Different possible ways of integrating MS Lync with windows RT Metro app.

1. Different approaches of
integrating Lync with
Windows 8 Metro app
By: Ashish Agrawal

2. Lync Metro app with locally running
lyncService and Lync client in UI
suppression mode
Benefits Drawbacks
Default metro based UI Cannot be uploaded to windows app store
Direct consumption of Lync SDK API’s Side loading based deployment
Total control over User Interface No content sharing/Screen share in UI suppression mode.
In consistency in Lync client behaviour. Eg: Currently even after successful Sign-
out, we are not able to sign in as a different user programmatically.
No open windows community support since this is a non- standard way of
doing app to app communication
User cannot use the default Lync client app when in UI suppression mode.
Restart will be required to switch between suppression and non-suppression
mode

3. Lync Metro app with locally running
lycnService and Lync client in automation
mode.
Benefits Drawbacks
Default metro based UI Cannot be uploaded to windows app store
Direct consumption of Lync SDK API’s Side loading based deployment
All features including screen share and content sharing is available No control on Lync communication UI. Will use only default Lync UI
User can operate with default Lync client independently as well.

4. Lync Metro app with self written Lync
based VoIP stack
Benefits Drawbacks
Default Metro based UI Time and effort required to build VoIP stack supported by win 8 metro FW
Total control over User Interface
Store based app deployment

5. Lync Desktop app using Lync SDK and Lync
client in UI suppression mode
Benefits Drawbacks
No Sideloading required for deployment Entire app will have to be a desktop app
No localhost dependency and direct usage of Lync SDK API’s No content sharing/Screen share in UI suppression mode. From MSDN:
“content and resource sharing modalities cannot be used in your
application when UI suppression is enabled”
Metro based UI can be faked.

6. Lync Desktop app using Lync SDK and
Lync client in Automation mode (No UI
Suppression mode)
Benefits Drawbacks
Metro based UI can be faked. Only default Lync UI will be available
No Sideloading or localhost dependency required for
deployment
No support to customize Lync communication UI or features
Access to entire Lync SDK API’s including content and screen
sharing
Default Metro app features will be not available.
Direct consumption of all the Lync SDK API’s No control on adding new communication features like
integration with Skype etc except for what comes default with
lync SDK

7. Lync Metro app with Lync Web API (Limited
features)
Benefits Drawbacks
Default metro based UI Only few Lync features are supported.
Total control over User Interface
REST-like API
• Presence
• Group Memberships
• Contacts
• Privacy Relationships
• Scheduled Conferences
• Search
• Instant Messaging

8. References
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/lync/jj933224.aspx
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/lync/jj933179.aspx#History [This
blog says that content sharing in UI suppression mode might be soon
enabled]
 http://ucwa.lync.com/about/about-ucwa
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/lync/gg132942.aspx
 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/lync/jj933180.aspx