14 DAY TRIAL // With the release of the first service pack for Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft will continue to support hosting deployments. The launch of the public Beta of Exchange Server 2010 SP1 was accompanied by updated guidance from the Redmond company focused on hosting deployments. The promise from Microsoft is that Exchange Server 2010 SP1 offers Hosting Partners the core feature-set of Exchange Server while allowing them to leverage advantages such as multiple customers deployment via single installations. At the same time, the software giant notes that it has worked to boost management and flexibility of the features delivered to customers.
The Hosting Deployment Guide for Exchange Server 2010 SP1 Beta can be downloaded free of charge from Microsoft. Of course, the actual Beta bits for Exchange Server 2010 SP1 are also available, with the development milestone having been shipped to early adopters in the first half of June 2010.
“The hosting solution available for Exchange 2010 SP1 includes most of the features and functionality available in Exchange 2010 SP1 Enterprise deployments, but also includes features and functionality that will allow you to create and manage tenant organizations,” Microsoft states. “Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 SP1 will form part of the suite of multi-tenant capable products that will replace the Hosted Messaging and Collaboration 4.5 solution.”
As far as hosting providers are concerned, it is vital to understand just what are the shortcomings of Exchange 2010 SP1 Hosting Mode. This because there are a number of features which aren’t supported by Exchange 2010 SP1 in Hosting mode, including, Exchange Management Console, Public Folders, Unified Messaging Server role, Federation, Business-to-Business features such as cross-premises message tracking and calendar sharing, IRM, Outlook 2003 support (EnableLegacyOutlook), and Edge Transport Server role.
Microsoft also enumerated the features that are available in Exchange 2010 SP1 Hosting Deployments:
“- Hosting Installation - When you install Exchange 2010 SP1 for hosting deployments, you will run the installation from the command line and include the /hosting switch. Once installed, your servers will be running in Hosting Mode.
- Tenant Organization Configuration - Because you will be creating and managing multiple organizations in the hosting deployment, you can use cmdlets and parameters that aren't available to Enterprise deployments.
- Service Plans - A service plan allows you to enable or disable certain features when deploying tenant organizations. They simplify tenant administration by automatically setting up feature configuration and automatic feature provisioning of mailboxes. In addition, service plans allow you to grant the correct set of RBAC permissions to tenant based on available features.
- Mailbox Plans - A mailbox plan is a template that automatically populates multiple user properties and assigns default permissions to new or existing user accounts. You use mailbox plans to provision accounts for a particular user population with a common default configuration.”
Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta is available for download here.