By now I am sure you know that if Microsoft Outlook is a preferred user client for advanced e-mail and team collaboration, then Microsoft Exchange Server is the most popular mail server in the world. It is an ultimate engine that empowers your Outlook with all the great features it was designed for.
Up until just a few years ago, due to extremely costly implementation and highly-involved management, Exchange was mostly reserved for large enterprises. Now, there is a better solution available to Small business - hosted solution
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
How to buy Microsoft Exchange Hosting
For a low and fixed per user monthly fee (usually around $10), your business can reap the benefits of Exchange for comprehensive messaging and collaboration. This means that absolutely all features of Outlook, powered by Microsoft Exchange, will be enabled for all your team members. The cost is low – the productivity benefits are huge! Finally your team members can collaborate, setup meetings, share calendars, and maintain company addresses shared by everyone.
I recommend: ASP-One Exchange Hosting Service is my preferred choice because they have been in business of Exchange Hosting since 1997, are Microsoft Gold Certified and even a Microsoft Partner of the Year in Advanced Infrastructure solutions. They are my preferred choice because of the shared and dedicated offers – you can choose the best fit for your business, based on the number of users you have. They also offer a free cost comparison report – you’ll know exactly what it costs to outsource with ASP-One in comparison to in-house implementation. It’s a great deal! You can also take a look at thier competition - MailStreet or Mi8 - both are great choices. You can also search “exchange hosting” in Google or even go to www.microsoft.com, take a product shortcut to Microsoft Exchange 2003 and choose one of their recommended hosting providers.
Looking for mobility for your users? Enable it with Exchange.
Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync enables mobile service for Windows Mobile Devices. In most cases it is included free with the hosted service. If some of your members choose Windows Mobile-powered, but some will prefer to use BlackBerry, they can all be activated on the same account. Mix-and-match options enable flexible deployment in a user-friendly environment.
I recommend:
BlackBerry and GoodLink mobile services are not free – they usually cost between $10-20 per month per device for service and the same for activation. That is the reason why many choose new, Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, such as Motorola Q. Most leading Exchange Server hosting providers will offer Exchange ActiveSync either free (as in ASP-One case), or with a low monthly cost (as with Mailstreet).
How can you be sure of service? Ask for an SLA and check references.
Take 99.9% no less service level agreement. Check background of the company you are choosing. Since it’s a Microsoft developed tool, it’s always a good idea to pick from a provider from a Microsoft partner list – preferably, Microsoft Gold Certified Partners. They work with Microsoft on deployment of new products and upgrades, are stable and provide proven service.
I recommend: Look at the Microsoft Exchange Hosting recommended Partner Page – you can look up the company you are considering on their list.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Choose a company that will offer you room to grow – with a strong shared and dedicated offering
- Evaluate mobility options – you never really know how many of your users and when will choose which device to enable. Best to pick an affordable option with multiple choices of mobile providers (BlackBerry, Good and ActiveSync)
- Often, free offers make the deal more appealing – they may include free SharePoint account (for sharing documents) and discounts on services – always ask!
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