OVER the next two years 77 per cent of companies across the UK, US and South Africa are planning to upgrade their email systems, according to an email migration report produced by email management company Mimecast; what's more, over half the companies surveyed are planning to make this upgrade over the coming 12 months.
The report, discussed recently in the Independent, revealed that 62 per cent of organisations planning an upgrade in the next year will be migrating to Microsoft Exchange 2010.
According to the report, which surveyed 500 IT decision makers, the main factor driving this migration to Exchange 2010 is the desire to not fall behind with email features and capability; these include improved security, better administration and archiving capabilities and enhanced storage options.
Quoted in the online version of the newspaper, Marc Munier, the commercial director of email marketing at Pure360, said the value of a company's email list is "incalculable". Guaranteeing that your contact lists are protected is therefore a critical enterprise.
With the recent high profile activities of expert hacking organisations Anonymous and Lulzsec, both of which have wreaked havoc with their intrusions on personal data, it is clear that business safety and security is more important than ever. As well as the business benefits of an improved email system, companies must ensure that sufficient precautions are in place to deter hackers.
It's not just hackers looking to flex their muscles and display their prowess that organisations need to worry about. Imagine the problems if a competitor got hold of your mailing list or it was copied and the data sold; your company's reputation could be left in tatters with a few clicks of a mouse. If data is not secured or lost without being backed up, months of marketing time and money could disappear into the ether.
Simple things like having a complex password and never leaving your account logged in all help in the fight against intrusion. Google, the biggest online behemoth of them all, has launched a Good to Know campaign to improve online practice both at home and at work. Bad habits are easy to fall into and can be hard to put a stop to, but they could be fatal to a business.
Cost is, of course, another key consideration for businesses. Microsoft Exchange 2010 is quite simply a more cost-effective solution than its predecessor; Jacob Jaffe, Microsoft Office Division Business Group lead states that companies running Exchange 2003 are likely to pay up to 40 per cent more for email storage and archiving than those who migrate to Exchange 2010. This explains the fact that 92 per cent of those surveyed by Mimecast expect to fully recoup the costs of their Exchange migration; furthermore, over a third of those interviewed expected to recover these costs quickly, within the first six months.
Email is the most effective and convenient method of communication for businesses. Such is the presence and frequency of sending emails, the privilege of being able to do so is one that is often both overlooked and taken for granted.
It is often assumed that there are few differences in terms of performance and efficiency from one email application to the next. This opinion is unquestionably incorrect. Though email may not feature in the upper echelons of lists of systems that urgently require upgrading, any sensible business will ensure they have the right application in place with all the features and security they desire.
It is no wonder, therefore, that the vast majority of companies are on the lookout for the latest email innovation and don't hesitate to move to the server which offers the very latest in efficiency and security. Just as Exchange 2003 migration began in earnest upon the system's release, an increasing number of companies are now planning their move to Exchange 2010.
Exchange 2003 was a significant step on the journey to the effectiveness and popularity enjoyed by Exchange 2010, but the war against hackers is one that looks set to run and run.
