If you are studying like me for the 70-664 & 70-665 Lync exams. The Lync Jump Start series are a good point for beginning

• Deploying Lync Jump Start (01): Features and Architecture of Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (02a): Deploying Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 1
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (02b): Deploying Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 2
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (03): Configuring Users and Rights for Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (04a): External User Access Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 1
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (04b): External User Access Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 2
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (05a): Configuring Basic Enterprise Voice Functionality Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 1
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (05b): Configuring Basic Enterprise Voice Functionality Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 2
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (6a): Extending Enterprise Voice Functionality Microsoft Lync Server 2010 | Part 1
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (6b): Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1/Unified Messaging Integration | Part 2
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (7a): Implementing Response Groups in Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (7b): Real-world IVR Scenarios with Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (8): Conferencing with Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (9): Monitoring Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (10): Compliance and Archiving with Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (11): High Availability and Disaster Recovery in Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (12): Call Admission Control with Microsoft Lync Server 2010
• Deploying Lync Jump Start (13): Deploying and Configuring Enhanced 9-1-1 with Microsoft Lync Server 2010



A handy spreadsheet for calculating a user’s hardware requirements based on information that the administrator supplies about number of users, types of communication and expected traffic has been made available by Microsoft. The download available by clicking here and the corresponding Microsoft Word document explains the tool and how to use it.

This poster shows each workload in Lync Server 2010, describing relationships, dependencies, the servers that initiate connections, and certificate requirements. Relationships between Microsoft Lync 2010 communications software, Microsoft Lync 2010 Phone Edition, Microsoft Office Live Meeting 2007, Microsoft Lync Web App, and other communications software are also described. SIP and XMPP connection patterns are shown for Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Gmail, and Jabber

To download: Click on the Picture

Microsoft released a new Lync Server 2010 Documentation Help File.

What is changed a have no idea. But you can download the file HERE

Migrating from Communications Server 2007 to Lync Server 2010

This document provides guidance from migration from Office Communications Server 2007 to Microsoft Lync Server 2010.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Device Management and Troubleshooting Guide

The purpose of the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Device Management and Troubleshooting Guide is to provide guidance on how to manage and update devices. It is also intended to answer frequently asked questions. This document identifies supported topologies, configurations, and scenarios described in detail in the Lync Server device deployment and planning documentation.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Reference: Call Data Recording and Quality of Experience Database Schema

This document describes the call detail recording (CDR) and the Quality of Experience (QoE) databases schemas in Microsoft Lync Server 2010.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Group Chat Administration Guide

This document guides you through the process of administering Lync Server 2010 Group Chat Server and the related components that are required to let organizations set up searchable, topic-based chat rooms that persist over time, allowing geographically distributed teams to better collaborate with one another while preserving organizational knowledge.

Migrating from Communications Server 2007 R2 to Lync Server 2010

This document provides guidance from migration from Office Communications Server 2007 R2 to Microsoft Lync Server 2010.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Monitoring Deployment Guide

This document guides you through the process of deploying Lync Server 2010 Monitoring Server.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Announcement Deployment Guide

This download guides you through the process of configuring the Announcement call management feature for Enterprise Voice.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Archiving Deployment Guide

The purpose of the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Archiving Deployment Guide is to guide you through the process of deploying Lync Server 2010 Archiving Server and the related components that are required to support archiving of instant messaging and web conferencing (meeting) content.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Group Chat Deployment Guide

This document guides you through the process of migrating and deploying Lync Server 2010 Group Chat Server and the related components that are required to let organizations set up searchable, topic-based chat rooms that persist over time, allowing geographically distributed teams to better collaborate with one another while preserving organizational knowledge.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Client and Device Deployment Guide

This download guides you through the process of deploying client software and devices for Lync 2010.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Call Park Deployment Guide

This download guides you through the process of configuring the Call Park call management feature for Enterprise Voice.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Voice Guide

This download contains two documents: Deploying Enterprise Voice at Central sites and Deploying Branch Sites

Enabling QoS with Microsoft Lync Server 2010

If your Windows Server network supports Quality of Service (QoS) management, you can take advantage of this functionality to optimize media traffic in your Microsoft Lync Server 2010 deployment. This guide shows you how.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Response Group Deployment Guide

This download guides you through the process of configuring the Response Group feature for Enterprise Voice.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Edge Server Deployment Guide

This document guides you through the process of deploying Lync Server 2010 edge servers and Directors.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition Deployment Guide

This document guides you through the process of deploying Lync Server 2010 Standard Edition and configuring dial-in conferencing.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Active Directory Guide

This document guides you through the process of preparing Active Directory for Microsoft Lync Server 2010 and includes the Active Directory schema reference.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Edition Deployment Guide

This document guides you through the process of deploying Lync Server 2010 Enterprise Edition and configuring dial-in conferencing for Lync Server 2010.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Supportability Guide

This guide provides a central, high-level reference for supported server topologies and configurations and supported client configurations. It is also intended to answer frequently asked questions. This document identifies supported topologies, configurations, and scenarios described in detail in the Lync Server deployment and planning documentation.

Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Planning Guide

This document contains information for planning a deployment of Lync Server 2010 and Lync clients.

The Lync Server Open Interoperability Program is now available

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/lync/gg131938.aspx

Other useful Links:

Hardware Requirements. Link

Bandwidth Table. Link

Lync New features – server side. Link

Lync New features – Client Side. Link

Port Requirements. Link

Lync Server 2010 Protocol Workloads Poster. Link

Architecture – Server Roles. Link

Architecture – Topologies. Link

Error:

An error occurred: Microsoft.Rtc.Common.Data.SqlConnectionException Cannot open database xds requested by the login. The login failed. Login failed for user CONTOSO\administrator.

When Installing Lync there is automatically added a firewall rule that opend the port for the SQL Server Service

Solution:

Create a Windows Firewall port exceptions to enable access to the SQL Server Browser service, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Open the Windows Firewall program.
3. Click Change Settings to open the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box.
4. Make sure that Windows Firewall is turned on, and then click the Exceptions tab.
5. Click Add port to open the Add a port dialog box.
6. Enter a name for the port exception, such as SQL Server Browser Service.
7. Make sure that UDP is selected, and then enter UDP port number 1434. This is the default port that the SQL Server Browser service listens on.
8. Click OK two times to close the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box

When Installing Lync I get the following error:

Error: An error occurred: "Microsoft.Rtc.Management.Deployment.DeploymentException" "Cannot determine where to install database files because Windows Management Instrumentation on the database server is unavailable from your computer or user account. To continue, you can resolve this issue, or you can specify where you want to install the files."

Solution: Make Sure that Windows Firewall is Enabled on Windows 2008 R2

Step 1:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Open the Windows Firewall program.
3. Click Change Settings to view the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box. 
4. Verify that Windows Firewall is turned on, and then click the Exceptions tab. 
5. In the To enable an exception, select its check box window, scroll to locate the Remote Administration Program or Port exception.
6. Make sure that the Remote Administration Program or Port exception is selected.
7. Click OK to close the Windows Firewall Settings dialog box.

Step 2: I had named the pool different than the server name, so I needed to add an A record or CNAME Record to DNS to get past.