What is Microsoft Exchange?
Microsoft Exchange is a messaging system that offers businesses a number of services, including email, calendar, task management, address lists, and more. By integrating Exchange into your business, you can access all of these servers from any location, on almost every device.
Many companies that purchase Exchange install it on servers that are usually on-premises. This setup can be costly, especially for small businesses. Moreover, the server needed to host Exchange can take up space that a business may not have. This is why many companies prefer to operate on cloud-based systems.
What is hosted Exchange?
Hosted Exchange simply put, is a secure, cloud-based Microsoft Exchange solution.
To meet the demands of businesses of all sizes, many IT companies like Microsoft started to offer hosted Exchange. In this setup, your IT provider makes space available on one of their servers. They then install Microsoft Exchange in a secure space accessible only to your company, over an internet connection. They are in charge of ensuring that the data is secure and accessible to you at all times.
A hosted Exchange solution includes these additional features:
- Improved security
- Full-time management, and
- Data backup and recovery services
Benefits of hosted Exchange
Companies looking to integrate hosted Exchange into their business can enjoy the following benefits:
Predictable and lower costs
Like many other hosted services, the majority of hosted Exchange services are offered on a monthly, per-user basis, inclusive of maintenance and hosting. This makes costs predictable as you’ll be paying a fixed fee.
Hosted Exchange also lowers overall costs. If a business were to calculate the cost of purchasing a new server, Microsoft Exchange, and the infrastructure required to use it, plus maintenance fees, the total and per-user cost will likely add up quickly. For many small businesses, paying a monthly fee will be far less expensive than hosting a Microsoft Exchange solution in-house. What’s more, you save money on maintenance overhead and future expenses.
Easier implementation
Implementing Microsoft Exchange in your office would require you to find space for the server, install the server and Microsoft Exchange. Once installed, you’ll have to manage Exchange and add new accounts and users. In case the service goes offline, you’ll have to fix it yourself. With a hosted Exchange solution, your IT partner will take care of hosting, management, and installation, so you can focus on running your business.
Flexible solutions
Growing businesses may find it tough to scale up or down on an in-house Microsoft Exchange solution because it’s limited by the capacity of the server. With hosted Exchange, you can just contact your provider, who can ensure that space and resources are available. The hosted Exchange provider can also help scale your solutions in case you move offices.
Looking to learn more about hosted Exchange and how your business can benefit from it? Chat with us today!
