Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

August 25, 2009

Is Shared Exchange Hosting Really Sufficient?

Communication and collaboration became far more seamless with the introduction of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.  With a hosted solution, this product makes email management simple and efficient, providing for increased business productivity and improved customer relationships.  Similar to many hosted solutions, there are a couple of ways to run a Microsoft Exchange Server.  One of the most common involves a shared server.

The Benefits of Shared Exchange

In recent times, numerous companies have emerged to provide large Exchange infrastructures capable of meeting the needs of thousands of users.  These firms offer simple solutions geared towards individuals and small businesses who desire all the benefits, but simply cannot afford to host an Exchange Server internally.  Their offerings are generally affordable with great features and adequate storage for each user account.  This type of service allows the small business to take advantage of the benefits typically enjoyed by larger enterprises. With service charged on a fixed fee, there will be no surprises on your bill for hardware upgrades or ongoing maintenance.

Potential Drawbacks

While shared hosted Exchange offers many benefits, it also has its share of disadvantages.  Similar to the websites in a shared web hosting environment, the mail accounts for a company’s employees are stored in conjunction with other customers on the provider’s network.  In fact, there is a great chance that your accounts could be allocated over a number of different servers, a factor that could result in lengthy delivery delays.  For the most part, shared hosted Exchange platforms are one-size-fits-all solutions that give you little to no control over how the messaging system is configured.  If you run across a nice tool that you feel would integrate well with Exchange, it may be prudent to set those plans to the side because you will not even be able to install it on the server.  Furthermore, if you want to incorporate a more efficient spam filter or integrate a certain protocol, forget it about because those options are not available to you either.

Another knock on shared Exchanged hosting platforms is that most of them are lacking in essential features.  One of them is single sign-on.  In the traditional Exchange environment, users are able to log in to both their AD (Active Directory) and email system with a single password, thus providing convenient access to important data and applications.  This type of integration usually is not available on a shared hosted Exchange platform.  Such an exclusion could be a considerable disadvantage for many organizations, especially those subject to IT audits.   Other drawbacks are related to how customers are limited to simple web control panels with no access to the integrated and supported management tools available for Exchange and AD.  These factors can greatly hinder the simplicity and flexibility Microsoft Exchange offers.

Conclusion

Shared Exchange hosting makes an ideal solution for companies who cannot afford the costs and complexities of maintaining the server software and hardware behind it.  Though it can be viewed as a more affordable and user-friendly option, the drawbacks limit its potential for those who require more control and flexibility.  If this sounds like your business, you may be better suited with a dedicated Exchange service or a privately hosted solution, with the latter being able to offer the perfect compromise.

Tags: spam filter,  single sign-on,  shared Exchange hosting,  Microsoft Exchange Server,  IT audits,  Exchange infrastructure,  email management