Lync Server 2013 is indisputably a well-engineered product. Built on the foundations of PowerShell engine, it also features administrative capabilities through a web-based control panel. Consistent with Microsoft's practice, only around 80 percent of PowerShell capabilities are exposed and exploitable through the administrative GUI; that is, PowerShell is the only option for advanced or automated tasks. Regardless of this, the Lync control panel does quite well in providing the majority of the most common day-to-day administrative tasks in an easy and intuitive way. This is quite a welcome relief for the less experienced Lync administrator!

That said, Lync still has room for improvements, with a few areas where manageability is not as straightforward as it could be. Furthermore, PowerShell is a complex subject that requires a considerable investment of time before it can be mastered.

Luckily, there are many solutions that will make life easier in certain areas where out-of-the-box features fall a bit short, providing quick and intuitive ways to perform specific tasks. Some are commercial (paid) add-ons, while others are free software. Our aim is to focus on the latter. The tools presented here have the following common features:

In this chapter, we will present a number of recipes to help speed up typical Lync deployment, configuration, and administration tasks through a selection of the best tools available. You will find more special-purpose tools (like the ones for backup, planning, and troubleshooting) in other chapters of this book.