New Conferencing Features

Single meeting client

Microsoft Lync 2010 is the only client needed for all types of Lync Server 2010 meetings, including both scheduled meetings and impromptu meetings. This client replaces the need for the Live Meeting client and the Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Add-In.

New web-based client

Microsoft Lync Web App is a browser-based version of Lync 2010 that allows people who do not have a Lync Server 2010 account and have not installed Lync 2010 to participate in meetings, using either Windows or the Macintosh operating system. It’s a “light” program that takes up very little space on your hard disk drive and is relatively quick to get up and running. It is designed mainly for external partners who are invited to Lync 2010 meetings, but is also useful for employees who are not at their usual computer at meeting time, or have not yet upgraded to Lync 2010. For details, see Lync Web App Features.

New downloadable meeting client

Microsoft Lync 2010 Attendee is a new downloadable client that enables users without Microsoft Lync 2010 to attend meetings. This downloadable client, designed for external users who are invited to your organization’s meetings, enables them to join a meeting, but it does not include any functionality for IM, presence, or meeting scheduling.

The first time a user without Lync 2010 attempts to join a meeting, he or she is prompted to download Lync 2010 Attendee. The Attendee client remains on the user’s computer.

For details, see Lync 2010 Attendee Features.

Meet simple URL

With Lync Server 2010, you can create simple URLs for joining meetings, dial-in conferencing, and administrative tasks that are easy to remember and to communicate. One simple URL is the Meet simple URL, which becomes the base for all links which users click to join conferences. For example, you could set your Meet simple URL to https://meet.Contoso.com. In this case, the URL for a particular meeting may be https://meet.contoso.com/username/JPLMVB, which is much shorter and easier to remember than meeting URLs in past versions of Lync Server 2010 and Office Communications Server.

New Conferencing Modes

With Lync Server 2010, during a conference you can share your entire desktop or an individual application. Lync Server also provides client-side meeting recording and playback, whiteboard and annotation tools, and presentations created using the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation graphics program. A whiteboard is a blank canvas that can be used for collaboration, with text, ink, drawings and images.

When files are uploaded to a meeting, participants can view and save the files in the original file format.

Lobby provides improved user join experience

Anonymous users and participants who use dial-in conferencing but for whom authentication fails no longer need to disconnect and retry. These users are transferred to the lobby, the leader is notified, and the users then wait until a leader either accepts or rejects them or their connection times out. While in the lobby, the users hear music.

New meeting admission policy and controls

Users who organize meetings can change authorization types after sending the invitation, if they discover the original settings were incorrect. They can even change these authorization types during the meeting.

Enhanced meeting access levels

Users can specify a more granular set of access rights on meetings they organize.

Assigned Conference IDs

By default, every meeting organized by a particular user has the same conference URL and conference ID for dial-in users. This enables dial-in users to remember just one conference ID to join all meetings organized by this user, and is similar to how meetings hosted on audio conference providers work.

Presentation Mode

In an A/V conference, the presenter can set the conference state so that all other participants, including anybody who subsequently joins the meeting, are muted. While the conference is in this state, individual participants cannot unmute themselves. The presenter can later change the conference state, for example, to open the conference for questions. At that time, users receive a notification that they can now unmute themselves.

Controls to Toggle Entry and Exit Announcements

By default, entry and exit announcements in an A/V conference are audible to everyone, no matter how they join the conference. Each user can turn these announcements on or off for his or her own client.

Lobby provides improved user join experience

Participants who use dial-in conferencing but for whom authentication fails no longer need to disconnect and retry. These users are transferred to the lobby, the leader is notified, and the users then wait until a leader either accepts or rejects them or their connection times out. While in the lobby, the users hear music.

Access to DTMF commands during call

After dial-in participants are admitted to a conference, they can run dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) commands by using the phone keypad. Dial-in conference leaders can run DTMF commands to admit people from the lobby, toggle audience mute, lock or unlock the conference, and turn entry and exit announcements on or off. All dial-in participants can exercise DTMF commands to hear Help, play a private roll call, and mute themselves.

Recorded name for anonymous callers

Users who are not authenticated are prompted to record their name. The recorded name identifies unauthenticated users in the conference.

Simplified leader join

When dialing into a conference, a leader can join more easily than in past versions of Lync Server 2010 and Office Communications Server. Entering the caller’s phone number is no longer required.