With a change in licensing strategy Microsoft is making it easier for customers running Office Communications Server to bridge their solutions with Windows Live services. As of July 1st, 2009, Microsoft has renamed the Live Communications Server Public IM Connectivity (LCS PIC) license the Office Communications Server Public IM Connectivity (OCS PIC) license. At the same time, the Redmond company revealed that federating with Windows Live will not require extra licensing for companies with Office Communications Server 2007 R2 Standard CAL or Office Communications Server 2007/Live Communications Server 2005 SP1 Standard CAL with Software Assurance.

“Federation is an important goal for the Office Communications Server team and we are excited to announce several changes to public IM federation between Office Communications Server and public IM networks, effective July 1, 2009,” revealed Danie Gordon, UC & Collaboration product solution manager. “We will continue to work with our partners to enable more options that allow you to communicate seamlessly with customers, partners, friends and family on different networks.”

Bridging Windows Live and OCS is synonymous with the integration of the contact from the Redmond company's Windows Live network into the Office Communications Server contacts list. Federation makes it possible not only for the contacts to be shared, but also for OCS users to view presence information, as well as communicate through instant messaging with members of the Windows Live community. But this is valid only for Windows Live; rival messaging networks do not benefit from the same level of licensing flexibility.

“Federation with AOL and Yahoo! requires the Office Communications Server Public IM Connectivity (PIC) per user subscription license. The PIC License provides connectivity to both IM service providers. There are no license options for connectivity to only one provider, but administrators can choose which service provider they provision,” Microsoft explained.

Windows Live Messenger 9.0 (2009) version 14.0.8064.0206 is available for download via this link.