ATLANTA, Sept. 18, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today at NetWorld+Interop released the beta version of Microsoft® Exchange Server 4.5, featuring enhanced support for open Internet standards and enabling any Internet standards-based client such as POP3 e-mail clients and Web browsers access to e-mail, scheduling and groupware applications over the Internet.
As part of the Early Adopter program, 250 customers will receive copies of the Microsoft Exchange Server 4.5 beta version to review and provide feedback that will be included in future product development.
POP3 and LDAP Support Add Increased Client Compatibility
Microsoft Exchange Server 4.5 includes support for lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), enabling users to access a Microsoft Exchange Server Directory Service using a variety of LDAP-compliant clients and Web browsers. In addition, the product includes support for POP3, a basic client/server protocol for extracting messages from a mail server. POP3 support on Microsoft Exchange Server allows the use of any commonly available POP3 client such as Eudora, Pegasus Mail or the Microsoft Exchange Inbox with Internet Mail Service Provider to access mail from Microsoft Exchange Server using the POP3 protocol.
“Users and administrators now have the choice of clients they attach to Microsoft Exchange Server with the full support of POP3, LDAP, NNTP and HTTP, depending on the user’s needs and platform,”
said Greg Lobdell, group product manager for Microsoft Exchange Server at Microsoft.
“This interoperability will enable organizations to embrace the Internet for secure and reliable corporate communication from the desktop through the server and extends Microsoft Exchange’s capabilities for information sharing.”
Web Browser and Internet Newsgroup Support Now Available
Microsoft Exchange 4.5 beta enables customers to use a Web browser to view content stored on Microsoft Exchange Server through the Web Access Service using HTTP protocol. Users running Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Mosaic and other browsers will be able to send and receive mail, browse the directory service, access groupware data in public folders, and have access to Schedule+ calendars for group scheduling activities. Microsoft Exchange Server 4.5 also includes network news transport protocol (NNTP) support through the Internet News Service, making Internet newsgroup data available to Microsoft Exchange Server users. News feeds can be downloaded to Microsoft Exchange public folders, which can be accessed by any client attached to the Microsoft Exchange client.
Increased Coexistence and Migration Tools
Microsoft Exchange Server 4.5 beta further integrates Microsoft Exchange Server into legacy e-mail systems. Building upon the mainframe and minicomputer coexistence and migration tools in version 4.0, the beta version provides tools for coexistence with Lotus cc:Mail as well as tools for migrating from Novell Group Wise and Collabra Share. The cc:Mail connector available in the Microsoft Exchange Server 4.5 beta allows customers to use coexisting Microsoft Exchange and cc:Mail environments while easing migration by providing message transfer and directory synchronization between the systems.The final version of Microsoft Exchange Server 4.5 is scheduled to be available by the end of 1996. Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0, the first version of the product, was released on April 2, 1996, and, according to International Data Corp., has been deployed by 750,000 users in its first six months.
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For online product information:
Microsoft Exchange Internet Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/
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