Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Available

LOS ANGELES and HANNOVER, Germany, March 11, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of Microsoft® Exchange Server 5.0, the latest version of its leading messaging and collaboration technology. This release brings customers Internet protocol support, powerful collaborative business solutions with the Microsoft Outlook
™
desktop information manager, and powerful enhancements for coexistence with and migration from cc:Mail and GroupWise messaging products.

“Our preliminary estimates show that Microsoft sold Microsoft Exchange Server client access licenses to 2 million business users in calendar year 1996,” said Mark Levitt of IDC.

“Microsoft’s strength in the messaging market is evident.”

“Reliable messaging was our first priority when we started implementing Microsoft Exchange a year ago, but groupware was a key reason we chose Microsoft Exchange,” said Lori Tigert, director of messaging and groupware at Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. “Now Columbia is well poised to take advantage of Outlook’s public folder applications and E-forms capabilities to streamline some work processes and reduce costs.”

Integrated Internet and Intranet Solutions

Microsoft Exchange Server is a server product that combines the powerful messaging and collaborative applications of client-server products with complete Internet protocol support. This combination enables businesses of all sizes to deliver standards-based collaborative applications to their internal intranets and their external partners, suppliers and customers across the Internet.

“Microsoft Exchange 5.0 is a major advance in delivering business solutions built on standard Internet protocols,” said Jim Allchin, senior vice president, personal and business systems group at Microsoft. “We built Microsoft Exchange to provide the highest reliability, scalability, ease of management and connectivity. With Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0, we have continued on this path to provide an Internet standards-based collaboration system built on reliable architecture.”

Enhancements in Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 and Microsoft Outlook 97

Outlook 97 makes it easier for users to communicate with others by integrating e-mail, scheduling, contacts, tasks, document and file access, and custom collaborative business solutions such as customer tracking, group task-management, sales-force automation and discussion databases. AutoPreview is innovative e-mail functionality that displays the first three lines of each e-mail message so users can quickly prioritize messages. Message Flags allow users to mark

e-mail messages to help prioritize follow-up actions. The breakthrough technology of Outlook Journal helps users find a document by the date and time it was created, not just by what it was called or where it was saved.

Outlook is integrated with Office 97 and provides WordMail 97, Word mail merge with Outlook Contacts, AutoJournal Office documents and the ability to create Outlook tasks from Office applications.

  • Native Internet protocols. Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 now offers unmatched Internet protocol support including native POP3, SMTP, NNTP, LDAP, SSL and HTTP. Users have a choice of clients they can use with Microsoft Exchange Server, from simple POP3 mail readers to their favorite Web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. NNTP support allows Microsoft Exchange Server to operate as a complete Internet news server with replication to and from Internet newsgroups as well as an internal discussion server servicing Internet news clients such as the Microsoft Internet News Reader.

  • Active Server Support. Intranet developers can now integrate Microsoft Exchange Server’s messaging services into their Web sites to provide secure (authenticated) and anonymous access to Microsoft Exchange mailboxes, group calendars, discussions, and other collaborative information. Built on Active Server Scripting, the Active Messaging objects enable rich collaboration to be integrated with traditional intranet Web sites.

  • Expanded interoperability and migration tools. Building upon Microsoft Exchange Server 4.0’s integrated migration tools for Microsoft Mail, cc:Mail, Digital All-in-One, IBM Profs and Verimation Memo, Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 includes both a direct connection for cc:Mail environments as well as GroupWise migration tools. The Microsoft Exchange Connector for Lotus cc:Mail allows administrators to seamlessly integrate Microsoft Exchange into cc:Mail environments. Once installed, Microsoft Exchange Server and cc:Mail systems can exchange messages and synchronize directories. The cc:Mail Connector supports both DB6 and DB8 cc:Mail post offices. When Microsoft Exchange Server is introduced into a cc:Mail environment, cc:Mail users will benefit from Microsoft Exchange Server’s strong connectivity to the Internet and other systems. Also, customers can take a phased approach to migration that will cause minimal disruption within an organization.

Pricing and Availability

Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 is immediately available in both Standard and Enterprise edition packages. Both packages contain all client software, including Microsoft Exchange 32-bit and 16-bit clients, the Microsoft Exchange client for the Macintosh and Microsoft Outlook 97.

  • Standard Edition. Server and clients with complete Internet protocol support. Approximately $999 with five client-access licenses.

  • Enterprise Edition. Standard Edition plus Microsoft Exchange Connector and X.400 Connector. Approximately $1,470 for one license, approximately $3,549 with 25 client-access licenses.

  • Upgrade from version 4.0. Standard Edition upgrade is approximately $349, Enterprise Edition approximately $839. There is no charge for a client-access license upgrade to version 5.0.

  • Special for Microsoft Mail Server customers. For a limited time, users of Microsoft Mail Server can upgrade to Microsoft Exchange Server, Standard Edition, for approximately $839 including 10 client-access licenses.

  • Trial version now available. Complete information and a fully functional 120-day version of Microsoft Exchange Server is available on the Web http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.


Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages

Related Posts