One of the major new features available in Microsoft's version of the Office Communications Server 2007 R2 and newer versions is the integration of branch-office scenarios. This function can be activated to enable a reliable branch office installation with the Lync Server 2013 topology. A branch office is a location (other than the main office), where business is conducted. Usually a branch office is a smaller office as compared to the main office and it needs some kind of IT infrastructure. Lync 2013 supports branch office installation in several different ways to extend communication and collaboration modalities to other office locations and to build a high-availablility infrastructure as well as in case of an interruption in the connectivity to the main office.

The installation of Lync 2013 with a branch site offers the capability to make and receive phone calls at the branch site even when the central site hosting the "main" Lync 2013 environment is temporarily...