PEI has helped several businesses create a unified approach to their communication strategy using Microsoft Lync.

Lync’s IM function allows you to collaborate with co-workers and other federated contacts with a single click. This eliminates e-mail threads going back and forth and is a more effective method of contacting people quickly for timely matters. Conversation history within Lync enables users to keep track of old IM conversations and retrieve information on the fly.

Presence for Lync Server 2010 is a quick way to see the status of people on your contact list. A user’s presence consists of several pieces of information including: availability, willingness to communicate, location, status and how they can be contacted. The presence states that are incorporated in Lync Server 2010 include: Off Work, Do Not Disturb, Be Right Back, Available, In a Conference and Busy. These states can be manually set, but will automatically sync with Outlook to display when you are in a scheduled meeting or conference call. In addition, when users answer Lync calls their presence will automatically switch to in a call.

To enhance the usability of presence, Lync Server 2010 also has status colors. Gray is for offline contacts, green are available contacts, yellow are away contacts, and red are busy contacts. Getting in touch with people and figuring out if they are in the office is made easy with the Microsoft Lync 2010 presence features.

The conferencing function of Lync Server 2010 allows participants to collaborate and share information in real time. Lync’s audio and video capabilities can be used at any location with an internet connection. Users can also join a conference by dialing in with a PSTN phone. Lync seamlessly integrates with Outlook 2010 allowing organizers to schedule online meetings that can be joined with one click.

Lync incorporates the best of both worlds when it comes to the audio conferencing, video conferencing, and document sharing experience.

Not only does Lync Server provide a familiar feel of an audio bridge service, it encompasses scheduling, joining, and management features and tools. While on a conference call you can escalate to a video conference almost instantaneously. This allows you to add and remove video during the same audio conference you originally started with.

Lync takes collaboration and conferencing to the next level by offering several document and application sharing options. While on a conference call you can share your desktop to broadcast websites, applications, documents, demonstrations, etc. Within the desktop sharing you can also give control to other participants.

Microsoft Lync combines the telephony features of a traditional IP PBX with presence, instant messaging, and conferencing. You can access the voice component of Lync from phones, PC’s or desktop applications. Lync voice can completely replace your existing IP PBX system all together.

With the standard deployment of Lync you will receive internal Lync voice calling functions, but you will not be able to utilize the outbound calling capabilities. To fully implement all of the Lync voice components you must purchase additional licensing. In return, the voice component of Lync adds several features and key functionality to your solution including:

Traditional calling features: Call by name, hold, forward, transfer, divert, park, retrieve, voice mail, and conferencing.

• Call Coverage: Delegation and Team Calling respectively.
• Call Queuing and Routing: Configure one or more Response Groups, with optional interactive voice response (IVR), automatic speech recognition, and synthesis.
• Choice of Endpoints: IP or USB endpoint, or the Lync 2010 Attendant soft-client.
• Anywhere access: Anywhere with an Internet connection—no VPN or third-party solutions required.
• Network Efficiency: Use integrated call admission control to limit voice and video traffic on constrained network links.
• Deploy with confidence: Take advantage of data center resiliency options and survivable branch appliance products.
• Lync Server 2010 Enhanced 9-1-1: With third-party routing services to automatically provide a user’s location during emergency calls and meet U.S. regulatory requirements.
• Migrate at the right time: Microsoft Unified Communications Open Interoperability Program. Move users over time, and retire your existing PBX when you are ready.

Why Choose PEI to implement Microsoft Lync?

In order to successfully implement Microsoft Lync, you must have engineering resources with highly technical training. PEI’s engineers hold several certifications to ensure they are capable of deploying Microsoft Lync. PEI currently has two UC virtual Technology Specialist (VTSP’s) engineers. As a whole, PEI also holds the Microsoft Gold competency for messaging and the Silver competency for communication.