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Microsoft Exchange Vs. Microsoft Office 365
Workplace productivity is heavily centered around the tools with which we have to work. Microsoft Office 365 is a solution to a lot of the issues standard business may face. The year 2020 brought with it a worldwide change in how we do business. Working from home became the new normal for a large percentage of the population, due to the novel coronavirus, and COVID-19. With that change, came some difficult hurdles. O365 equips users with tools to overcome some of these.
With the “end of life” for Exchange 2019 being announced for January of 2020, a lot of companies are looking at outdated software that is no longer supported, and wondering where to go next. Microsoft Exchange 2019 was the backbone email server system for many years, giving in house IT companies the opportunity to maintain and oversee the management of email systems for their companies. Announcing the end of life of Exchange 2019 probably came as a surprise to many small businesses that hadn’t intended yet on upgrading.
“End of life” is a term in software production, that means the software will no longer be receiving security updates, mainstream support, or bug fixes. In the long run, this can quickly end up in security breaches, and buggy interfaces. Once the end of life has been reached, issues begin to populate in systems that previously had little to none, and the malicious users in the world can work harder to find vulnerabilities, since security is no longer being supported.
Knowing this, let’s talk about the benefits that we can find in upgrading to Microsoft O365. We know that it’s more secure than Exchange at this point, but what else is there to know about O365? We’ve listed a few important things to know about O365 if you’re considering the transition.
Workplace productivity is heavily centered around the tools with which we have to work. Microsoft Office 365 is a solution to a lot of the issues standard business may face. The year 2020 brought with it a worldwide change in how we do business. Working from home became the new normal for a large percentage of the population, due to the novel coronavirus, and COVID-19. With that change, came some difficult hurdles. O365 equips users with tools to overcome some of these.
Access Anywhere
One of the most important things to know about O365 is that is creates an environment for it’s users that allows them to access all of their Office applications, files, and storage from anywhere. Well, that is anywhere with an internet connection. This allows employees to work from home, or anywhere else if need be. It no longer chains the workforce to a desk in a cubicle or office building. For some, this change is crucial to continue functioning in the world of COVID-19.
Communicate Better
O365 also brings with more empowered communication. Teams is the application that provides instant messaging across the company, video chat and calling functions as well. You can quickly and easily share files, make comments, and look at documents alongside your team mates. Office 365 also supports Skype for Business, which can host conference calls, and meetings. Yammer is another application, which brings a social media type platform for business, giving the opportunity to make post in a news feed, that reaches the entire company, and can notify employees via email when a post is made.
Secure Storage In The Cloud
The ability to access files from anywhere means that storage for the company and it’s application files is held in the Cloud, making it available anywhere with an internet connection. Many have voiced concern about how secure it might be. With robust security features, including two-factor authentication, security risk is minimized. Particularly for companies that handle confidential personal information, or HIPAA compliant industries, knowing that threat detection and anti-malware is built in to identify and stop threats makes the difference.
Tailor the Cost of O365 To Your Business
In a new approach, Microsoft provides O365 in a subscription based format. Each user has a license which is paid for per month, making it easily adjustable for fluctuating or fast growing businesses. There are different levels of O365, so pay for what you need and not what you don’t. Unlike previous years, where new upgrades meant replacing software and buying a whole new package, upgrades are included in your subscription.
In the Event of a Disaster
Natural disasters, fires, or theft have previously been a concern for on premises hosted servers. Unlike Exchange 2016 & 2019, if a fire breaks out, or the building is flooded, files, and email systems, and everything else is still online, because it’s hosted in the cloud. There are also built in features for recovery, giving users the ability to recover an email account if need be.
Want to Collaborate?
Share calendars, mailboxes, contacts, and documents collaboratively. In some cases, it may be beneficial to have a shared calendar, to know when and who is booked and when they’re not. This makes scheduling a breeze. You can also have a shared Outlook mailbox, keeping everyone involved at once. One of the greatest features is the ability to share documents, straight through Teams, that everyone can open and edit together, and see changes in real time, instead of passing documents back and forth. Sharepoint is the application that allows collective storage for important documents.
Technology Resource Group
Technology Resource Group is well versed in the world of Microsoft. If you’re looking at aging servers and software, give us a call and we would love to discuss in detail the pros and cons of Exchange vs. O365, and how it may affect your business. Our experience in the world of technology gives us the insight and knowledge to better serve every client. If you’re interested in upgrading to O365, our team of professionals is available for consultations and services of all kinds for businesses large or small.
