E-mail management:
An Exchange 2010 upgrade is worth considering

Pick the right mix of virtualization for your environment. There are pros and cons to virtualizing Exchange whether it is on VMware, Hyper-V or Xen. On the positive side, you get the usual server benefits associated with virtualization, like better hardware utilization. In 2010, the improved I/O performance also chips away at virtualization concerns. On the downside, purely using resiliency at the virtualization layer circumvents some native Exchange resiliency features like native Exchange heartbeat detection.

Examine the broader application ecosystem impact for 2010 support. An Exchange upgrade can have a ripple impact with supporting tools like backup, antivirus and mobility platforms, as well as other business applications that integrate with the platform. When factoring in the cost and feasibility of an upgrade consider the change management required for applications like customer relationship management (CRM) or finance systems that might require modification.

Recognize archiving and e-discovery limitations in Exchange 2010. For organizations with no message archiving systems in place, Exchange 2010 represents a step up. For firms with minimal storage optimization and legal risk mitigation needs, Exchange 2010 can help meet archiving and compliance objectives. For most organizations, however, third-party archiving and e-discovery solutions will remain important. In any case, buyers should recognize that Exchange 2010 is just one part of the archiving and e-discovery equation. Firms will also need to deal with related applications, aligning IT and legal stakeholders and standardizing workflows to achieve regulatory, legal risk mitigation and operational efficiency goals.