Microsoft-certified Consulting

Overview of Exchange 2003 Server
Microsoft has ended support for Exchange 2003, which as has been supplanted by cloud and on-prem versions of the platform like Exchange Online and Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE). Progent's Exchange experts can help you determine and execute your best upgrade path to a modern Exchange deployment.

Exchange Server 2003 delivers a dependable, scalable, and manageable platform offering round-the-clock messaging and collaboration plus affordability. MS Exchange Server 2003 enables a broad range of collaborative functions, such as group calendaring abilities, discussion groups, and team folders, and furthermore gives access to data that extends over geographic, organizational, and technology barriers with productivity enhancers that include IM, on-demand information, and video conferencing. MS Exchange Server 2003 introduced improvements over Microsoft Exchange 2K Server in important areas that address protection, performance, and remote access.

In 2009, Microsoft terminated support for Exchange 2003 Server, making network managers deal with all the problems involved in maintaining a legacy messaging platform. Despite this, a large number of Exchange users are still running Microsoft Exchange 2003. Progent's Microsoft-certified IT consultants offer in-depth experience supporting Exchange 2003 and can assist your company to manage and repair your existing Microsoft Exchange 2003 environment or help you to design and execute an affordable migration to an up-to-date version of Exchange. (See Progent's Microsoft Exchange 2016 upgrade support and Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 expertise.)

Advantages of Microsoft Exchange 2003 Vs. Exchange Server 2K
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 features improvements in capability over Exchange Server 2000 in crucial capabilities such as recovery, throughput, protection, mobility, collaboration, and simplicity of management.

• Exchange 2003 Server delivers improved disaster recovery by adding the capability of 8-node clustering, quicker cluster failover, the addition of mount points which eliminate the 24-drive letter limit, SAN connectivity, Volume Shadow Copy Service for database backup, a Mailbox Recovery utility, and a Restore Storage group.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 improves responsiveness through innovations such as /3GB and /USERVA startup switches for adjusting the allocation of memory address space, public folder replication enhancements, distribution list performance improvements, and control of Out of Office messages.
• Security improvements offered by Exchange 2003 Server include Internet Protocol security (IPsec) support for front- and back-end clusters, signed Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) requests to Microsoft Active Directory, front-end and back-end Kerberos authentication, Internet Information Services 6.0 protection, limiting of distribution lists to authenticated users, up-to-date Safe and Block data, download filtering, attachment restrictions in Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access (OWA), and public folders access enhancements.
• Exchange 2003 Server includes better accommodation of remote and mobile workers by including an Outlook Web Access (OWA) user interface (UI) and a more extensive feature set for Web Outlook, Outlook performance improvements via MAPI compression, HTTP access from Outlook, cHTML aND.htmL mobile phone browser support, and syncing of notifications for handheld computers.
• Management and serviceability are improved by organizing queues on a per-server system, improving the user interface (UI), exposing all system queues, enabling cookie permission, using Exchange System Manager to move log files, including a multiple-client Move Mailbox feature, and providing dynamic distribution lists, public folder Search capabilities, and public folder affinity to manage referrals.

Improvements of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Over Exchange 5.5 Server
Exchange Server 2003 offered significant improvements in functionality over MS Exchange Server 5.5 in important areas affecting access, ease of management, security, stability, capacity, and speed.

• MS Exchange 2003 Server brings a dramatic increase in functionality compared to the Microsoft Exchange 5.5 web client. MS Exchange 2003 Server offers a nearly identical version of the older MS Outlook graphical user interface that features scheduling and tools. Because of this, mobile workers have the benefit of full, secure availability of email even without a notebook. All they need is a web-attached computer with a conventional web browser.
• In contrast to Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5, which incorporates a built-in directory, Exchange Server 2003 utilizes Active Directory, providing a greatly streamlined management and protection structure. This makes MS Exchange 2003 Server easier to manage and support and also allows tighter security.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 has a powerful architecture for seamlessly adding third-party utilities such as virus and spam scanning software. MS Exchange Server 2003's strong Application Programming Interface (API) solves the instability often found with Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Server when integrating independent utilities.
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 offers significantly increased capacity and performance over Microsoft Exchange 5.5. Enhancements allow more and bigger mailboxes and faster remote access.
• Exchange 2003 Server also has improved search capability, making it easier and quicker to find vital data when you need it.

Advantages Exchange 2003 Server Over an ISP-based or POP3 Email Environment
If your business is now running an email system hosted by an Internet Service Provider or if you are running your Outlook clients in POP3 mode, MS Exchange Server 2003 offers a wealth of improved features in the areas of ease of management, responsiveness, capacity, reliability, and collaboration:

• Unlike the store-and-forward technique used by POP3 email environments, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 uses a central-store architecture that frees users from dependence on a specific PC or laptop, lowers susceptibility to hardware failure or viruses, and allows both on-line and off-line operation, automatic backup, and advanced groupware.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server offers an array of collaboration capabilities that allow work groups to increase productivity by sharing calendaring, address groups, messages, and data.
• The versatility of Exchange Server 2003 makes it possible to install non-Microsoft security add-ins or accommodate wireless devices such as the BlackBerry.
• Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server works with powerful administration and tracking utilities so you can make sure your email environment is operating smoothly.
• MS Exchange 2003 Server permits complete on-line backup without disrupting productivity, enabling 24x7 availability by avoiding routine downtime.

How Progent Can Help You to Migrate Your POP3 E-Mail Users to MS Exchange 2003
Progent's background and tested best practices can enable you to implement a fast, non-disruptive move of your POP3 e-mail users to Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server. Progent attends to vital details that include managing domain names so that both local and off-site workers enjoy a hassle-free upgrade from the limitations of POP3 messaging. Progent can help you with integrating a local Exchange 2003 Server system or help you to locate and administer your Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 in an external datacenter. Progent's disaster recovery experts can assist your company to develop and execute a complete business continuity plan that includes Microsoft Data Protection Manager consulting for ongoing remote archiving and rapid data recovery.

How Progent Can Help You to Migrate to Exchange 2013 or Exchange 2016 from Exchange Server 2003
Progent's Exchange experts can help your company to upgrade to MS Exchange 2013 Server or upgrade to MS Exchange Server 2016 from Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 at the least possible expense or disruption of business operations. Progent can assist you to improve Exchange security, performance, reliability, and availability and simplify administration. Progent's CISM-certified system security specialists can evaluate and upgrade your security strategy and Progent's Cisco-premier network engineers can enhance your network architecture to improve network performance and lower support expense.

Microsoft 365 Integration with Local Exchange
Microsoft has made a strong effort to enable seamless hybrid networks that combine Microsoft 365 Exchange Online and on-premises installations of Exchange. This permits you to have specific Exchange mailboxes hosted at your on-premises datacenter or private cloud and other mailboxes resident on Microsoft 365. Progent's Microsoft-certified Exchange consulting team can assist your organization with any phase of planning, implementing and debugging your hybrid Exchange network. Progent's Exchange specialists can deliver as-needed expertise to help you through stubborn technical bottlenecks and also can provide extensive project management outsourcing to make sure your hybrid Exchange solution is successfully completed on schedule and on budget. For details about Progent's online consulting expertise for hybrid Microsoft 365 and on-prem Exchange environments, see Microsoft 365 integration with on-premises Exchange.

In order to contact Progent about professional assistance for Exchange Server technology, phone 1-800-993-9400 or go to Contact Progent.

Progent's Support Services for Microsoft Server Products
For small businesses anywhere in the United States, Progent's Microsoft-authorized experts can provide computer assistance and professional consulting support for the whole family of Microsoft .NET servers and Microsoft Windows Servers. Progent's migration, integration, update, and consulting capabilities cover system design, deployment, and administration help for project analysis and documentation, local and remote IT support and network repair, Standard Help Desk Call Center Services or Co-managed Help Desk Support, certified security expertise, turn-key outsourcing, and ProSight Virtual Hosting services.

If your organization requires fast remote help from a certified engineer, refer to Progent's Urgent Online Technical Support.

Find out additional information about Progent's Consulting and Support Services for Microsoft .NET Servers.