 Extending Lync Server 2013 to the PBX - Sangoma |
Not too daunting of a task for SMBs
A Microsoft Exchange environment, complete with email and Active Directory can seem be a daunting task for small and medium sized businesses. You may think you need a highly trained and certified IT staff to configure and maintain this complex web of technology. Also the servers and software needed to run it can require a significant capital investment.
Microsoft Office 365 is a service that brings a comprehensive Microsoft solution to even the smallest operation, through a hosted system that delivers Microsoft Exchange and Office applications. This cloud-based solution eliminates the burden of investing in capital and technical staff required to deploy a full Microsoft solution on-site.
A version of Office 365 that contains Lync is also available. Lync is a complete Unified Communications (UC) solution which delivers a suite of collaboration tools including instant messaging, presence, conferencing, screen sharing, whiteboard and file transfer, as well as voice and video communication between Lync client software endpoints.
However, Lync on its own, does not offer telephone connectivity outside of the Lync network.
Once Lync is deployed and integrated into the work flow, it makes sense to add telephony to Lync. Without connections between Lync and the public telephone network, some of the advantages of Lync are lost, including powerful call delegation features and a single telephone number that works in the office, at a remote office, and with a mobile phone.
It is even possible to replace an entire PBX with a Lync-based solution, however, special considerations need to be made for 911 access, and FXS support for legacy equipment like fax machines and door phones.
