"Adopt after the first Service Pack" should be every IT leader's mantra. But Exchange 2007 is different. Enterprises looking to exploit Exchange 2007's enhanced features – and whose messaging environment involves only basic messaging and perhaps BlackBerry connectivity – should consider transitioning now instead of waiting until early 2008 for SP1.

Ready…

Exchange 2007 offers a host of new features, while discontinuing unused or obsolete functions. While this might suggest increased caution toward the 1.0 release, consider these factors:

• Architectural fixes. With Exchange 2007 the Exchange team finally got to fix legacy architecture choices. The Daylight Saving Time 2007 fiasco with Exchange 2003 served to highlight one such issue. Exchange 2007 didn't face the calendar rebasing problems that Exchange 2003 presented because it changes the way calendar instances are coded.
• Integrated anti-virus and anti-spam. These features provide enterprises with an additional layer of security. Defense-in-depth against malware is best accomplished by an assortment of vendor products running on multiple layers (gateways, servers, desktops), each of which will hopefully cover the others' blind spots. Exchange 2007's anti-virus and anti-spam provide elements for this structure at no additional software cost, although enterprises will want to weigh this value against the costs of increased complexity to manage yet another solution.
• 64-bit architecture. Exchange 2007 takes advantage of 64-bit OS addressing of up to 16 Exabytes (16 billion GBs) of RAM and supports up to 50 storage groups per server. These features should alleviate even the most stubborn messaging bottlenecks.
• High availability. Continuous Data Protection (CDP) is now available in the form of Cluster Continuous Replication (CCR), which uses log shipping to the passive node to provide a failover server.

While Info-Tech has heard a few reports of transition difficulties, early indicators are that the product is stable. For more features, information refer to the Info-Tech Advisor research note, "MS Exchange Server 2007 Triggers Infrastructure Decisions."

…Or Not

While Exchange 2007 launched in January 2007, the SP1 Beta launched to TechNet Plus members in April 2007 and is scheduled to ship in late 2007. Enterprises with messaging infrastructures that cannot function without the following features should delay transition from their current solution until SP1's final release:

• Outlook Web Access. Secure MIME support returns, along with the monthly calendar view, Office 2007 file format converter, personal distribution lists, public folder access, rules, and deleted items recovery.
• Exchange Management Console. GUI control is added to configure public folders, POP and IMAP settings, SendAs permissions, and delegation wizard scenarios.
• Exchange Management Shell. Move mailbox command will allow import and export to .PST files.
• Standby Continuous Replication (SCR). In addition to CCR and Local Continuous Replication (LCR), SCR allows Exchange data to be replicated to a remote site. While not supporting failover, like CCR, SCR does provide off-site backup for DRP.
• Unified Messaging Improvements. SP1 provides additional dial plans and internal call number resolution logic. Other new features include forwarding notification, support for recording high-fidelity voice messages, ability to associate subjects and priorities to voice messages, and missed call notification e-mail integration with Office Communicator 2007.
• IPv6 Support. Exchange 2007 will run on Windows Longhorn Server in native IPv6 networks.

Complete details about Exchange 2007 SP1 can be found in the "Release Notes for Exchange Server 2007 SP1" and at the Exchange team blog article, "Talking Exchange 2007 SP1…".

Recommendations

1. Exchange 2007 is good enough for now – for some. Unless the target implementation contains a lot of integration or requires SP1 features, the current release is proving to be a stable, "good enough" platform.
2. If SP1 fits the bill, wait until its release. Enterprises whose application environments demand SP1 functionality have no choice but to wait until late 2007 or early 2008.

Bottom Line

Early adoption buzz indicates that Microsoft Exchange 2007 is good enough to implement in its present release for straightforward messaging architectures. Enterprises eager to take advantage of Exchange 2007's push delivery to mobile devices, unified messaging, 64-bit enhancements, and high-availability should prepare to transition.