As an editor, I've been looking at hosted Exchange Server services lately and talking with some hosted services providers. What I've learned certainly makes it seem an attractive option, particularly for the small-to-midsized business (SMB), but in some cases, certainly, even the enterprise might find it appealing. You don't have the costs of the Exchange software and CALs (not to mention the headache of figuring out Microsoft's licensing agreements). And you also save by not having to maintain your own hardware or the staff that would tend to it. Generally, you pay a per-user monthly fee, which makes budgeting simple and consistent. But for these benefits, you give up some control of your data, which in many cases might be a serious security concern. You're also dependent on your provider to maintain an appropriate level of uptime and fix problems when they arise—in this realm, some providers will certainly either succeed or fail.
Windows IT Pro Senior Contributing Editor David Chernicoff recently wrote a commentary on his experience of switching to a hosted Exchange provider, which you can find here. From his challenging experience, he's come up with some useful tips to think about when choosing a provider.
Now, I'd love to hear from you. Have you used or investigated using a hosted Exchange solution? What nightmares did you encounter? Or have you found it all smooth and easy? Were there surprises--either good or bad--from making this switch? Help out your fellow Exchange admins by steering them away from unreliable providers—and pointing out those who truly deliver on their promises. Let us know about your experiences.
Brian Winstead
Associate Editor