Electronic communication is now the lifeblood of any business and MS Exchange Server software can protect and improve this vital form of communication. MS Exchange hosting services software also reduces costs and streamlines the way your company's email is processed. Finally, MS Exchange can dramatically reduce spam and is agile enough to support company growth in the future. However, to install and manage an MS Exchange server, you need proper education and training on the software.

To attain this Microsoft Exchange Server education and training there are several options available. First, you need to understand the basics of the software program and it makes sense to purchase the platform. Next, you can use Internet tutorials and training courses to become more familiar with MS Exchange Server hosting. Finally, there are certification classes specific to Microsoft Exchange Server software. However, before you begin this process, here are a few items, which can assist you:

1. Review the Microsoft Exchange Server hosting primers and other online resources.

2. Take the Microsoft Exchange hosting services and software tutorials available online.

3. Enroll in Microsoft Exchange ASP and software certification training.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Examine the essential information on dedicated exchange server hosting and software platforms

An excellent way to establish the proper knowledge base for any software platform is to review the basics. You'll need to know why you should install the software and what it will do to improve your company's technology efficiency. In addition, it's good to know the server system requirements and any other installation information prior to purchase.

I recommend: Evaluate the MS Exchange educational resources at the Microsoft Technet and Microsoft websites. For hosting information, you can use the reviews at the MS Exchange.

Use the online Microsoft Exchange Server software tutorials and training courses

With a solid understanding of the MS Exchange basics, you can now move on to the implementation process. An application is only as good the management acumen that uses it. Therefore, it's important to know just how to install the software and manage the platform.

I recommend: Assess the MS Exchange video tutorials at Learn Exchange. For Microsoft Exchange Server and hosting courses, you can enroll in the course at CBT Planet.

Register for the MS Exchange hosting and software certification education classes

For advanced software, training and education there are certification courses that provide in-depth training in all aspects of MS Exchange Server. Before you or your employees enroll in the courses be sure that they're cost effective as compared to hiring a consultant to manage your email system.

I recommend: Review the certification program resources available at the Pass 4 Sure website. Enroll in the MS Exchange certification training program at the ONLC Training Centers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to contact and get quotes from multiple Microsoft Exchange vendors, before buying the software. However, be sure that each company carries the Microsoft licensed vendor certification before choosing from the various vendors.

By now I am sure you know that if Microsoft Outlook is a preferred user client for advanced e-mail and team collaboration, then Microsoft Exchange Server is the most popular mail server in the world. It is an ultimate engine that empowers your Outlook with all the great features it was designed for.

Up until just a few years ago, due to extremely costly implementation and highly-involved management, Exchange was mostly reserved for large enterprises. Now, there is a better solution available to Small business - hosted solution

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

How to buy Microsoft Exchange Hosting

For a low and fixed per user monthly fee (usually around $10), your business can reap the benefits of Exchange for comprehensive messaging and collaboration. This means that absolutely all features of Outlook, powered by Microsoft Exchange, will be enabled for all your team members. The cost is low – the productivity benefits are huge! Finally your team members can collaborate, setup meetings, share calendars, and maintain company addresses shared by everyone.

I recommend: ASP-One Exchange Hosting Service is my preferred choice because they have been in business of Exchange Hosting since 1997, are Microsoft Gold Certified and even a Microsoft Partner of the Year in Advanced Infrastructure solutions. They are my preferred choice because of the shared and dedicated offers – you can choose the best fit for your business, based on the number of users you have. They also offer a free cost comparison report – you’ll know exactly what it costs to outsource with ASP-One in comparison to in-house implementation. It’s a great deal! You can also take a look at thier competition - MailStreet or Mi8 - both are great choices. You can also search “exchange hosting” in Google or even go to www.microsoft.com, take a product shortcut to Microsoft Exchange 2003 and choose one of their recommended hosting providers.

Looking for mobility for your users? Enable it with Exchange.

Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync enables mobile service for Windows Mobile Devices. In most cases it is included free with the hosted service. If some of your members choose Windows Mobile-powered, but some will prefer to use BlackBerry, they can all be activated on the same account. Mix-and-match options enable flexible deployment in a user-friendly environment.

I recommend:

BlackBerry and GoodLink mobile services are not free – they usually cost between $10-20 per month per device for service and the same for activation. That is the reason why many choose new, Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, such as Motorola Q. Most leading Exchange Server hosting providers will offer Exchange ActiveSync either free (as in ASP-One case), or with a low monthly cost (as with Mailstreet).

How can you be sure of service? Ask for an SLA and check references.

Take 99.9% no less service level agreement. Check background of the company you are choosing. Since it’s a Microsoft developed tool, it’s always a good idea to pick from a provider from a Microsoft partner list – preferably, Microsoft Gold Certified Partners. They work with Microsoft on deployment of new products and upgrades, are stable and provide proven service.

I recommend: Look at the Microsoft Exchange Hosting recommended Partner Page – you can look up the company you are considering on their list.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Choose a company that will offer you room to grow – with a strong shared and dedicated offering
• •  Evaluate mobility options – you never really know how many of your users and when will choose which device to enable. Best to pick an affordable option with multiple choices of mobile providers (BlackBerry, Good and ActiveSync)
• •  Often, free offers make the deal more appealing – they may include free SharePoint account (for sharing documents) and discounts on services – always ask!

Microsoft Exchange Server is the engine behind the popular Outlook email system that many businesses run. Each version is more advanced than and contains different features from the previous ones. Because Exchange Server is such a vast and complex program, some people may have a hard time understanding all the terminology they run across when considering an update to their Exchange Server system. But that doesn't have to happen to you. Once you know some basic terms, you can better understand the details of Exchange Server's key features.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Deployment

A common but sometimes confusing term, deployment refers to the installation and setup of a server system, such as Exchange Server. It is important to carefully evaluate your existing hardware to make sure it's capable of running Exchange Server.

I recommend: Dell (PDF) offers a white paper that covers the main considerations and configuration requirements for deployment of Exchange Server 2003. A similar document covering Exchange Server 2007 is available from Microsoft.

Certificate

Exchange Server includes a means of electronically verifying the identity of a user on a network, including the Internet. This verification (also called authentication) feature is called a certificate, and it contains a digital signature as well as any added encryption.

I recommend: Microsoft's Exchange Server 2003 Glossary defines this and many other terms related to the use of Exchange Server. Click "Download" to view the glossary.

Exchange Hosted Services (EHS)

Businesses can add Exchange Hosted Services (EHS) to existing email systems-even those that don't use Exchange. EHS provides filtering, data encryption, archiving of email and a backup system in case of email service outages.

I recommend: You can download a datasheet detailing the features of EHS from Microsoft Online Services .

Client Access License

An organization that is implementing Exchange must purchase a Client Access License (CAL) to let its users access the Exchange Server. Exchange 2007 offers a standard CAL that enables the use of most features, but it also provides for the addition of the Enterprise CAL, which gives access to Unified Messaging and an extra compliance feature.

I recommend: The Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 licensing FAQ explains the details of buying CALs.

Server role

In Exchange Server, the groupings of tools that are necessary to perform certain functions are called server roles. These roles define the configuration of features for each group of messaging tasks. Exchange Server 2007 includes five server roles: client access, edge transport, hub transport, mailbox and unified messaging.

I recommend: Microsoft TechNet offers a server role roadmap that outlines where each of the five server roles can be deployed in Exchange Server 2007.

Unified messaging and anywhere access

With Exchange Server 2007, delivery to the Outlook inbox is available for messages that are sent in a variety of formats, including fax and voice mail. The inbox is accessible over the phone as well. This feature, called unified messaging, is part of the Exchange Server 2007 'anywhere access' philosophy.

I recommend: The Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 overview lists the benefits and features of unified messaging and other "anywhere access" components.