Microsoft Communications Server "14" emerges as Lync

Well, let's throw out this morning's rumor mill because we now have some real news! Microsoft has announced the release candidate of Microsoft Lync, the next gen version of the software company's unified communications software MS Communications Server "14".

Lync will be the brand name for the family of products previously under the title Communications Server, Communications Online and Communicator. The offering also adds Lync Web App, and Lync Online. Microsoft Lync is being billed as providing face-to-face communication service for every engagement with video and audio conferencing, application and desktop sharing, instant messaging, and telephony. The system has also been designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Exchange.

"Over the past five years we have been on a journey to transform communications with the power of software," said Gurdeep Singh Pall, corporate vice president of Unified Communications at Microsoft in a release. "Lync delivers on this vision by unifying enterprise voice, instant messaging and web-, audio- and videoconferencing into a new, connected communications experience."

Over 100 customers and nearly two dozen partners have enrolled in the early adoption program of Lync and more than 20,000 seats will be active before the final product launches by the end of this year. Lync should be generally available before the end of 2010.

For more:
- read the release

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