MS Exchange Server Consulting and Support

Overview of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
MS Exchange 2003 Server provides a reliable, scalable, and easy-to-manage platform offering 24×7 email and collaboration plus low cost of ownership. Exchange 2003 Server supports a wide array of collaborative functions, such as group scheduling capabilities, discussion groups, and team folders, and furthermore provides access to information that crosses territorial, organizational, and technology barriers with features that include Instant Messaging, real-time information, and video conferencing. Exchange Server 2003 delivered enhancements over Exchange Server 2K in important areas that address security, speed, and remote access.

Microsoft has terminated support for Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server, making IT management face all the problems associated with maintaining a legacy messaging system. Nevertheless, many Exchange users are now operating Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. Progent's Microsoft-certified IT engineers have in-depth experience supporting Exchange 2003 and can assist your business to manage and troubleshoot your current Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 solution or assist you to design and implement an economical migration to a current edition of Exchange. (See Progent's Microsoft Exchange 2016 migration support and Exchange Server 2019 expertise.)

Improvements of MS Exchange 2003 Vs. MS Exchange Server 2000
Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server offers enhancements in capability over MS Exchange Server 2K in key areas such as disaster recovery, performance, security, mobile access, collaboration, and simplicity of management.

• MS Exchange Server 2003 delivers superior recovery by adding support for eight-node clustering, quicker failover, the addition of mount points which overcome the 24-drive designation limitation, SAN compatibility, Volume Shadow Copy Service for backup infrastructure, a Mailbox Recovery utility, and a Restore Storage group.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 improves performance via innovations such as a /USERVA startup switch for adjusting the allocation of memory and memory address space, public folder store replication improvements, distribution list performance enhancements, and suppression of Out of Office notices.
• Security enhancements introduced by Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 include IPsec support for front- and back-end clusters, signed Lightweight Directory Access Protocol requests to Microsoft Active Directory, front- and back-end Kerberos authentication, Internet Information Services 6.0 protection, limiting of distribution lists to authenticated users, real-time Safe and Block lists, inbound recipient filtering, attachment restrictions in Microsoft Outlook Web Access, and public folders permissions improvements.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server offers improved support for remote and mobile users by including an Outlook Web Access user interface and a more extensive range of capabilities for Web Outlook, Outlook speed improvements via MAPI compression, HTTP access from Microsoft Outlook, cHTML aND.htmL smart phone browser capability, plus synchronization of notifications for handheld PCs.
• Management and serviceability are improved by centralizing queues on a per-server system, enhancing the user interface, revealing all system queues, enabling cookie authorization, utilizing Exchange System Manager to move log and queue data, including a multi-user Move Mailbox function, and adding dynamic distribution lists, public folder Search capabilities, and public folder affinity to manage referrals.

Improvements of Microsoft Exchange 2003 Vs. Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Server
MS Exchange Server 2003 offered significant enhancements in functionality over Microsoft Exchange 5.5 in key areas affecting access, manageability, protection, stability, capacity, and performance.

• MS Exchange 2003 Server offers a significant improvement in functionality over the Exchange 5.5 web client. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 offers a nearly identical version of the older MS Outlook interface that features calendaring and tools. As a result, remote and mobile users can have full, secure availability of email even without a laptop. All they require is an Internet-connected computer with a standard browser.
• Unlike Exchange Server 5.5, which has its own directory, MS Exchange 2003 Server uses Active Directory (AD), representing a greatly streamlined administration and security model. This makes Exchange Server 2003 easier to administer and support and also offers tighter protection.
• MS Exchange Server 2003 has a powerful architecture for seamlessly adding third-party applications such as virus and spam scanning software. Exchange 2003 Server's strong Application Programming Interface (API) solves the instability associated with MS Exchange 5.5 Server when integrating third-party software.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server offers greatly improved capacity and speed over MS Exchange 5.5 Server. Enhancements allow more and bigger mailboxes and faster remote access.
• Exchange 2003 Server also has improved search ability, making it easier and quicker to find vital data when you have to have it.

Benefits MS Exchange Server 2003 Vs. an ISP-provided or POP3 Email System
If your organization is currently running an email system hosted by an ISP or if you are operating your Outlook users in POP3 mode, Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server offers an array of enhanced features covering ease of management, responsiveness, capacity, reliability, and collaboration:

• Unlike the store-and-forward model used by POP3 email environments, Exchange 2003 Server uses a central-store architecture that liberates users from dependence on a specific desktop computer or laptop, lowers vulnerability to computer breakdown or viruses, and permits both on-line and off-line email, automatic backup, and sophisticated groupware.
• Exchange 2003 Server has an array of groupware features that allow teams to improve productivity by sharing scheduling, address books, messages, and files.
• The versatility of MS Exchange 2003 Server makes it possible to install third-party security add-ins or accommodate wireless computers such as the BlackBerry.
• Exchange Server 2003 works with advanced management and tracking utilities to confirm that your messaging environment is operating smoothly.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server permits full on-line archiving without disrupting productivity, supporting 24x7 availability by eliminating routine downtime.

How Progent Can Help You to Move Your POP3 E-Mail Users to Exchange Server 2003
Progent's experience and proven methodologies can help you to implement a quick, seamless migration of your POP3 e-mail clients to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. Progent pays attention to vital issues that include coordinating domain names so that both on-site and remote users make a smooth transition from the restrictions of POP3 email. Progent can help you with integrating an on-site Exchange Server 2003 system or help you to set up and manage your Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 in an external Data Center. Progent's workplace recovery consultants can help your organization to design and implement a complete disaster recovery plan that includes Microsoft Data Protection Manager (DPM) consulting for continuous online archiving and rapid data restoration.

How Progent Can Help You to Migrate to Exchange 2013 or Exchange 2016 from Exchange Server 2003
Progent's Microsoft-certified experts can assist you to migrate to Exchange Server 2013 or move to Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 from MS Exchange 2003 at the least possible expense or interruption of business operations. Progent can help you to improve Exchange security, performance, dependability, and fault tolerance and streamline administration. Progent's certified system security consultants can review and improve your security strategy and Progent's Cisco-premier network engineers can enhance your network architecture to increase network efficiency and reduce support expense.

Microsoft 365 Exchange Online Integration with On-premises Exchange
Microsoft allows you to create transparent hybrid ecosystems that combine Microsoft 365 Exchange Online and on-premises Exchange. This permits you to have specific Exchange mailboxes hosted at your corporate datacenter or private cloud and other mailboxes hosted by Microsoft 365. Progent's certified Exchange consultants can help your organization with any phase of designing, implementing and troubleshooting your hybrid Exchange solution. Progent's Exchange specialists can provide as-needed expertise to help you resolve challenging technical issues and also can provide extensive project management outsourcing or co-sourcing to ensure your hybrid Exchange solution is successfully completed on time and within budget. For details about Progent's online consulting support for hybrid Microsoft 365 and local Exchange environments, go to Microsoft 365 integration solutions with local Exchange.

Find out more about Progent's IT Outsourcing services.

If you wish to ask Progent about consulting expertise for Microsoft Exchange Server integration, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.