Why Hosted Messaging and Collaboration 4.5?

Hosted Messaging and Collaboration version 4.5 gives service providers the opportunity to offer the widest range of messaging services. Those services start with a basic, e-mail–only Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access client experience and then add incremental functionality in multiple Office Outlook Web Access feature bundles up to a full Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 client experience that will run over the Internet through existing firewalls and routing infrastructure. This range of services provides a flexible services path to drive incremental up-sell value for every business-class mailbox provisioned on the Hosted Messaging and Collaboration environment.

In addition to traditional e-mail, Hosted Messaging and Collaboration 4.5 makes it possible for service providers to offer SMBs additional value-added services such as mobile e-mail that incorporates a richer Outlook experience on mobile devices, hosted Windows SharePoint Services, and more.

• Messaging: Hosted Exchange is a rich messaging service that service providers host using Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. With tools for flexible business modeling, service providers can offer a broad range of services that go from basic e-mail up to higher-value services such as providing additional storage and hosting personal domains and shared calendars and contacts.
• Enhanced communications: Office Communications Server 2007 manages all real-time (synchronous) communications, including instant messaging (IM) and audio and video conferencing.
• Collaboration: Collaboration services enable users in customer organizations to work together more efficiently. Version 4.5 of the solution includes Hosted Windows SharePoint Services, which allows service providers to host team Web sites that customers can use to share documents and other information.