Microsoft Exchange Server is Microsoft’s mail, calendaring, address book, scheduling and discussion platform. It is usually deployed on the Windows Server OS (operated by Microsoft) for commercial use. Microsoft designed Exchange Server to provide users access to their messaging platform from a variety of devices, desktop and web-based. This allows users to organize their calendars, contacts, tasks, contacts and mailboxes from any location at any time.
The following diagram shows how the Microsoft Exchange Server works. IT Support specialists use this diagram to provide guidance on how to migrate the company’s mailboxes and folders to a hosted service provider’s environment. The cloud environment will provide the application with a synched database and the hardware, such as servers and processors, will be provided by the service provider. The user will need to log on to the Windows Server’s management interface to access the new service.
There are different service providers that offer Microsoft Exchange Server as a platform.
Some of these companies offer consulting services. One such company is Microsoft Certified Systems. Others offer non-credentialed, or self-directed support services.
Microsoft has recently announced two options for migrating mailboxes in the company’s global network. The first option is to move the email service to a third party cloud service. This can reduce cost and improve efficiency. The second option is to migrate to the Microsoft Exchange Server. The consulting firm recommends going with the latter option, particularly for small and mid-size businesses, as it provides greater flexibility:
On its part, Microsoft offers two options for migrating mailboxes to a cloud service.
The Remote Server Setup (RSR) and the Installment Agreement (IA) are two ways to migrate the mailbox from the on-site Microsoft Exchange Server. The Remote Server Setup allows users to install the required software and features on the local computer. The Installment Agreement enables the user to select a self-service provider to manage the server, manage the hardware, and create the user’s own DNS entries.
For companies planning to utilize Microsoft Exchange Server as their primary platform for communication, there is another option: the Microsoft outlook web for business. Similar to the other versions of Microsoft Exchange Server, the outlook web for business version also comes with its own set of tools for managing the organization’s data. The following are some of the benefits of this type of hosting:
The companies using Microsoft outlook web for business as their main email client realize that managing their business contacts and calendars becomes very cumbersome when trying to do so manually. With the help of Microsoft outlook, these tasks can be accomplished in a fraction of the time. While installing the Microsoft web based email client, users need to ensure that they have the proper server settings. These settings will vary depending on the particular version of Microsoft outlook that is being used.
The most effective method for integrating cloud and on-site technologies is through integration with third party solutions. By utilizing hybrid technology, clients can access existing infrastructure without any major downtime. This method was created with the aid of IT consultants who specialize in Microsoft consulting services.
- Microsoft consultants can help companies implement a number of strategies such as: Hybrid Hosting, Microsoft cloud, and/or Windows consulting.
- Hybrid hosting is a service that combines on-site and cloud technologies.
- On the other hand, Microsoft cloud technology is a set of solutions that allow users to access applications on the internet as well as on-site from a variety of devices including desktop, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and web-connected devices such as mobile devices and webcams.