Client Interoperability in Lync 2013

The following table shows the supported combinations of client versions and server versions. This table indicates whether sign-in is supported when the client attempts to connect to the server indicated. Lync Server 2013 supports the previous client version. Also, unlike previous releases, Lync Server 2010 supports the new Lync 2013 clients. This allows organizations who are upgrading from Lync Server 2010 to roll out new clients independent of Lync Server upgrades.

1In Microsoft Lync Server 2010, group chat functionality was available with Group Chat Server, a third-party trusted application for Lync Server 2010. Lync 2013 clients are not compatible with Lync Server 2010, Group Chat.

2Lync Web App 2013 now provides a full in-meeting experience, including computer audio and video, and is considered the replacement for Lync 2010 Attendee.

3The presence and IM features in Office Communicator 2007 R2 are compatible with Lync Server 2013, but conferencing features are not. During migration from Office Communications Server 2007 R2, Office Communicator 2007 R2 is suitable for presence and IM interoperability, but users should use Lync Web App 2013 to join Lync Server 2013 meetings.

With the Lync Server 2013 release, various client versions can interact seamlessly in both peer-to-peer and conferencing scenarios. This section discusses feature availability when users interact with other users who are using different versions of clients and servers.

Peer-to-Peer Feature Support

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Peer-to-peer features are supported for users who are homed on different versions of the server and who are using different client versions. The end-user experience and available features are consistent with the capabilities of the user’s client and the version of the server the user is signed in to. In other words:

• If a user is signed in to Lync Server 2013 with an older client, the user will have the same experience he or she is used to. None of the new features introduced in Lync Server 2013 will be available until the user’s client is upgraded.
  
• If a user is signed in to Lync Server 2010 with a Lync 2013 client, any new features not supported by Lync Server 2010 will be unavailable until the user is moved to Lync Server 2013.
  

The following table compares feature availability in peer-to-peer sessions where the client is signed in to either Lync Server 2013 or Lync Server 2010.

Note:
Lync Web App and Lync 2010 Attendee are meeting-only clients and aren’t included in this table.

 

Client	Instant Messaging	Presence	Voice	Video	Application Sharing	File Transfer
Lync 2013	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lync 2013 Basic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lync 2010	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lync 2010 Attendant	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lync 2010 Mobile	Yes	Yes
Lync Phone Edition	Yes	Yes	Yes
Office Communicator 2007 R2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes1	Yes
Public IM (AOL, Yahoo!)	Yes	Yes
Public IM (MSN, Windows Live Messenger)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Important:

As of September 1st, 2012, the Microsoft Lync Public IM Connectivity User Subscription License (PIC USL) is no longer available for the purchase for new or renewing agreements. Customers with active licenses will be able to continue to federate with Yahoo! Messenger until the service shutdown date (exact date is still to be decided, but no sooner than June 2013). The PIC USL is a per-user, per-month subscription license that is required for Lync Server or Office Communications Server to federate with Yahoo! Messenger. Microsoft’s ability to provide this service has been contingent upon support from Yahoo!, the underlying agreement for which will not be renewed. More than ever, Lync is a powerful tool for connecting across organizations and with individuals around the world. Federation with Windows Live Messenger requires no additional user/device licenses beyond the Lync Standard CAL. Skype federation will be added to this list, enabling Lync users to reach hundreds of millions of people through IM and voice.

1 In Office Communicator 2007 R2, only desktop sharing (and not program sharing) is available.

Server support for the various scheduling add-ins is consistent with server and client version compatibility. In general, the following scheduling add-ins are supported on Lync Server 2013. However, previous versions of add-ins do not provide new Lync 2013 add-in features, such as the option to mute all attendee audio and video upon meeting entry.

• Online Meeting Add-in for Lync 2013   Provides the same features as the Online Meeting Add-in for Lync 2010, with the addition of attendee mute controls, which allow meeting organizers to schedule conferences that have attendee audio and video muted by default. Administrators can also customize the organization’s meeting invitations by adding a custom logo, a support URL, a legal disclaimer URL, or custom footer text.
  
• Online Meeting Add-in for Lync 2010   Provides scheduling for Lync meetings and removes the capability to schedule Office Live Meeting conferences.
  
• Office Communicator 2007 R2 Conferencing Add-in   Provides scheduling for both Office Live Meeting conferences and Office Communicator 2007 R2 conferences. 
  

Note:
Live Meeting conferences cannot be scheduled on Lync Server 2013.

All of the clients that Lync Server 2013 supports are allowed to join Lync 2013 meetings. Because Lync Web App is a web component of the server, in cases where Lync Web App is used to join a Lync Server 2013 meeting, the newer version of Lync Web App is always used.

Lync 2013 clients can join meetings hosted on Lync 2010 and Office Communications Server 2007 R2 with scaled-down functionality. In-meeting features are limited by the version of the server on which the meeting is hosted.