Microsoft readies Exchange for future
nwfusion.com | at | by Mike
Microsoft's annual Exchange user conference this week will be somewhat of a strategic juggling act as the company highlights the product's future while trying to continue developing an efficient messaging infrastructure. The company also will have a third ball in the air with the ongoing task of convincing users to adopt Exchange 2000 - which more than 70% of the installed base has yet to embrace - while fighting off competition from low-cost alternatives to such a move.
Microsoft's challenge is to show corporations the value of Exchange as it evolves into its role in Microsoft's .Net Web services strategy, including why some of Exchange's traditional features such as instant messaging and conferencing are moving to the Windows .Net Server 2003 operating system. That switch will have a direct effect on IT as responsibility for some collaboration functions moves from Exchange administrators to network operating system administrators.