Microsoft on Thursday said Exchange 2007 would include a new client access license option geared to enterprise users and that Beta 2 of the server will include new e-mail hygiene, compliance, replication and data protection features.

Microsoft said it plans to ship Beta 2 of Exchange Server 2007 this summer with final release slated for late 2006 or early 2007.

“The future of Exchange is as a foundation component of this integrated unified communication services infrastructure we are building,” says Dave Thompson, corporate vice president of the Exchange group at Microsoft. That infrastructure is the result of Microsoft’s merging in January of its Exchange Group and its Real Time Communications Group into the Unified Communications Group. “Our goal is to simplify access to rich communication services for both users and IT pros,” said Thompson.

Microsoft, however, is doing that with some competitive prodding from longtime rival IBM/Lotus, which is busy crafting its own platform that integrates messaging, collaboration and real-time communications, such as instant messaging and Web conferencing.

And Microsoft is likely to have a challenge converting users to Exchange 2007. According to Microsoft officials, nearly a quarter of its users migrated off Exchange 5.5 in the past year and either went to Exchange 2003 or to a competing platform. And those users that stayed with Microsoft likely won’t be upgrading in the near future even if they have Software Assurance maintenance contracts that provide access to the Exchange 2007 upgrade.

However, last fall, Microsoft said it still had 16% of its installed base on Exchange 5.5, a group that would be prime candidates for an upgrade but are also being tempted by IBM/Lotus, open-source e-mail vendors and others.

The rest of the Exchange user base is spread across Exchange 2000 and 2003.

Microsoft did not announce pricing for the new Exchange Enterprise CAL (client access license), but said it would include access to unified messaging, user-centric journaling, and managed e-mail folders. The unified messaging option includes such features as speech recognition for e-mail/voicemail/contacts and integration with IP-PBX.

In addition, users with Software Assurance maintenance contracts also will get multi-tiered malware protection with Antigen for Exchange, which is anti-virus and anti-spyware software run locally, and online anti-virus and anti-spam services offered through Exchange Hosted Services, which is the technology from Microsoft’s acquisition of FrontBridge.

Whitepapers

• Selecting Effective Virtual Directories
• Best Practices for HP Servers and HP Enterprise Virtual Array in a Microsoft Exchange
• Compliance, Protection, Recovery: A Layered Approach to Laptop Security
• Endpoint Security: Data Protection for IT, Freedom for Laptop Users
• IT Departments on Data Security: A Research Concepts Survey
• Laptop Security Tool Helps Allina Hospitals Track 97% of IT Assets

View more SOFTWARE whitepapers

Webcasts

• Managing the End User Experience-A Real World Example of Success
• Lowering the Cost of Email Archives
• Google Webcast: Why archive email? Top challenges and best practices
• High Availability for SQL Server 2005 Using Array-Based Replication and Host-Based Mirroring Technologies
• Technical Overview of Exchange Server 2007 with HP Servers and Storage
• Bringing Order and Security to your Mobile Workforce: Corporate Mobility Policy and Device Management On-Demand

View more SOFTWARE webcasts

Special Reports

• Application Performance Management Executive Guide
• Executive Guide: Building a Service Oriented Architecture
• IT Buyers Guide To: Collaboration

View more SOFTWARE special reports