Chapter 12. Handling Large-Group Collaboration with Microsoft Exchange Online
This chapter covers the following:
An overview of Microsoft Exchange Online and the email solutions it offers
A discussion of how Microsoft Exchange Online differs from Microsoft Exchange, which is a cloud-computing solution for large companies
Guidelines for determining whether Microsoft Exchange Online can provide the most suitable cloud-computing tools to your company or organization
An explanation of why it might make sense to take advantage of a Microsoft Hosted Exchange partner to manage your Microsoft Exchange email and Office 365 services
Microsoft Exchange Online, which is designed for small to mid-sized businesses, offers tools and functionality beyond what’s provided by just Office 365. It’s a more accessible and affordable solution than self-hosted Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint solutions (which are designed to provide comprehensive cloud-computing solutions for large companies).
Microsoft Exchange Online Overview
Just about everyone is familiar with Microsoft Office, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and other popular applications that provide companies of all sizes, in all industries, with a comprehensive collection of software, mobile app, and online-based tools designed to handle a wide range of common, work-related computing tasks. Microsoft Office 365 (which is covered in Chapter 11, “Using Microsoft Office 365 for Collaboration and File Sharing”) includes applications that provide tools for handling many common tasks, like word processing, spreadsheet management, digital slide presentations, note taking, contact management, scheduling, online communications (including email, group messaging, voice calling, and video calling), and database management, but there are other cloud-computing tasks that Office 365 can’t handle alone. To cater to the more expansive and growing needs of small to mid-sized companies, Microsoft Exchange Online can combine Office 365 with a complete (and scalable) hosted email solution for business, as well as other cloud-based tools designed to improve communication, online collaboration, and information management.
By itself, Microsoft Exchange Online is a hosted, entirely cloud-based email solution. This means that Microsoft uses its network of servers to securely host and manage the customized email accounts and email management tools used by a subscribing company’s employees.
Employees and departments at a company that use Microsoft Exchange Online can have fully customized email addresses (featuring a custom domain), using the [email protected] or [email protected] format.
These email accounts contain zero advertising, and Microsoft does not track any user content or activity for the purpose of sharing it with its advertisers. Individual users within an organization can take advantage of the online edition of Microsoft Outlook to manage their email accounts.
Because Microsoft Exchange Online operates from Microsoft’s servers and is entirely cloud-based, companies don’t need to invest in any specialized equipment to have a secure, scalable, customizable, and feature-packed email management system. Accounts can be managed from Windows PCs, Macs, and any Internet-connected mobile devices.
If your company already has its own email domain, management system, and hosting service set up and operational in a way that works and meets your needs, then the time, effort, and expense of migrating to Microsoft Exchange Online may not be worthwhile. However, if you’re establishing email for your company for the first time, Microsoft Exchange Online, combined with Office 365, offers a comprehensive solution. Microsoft utilizes software and mobile apps that you install directly on your equipment and also cloud services for online file storage, file sharing, data syncing, email hosting, and collaboration. The result is a comprehensive toolset that enables you to handle many tasks associated with the operation of your business.
Google offers similar functionality via G Suite; the main difference is that G Suite is entirely online. Also, G Suite offers a free trial, which isn’t available for Microsoft Exchange Online. (Read more about G Suite in Chapter 10, “Working in Google’s G Suite.”)
Microsoft Exchange Online Plans and Pricing
Pricing for Microsoft Exchange Online can get a bit confusing because it integrates fully with Office 365 (as well as other software applications, mobile apps, and cloud-based services offered by Microsoft and also third-party software publishers), so depending on a company’s needs, pricing plans for per-user subscriptions get a bit convoluted. This section gives basic pricing information, but you need to investigate pricing for the specific solution that best fits your needs.
The Exchange Online Plan 1 is priced at $4.00 per user, per month and requires an annual commitment. When used on its own, this plan offers business-class email with 50GB of online storage per user (used to manage an email account’s mailbox folders and content). Individual users within a company can send messages as large as 150MB and take advantage of Microsoft Exchange Online or Outlook Online. Each Microsoft Exchange Online email account automatically includes anti-malware and antispam protection, shared contact and calendar management, and the ability to archive all email-related data, files, and activities, which is a compliance requirement for most industries.
The Exchange Online Plan 2 option is priced at $8.00 per user, per month and also requires an annual commitment. This plan includes all tools and features offered by Exchange Online Plan 1, along with unlimited online storage for each user account (including 100GB of mailbox storage and unlimited archive storage), hosted voicemail, and data loss protection.
Beyond these two subscription plans, Office 365 Business plans include all features and tools included with the Exchange Online Plan 1, plus full access and integration with select Office 365 applications, 1TB of online file storage space, file-sharing capabilities, and video-conferencing functionality. Users can also take advantage of the Outlook mobile app (in addition to the cloud- or software-based versions of Outlook) to manage their email account, calendar, and contacts, for example.
With the Business plans, each user can install and use Office 365 applications on up to five computers and mobile devices. This Office 365 plan includes unlimited use of the software and mobile app editions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and OneNote, as well as the online-based editions of Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Using cloud-based communications tools, users can host or participate in virtual meetings, video conferences, voice calls, and group or direct text messaging/instant messaging conversations, plus take advantage of a corporate social network that’s designed to help employees from different departments or different locations easily collaborate using virtual workspaces.
The Office 365 Business Premium plan, for example, is priced at $12.50 per user, per month and requires an annual commitment, but there are other Office 365 subscription plans for individuals, business users, and companies that are priced between $5.00 and $12.50 per month, per user. (Read Chapter 11 for more information.)
Depending on the Microsoft Exchange Online or Office 365 Business plan a company adopts, different levels of technical support from Microsoft are available and included with the plan. This includes self-help community support, assisted support via web or email, and several levels of phone tech support (available during specific hours, or 24/7, depending on the plan).
Setup Options
When it comes to a small to medium-sized business getting started with Microsoft Exchange Online, you have two main options.
Interacting Directly with Microsoft
A company representative can contact Microsoft directly to discuss company needs, and then choose a subscription plan for the desired services. From there, the company assigned administrator can easily set up and manage the company’s account and service via Microsoft’s website (https://products.office.com/en-us/business/get-the-most-secure-office-with-exchange-online).
For someone who is somewhat tech-savvy, this is the fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective solution. To learn more about the responsibilities and capabilities of an administrator for Microsoft Exchange Online or Microsoft Office 365 Business, visit https://support.office.com and click on the Business Admins option.
Working with an Independent Microsoft Hosting Provider
A potentially more expensive option—but one that requires virtually no technical expertise whatsoever—is to hire an independent Microsoft Hosting Provider to handle all of the management and tech support activities associated with migrating to Microsoft Hosted Exchange and/or Office 365. A Microsoft Hosting Provider is authorized to sell Microsoft cloud services and license Microsoft software, in addition to their own value-added services related to tech support, user training, cybersecurity, and hosting. Pricing for these services vary because all solutions are customized for each individual company.
When you work with a Microsoft Hosted Exchange service, that third-party hosting company owns and manages the remote servers on which your organization’s Microsoft Exchange and Office 365 accounts are hosted. In other words, that company serves as your virtual (off-site) IT department. Instead of using your own servers or Microsoft’s servers, you use a third-party’s servers in conjunction with Microsoft’s tools.
When you choose a third-party Microsoft Hosting Provider, make sure the organization has earned the necessary certifications from Microsoft and is licensed to offer Exchange email services and Office 365 software and tools. Next, make sure the company is well established and reliable. The company should understand the needs of your business and have experience working with other businesses within your industry.
After your cloud-based services are set up and operational, your daily interaction with the third-party provider will likely be minimal. However, the company you work with should provide regular performance reports and detailed billing. The service should also regularly evaluate your company’s needs to make sure that you have the proper cloud-based solutions and security measures in place based on your organization’s current email, online storage, file-sharing, communications, and collaboration requirements.
In terms of the value-added services the Microsoft Hosting Provider offers, these should all be tools and resources your company actually needs and uses, such as individualized user training, on-call tech support, automated cloud-based data backup and archiving services, and/or added cybersecurity. Ideally, you want to create and maintain a positive, long-term relationship with a Microsoft Hosting Provider, which evolves as your company’s needs change or expand over time.