Summary

The new support for Lync Server 2010 virtualization will most likely lead to many organizations using a virtual deployment as opposed to physical servers. Some companies even mandate all new servers must be deployed virtually, which put administrators in a tough position when Microsoft would not support earlier versions for media traffic. The cost savings and flexibility in infrastructure not possible before will drive organizations in this direction.

However, there are some strict requirements that might deter organizations from using virtual servers. Requirements such as dedicated logical processors and network adapters are not typical in virtual environments, so companies might find themselves having to deploy new hardware specifically for Lync Server 2010 virtual infrastructure. Live Migration and vMotion are features many administrators have come to rely on and might be frustrated when they are unable to use them.