Exchange and Outlook Overview

Exchange 2007 SP1 is the only version of Exchange to run on Windows Server 2008. Released in Nov. 2007. SP1 will also be required to use Exchange 2007’s unified messaging with Communications Server 2007. SP1 restores some features that had been dropped in Exchange 2007 (e.g., public folder access in the Outlook Web Access browser interface) and delivers a new replication feature (called Standby Continuous Replication) that enables organizations to replicate mailbox stores off-site to speed disaster recovery.

Outlook 2007 received a first service pack with the release of Office 2007 SP1 in Dec. 2007. Beyond that, Microsoft has announced no future Exchange/Outlook releases, but an update (shown as Exchange Server 14 and Outlook 14 in the illustration) is likely in conjunction with Office 14, which is expected in 2010.

Microsoft already hosts Exchange for organizations of 5,000 or more (such as Energizer Holdings) on dedicated hardware, a service now called Exchange Online Dedicated. As of late 2008, Microsoft also hosts Exchange in multitenant installations with a service called Exchange Online Standard, which relies on an updated version of the Hosted Messaging and Collaboration management software. Microsoft also offers this software to other hosting providers.