Exchange Server 2007 Adds Unified Messaging

New unified messaging (UM) capabilities in Exchange Server 2007 improve on traditional voice-mail systems by placing voice mail, faxes, and e-mail into a single inbox. Users can access their unified inbox-as well as their calendar, contact lists, and corporate address book-from a PC, Web client, or mobile e-mail client, as well as from a standard telephone using voice commands. However, providing users with UM capabilities involves upgrading the entire e-mail infrastructure to Exchange Server 2007, as well as the potentially complex task of interfacing with existing telephony equipment.

Advantages of the Unified Inbox

A unified inbox cuts down the number of places users need to check and helps them prioritize and organize their messages. Users who receive many voice mails and faxes in addition to e-mails will benefit greatly by being able to manage all of them from a single client interface. Furthermore, the ability to navigate e-mail messages and personal calendar entries by issuing voice commands over a standard phone and to have the information “read” back-a feature Microsoft calls Outlook Voice Access-can be useful for mobile users who may not have immediate access to a PC or who do not have their hands free to operate a personal digital assistant (PDA) or other mobile device.