June 6th, 2009

Most of us are still in the throes of implementing and getting to grips with Microsoft's 2007 product releases. But especially for those of us with "many years experience" (i.e. we're getting older), the years seem to roll around a lot quicker these days. So 2010 is just around the corner and so are the next round of Office and Exchange releases.

During May Microsoft released the beta of Exchange 2010. According to Microsoft “Exchange 2010 ushers in the next generation of Microsoft unified communications software as the first server designed from inception to work both on-premises and as an online service. This release raises the bar with new archiving and end-user innovations that will help companies save money and employees save time.”

New Features include:

E-Mail Archive: As e-mail volume grows, companies must address increasing compliance, legal and e-discovery concerns, but today, according to Osterman Research, only 28 percent of organizations currently archive their e-mail content (Osterman Research, 2008). Exchange 2010 introduces an integrated e-mail archive. The new solution makes it easier to store and query e-mail across the organization using the Exchange software that organizations already know and use.

Improved Inbox Experience: Exchange 2010, together with Microsoft Outlook 2010, will give people more control over their communications with features such as these:

• MailTips. Warn users before they commit an e-mail faux pas such as sending mail to large distribution groups, to recipients who are out of the office or to recipients outside the organization, helping protect against information leaks and reduce unnecessary e-mail messages.
  
  
• Voice Mail Preview. See text previews of voice mail directly in Outlook.
  
  
• Ignore Conversation. This e-mail “mute button” allows people to remove themselves from an irrelevant e-mail string, reducing unwanted e-mail and runaway reply-all threads.
  
  
• Conversation View. Combine related e-mail messages in a single conversation to reduce inbox clutter.
  
  
• Call Answering Rules. Create customized “Press 1 for …” call-routing menus with Exchange voice mail.
  
  
• Consistent Experience. Use Outlook on the PC, a mobile phone or a browser for the same experience with enhancements in Outlook Mobile and Outlook Web Access.

Please refer to the following articles for additional information and different perspectives on the announcement:

Microsoft Exchange 2010 Beta

Exchange 2010 Beta: A First Impression

Exchange Server 2010 public beta rolls out new features