How to create a custom Lync client within my business app without installing Microsoft Lync?

Question

I would like to implement my own client for Microsoft Lync embedded within my business app. Is it possible to do so without having Lync installed?. I am targeting Lync SDK 2010. I have found the following information in the documentation and I was wondering if there is a solution to avoid this:

Use Microsoft Lync 2010 SDK to add communications and collaboration functionality to your application. With Lync SDK, you can add Microsoft Lync 2010 features to an existing business application, or create a custom client that includes Microsoft Lync 2010 features. In either case, Lync 2010 must be a running process on the client computer that hosts a Microsoft Lync 2010 API application.

My idea is that my .Net app should be installed without requiring any Lync installation.

Answer 1

If the SDK documentation indicates no... Then no. The reason for this is the Lync client still handles the actual Lync protocol. Your only other option would be to reverse engineer the Lync protocol and roll your own client from the wire up (this is assuming its not using some sort of encryption ie Skype).

Edit Turns out that Microsoft published the Lync protocol documentation: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc339480(v=office.12).aspx

Answer 2

It's possible, read this article: An Overview of the Lync APIs .

Basicly, the Lync 2010 SDK you wanted to use talks to your installed lync client, and thus needs it. But using the Unified Communications Client API (UCCA) you could write your own client while still using the handy SDK features.