Hi all,

Thanks a lot for all the attention regarding our newly released Lync Client for WP7. Here a little update, that might be helpful:

Q: How do I get this new client working in my environment. What is the URI?

A: My error. Have tried to assert it in the blog, as well as in the app-description on Marketplace. You need our server software. This is how things work on, when you make custom solutions for Lync. Talking to Lync requires UCMA 3.0, a server-API, and some infrastructure rites to be performed. One of our services, the one, that talk to Lync requires a GRUU to establish trust to the actual Lync server. Just to mention it, we talk to Lync, AD (for contact search) and Exchange (calendar lookup).

Q: And this server thing of yours, what is it? What does it require?

A: It consists of:

1. A set of backend servers talking to Lync, AD and Exchange.
2. A web-service, exposting REST endpoints – talking JSON to ease interopability (custom development towards it) and reduce bandwidth.

It requires:

1. Lync.
2. The backend has been developed, run and tested on Windows Server 2008 R2. We haven’t done anything on our side to prevent 2008 or 2003 R2 to prevent stuff working there.
3. .NET 3.5 SP1 is required on the server running connection to the Lync server in the backend.
4. .NET 4.0 on the other servers – the frontend/gateway is implemented in WCF4, so .NET 4, IIS and needs to be visible/exposed on the internet.

Q: And excactly which service URL do I use – the address of my CWA is….

A: You don’t. We don’t – and don’t plan to ever – facilitate wrapping of the CWA Ajax API. Will not happen with this client.

Q: OCS? Which versions of OCS or LMS do you support?

A: None. OCS 2007 R2 requires UCMA 2.0 on the backend. We didn’t do it. Most of the functionality, could probably be implemented there. UCMA 2.0 and 3.0 are too different for us to bother doing it.

Q: Other client platforms?

A: We don’t. Tempting to create Android and iPhone clients. It’s a sparetime thing. So. As we wrote in the the package description two q’s ago, it’s a REST endpoint. Callable by lots of client platforms. So if you have our server, you need to know the details on how we do security, the help pages of the server tells the details for implementers to get going.

Q: I got your software (nope, not yet, but maybe soon). Seems like you maybe do NOT overuse bandwidth, but do a lot of polling. There is this thing called push notification, why don’t you use that?

A: We do. If you leave the app signed in, you’ll get toasts when someone invite you to a new conversation. You don’t get notified outside every time a message arrives.

Q: Why?

A: Because – for unauthenticated services (which we are) you can only send 500 messages per subscription (device) per day.

Q: Why don’t you make the stuff authenticated then?

A: Because this means that the certificate we use to sign our application have to follow the service – distributed all over the world – ie. your corp. Not a thing we like.

Q: Hmm. Heard about making a bridge? You could make a trusted bridge that our servers call through. It’s a simple relay scenario – isn’t it?

A: Yes it is. Doable. For the ones who’ve read about this effort, it’s not a new thing, that it’s a 100 pct sparetime project. As plans are now, creating a business hosting a relay in ie. Azure is not on the roadmap. Things can change.

Q: Do things change?

A: Sure. We’re debating, getting feedback from lots of people who’re excited. We’re really happy about it. Lots of new features coming up.