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Introduction to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server provides a dependable, scalable, and manageable infrastructure with 24×7 messaging and collaboration as well as quick return on investment. Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server enables a wide range of collaborative functions, including group calendaring capabilities, discussion groups, and team folders, and also makes available information that crosses geographic, organizational, and technology divisions with features such as IM, on-demand information, and video conferencing. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 delivered enhancements over Microsoft Exchange 2K Server in key areas that address security, performance, and remote and mobile communications.

Microsoft has ended support for Exchange Server 2003, forcing IT management deal with the issues involved in supporting a legacy email platform. Nevertheless, many Exchange users are still running Exchange Server 2003. Progent's Microsoft-certified IT consultants offer in-depth experience supporting Exchange 2003 and can assist your company to manage and repair your current Microsoft Exchange 2003 environment or help you to design and execute an economical upgrade to an up-to-date edition of Exchange. (Refer to Progent's Exchange Server 2016 migration planning and support services and Exchange 2013 consulting.)

Improvements of Exchange Server 2003 Over Microsoft Exchange 2K Server
Exchange 2003 Server features improvements in capability over Exchange Server 2K in crucial capabilities such as disaster recovery, throughput, security, mobility, teamwork, and manageability.

• Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server delivers enhanced disaster recovery by including the capability of 8-node clustering, faster failover, the addition of mount points which overcome the 24-drive letter limit, storage area network connectivity, Volume Shadow Copy Service for backup infrastructure, a Mailbox Recovery Center utility, and a Restore Storage group.
• MS Exchange Server 2003 enhances performance via innovations that include a /USERVA startup switch for adjusting the allocation of use of memory address space, public folder replication improvements, distribution list performance enhancements, and control of Out of Office messages.
• Security enhancements introduced by MS Exchange 2003 Server include Internet Protocol security (IPsec) compatibility 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 (IIS) 6.0 protection, limiting of distribution lists to validated users, up-to-date Safe and Block data, download filtering, attachment restrictions in Outlook Web Access, and public folders access enhancements.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 includes improved accommodation of remote and mobile users by adding an Outlook Web Access (OWA) user interface (UI) and a broader feature set for Web Outlook client, Outlook performance improvements via MAPI compression, HTTP access from Microsoft Outlook, cHTML aND.htmL smart phone browser capability, and synchronization of notifications for handheld PCs.
• Manageability and serviceability are simplified by organizing queues on a per-server system, improving the user interface (UI), exposing 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 adding dynamic distribution lists, public folder Send Contents, and public folder affinity to manage referrals.

Improvements of Exchange Server 2003 Compared to Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 offered major enhancements in capability over MS Exchange 5.5 in important areas affecting access, ease of management, protection, stability, capacity, and speed.

• MS Exchange Server 2003 brings a significant increase in functionality over the Microsoft Exchange 5.5 web client. Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server provides a nearly identical implementation of the traditional MS Outlook graphical user interface that features calendaring and utilities. Because of this, remote and mobile workers get the advantage of complete, secure access to email even without a laptop. All mobile users require is an Internet-attached computer with a conventional web browser.
• Unlike MS Exchange 5.5 Server, which uses a built-in directory, Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server uses Active Directory (AD), representing a greatly simplified management and security model. This makes MS Exchange Server 2003 less expensive to manage and maintain and in addition allows tighter security.
• Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server has a strong architecture for transparently adding third-party utilities including anti-virus and anti-spamming software. MS Exchange 2003 Server's versatile API does away with the instability often found with MS Exchange Server 5.5 when adding third-party software.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 delivers significantly improved scalability and speed in comparison to Exchange 5.5 Server. These improvements include more and larger mailboxes and faster remote connectivity.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server also has better search ability, making it simpler and quicker to retrieve vital information when you need it.

Advantages MS Exchange 2003 Server Over an ISP-provided or POP3 Email Environment
If your organization is currently using an email system hosted by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or if you are running your Outlook clients in POP3 mode, MS Exchange 2003 Server provides an array of improved capabilities covering manageability, performance, size, reliability, and collaboration:

• In contrast to the store-and-forward technique utilized by POP3 email systems, Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server uses a central-store architecture that frees users from reliance on a specific PC or laptop, reduces susceptibility to hardware failure or virus attacks, and permits both on-line and off-line email, automatic backup, and advanced collaboration.
• Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server has powerful collaboration capabilities that permit teams to improve productivity by sharing calendaring, address groups, messages, and files.
• The versatility of Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server allows you to install non-Microsoft security add-ins or support wireless computers such as the BlackBerry.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 works with powerful management and monitoring utilities to confirm that your email system is operating efficiently.
• MS Exchange Server 2003 permits complete on-line backup without hurting performance, enabling round-the-clock operation by eliminating scheduled downtime.

How Progent Can Assist You to Move Your POP3 E-Mail Clients to Exchange 2003
Progent's experience and proven methodologies can enable you to implement a quick, seamless migration of your POP3 e-mail clients to Exchange 2003 Server. Progent pays attention to vital details such as coordinating domain names so that both on-site and mobile workers make a smooth transition from the restrictions of POP3 messaging. Progent can help you with setting up a local Exchange Server 2003 solution or help you to locate and manage your Exchange 2003 Server in an off-site datacenter. Progent's workplace recovery consultants can help your organization to develop and execute a complete workplace recovery strategy that incorporates Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) support for ongoing online archiving and rapid data recovery.

How Progent Can Help You to Migrate to Exchange 2013 or Exchange 2016 from Exchange Server 2003
Progent's Microsoft Exchange experts can help you to move to MS Exchange 2013 Server or upgrade to Microsoft Exchange 2016 Server from MS Exchange Server 2003 at the least possible cost or interruption of business operations. Progent can assist you to improve Microsoft Exchange security, speed, dependability, and availability and streamline management. Progent's CISSP-certified security consultants can evaluate and improve your security environment and Progent's Cisco-premier network engineers can enhance your network infrastructure to increase network efficiency and reduce support cost.

Microsoft Office 365 Integration with On-premises Exchange
Microsoft allows you to create seamless hybrid environments that combine Office 365 and on-premises installations of Exchange. This permits you to have specific mailboxes hosted at your physical datacenter or private cloud and other mailboxes hosted by Microsoft 365. Progent's certified Exchange consulting team can help your organization with any facet of designing, implementing and troubleshooting your hybrid Exchange solution. Progent's Exchange specialists can provide as-needed expertise to help you through challenging technical bottlenecks and also can provide comprehensive project management outsourcing to make sure your hybrid Microsoft 365 initiative is successfully completed on time and within budget. For details about Progent's online consulting support for hybrid Office 365 and on-premises Exchange environments, visit Office 365 integration with on-premises Exchange.

To contact Progent about consulting expertise for Microsoft Exchange Server, phone 1-800-993-9400 or refer to Contact Progent.

Progent's Consulting Services for Microsoft .NET Server Technology
For small and mid-sized businesses across the United States, Progent's Microsoft-certified experts offer network help and IT consulting services for the entire array of Microsoft .NET Enterprise Servers and Microsoft Windows Servers. Progent's planning, installation, optimization, and support services cover network architecture, configuration, and management help for project analysis and documentation, on-site and remote technical help and system repair, Standard Help Desk Call Center Support or Shared Call Center Services, certified security expertise, turn-key outsourcing, and ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

In case your organization is looking for immediate remote support from a Microsoft certified network expert, visit Progent's Emergency Online Network Support.

Learn more information about Progent's Support Services for Microsoft Server Technology.