Hi, sorry if it's in the wrong forum but can't find one to do with Lync 2013 Online.

1. I am curious as to whether Lync 2013 Online Plan 2 which includes video conferencing options can be utilised by a business that has 2 forests and a domain in each forest. One business was acquired by the other but they have not merged from an IT perspective. There is a bi-directional external trust connecting the domains with forest wide authentication.

2. If this is possible then does the business need to also purchase an Office 365 tenant?! My understanding is that it DOES NOT; and that the business can simply purchase a plan and use lync as they have NO plans to migrate to Office 365.

3. What would be required from an AD perspective? Does Lync Plan 2 require the business to synch any AD dat to the cloud environment?!? Again, I am under the impression it does not.

Many thanks
Nathan

• Changed type Lisa.zhengMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator 3 hours 10 minutes ago

Hi Nathan,

Office 365 Lync online plan does have video conference option. Lync online is hosted in office 365 cloud. You can either go with standalone Lync online plan or hybrid option with dirsync/ADFS/FIM.

You must purchase Lync online standalone plan and you don't need to purchase office 365 suite.

Lync online can use Microsoft Azure AD for hosting the users , hence dirsync is not mandatory. But you will have to mannually create or import the users to cloud directory.
Thanks

Saleesh

Very helpful & as I thought - thank you..

Good to know we DO NOT need an O365 package just to have lync online.

However- I am curious around the manual process due to new starters and leavers.

Can it be automated?
Is it a specialised Microsoft tool that exports/imports to the cloud directory?

Many Thanks Saleesh

Nathan

Hi,

Yes , you can create a CSV file and perform a bulk import. Following URL may help you ; http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-in/office365-enterprises/ff637601.aspx

Thanks

Saleesh

For Lync online issue, the following forum is the proper forum:

http://community.office365.com/en-us/forums/default.aspx