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  • Why don't I need a Microsoft Exchange Server?

    Why don't I need a Microsoft Exchange Server?Having your own mail server isn't such a great idea for a small office. Unfortunately maintaining servers for small businesses is how many Microsoft computer support businesses survive but the truth is you don't need the server. We've come across this issue so many times that we've actually written an outline of the problem to help you make a more informed decision. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

    brynn :-)

    What's the problem?

    Many of our clients have their own servers that may handle their emails, shared files and shared calendaring. In the old days this used to be the way to do things because that was the only way you could have those types of service but these days its actually a hindrance and here's why:

    Hosting your own server has many downfalls:

    1. You usually get more spam because you are not using Internet Service Provider (ISP) grade spam filtering
    2. You can get identified as a spammer because your internet connection is not normally a dedicated IP address allocated to ISPs
    3. It's harder to access your emails remotely such as webmail because the server may require an upgrade or additional security monitoring.
    4. It costs a lot of money because you need your own server
    5. It costs more because you have to upgrade the server hardware
    6. It costs more because you need a computer support person to maintain the server.

    What do you recommend?

    1. Keep your business emails with your web host. For example we supply five free email accounts with our web hosting and another 10 email account only costs $100 per annum.
    2. Buy an external drive for your file sharing. They cost less than $300 and you can also take them home at night for security and off-site backup.
    3. Use Google Calendar for shared calendaring. Not only is it free but you can also share calendars with clients and friends and access your calendar using Outlook, the web or mobile device.
    4. If you're looking for a more Exchange type system take a look at Google Apps.

    Brynn Neilson About
    Brynn

     

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