MS Exchange Consulting and Technical Support

Introduction to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
Exchange Server 2003 delivers a dependable, extensible, and manageable platform offering 24×7 messaging and collaboration as well as quick return on investment. MS Exchange 2003 Server enables a wide array of collaborative activities, such as group scheduling abilities, discussion areas, and group folders, and furthermore provides access to data that crosses territorial, logical, and technology divisions with features that include Instant Messaging, on-demand information, and video conferencing. MS Exchange Server 2003 delivered improvements over Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server in key technologies that address protection, performance, and remote access.

Microsoft has terminated support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, making IT managers deal with all the problems associated with supporting an end-of-life messaging platform. Despite this, many Exchange sites are currently running Exchange Server 2003. Progent's Microsoft-authorized network consultants offer extensive backgrounds maintaining Microsoft Exchange 2003 and can help your business to administer and troubleshoot your current Exchange 2003 environment or help you to design and execute an economical migration to a current edition of Exchange. (Refer to Progent's Microsoft Exchange 2016 upgrade support services and Exchange 2019 expertise.)

Advantages of Exchange Server 2003 Over MS Exchange 2K Server
MS Exchange 2003 Server offers improvements in capability over Exchange 2000 Server in important capabilities including recovery, throughput, security, mobility, teamwork, and simplicity of management.

• Exchange Server 2003 delivers enhanced recovery by adding support for 8-node clustering, quicker failover, support for mount points which eliminate the 24-drive letter limitation, standard storage area network (SAN) compatibility, Volume Shadow Copy Service for database backup, a Mailbox Recovery Center utility, and a Restore Storage group.
• MS Exchange Server 2003 improves performance through features that include a /USERVA startup switch for adjusting the allocation of use of memory address space, public folder replication enhancements, distribution list caching enhancements, and control of Out of Office messages.
• Security improvements introduced by Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server include IPsec compatibility for front-end and back-end clusters, signed Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) requests to Active Directory, front-end and back-end Kerberos validation, IIS 6.0 protection, restriction of distribution lists to authenticated users, real-time Safe and Block data, download filtering, attachment blocking in OWA, and public folders access improvements.
• Exchange 2003 Server offers better accommodation of remote and mobile workers by including an Outlook Web Access (OWA) user interface and a more extensive range of capabilities for Web Outlook, Microsoft Outlook performance improvements through MAPI compression, HTTP access from Microsoft Outlook, xHTML aND.htmL mobile phone browser capability, and synchronization of notifications for handheld PCs.
• Manageability and service are simplified by centralizing queues on a per-server basis, enhancing the user experience, revealing all system queues, enabling cookie permission, utilizing Microsoft Exchange System Manager to move log and queue data, including a multiple-client Move Mailbox function, and providing dynamic distribution lists, public folder Send hierarchy, and public folder affinity to manage referrals.

Advantages of Exchange 2003 Compared to Exchange Server 5.5
MS Exchange 2003 Server offered significant enhancements in capability over MS Exchange Server 5.5 in important areas affecting accessibility, manageability, security, stability, capacity, and speed.

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 brings a dramatic improvement in capability compared to the MS Exchange 5.5 web client. Exchange 2003 Server provides an almost complete version of the older Outlook interface that features scheduling and tools. As a result, remote and mobile users get the advantage of complete, secure access to email even without a notebook. All they need is an Internet-connected computer with a conventional browser.
• Unlike Exchange 5.5 Server, which has its own directory, Exchange Server 2003 uses Active Directory, representing a greatly streamlined management and security model. This makes MS Exchange Server 2003 less expensive to manage and support and in addition offers tighter security.
• Exchange Server 2003 has a strong architecture for transparently adding third-party utilities such as anti-virus and anti-spamming software. MS Exchange 2003 Server's strong Application Programming Interface (API) does away with the instability associated with Microsoft Exchange 5.5 when integrating third-party utilities.
• Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server delivers greatly increased scalability and performance over Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5. Improvements allow more and bigger mailboxes and speedier remote connectivity.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 also provides improved search capability, making it simpler and quicker to find important information when you need it.

Advantages Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server Vs. an ISP-based or POP3 Email Environment
If your business is currently running an email system hosted by an ISP or if you are operating your Microsoft Outlook users in POP3 mode, Exchange 2003 Server offers an array of enhanced capabilities covering ease of management, responsiveness, capacity, availability, and collaboration:

• Unlike the store-and-forward technique used by POP3 email systems, Exchange 2003 Server uses a central-store model that frees users from reliance on a specific desktop computer or laptop, reduces vulnerability to computer failure or virus attacks, and allows both on-line and off-line email, programmed backup, and advanced sharing and collaboration.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server offers an array of collaboration capabilities that permit teams to improve efficiency by sharing scheduling, address groups, correspondence, and files.
• The flexibility of Exchange Server 2003 allows you to install third-party security add-ins or support wireless devices such as the BlackBerry.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 supports advanced management and monitoring tools so you can confirm that your email system is running efficiently.
• Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server allows full on-line archiving without hurting performance, supporting 24x7 operation by avoiding routine downtime.

How Progent Can Assist You to Migrate Your POP3 E-Mail Users to MS Exchange Server 2003
Progent's experience and tested best practices can enable you to manage a fast, non-disruptive move of your POP3 clients to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. Progent pays attention to vital details such as coordinating domain names so that both local and off-site workers make a hassle-free transition from the restrictions of POP3 email. Progent can help you with integrating a local Exchange Server 2003 solution or help you to locate and administer your Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server in an external datacenter. Progent's disaster recovery consultants can assist you to design and execute a complete workplace recovery plan that includes Microsoft Data Protection Manager (DPM) consulting for continuous online archiving and fast system recovery.

How Progent Can Assist You to Upgrade to MS Exchange 2013 or Exchange 2016 from Exchange 2003
Progent's Exchange consultants can assist your company to migrate to Exchange Server 2013 or migrate to Exchange 2016 Server from Microsoft Exchange 2003 at minimal expense or disruption of business. Progent can assist your organization to enhance Exchange security, performance, reliability, and fault tolerance and simplify management. Progent's certified system security specialists can review and improve your security strategy and Progent's Cisco-certified network consultants can enhance your network infrastructure to increase network efficiency and reduce support expense.

Microsoft 365 Integration with Local Exchange
Microsoft has made a strong effort to enable seamless hybrid networks that integrate Microsoft 365 and local Exchange. This allows you to have specific mailboxes hosted on your corporate datacenter and other mailboxes hosted by Microsoft 365. Progent's certified Exchange consultants can assist your organization with any phase of designing, integrating and debugging your hybrid Exchange solution. Progent's Exchange consultants can deliver occasional support to help you resolve stubborn technical issues and also can provide comprehensive project management outsourcing or co-sourcing to make sure your hybrid Exchange initiative is completed on time and on budget. For more information about Progent's consulting expertise for integrating Microsoft 365 and on-premises Exchange systems, refer to Microsoft 365 integration with on-prem Exchange.

Find out more about Progent's IT Outsourcing services.

In order to get in touch with Progent about consulting assistance for Microsoft Exchange Server integration, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.