Organisations must provide staff with powerful messaging and collaboration tools if they expect to compete in today's demanding business climate. E-mail is undoubtedly one of the key applications and it is more critical today than ever. Important business communications and resources also need to be available to mobile employees anytime and anyplace, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 meets this challenge and enables office based and remote workers to access key information and messages on demand.

Exchange 2003 Server is available in two editions :-

• Exchange 2003 Standard Edition is ideally suited to the messaging and collaboration needs of small to medium size businesses.
• Exchange 2003 Enterprise Edition is designed for larger companies and corporations and provides the facility to create multiple storage groups and multiple databases.

Exchange Server 2003 integrates seamlessly with the Active Directory service found in Windows Server 2003. Together with the Microsoft Management Console it enables centralised single seat administration and management thereby reducing the total cost of ownership.

Exchange 2003 operates with Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 and co-exists with Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2000, all within the same network topology. Exchange 2003 also operates with Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, Outlook 2002 (Office XP), and Outlook 2000.

Migration Tools

Windows Active Directory Migration Tool helps ease the migration of Microsoft Windows NT® Server 4.0 accounts to Active Directory with its password migration. Pre-migration analysis and reporting tools provide easier, faster migration to Exchange 2003 and some migration processes are wizard enabled to simplify the procedure.

Outlook Web Access

Outlook Web Access allows any user with a compatible browser to access Exchange Server folders on condition that they have the appropriate permissions. It can be described as a facility that provides users with the ability to access e-mail or exchange folders from remote locations.

Push Technology and Wireless E-mail

Exchange ActiveSync provides direct synchronisation between Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs and Smartphones. This technology " pushes" mail directly to the recipients suitably compatible hand held device and allows "anytime anywhere" connectivity whilst on the move.

Benefits of Microsoft Exchange 2003 include :-

• Increased productivity for IT staff due to intuitive, centralised management tools
• Reduced total cost of ownership due to improved server consolidation
• Anywhere anytime access with Outlook Web Access and " Push Technology" to mobile hand held devices
• Faster, easier upgrades and deployment
• Enhanced server availability and reliability

For further details on Microsoft products please contact your HBC Account Manager or call the Sales department on 01794 830326.