Lync Server 2010 introduces support for five new IP phones. Compared to the previously released IP phones, the new phones are:

• More versatile.   For the first time, unified communications (UC) phones designed for common-area use and IP phones for conference rooms are available.
  
  
• Less expensive.   The new IP phones can be sold at a lower price point because they do not include fingerprint readers and touch screens, and the new conferencing device does not include cameras.
  
  
• Easier to use.   Features that contribute to improved ease of use include faster Internet speeds; sharper resolution; personal identification number (PIN) authentication so that users do not need to enter domain credentials for basic usage; and UI improvements, such as a calendar from which you can join a meeting with one click.
  
  

The new phones are built by Aastra and Polycom and include two desk phones, two common area phones, and a conferencing device.

For details about the new IP phones, see Choosing New Devices in the Planning documentation.

Multiple vendors are working on providing new peripherals for use with Lync Server. For details about supported devices, including peripherals, see "Phones and Devices Qualified for Microsoft Lync" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=208938. This list is updated as new devices are approved.

In Lync Server, your deployment and management tasks should be more consistent, efficient, and simple, because of the following changes:

• Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Control Panel is web-based and has a consistent and streamlined user interface. For details, see Tools and Services for Managing and Troubleshooting Devices in the Operations documentation.
  
  
• The Lync Server Management Shell is the primary scripting interface and allows you to do everything you can do in Lync Server 2010 Control Panel, in addition to some unique tasks, at the command prompt. For details, see Tools and Services for Managing and Troubleshooting Devices in the Operations documentation.
  
  
• Central Management store is the new configuration data store, replacing Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and providing a schematized, simpler way of storing and sending configuration and topography. Now that the configuration information is stored in the Central Management store, you do not need to change the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) schema for Microsoft Lync 2010.
  
  

Lync Server provides a simple mechanism for tracking and reporting on the IP phones that are currently deployed in your organization. The new IP Phone Inventory Report tool is provided with the Monitoring Server Reports, for device asset tracking and monitoring. Call detail recording (CDR) captures device information based on registration activities (for example, manufacturer, hardware version, MAC address, user account name, and software version). The IP Phone Inventory tool lets you use CDR information to track:

• Manufacturing and hardware versions so that you can see what devices are in deployment.
  
  
• Software versions, which is useful to look at after deploying a new update, as it lets you identify which devices have been successfully updated and which devices are still running older builds. You can use this information to identify devices that may be having issues with upgrading.
  
  
• Misplaced devices, by running a report based on the user account name and MAC address of the misplaced device so that you can find out if the device is being used on the network.
  
  
• Usage, to find out when a user last logged in to a device.
  
  
• General device inventory, to determine the number of devices currently deployed and identify all device owners.
  
  

In addition, the improved user interface gives users more information about issues and possible solutions.

This release includes new troubleshooting tools and improvements to logging. Device logs now include more information, and the logging level can be adjusted (that is, to low, medium, or high) to allow you to get the right level of information when troubleshooting. The new troubleshooting tools are synthetic transactions, power-on self test (POST), and Factory and Hard Reset.

For details, see Tools and Services for Managing and Troubleshooting Devices and Troubleshooting Devices in the Operations documentation.