Updated: July 10, 2020 (July 18, 2011)

  Analyst Report Archived

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My Atlas / Analyst Reports

2,129 wordsTime to read: 11 min
Wes Miller by
Wes Miller

Wes Miller analyzes and writes about Microsoft’s security, identity management, and systems management technologies. Before joining Directions on Microsoft, Wes... more

Office 365, available in June 2011, is a set of subscription plans that combines Microsoft-hosted services (such as Exchange Online) with subscription licenses to the Office Professional Plus desktop software. Like the earlier Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), Office 365 enables organizations to outsource e-mail hosting and other functions to Microsoft and free up IT personnel. Office 365 also offers more capabilities than BPOS did, although it still does not completely match the capabilities of the server software deployed on-premises. Organizations contemplating a move to Office 365 should be aware of potential benefits and some limitations, however.

Hosted Servers Updated, Desktop Applications Optional

Office 365 is a set of service plans that can include any or all of the most recent versions of the following Microsoft-hosted services:

  • Exchange Online, powered by Exchange Server 2010
  • SharePoint Online, powered by SharePoint Server 2010
  • Lync Online (formerly Communications

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