NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 10, 2003 — Today at the Microsoft®
Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft Corp. announced that Exchange Server 2003 is receiving unprecedented support, with more than 200 industry partners delivering solutions and services for the new messaging platform, set to launch Oct. 21 in New York City as part of the Microsoft Office System. Together with industry partners, Microsoft stands ready to provide customers with a comprehensive messaging infrastructure that includes anti-virus, anti-spam, backup/restore, storage, mobility and management solutions. In addition, systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers are prepared to deliver migration and hardware solutions. The industry support for Exchange Server 2003 and the Microsoft Office System indicates the growing excitement around what analyst reports indicate could be a $117 billion (U.S.) partner services opportunity by 2006 for business intelligence, collaboration, work management and business process solutions.
“Customers have told us they need all the infrastructure pieces in place before they will even consider upgrading their messaging system, so with Exchange 2003 we brought partners in early in the beta cycle to ensure that they were able to fully test and develop their solutions,” said Kevin McCuistion, director of Exchange marketing at Microsoft. “The result is that never before have so many partners committed to delivering so many solutions so early in the Exchange product cycle. This is truly a testament to the quality of the Exchange 2003 platform. With the launch in less than two weeks, now is the time for customers to start planning and executing their Exchange 2003 deployments.”
E-mail is the most important form of business communication today, and Exchange 2003 is the foundation for secure, reliable messaging infrastructure. Partners have enthusiastically embraced the new product through beta programs and education sessions and have worked hard to offer customers superior value through their solutions and services. Partners were given access to beta versions of Exchange 2003 and worked with Microsoft throughout the product development cycle to make sure their solutions were tested and ready for the release. In addition, Microsoft held a number of marketing and technical training sessions, as well as regular partner-focused webcasts.
Preparing to Make the Move
Over the next nine months, at more than 100 free LoadFest events, Microsoft Certified Technical Education Centers throughout the United States are offering customers the opportunity to see firsthand how Exchange Server 2003 helps keep businesses well-connected. At these one-day events, participants will be able to load an evaluation copy of Exchange Server 2003 onto their own server while Exchange 2003 specialists provide them with expert advice and useful configuration tips. More information about the events can be found at http://www.exchangeloadfest.com/.
In addition, Microsoft Certified Partners, including systems integrators such as Accenture, Avanade, Dell and HP, already are offering programs to help customers make the move to Exchange 2003.
Industry Partners Innovating With Exchange 2003 Today
Today, customers can take advantage of innovative industry partner solutions that offer enhanced protection for networks from viruses and spam, more efficient and effective Exchange data backup and restore capability, and a higher level of connectivity for the mobile work force. With the updated virus-scanning API 2.5 and a new anti-spam tool, Exchange 2003 enables vendors to build better, more closely integrated security solutions. Industry partners also are utilizing the enhanced backup and restore operations based on the new Volume Shadow Copy Services supported in Exchange 2003 and Windows Server (TM) 2003.
About Exchange Server 2003
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 works with Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook®
2003 to deliver best-in-class e-mail-based collaboration services that are highly secure, reliable and easy to access, enabling businesses to make decisions efficiently and compete more effectively. Exchange Server 2003 is part of the Windows Server System (TM) , Microsoft’s comprehensive, integrated and interoperable server infrastructure that simplifies the development, deployment and operation of agile business solutions. Exchange Server 2003 is also a key component in enabling information worker scenarios as part of the Microsoft Office System. More information on Exchange Server can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/.
About Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference
Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference combines the best elements of two previous events — Fusion, for Microsoft partners, and Stampede, for Microsoft Business Solutions partners — to provide even more valuable and informative learning opportunities in leadership, sales, marketing, services and technology. More information can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/partner/events/wwpartnerconference/.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, Windows Server, Outlook, Windows Server System and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the 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://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .
Partner Quote Sheet
“Messaging systems are mission-critical applications to businesses, and their criticality is the driving force behind why BMC Software continues to invest in solutions our customers need to keep those messaging systems available and performing. With its PATROL for Microsoft Exchange Servers, BMC Software’s support for Microsoft Exchange 2003 will ensure the performance and reliability of customers’ enterprise messaging and collaboration services through centralized and proactive management, advanced problem notification, automated recovery actions, and expert advice.”
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Mary Smars
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Vice President and General Manager Enterprise Systems Management
Business Unit
BMC Software Inc.
“We have developed fax solutions on the Microsoft messaging platform for over 10 years and are impressed with Exchange 2003 Server’s capabilities to route and interact with our technology. We asked Microsoft to implement specific changes to allow msXfax XP to support clustering; Microsoft delivered. That change by Microsoft shows commitment to developer partners and ultimately delivers better technology to our enterprise customers who are planning to roll out Exchange Server 2003.”
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Laurence Buchanan
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Director Sales & Marketing, Senior Consultant
BNS Group
“Industry analysts* predict that by 2005, the volume of daily e-mails sent worldwide will reach 36 billion — more than three times the number sent in 2001. Dell is committed to working with Microsoft to help companies build scalable enterprise computing architectures and drive operational efficiencies that address these transaction-intensive requirements and growth as they transition to Exchange Server 2003.”
(* Source: Gartner Dataquest Perspective, Market Analysis, “From Content to Knowledge: The Growing Gap,” March 4, 2003)
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Pete Morowski
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Vice President of Software
Dell
“We build our business solutions on top of Exchange 2003 and the Microsoft technology stack because it allows us to focus on our specialty: automated enterprise scheduling. Exchange helps us deliver a very innovative collaboration experience, and because we haven’t had to reinvent the wheel at every turn, our customers realize tremendous value.”
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Barry Baker
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CTO
eOptimize Inc.
“Businesses can leverage the snapshot capabilities of IPStor software’s TimeMark functionality with Exchange 2003 to help back up and rapidly recover individual messages or entire mailboxes with complete transactional integrity. The Volume Shadow Copy Service in Windows Server 2003 significantly reduces management complexity for Exchange 2003. Used in conjunction with IPStor’s business continuity, accelerated backup and recovery, and performance optimization solutions, customers will have a flexible and extensible storage network that can scale and adapt to their ever-changing IT environment.”
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Bernie Wu
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Vice President of Business Development
FalconStor Software
“Fenestrae helps companies to integrate SMS, MMS and fax messaging into any back-end application, and consolidate their messaging infrastructure for immediate costs benefits. Its support for Microsoft Exchange 2003 will provide customers with an enhanced mobile experience that includes increased productivity, reliability and security, at a low total cost of ownership.”
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Wim de Koning
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CEO
Fenestrae
“With this release of F-Secure Anti-Virus for Microsoft Exchange, F-Secure offers all Exchange 2003 users superior virus protection that is designed to be easy to set up and administer. Thanks to the unique product architecture, the solution is equally well-suited for small and medium-sized companies with scarce IT resources, as well as for large corporations requiring scalability and load sharing.”
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Kimmo Alkio
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Chief Operating Officer
F-Secure Corp.
“Our server-based anti-spam product, GFI MailEssentials, and our e-mail content security product, GFI MailSecurity, will take advantage of Exchange Server 2003’s new anti-spam API and its improved virus-scanning API, respectively. Microsoft’s anti-spam API is unique, and through it we can offer unparalleled spam protection. Our native fax connector for Exchange, GFI FAXmaker, is Exchange 2003-ready too. Exchange’s open architecture enables Exchange users to add on best-of-breed products such as GFI’s, making Exchange Server the best mail server solution available today. Several of our customers are keenly awaiting the launch of Exchange Server 2003 and are highly satisfied that they already have products that support Exchange 2003 in hand.”
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Nick Galea
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CEO
GFI Software Ltd.
“By migrating to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 on HP ProLiant servers, customers can greatly reduce the cost and complexity of their mail and messaging systems. HP delivers a simple, rewarding customer experience, leveraging the unparalleled expertise of HP Services and its partners.”
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Ron Eller
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Vice President and General Manager, Solution Alliances
Enterprise Storage and Servers
HP
“Exchange Server 2003 has met customer demand for optimization of remote connectivity, usability and bandwidth utilization. These improvements, combined with Communit’s ability to offer a full range of unified communications capabilities in a single, open, Windows®
-based product, gives organizations a voicemail migration option that is not only easy to manage and feature-rich, but cost-effective, too.”
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Matt Taylor
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Strategic Partner Manager
Interactive Intelligence Inc.
“Exchange 2003 raises the bar over previous versions with a greatly enhanced Outlook Web Access interface that very closely matches the full Outlook 2003 client. Most of my customers are using Outlook Web Access regularly and Exchange 2003 Outlook Web Access will allow them to access their Exchange data in a quicker and more productive manner. Furthermore, the enhancements in Outlook 2003 and Exchange 2003 provide my customers with the ability to consolidate complete Exchange sites in situations that in the past were not possible.”
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Dustin Smith
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Microsoft MVP — Exchange Server
Interlink Group LLC
“LEGATO is committed to delivering our Information Management solutions to support Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 for our customers. LEGATO’s information protection, high availability and messaging solutions for Exchange 2003 meet customer requirements for higher ROI and lower TCO. Our relationship with Microsoft demonstrates our continued commitment to working together to deliver industry-leading solutions for our customers.”
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David B. Wright
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Chairman and CEO
LEGATO Systems Inc.
“Companies face a number of messaging security issues, including the growing volume of unwanted e-mail, potential loss of intellectual property sent outside the corporation via e-mail, and increased risk of noncompliance with government regulations and corporate messaging policy. By using MessageGate Security Edition and Microsoft Exchange 2003, enterprises can protect their network’s edge while reducing the burden placed on their Exchange servers.”
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Doug Turner
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Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management
MessageGate Inc.
“SalesOutlook CRM uses the Exchange platform because regular interaction and collaboration is how relationships are built, how alliances are forged and how deals are won. It is the ideal environment in which to electronically collaborate on winning deals, designing products and delivering services to remote audiences. With Exchange Server 2003, SalesOutlook CRM customers will benefit from improved performance through the new offline cache mode and background synching with RPC over HTTP. Organizations will enjoy greater information security, while users benefit from an improved overall experience.”
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Craig Woirhaye
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Vice President of Business Development
SalesOutlook Inc.
“Through our strategic relationships with Microsoft, Trend Micro has been able to develop unique technologies and proactive solutions that support our Enterprise Protection Strategy and shift the paradigms of how the war against viruses will be fought and won. Trend Micro’s support of the Exchange 2003 platform demonstrates both organizations’ commitment to grow toward providing secure collaborative communications for millions of Exchange users globally.”
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Richard Ku
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Global Product Group Manager Messaging Products
Trend Micro Inc.
“Businesses today want to communicate with employees, customers and partners securely and efficiently, no matter where they are. Upgrading to Exchange 2003 together with an e-Gap SSL VPN delivers that critical functionality today. It is a real business benefit that improves quality, efficiency and user satisfaction.”
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Gamiel Gran
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Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Alliances
Whale Communications Ltd.
