Microsoft Introduces Solution For Hosted Messaging

Microsoft Corp. today announced Microsoft® Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration 3.0, a next-generation hosted service that addresses the requirements of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
The new offering, which is made available through Microsoft's service provider and hosting partners, builds on the strengths of Microsoft Solution for Hosted Exchange 2003 by adding support for hosted versions of Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 and Windows® SharePoint® Services.

With this cost-effective solution, SMBs can enjoy the robust, enterprise-class e-mail, shared calendaring, contacts, document collaboration and instant messaging capabilities typically used by larger companies.

Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration is a hosted version of Microsoft's family of productivity server products: Microsoft Exchange 2003, Live Communications Server 2005 and Windows SharePoint Services.

The solution also provides proactive monitoring, provisioning automation, delegated administration and centralized management, which allows service providers to consolidate their existing e-mail systems onto a single platform and reduce the cost of deployment, ongoing operation and support.

"Service providers recognize the huge untapped opportunity of offering 'software as a service' to small and medium-sized businesses," said Pascal Martin, general manager for Hosting Solutions at Microsoft.

Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration will power the next generation of software as a service with new enterprise-class tools and services that help small and medium-sized businesses improve their productivity.

"Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration sets a new standard for software as a service for small and medium-sized businesses," said David Ramon, CEO of USA.NET Inc., a current Gold Certified Partner for Advanced Infrastructure and an early adopter of Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration.