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Platform Extensibility

The Microsoft Unified Communications solution is powered by software, making it easier to add and customize communications features compared to hardware-based systems. Microsoft® Lync™ Server 2010 will bring the vision of a fully extensible communications platform a step closer with simplified application programming interfaces based on industry-standard technology.

New for the Client Platform

  • Embedding Communicator in your application is easier than ever with the new Microsoft Lync Server 2010 SDK, which offers Visual Studio controls in .NET Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Silverlight. This means near to no coding required when embedding Lync UI elements into your own application.


  • More powerful ways to extend Lync conversations using the Lync Conversation Extension Window, which can display information about your conversation, add call control tools, or add functionality such as translation services.


  • Enhanced contextual collaboration with Launch Links that enable you to launch applications right from Communicator and allow participants to quickly establish call context.


  • Build your own client experience in .NET using the new Lync 2010 Managed AP, and build your own user experience to meet industry- or organization-specific needs.

New for the Server Platform

  • Platform support for sophisticated contact center or help desk scenarios such as IVR, ACD, and Call Recording—as well as Web chat, query response bots, and conferencing and application sharing—introduced with Microsoft Unified Communications Managed API 3.0 (UCMA 3.0).


  • Access all UC-Enabled Services from any phone with a single login to enable scenarios such as connecting to your online meeting through a simple spoken command, checking for new SharePoint tasks, or having Exchange e-mail read out to you, all in the same call.


  • Significant simplifications in deploying, operations, and interoperability with added features such as simple single-point application provisioning, software-based load balancing, automatic fail-over and draining.


  • State-of-the-art speech technology now in 26 languagesprovided by the updated Microsoft Speech Platform, a zero-royalty, enterprise grade server based speech platform that ships with UCMA 3.0 and now adds VoiceXML 2.1 to UCMA needs.


Developers can use tools such as Visual Studio and familiar Microsoft .NET Framework and Web Service programming paradigms to build powerful communications solutions, without having to be a communications technology expert. Visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/ocdev for more information.

Evidence

Learn how UC Partner Solutions built on the Office Communications Server platform have improved collaboration, reduced expenses, and enhanced productivity.

Communications Enabled Business Processes

Embed Presence Add Presence indicators in front of every name in your application, so one can see the availability before one contacts the other person.
Power up Click-to-Communicate Communicate right from within your application without having to switch.
Make Conversations Contextual In Microsoft¡¯s Unified Communications a call or IM is not restricted to text or voice, but can actually show what you are talking about right within the conversation.
Alerts and notifications Cut back on human latency by having our application contact the right person at the right time via the most appropriate communications channel.
Call back or Outbound Surveys Have customers request a call back on their phone or conduct outbound surveys.
Expert Finder Use the built in capabilities of Lync Server 2010 to find people based on their expertise and availability.
Web Chat Enable all those customers who do not use Communicator to still be able to contact you via the browser, and let them interact with the right employees who use Communicator.
Automated Query Response Bots Answer incoming web chat queries through automated agents which can understand natural language.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems can save businesses money by eliminating the need for busy agents to answer routine questions.
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