Topic Last Modified: 2011-02-17

This topic discusses the new client and server features you should be aware of when planning for deployment. Important changes or enhancements are available in the following areas:

Client Configuration

In Microsoft Lync Server 2010, the Group Policy settings used in previous Microsoft Office Communications Server releases are now controlled by server settings that are sent to clients through in-band provisioning.

In-band provisioning settings are managed by using Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Control Panel, the Windows PowerShell command-line interface, or both. These tools replace the Windows Management Interface (WMI) snap-in used to manage policy settings in earlier versions of Office Communications Server. For example, in Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2, you could use Group Policy to override conferencing policies for specific users. In Lync Server 2010, you can centrally manage all policy settings and apply them at the global level, site level, or tag level (tags are settings that can be applied to a single user or to a group of users).

If you have an existing Office Communications Server 2007 R2 deployment, Communications Server 2007 R2 clients will continue to use Group Policy during side-by-side migration. However, if you want policy settings to carry over to Lync Server clients, you need to configure the equivalent Lync Server in-band provisioning settings. For details, see Migrating User Settings to Lync Server 2010 in the Migration documentation.

Note:
Certain policies are still required for client bootstrapping. These are policies that take effect before the client signs in and begins receiving in-band provisioning settings from the server. For details, see Key Client Policies and Settings.

Comparison of In-Band Provisioning Settings and Group Policy Settings

In-band provisioning settings Group Policy settings

Administrators can handle all client configuration tasks in a single location, using a single user interface.

Administrators must often work with other departments in the organization (for example, administrators who manage Active Directory Domain Services [AD DS] or messaging) in order to configure clients.

Settings can be configured at the global (that is, domain or organizational unit), site, or tag level. Tags are settings that can be applied to a single user or to a group of users.

Settings can be configured only at the global and user levels.

Settings that are server-based provide a consistent end-user experience for people who are not joined to the corporate domain or who join using devices or remote clients.

Group Policy settings that are distributed by using AD DS require that users be connected to the corporate domain using a computer.

Settings take effect immediately.

Users must sign out of the Windows operating system and then sign back in for settings to take effect.

Settings that are server-based help improve client security because they do not depend on the client program to enforce the policy.

Client programs could be modified by a malicious user.

Installation and Updates

The new features related to installation and updates are: the distribution of setup as an executable file and the addition of update link options to Lync Server Client Version Check.

Lync 2010 Setup Executable

In Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2 and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007, setup is provided as an installer (.msi) package. In Lync and Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendee, the setup files are provided as executable (.exe) programs. The Lync setup executable program is the recommended method for installing clients because it performs the following actions:

  • Runs checks for prerequisites, and informs the user of programs that must close

  • Installs the required versions of Microsoft Visual C++ components and the Microsoft Silverlight browser plug-in

  • Uninstalls Lync 2010 Attendee

  • Notifies the user that Windows Media Player 11 must be installed for certain features to work properly

  • Uninstalls previous versions of the Office Communicator 2007 R2 or Office Communicator 2007 multi-user language pack

If you want to use Group Policy to deploy clients, you must extract the Windows Installer (.msi) files from the executable programs and use the Group Policy setting UseMSIForLyncInstallation to allow the .msi to run on client computers. You must also address all other actions that are ordinarily performed by the executable program. For details, see IT-Managed Installation of Lync 2010 in the Deployment documentation.

Client Version Update Options

Lync clients can now receive updated software from Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) or Microsoft Update instead of from a location hosted on Lync Server. When you set a Client Version Policy for Lync, the options Allow and upgrade and Block and upgrade are still available. However, you no longer need to specify a location on the server for updated software. Instead, if you are using WSUS, clients receive updates from WSUS. Otherwise, clients receive updates from Microsoft Update.

Alternate Meeting Clients

Users without Lync installed can take advantage of the enhanced conferencing and collaboration features of Lync Server by using either Microsoft Lync Web App or Lync 2010 Attendee. In addition, you can determine which clients are available to users by configuring the meeting join page.

Using Alternate Meeting Clients

You can provide users who do not have Lync or Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendant installed with the following options for joining Lync Server meetings:

  • Lync Web App

  • Lync 2010 Attendee

  • Communicator 2007 R2 or Communicator 2007

Use the following table to help you decide which of these clients is appropriate for your users and organization.

Conferencing Client Comparison Chart

Feature or requirement Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendee Office Communicator 2007 R2 or Office Communicator 2007

Web application

Yes

No

No

Deployment or installation requirements

Silverlight

Installation requires administrator rights and permissions.

Client application (includes Silverlight installation)

Installation can be performed at an administrator or per-user level.

Not applicable

New Lync Server conferencing features

Yes1

Yes

No

Dial-in conferencing

Yes2

Yes2

Communicator 2007 R2 only

Integrated IP audio and video

No

Yes

Yes

Anonymous join by federated or external users

Yes

Yes

Federated only

Authenticated join by internal users

Yes

Yes

Yes

Authenticated join by external users

Yes

Yes

No

1All features are available except for uploading files that are created using the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation graphics program. Installation of a Microsoft ActiveX control is required for desktop or program sharing.

2Dial-out conferencing is also supported, if it is enabled.

Configuring the Meeting Join Page

You can control the clients that are available for joining scheduled Lync Server meetings by configuring the meeting join page. A user who tries to join a meeting but does not have Lync installed is presented with the meeting join page, which provides access to Lync Web App, Lync 2010 Attendee, or Communicator 2007 R2.

You can configure the client options that display on this page. For example, if you prefer not to deploy Lync 2010 Attendee, you can remove the download link from the meeting join page. For details about configuring the meeting join page, see Configure the Meeting Join Page in the Deployment documentation.

Enhanced Presence Privacy

With Lync Server enhanced privacy mode, a user’s presence is visible to contacts in his or her Contacts list but not to other people in the company.

Important:
Do not enable this feature until all users in a given pool have been migrated to Lync. If earlier client versions are present within the pool, privacy management options can be compromised or reset.

To ensure that this feature works as expected, see Configuring Enhanced Presence Privacy Mode in the Deployment documentation.

Manager/Delegate Scenario Changes

Lync fully supports the manager/delegate scenario and is the recommended client for delegation. Certain delegate features are no longer provided in Lync 2010 Attendant, but they are provided in Lync. These delegate features include notification when a user is added as someone’s delegate, the ability to make calls on behalf of the manager, and the automatic contact group that contains people for whom you are a delegate. In addition, a delegate can use Lync to support multiple managers and make use of collaboration tools, such as program sharing and file transfers, which are not provided in the Lync 2010 Attendant console.

Although Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Attendant supported both manager/delegate scenarios and receptionist scenarios, Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendant is designed for the receptionist scenario only. If necessary, a delegate can use Lync 2010 Attendant to receive calls for the manager, but other delegate features are no longer included.

Lync 2010 Recording

The recording feature allows presenters to record all aspects of a Lync session including who attended, audio, video, and content, such as instant messaging (IM) conversations, program sharing, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and whiteboards. By default, the ability to record is turned off. Recording can be enabled by configuring the recording conferencing policy. To do this, you can use Lync Server Control Panel to configure recording policies in the Conferencing group, or you can use Lync Server Management Shell to configure the AllowConferenceRecording, AllowExternalUsersToRecordMeetings, and EnableP2PRecording parameters of the CsConferencingPolicy cmdlet.

Lync 2010 User Picture Options

Lync allows users to display pictures. This section lists the default user picture options and then describes how you can modify these defaults by using Lync Server Management Shell.

By default, Lync users can access the following three choices from the Lync main window by clicking the Options button and then clicking My Picture.

Default Options for My Picture in Lync 2010

Option Description

Do not show my picture

The user’s picture is not shown

Default corporate picture

Shows the user picture in AD DS

Show a picture from a web address

The picture must meet the following criteria:

  • On a web server that does not require authentication

  • 30 kilobytes (KB) or less in size

If you plan to allow the Default corporate picture option, verify that user pictures are present in AD DS before deploying Lync.

If you plan to allow the Show a picture from a web address option, be aware that users must already have a personal picture on a public website, such as Windows Live Essentials, Flickr, or Facebook. For details, see the Lync Help and How-to at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=211130.

Changing User Picture Default Options

You can change what users see on the My Picture tab by using the New-CsClientPolicy cmdlet. For details about using New-CsClientPolicy, see the Lync Server Management Shell documentation. The following table shows the relevant parameters.

CSClientPolicy User Picture Options

CSClientPolicy parameter Description

DisplayPhoto

Specify one of the following command-line settings:

  • NoPhoto   Pictures are not displayed in Lync.

  • PhotosFromADOnly   Only pictures that have been published in AD DS can be displayed.

  • AllPhotos   Either pictures in AD DS or custom pictures can be displayed.

AllPhotos is the default.

MaxPhotoSizeKB

Indicates the maximum size (in KB) for pictures displayed in Lync. Setting the MaxPhotoSize to 0 prevents any pictures from being displayed in Lync.

The default value is 30 KB.

See Also