Microsoft Exchange Server is an email server and calendar server developed by Microsoft. It runs solely on Windows Server running on the following operating systems: Windows 2021, Windows NT, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. The latest version is known as Exchange Server 4.0.
One of the most popular features of Microsoft Exchange Server is Microsoft’s built in feature called Microsoft 365.
What is this? Microsoft 365 is the high availability feature, which means that any part of your network (including your intranet) can be accessed by users, no matter what time of day or night. What’s even more interesting about Microsoft 365 is that the number of user accessibility is completely configurable. You can activate this high availability service when you set up Microsoft Exchange Server.
So, what is Microsoft 365? This is Microsoft Exchange Server running on Windows Server 2021. What this means is that it will be able to support both the older versions of Microsoft Exchange as well as the newer version of Microsoft Exchange Server. With this server role, you have the flexibility to not only handle the major email services such as Outlook, MSN, and Yahoo, but also the lesser known services such as Aweber, PayPal, and many others. This is because you have the flexibility to configure and run the email services that are specific to your company.
Now that you know what Microsoft 365 is, what is it used for? Well, there are various uses of Microsoft Exchange Server on-site or off-site. For on-site use, Microsoft Exchange Server can be used as a centralized replacement for your local email server. With a properly configured Microsoft Exchange Server in your organization, you will not need to deploy any additional hardware, nor will you need to install any software. You will also not have any issues with access and mobility since the Microsoft Exchange Server will act as your login page and will also give you the ability to access Outlook through your local computer.
However, with Microsoft Exchange Server is running on-site, it will not be able to give you the same level of mobility that is provided by Microsoft Outlook. With Outlook, you will be able to access your email from anywhere. And with Microsoft Exchange Server is running on-site, there would be no issues with mobility since you won’t need to deploy any additional hardware or software. Microsoft 365 users will also enjoy the benefits of being integrated with Microsoft’s OMS (Onelook) platform which includes some advanced features that include: Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Business Center, Microsoft Dynamics GP, and Microsoft Office Online. It will be able to integrate with Microsoft’s mobile devices including: Blackberry, iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, and others. With all these great features, what else could you expect from a Microsoft enterprise hosting provider?
The Microsoft Exchange Server will provide you with complete benefits even after the migration has been completed.
Aside from the basic installation and setup, you can also enjoy remote data backup, online auto discovery, enhanced functionality for e-mails, auto manager for multi-user mailboxes, and password protection for all passwords. The Microsoft Exchange Server will even provide you with support for Microsoft SharePoint, WebEx Connect, Microsoft Business Center, Microsoft Office Online, Microsoft Dynamics GP, and Microsoft Dynamics SL. And since you will still be running your own e-mail server after the migration, you can always ensure that all messages are received and delivered to the intended recipient.
The deployment process itself involves a lot of steps that includes: creating a replicated server, provisioning permissions, creating a workstation, provisioning permissions, provisioning database, configuring permissions, configuring access, and creating auto response headers. And after the entire process, you will be provided with a fully functional and responsive Microsoft Exchange Server! With the high availability and high scalability feature of Microsoft Exchange Server, your company will be able to grow even when it experiences a high influx of users or a high number of changes to the software itself. Another benefit that comes along with this is that it will be easy for you to upgrade your infrastructure without having to wait too long. This is because it can adapt to changes very easily.
When you opt to go with the Microsoft Exchange Server as a solution for your business, there are two options to choose from: On-Premises or Active Server Pages (ASP). Depending on what type of experience you are looking for, you have to make sure that you get the right server type that suits your needs.
- As a business owner, you have to make the decision whether or not you are going to purchase a fully furnished or self-guaranteed hosted server.
- This will determine the monthly maintenance fee that you have to pay.
- Although most companies opt to get a fully furnished Active Server Pages solution, there are many companies that prefer to have a self-guaranteed or SaaS based solution so that they do not have to worry about any hidden costs.