Exchange & Outlook UPDATE, Exchange Edition, June 20, 2003

1. Commentary

- The Future of Exchange Conferencing

2. News and Views

- Microsoft Sues Spammers

3. Announcements

- Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business

- Fight Spam and Viruses, and Secure Exchange 2003!

4. Resources

- XADM: How to Verify Public Folder Content After You Migrate from Exchange Server to Exchange 2000

- Featured Thread: Tool Search

5. Events

- Security 2003 Road Show

6. New and Improved

- Filter Incoming Email

- Submit Top Product Ideas

7. Contact Us

- See this section for a list of ways to contact us.

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==== 1. Commentary: The Future of Exchange Conferencing ==== by Paul Robichaux, News Editor, [email protected]

With all the noise and excitement of TechEd behind us and Exchange Server 2003's release approaching, let's examine the upcoming changes to Exchange Server's conferencing capabilities. Currently, these capabilities revolve around a little-known product: Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server. This Exchange add-on product, which provides voice, video, and data conferencing in conjunction with Exchange, lets users schedule online conferences as they would face-to-face conferences. Attendees can mark the conferences on their Outlook or Outlook Web Access (OWA) calendars and join a conference from any machine that has enough bandwidth. When combined with the Exchange 2000 Instant Messaging (IM) for the server and the corresponding IM desktop client, Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server provides a complete real-time collaboration service. Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server is in use primarily at large enterprises that have high-speed links between offices, but all sorts of organizations use Exchange 2000 IM.

Microsoft has announced some changes to its conferencing lineup with the release of Exchange 2003. Microsoft won't offer separate, updated Conferencing Server or IM products that work with Exchange 2003, although the current products will continue to work in mixed Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2000 networks. In place of these products, Microsoft will offer an all-new--and very cool--solution: Microsoft Office Real-Time Communications (RTC) Server 2003.

Let's pause for a second to pick apart that name. First, notice the word "Office." Even though we might think of IM and conferencing as messaging functions, Microsoft is integrating these capabilities into the Microsoft Office System, so RTC Server's functionality is available whether or not you use Exchange.

Next, notice that the product offers real-time communications, not just IM. RTC Server is built around the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and RTC Server's IM feature uses a protocol called SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE). The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) supports both of these protocols, so RTC Server provides complete IM and conferencing interoperability, which is exciting when you consider how Exchange 2000 IM's business potential has been squandered because of entities such as AOL, which has made ongoing efforts to block other IM services from connecting to its servers. Think of RTC Server as a complete set of plumbing for moving SIP and SIMPLE packets. RTC Server can perform a lot of interesting IM-related tasks (e.g., provide end-to-end Secure Sockets Layer--SSL--encryption for IM chats, log traffic as required by various regulatory and government agencies such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission--SEC--and various arms of the European Commission--EC). When you think of the advantages (from a communications standpoint) of a ubiquitious set of SIP services, it's easy to get excited. Imagine a seamless merger of IP telephony, IM, and conferencing: You could talk to people from your desktop, laptop, or mobile device. We aren't at that point quite yet, but RTC Server is a definite step in the right direction.

The beta version of RTC Server is now available for download from Microsoft's Web site. The company hasn't announced firm availability dates or pricing, but it's fair to assume that the final version will come out not long after the full release of Office System 2003. Astute readers will note that I didn't discuss how to migrate to RTC Server from Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server and Exchange 2000 IM. For the answer to that burning question, tune in next week!

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==== 2. News and Views ==== by Paul Thurrott, [email protected]

Microsoft Sues Spammers

Microsoft has launched 15 lawsuits against spammers in the United States and the United Kingdom. The lawsuits allege that the spammers have flooded Microsoft's email servers with over 2 billion spam emails that employed deceptive and misleading subject lines. For details, go to the following URL:

http://www.wininformant.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39330

==== 3. Announcements ==== (from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners)

Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business

Download VeriSign's new whitepaper, "Guide to Securing Your Web Site For Business," and discover the practical business benefits of securing your Web site. You'll also learn more about the innovative processes and technologies VeriSign uses to address Internet security issues. Download your free copy now!

http://list.winnetmag.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/eA0D8O6k0CCG0BAMg0AC

Fight Spam and Viruses, and Secure Exchange 2003!

Check out our June Web events, and get expert advice that will help you fight spam and viruses and also help you assess the security risks of Exchange 2003. There's no charge for any of these eye-opening, educational events, but space is limited so sign up now!

http://list.winnetmag.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/eA0D8O6k0CCG02lB0Aj

==== 4. Resources ====

XADM: How to Verify Public Folder Content After You Migrate from Exchange Server to Exchange 2000

Each week, Microsoft posts several Exchange Server how-to articles to its Knowledge Base. This week, learn how to verify that all content in an Exchange Server 5.5 public folder has been replicated to Exchange 2000 Server after a migration.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=327191

Featured Thread: Tool Search

A forum reader is looking for advice about a data-gathering tool. To offer your advice or join the discussion, go to the following URL:

http://www.winnetmag.com/forums/rd.cfm?cid=40&tid=60262

==== 5. Events ==== (brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine)

Security 2003 Road Show

Join Mark Minasi and Paul Thurrott as they deliver sound security advice at our popular Security 2003 Road Show event.

http://list.winnetmag.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/eA0D8O6k0CCG07Kz0AD

==== 6. New and Improved ==== by Carolyn Mader, [email protected]

Filter Incoming Email

ProExchange announced that HunterStone has joined its Business Partner program as a reseller. HunterStone will now offer Spam Smacker, ProExchange's email-security software for Exchange Server. Spam Smacker features server-level antispam protection and content screening for incoming SMTP messages. The software evaluates, identifies, filters, and maintains incoming email. For pricing, contact HunterStone at 803-749-8980.

http://www.hunterstone.com

Submit Top Product Ideas

Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Do you know of a terrific product that others should know about? Tell us! We want to write about the product in a future Windows & .NET Magazine What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions to [email protected].

==== Sponsored Links ====

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==== 7. Contact Us ====

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