March
14, 2005
Last
month we featured an article on the benefits of Microsoft
Exchange Server and Hosted/Managed Exchange Services,
focused primarily around Exchange 2003, the current version
of Exchange Server, released in late 2003. However, much was
expected to change with the next version of Exchange - there
has been speculation that the next version of Exchange, due
in 2006, known internally as Exchange 12 (E12), would depart
radically from Exchange 2003.
Fortunately,
in January this year (2005), Microsoft announced that they
would be retaining the existing Jet database engine for E12.
This is a significant announcement, because there had been
plans to change the data store, possibly merging it with SQL
Server 2005, or using the much touted Windows Future Storage
(WinFS). In 2003 Microsoft announced plans to ship
a version of Exchange Server, code-named Kodiak, which featured
a new "universal data store" that would support
collaborative applications built using Exchange technologies
like public folders and forms. This may have created porting
issues for those millions of users and developers who have
made significant investments in applications based on the
existing Outlook Object Model and Public Folders store. With
this latest announcement, Microsoft seemed to have allayed
those fears. Instead of any dramatic changes to the product,
Microsoft will just continue to build on the many improvements
made to Exchange 2003.
For end users, Microsoft will develop
E12 in tandem with the next version of Microsoft Office Outlook,
code-named Outlook 12, and an upcoming version of the Windows
Mobile platform, which powers Pocket PC and smart phone devices.
The fact that Exchange and Office have the same version number,
namely 12, indicates that they will have significantly improved
integration. These products are planned to be released simultaneously
in 2006, providing a much better experience with each product.
Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA), which
was significantly improved in Exchange 2003, will also be
broadly updated. Enhancements to Outlook Web Access will include
the ability to access other servers, such as SharePoint, when
coming into Exchange through a firewall. E12 will add unified
messaging capabilities, consolidating new messaging types,
namely fax, Voice over IP (VOIP), and voicemail into Exchange.
With Exchange 12, Microsoft has positioned
the messaging server as a component in a complete set of servers,
clients and services that Microsoft is piecing together for
collaboration including e-mail, online workspaces, real-time
communication and document management. According to David
Thompson, corporate vice president in charge of the Exchange
Server Group, Exchange is the "integrated communications
backbone", which is a clear indication of Exchange's
standing.
"Exchange is not self-contained. We made a conscious
decision to change strategy there," says Thompson. "We
are aligning the development of Exchange 12 with our broader
collaboration vision." Thompson says this includes such
technologies as Office, Windows Server, SharePoint Portal
Server and Windows SharePoint Services, Outlook, Live Communications
Server and mobile devices.
He also said "With E12, we're making major investments
in IT professionals, security, and information workers. Email
is mission critical, and we want to manage the cost and complexity
out of the system, provide a secure environment in which administrators
can protect corporate assets and comply with regulations and
policy, and enable end users to get more from email both at
work and away from the office."
Before E12 ships next year, Microsoft will ship various mobility
and antispam enhancements and an improved management interface
for public folders in Exchange 2003 SP2. Again this signifies
continued support for Public Folders, not a move away from
this storage mechanism. In addition, Exchange customers are
advised to check out the many post-release to manufacturing
(RTM) Exchange 2003 Web release tools that Microsoft has shipped,
including the excellent Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer.
Functionality from that product will be rolled into E12.
Also noteworthy is the fact that Microsoft
plans to release Web services APIs for access to Exchange
objects and data, which will enable a huge range of customizations
and applications that are currently difficult to develop.
In Exchange 12, Microsoft is also improving management with
new scripting and user interface upgrades, improving the search
feature, and adding Web services APIs and 64-bit support.
Also new will be continuous backup, which is a new replication
feature that copies data from an active-mode server to a passive-mode
server.
All of this is good news for users and
developers alike, who can continue to invest in Exchange without
the fear that Microsoft will make a radical change to the
product direction, at least for the next few years.
Please refer to the following articles
for additional information and different perspectives on the
announcement:
WindowsITPro,
January 27, 2005: The Exchange Roadmap
WindowsITPro,
January 19, 2005: Microsoft Plots the Next Exchange Server
Version
ARnet,
January 21, 2005: Microsoft revives Exchange Roadmap
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