any domain in the domain tree or forest and can be assigned permissions in any domain in the domain tree or forest. Universal group support, combined with administrator delegation, simplifies the management of a Lync Server deployment. For example, it is not necessary to add one domain to another to enable an administrator to manage both.