Microsoft is continually accelerating its focus on Software plus Services, and the latest illustrative example is Exchange Online and SharePoint Online, released to web on November 17, 2008. Stephen Elop, president of the Microsoft Business Division at Microsoft, revealed that, by making Exchange and SharePoint two service-driven offerings, the Redmond company was in fact opening up the technology and making it accessible to businesses of all sizes, not just to large corporations. Starting on November 17, Exchange, an e-mail and calendaring solution, along with SharePoint, a portals and collaboration product, can be accessed via Microsoft Online, as subscription services.

“Customers are embracing Microsoft’s software and services strategy en masse because of the choice and flexibility it gives them,” Elop said. “Today, we bring business-class communications and collaboration technologies to the cloud, and we are committed to delivering more capabilities in the months ahead. No one has done what we are doing at this scale, and I’m certain that our customers will continue to take on these solutions as our offerings grow.”

Microsoft integrated the new Exchange Online and SharePoint Online offerings among the Microsoft Online Services family of products, which is available to businesses in the United States. The two services can be accessed either separately, or via the suites offered by the Redmond giant, including Office Live Meeting, Microsoft Exchange Hosted Services, and Microsoft Office Communications Online.

“I see huge potential for small and medium businesses who want to get the latest messaging and collaboration technology from Microsoft with as little pain as possible. They now have a new option to enable them to deploy the same technology that their enterprise brethren have – quickly and easily and with different payment options from subscription to a “top up” on existing licensing agreements,” revealed Microsoft's Steve Clayton.