It's a very user-friendly application. The mail server is also valuable when compared to other services like SquirrelMail.
System Administrator at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
A stable and scalable business email and calendaring server that's user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "It's a very user-friendly application. The mail server is also valuable when compared to other services like SquirrelMail."
- "From a security point of view, Microsoft should enhance the new features. Technical support could also be better."
What is most valuable?
What needs improvement?
From a security point of view, Microsoft should enhance the new features. Technical support could also be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Microsoft Exchange for about three or four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Exchange is a very good Microsoft product, and it's very stable. It's rare to face issues like mailboxes, but troubleshooting is very easy.
From a security point of view, Microsoft Edge's role is very good. This is because the Edge server is not part of an internal network. If there's a vector attack on Exchange, it will affect only the internal Exchange Edge server and not our private network or DMZ.
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Microsoft Exchange
December 2024
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824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is reliable and very scalable. We have almost 5,000 users at the moment.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is average at best. Many times Microsoft engineers took a long time to support us after we logged a case.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Exchange is for any company with 400 to 500 people, but a mid-size company can also use this product. It's not very costly for them. The alternative many companies are using is Gmail desktop services with about 100 users. I don't know about the quantity, but many companies are using Gmail as a free service because they don't want to invest in other products like Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Office 365.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Microsoft Exchange a nine.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO at Enter++
Reliable, old-fashioned communication for non-cloud users
Pros and Cons
- "Microsoft Exchange's most valuable feature is that it's old-fashioned communication, meaning it's good for people who aren't able to work comfortably in a cloud environment."
- "Sometimes we don't get support quickly enough - for example, if there's some global hacker attack, we don't get served as quickly. The skills of the technical staff can also vary, and Microsoft could perhaps improve their training."
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use Microsoft Exchange as a messaging platform.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Exchange's most valuable feature is that it's old-fashioned communication, meaning it's good for people who aren't able to work comfortably in a cloud environment.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Microsoft Exchange since 1996.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Exchange is very stable - I'm very satisfied with its availability and reliability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Exchange's scalability is very good, with load balancing and failover switching features.
How are customer service and support?
We use Microsoft Premier Support and are very satisfied with it. However, sometimes we don't get support quickly enough - for example, if there's some global hacker attack, we don't get served as quickly. The skills of the technical staff can also vary, and Microsoft could perhaps improve their training.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is really straightforward so long as you meet all the prerequisites. However, in some scenarios, you only have selected privileges and limited control over parts of the installation, which means you may have to ask Microsoft for help if something goes wrong.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft's licensing structure is too complex, but its prices are affordable, though not cheap.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate Microsoft Exchange as ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Exchange
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Exchange. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Stable, and it just works
Pros and Cons
- "It's very well integrated with OneDrive and Teams Calendar."
- "More AI features would be good."
What is our primary use case?
I just use it for email.
How has it helped my organization?
The security and compliance features have impacted our organization. We use multifactor authentication with mobile authentication for the first use on any PC or device. We also have a feature that requires re-authentication if you haven't logged in for a certain amount of time.
It's very well integrated with OneDrive and Teams Calendar. We are using Microsoft 365, so the integration is very good.
Until now, I think integration with the Copilot AI would be good.
What is most valuable?
I like its reliability. It's very stable, and it just works.
The events and meetings feature are the most beneficial for managing communications.
It is synchronized automatically with our organization's calendar, and everyone is aware of the event or meeting. We can meet in person or through Microsoft Teams.
What needs improvement?
More AI features would be good. For example, maybe AI could suggest sentences or enhancements to paragraphs while writing an email.
So, the CoPilot integrations could be further improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for about ten years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. Scalability is one of the powerful features of all Microsoft products.
There are about 700 users in our organization who use Exchange.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used Mail Enable. The integration with the calendar. The other solution was a little bit hard.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. The setup us not complex than it needs to be. It works smoothly.
I work with the on-premises version of Exchange. It is deployed across multiple locations.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment and maintenance part is covered by another team.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate it an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Aug 28, 2024
Flag as inappropriateICT and Cyber Security Adviser at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
It provides a good platform for collaboration between users
Pros and Cons
- "The functionality on the user side is quite good. Exchange provides an excellent platform for collaboration between users."
- "Microsoft could make it easier to combine comments in the GUI. It isn't easy to do certain things in Exchange, primarily if the administrator isn't used to the command line, so I think the customer interface could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We mainly use Exchange for the email, calendar, and contact management features.
What is most valuable?
The functionality on the user side is quite good. Exchange provides an excellent platform for collaboration between users.
What needs improvement?
Exchange's management could be improved a bit, and its troubleshooting tools are limited at times. It's not easy sometimes to troubleshoot. That's another area where there's room for improvement.
Microsoft could make it easier to combine comments in the GUI. It isn't easy to do certain things in Exchange, primarily if the administrator isn't used to the command line, so I think the customer interface could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Microsoft Exchange for 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Exchange's application front services are robust and scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I've never had to contact Microsoft support about issues with Exchange. We used to have a support contract with Microsoft, but it was for integration. However, the technology itself is mature though, and we have extensive experience managing Exchange. But if there are matters related to the environment, sometimes it is tricky. You have to build your own capability and rely on it when there is some novel use case.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you want to run Exchange as an on-premises solution, you have to cover infrastructure costs. If cost is an issue, you can opt for Office 365 instead. But I'm fine with what we're paying because we have no problem budgeting for an Exchange server.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Microsoft Exchange nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Account Manager at Jaffer Business Systems
Easy to use, reliable, and scales well
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Microsoft Exchange is its ease of use."
- "It is important to have the updated version for scalability."
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Exchange is its ease of use.
What needs improvement?
It is important to have the updated version for scalability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Exchange for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Microsoft Exchange is good.
How are customer service and support?
There is not a lot of support needed from the vendor. We can provide the training for the customers.
How was the initial setup?
The solution can be complex depending on the environment. Additionally, it depends on the other solutions or authentication needed.
The time it takes to deploy Microsoft Exchange depends on the customer's environment. However, with a consultant, it can be done in a reasonable timeframe.
The steps that are taken for the implementations depend if we have to do any duplication or if it is a new installation. If it is a new installation it is easy.
What about the implementation team?
A minimum of three technical staff is needed for the implementation of Microsoft Exchange.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are different prices depending on the customer's use cases and amount of users. The price of the solution could improve.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Microsoft Exchange a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: PeerSpot has made contact with the reviewer to validate that the person is a real user. The information in the posting is based upon a vendor-supplied case study, but the reviewer has confirmed the content's accuracy.
Business Intelligence & Data Management Director at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Highly stable and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "Microsoft Exchange is highly stable for the end-user systems. When we move to Office 365, it will be even more stable even. There's less administration required and it's very robust. We are really quite happy in using that."
- "Microsoft Exchange could improve by being more secure. We are always looking to have more security."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Microsoft Exchange for collaboration but mainly for email.
What needs improvement?
Microsoft Exchange could improve by being more secure. We are always looking to have more security.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Exchange for approximately 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Exchange is highly stable for the end-user systems. When we move to Office 365, it will be even more stable even. There's less administration required and it's very robust. We are really quite happy in using that.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The stability can depend on the user's internet speed. If the speed is good then the solution can be scalable.
We have approximately 3,000 to 4,000 users using this solution.
What about the implementation team?
There are two to three people doing the maintenance of the Microsoft Exchange.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have had an enterprise license agreement for three years. We are always seeking more value for our money, the price could be reduced.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Microsoft Exchange an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Owner at a security firm with 1-10 employees
A reliable tool for archiving and organizing a large database
Pros and Cons
- "Now, we manage to serve almost 99% of the information."
- "When we started using Exchange on the cloud, we had a lot of initial problems relating to our main database and we also experienced issues with the accidental deletion of inboxes, amongst other things. In fact, many of the files we had moved to the cloud had disappeared. There also seems to be a problem with the retention of information."
What is our primary use case?
We mostly used Exchange for sending emails and for document management. We also used Exchange to get information from a user's profile but we didn't use Exchange for filing.
What is most valuable?
Personally, I'd say Outlook is a good feature. We used it for scheduling appointments, for storage and archiving, so we could easily find old mail and documents, even ECF documents. A lot of people like using Outlook as a personal archive.
What needs improvement?
When we started using Exchange on the cloud, we had a lot of initial problems relating to our main database and we also experienced issues with the accidental deletion of inboxes, amongst other things. In fact, many of the files we had moved to the cloud had disappeared. There also seems to be a problem with the retention of information. For example, if you delete something, you may have a problem restoring the entirety of the inbox, so if somebody leaves and you want to backup your data, you need to download it to your local servers. This is a big area for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
Currently, we are using Office 365, but we used Exchange for more than 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
As I mentioned earlier, we have a very big database which can lead to some problems. Due to the algorithm, we tend to experience a lot of issues restoring and fixing problems. For example, we would have to retrieve all of the mail from our database and load it into a new database. We only had that problem in the beginning because of the algorithm, not because of Exchange. Now, we manage to serve almost 99% of the information.
How are customer service and technical support?
We get our support through a third party. We have an Enterprise Agreement with Microsft but we don't receive customer service directly from them. Our third party company receives support from Microsoft, and when we have a problem, we deal with them; however, I've only used them once or twice. Other than that, my own systems engineer solves our problems.
As we had more than 40 users, we had four or five people who handled maintenance.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex. When we set up Exchange on one server, it was very simple. Keep in mind, you need to be an expert to install the Exchange server because of all of the connections, the TLS-ing, connecting to the internet and ISP; it just wasn't simple at all.
Microsoft may tell you that deployment is as easy as " a click of the mouse", but this is not the case.
If done at the same time, deployment takes roughly five hours. After that, if we are migrating from an older version of Exchange to a newer version, it takes a very long time. In other words, migration takes much, much longer than the initial installation, which takes roughly four to five hours. When it's working, it's very stable; however, this was not the case 15 years ago, but in the last 10 years, it's been okay. When we experience a problem, it is strictly due to the algorithm.
What other advice do I have?
It depends on what the user's needs are. A lot of people can now use Gmail or they can use Exchange on Office 365 with a license, there are a lot more options available nowadays. If you're thinking about installing Exchange on-premise, on behalf of a client, a lot of people have now moved to the cloud, to Azure or something similar. If a client asked me to purchase a 365 license, including the Exchange server, I might decline. If they want to hold meetings or something similar, I'd suggest that they use a professional service like Gmail for businesses. It's a much cheaper option because a lot of people that work with Microsoft office end up buying one or two 365 licenses which include Exchange, so they use it.
Because I have a lot of experience using Exchange, I would rate it between eight and nine out of ten. It's not a perfect ten, but for our purposes, it was perfect.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Senior Consultant/Project Manager at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
The access by any user with mobile or laptop is a huge selling point.
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to use and we can allow many users because now our users are scattered They over a wide area. We can use it from anywhere. That is the main benefit for us."
- "In terms of probability, every now and then there are changes coming and going. The changes are not that frequent because every month they got updates back, so that is an issue."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case is sending and responding to email.
How has it helped my organization?
Our primary use is protection of email. Email is the primary mode of communication. With Exchange, the user can access it anywhere on mobile or laptop. It becomes easy for them to communicate with their vendors and consumers. So that is why we chose Exchange.
What is most valuable?
It is easy to use and we can allow many users because now our users are scattered They over a wide area. We can use it from anywhere. That is the main benefit for us.
What needs improvement?
In terms of probability, every now and then there are changes coming and going. The changes are not that frequent because every month they got updates back, so that is an issue.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We always have a higher variability configuration ready and we've got two mailbox servers, so even if one goes down, we can use it, we can still access our mail. As far as variability in internet we've never had any major issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have not had scalability concerns. We had already planned for scalability and everything, and when we started we were only ten user accounts but we got thousand users so we planned for a thousand users so we never had any issue. We still have room for expansion so it's not an issue for us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Google gmail. But,we have a lot of expertise with Exchange. And the thing with Google, or any dormant solution, is that we are a semi-dormant algorithm and we can't have our data out on the cloud.
How was the initial setup?
It was a straightforward implementation. We just had five or six servers off Exchange and never had any issues. It was a very straightforward thing for us, we just made sure that we found it well and we went by the phases and a small issues moving from the old version of Exchange to the new version of Exchange, but it was small DNA. No major issues along the way.
What other advice do I have?
VNA redundancy has grown in the data, VNA data variability has grown, even in case VNA found the server goes down, and users can still access their email. So basically everything is good. The feature VNA almost as good as having your own Outlook, although it's better VNA.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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