Microsoft Lync 2013 Availability and Pricing: Dec 1, 2012 and Lync Standard Edition to Increase Dramatically

 

Just this morning our Microsoft Licensing specialist/TPAM, Jessica Harrison, gave us a heads up that Microsoft Lync 2013 licensing will be available December 1, 2012 and noted some pricing changes.

A couple things to keep in mind:

• All Lync User CALs will be increasing 15% on December 1, 2012
• Lync Server 2013 will be a MSRP of $3,646 USD (with no price distinction between Enterprise and Standard Server)
• This means that after Dec 1, 2012, Lync Standard Edition pricing will effectively go from $695 USD to $3646 USD (Open Business Standard)
• [update] External Connector License for Microsoft Lync Server 2013 is no longer needed.
• “With the 2013 versions of Exchange Server, Lync Server and SharePoint Server, we are consolidating the right for External Users to access the server under the server license assigned to the server on which the software runs.” Source: http://linkd.in/UpT8pk
• The new Lync 2013 Basic client (slim version) appears to have no SKU (there is now a Lync 2013 PC client (full featured) and Lync 2013 Basic PC client (slim/limited features)) 

Other Questions

• Q. Will Microsoft Lync SBA (Survivable Branch Appliance) pricing change?
  • A. At this time our SBA vendors have not noted any pricing changes in relation to Lync 2013 SBA.
• Q. Will Microsoft Lync 2013 Basic (as opposed to Lync 2013 full PC client) be free?
  • A. At this time there appears to be no SKU for Lync 2013 Basic.

Actions You Should Take:

• If you were planning to buy Microsoft Lync Server Standard Edition: Order Open Value or Open Business with SA Licenses before November 25, 2012
• If you want Landis Computer Technology Solutions to help you get Lync Standard at current prices before November 25, 2012 increases, fill proposal request form: click here.

Why the increase in Lync Server 2013 Standard Edition licensing? (I am not Microsoft, so don’t beat the messenger and below is my attempt at a guess at a rational)

• Could be explained by Microsoft as simplifying Lync Server licensing? (okay, that was weak)
• Lync Server 2013 does add enhanced failover features that make it much simpler to have a SE FE failover to a Backup FE SE (Click Here for Detailed Explanation)

Lync Server 2013 Standard and Enterprise:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg417160(v=ocs.15).aspx

Lync Server 2013 Available on Volume Licensing price list December 1, 2012:
http://blogs.office.com/b/office-news/archive/2012/10/11/office-reaches-rtm.aspx