Articles about Exchange 14 have been trickling out for the last six or eight weeks, but every one is more confusing than the last. Today's CNET article from Ina Fried continues the double-talk. Microsoft continues to say things like
"If you walk by the site of a skyscraper under construction, it looks chaotic," Microsoft corporate VP Rajesh Jha said in an interview last week. "It looks confused. You will see dirt, scaffolding."while maintaining that for those using Microsoft's Exchange Labs offering and other services, this "chaotic" product under development is ready for use today:
That's because, although the server version of Exchange 14 won't come out until next year, millions of people are already using a hosted service powered by an early version of Exchange 14.But what is this thing, anyway?
In a sense, Exchange 14 isn't really a new piece of software as it is a bunch of updates to the Exchange Online service. "Then we collapse them and build a server," Jha said.So if this is the Exchange Online service, becoming a server, does that mean yet another rip-and-replace migration looms for Exchange customers? And when?
"The way we do production and testing has really changed in a dramatic way," Jha said. "The release time frame has become so compressed."I'm sure they are realizing they can do much better than a feature release and a point release over a nine-year stretch, as has been the case with the current generation of Exchange. But the reference point is wrong:
Jha explains that he moves frequently and his goal was to get his office contents such that they take only one box to pack. (He narrowly missed that goal in his last office shuffle three months ago.)In the era of globalization, faster response times, and virtual teams, why is a Microsoft VP spending so much time in the old metaphor of the Office, and office moves, to begin with? Maybe he should try breaking some windows instead.
"I'm moving again next month," Jha said.
Link: CNET: Building Exchange 14: Service now, server later > (Via Jim C)
Post a Comment
- 2
Henry Ferlauto http://www.geniusinside.com | 3/4/2009 7:51:40 AM
This is another topic that could be the basis for a very effective web video.
The simple side-by-side comparison of the steps involved to upgrade Exchange vs. the steps to upgrade Domino (with the appropriate time lapses, of course).
On a simpler level, think of the television commercials that compare laundry detergent or other cleaning products.
Brand "A" cleans the mess up in 30 seconds. Brand "X" takes over two hours and still has stains to show.
- 3
Darren http://www.dadams.co.uk | 3/4/2009 9:28:09 AM
Still doesn't answer the big questions... is it based on SQL Server? Will it be a straight upgrade from 2007?
- 4
Bill Brown | 3/4/2009 10:54:57 AM
I got this link on a mailing list for the spam product we use: { Link }
The president of the company commented "Oh, wow. I can't believe it. How to DoS Exchange in... uh... one easy step. Go, Microsoft."
Cool, huh?
- 5
Pankaj http://www.exchangeserverfacts.com | 3/5/2009 9:55:00 AM
the MS suite of products gets even more complex. with all the names floating around, im getting dizzy - Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Business Productivity Suite, Deskless Worker, Exchange and SharePoint Hosted, Exchange and SharePoint Installed, Office, Office 14, and now Exchange 14!! We use HyperOffice ({ Link } ) for messaging and collaboration, and are glad because it talks in terms of functionality than the technology underbelly. Suits out small business.
- 6
Luca | 3/5/2009 1:39:09 PM
Meanwhile, in a big company who migrated to Exchange 2007, 18 months after the deployment, the situation is still this one:
"Dear xxx Mail user,
I would like, firstly, to offer my sincere apologies for the limited xxx Mail access that you may have experienced in the past week or may still be experiencing. We are fully aware that email is a business-critical application and that we are not delivering the level of service to you that you should expect.
We are doing everything we can, in close cooperation with our supplier, to provide a normal service for you again."
Great performance.
- 7
Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 3/5/2009 1:54:36 PM
Luca, that was also seen at
{ Link }
- 8
Simon Barratt http://apps.fmc.com/blog.nsf | 3/6/2009 8:46:52 PM
It best, bloody well be an inplace upgrade, surely this is not going to require 128 bit OS?
In our organisation the Exchange 2007 upgrade was called Project Hanoi (of the Towers of Hanoi fame) to make a joke out of the extreme measures we had to go to as we shuffled mailbox from server to server to server to complete the upgrade.
Pretty funny, but its late in the day. Still, I needed a good laugh.