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.
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