Email is one of the most agile tools used by organizations to communicate internally and externally. Ever since businesses started harnessing the advantages of cloud based email hosting, there is no dearth of reliable email hosting providers that support small to large scale business operations. Two of the most prominent email hosting options that are widely used by organizations are Hosted Exchange and Office 365. Though Hosted Exchange is one of the staple products of Microsoft and has been around for quite a while, Office 365 is comparatively new, which is why most organizations are yet to explore the benefits it has to offer. The blog post compares four aspects of Hosted Exchange and Office 365 email hosting to help you pick the best option for your organization.
Hosted Exchange Or Office 365 Email Hosting?
1. Price
The price of an email hosting solution need not be the sole driver behind your buying decision; It however, affects the bottom line of your business and therefore, deserves consideration. When it comes to pricing, Microsoft Office 365 email hosting clearly outshines Hosted Exchange with some outstanding features. Office 365 email features include a generous 50GB mailbox that costs as low as $4 per user every month, or $48 a year to be more precise. Hosted Exchange, on the other hand, offers a default 25 GB mailbox and its cost per business user stands at more than $155 a year. Though both services justify their respective price points, Office 365 is more profitable for small enterprises, given their low headcount.
2. Data Synchronization
Businesses today seek location independence, which essentially means users want to access their mailboxes anywhere on the go. Both Hosted Exchange and Office 365 leverage ActiveSync to synchronize email data across authenticated user devices. Hosted Exchange, however, becomes more of a liability if a large number of business users use mobile devices to stay connected with their mailbox. While Office 365 supports mobile synchronization at no extra cost, Hosted Exchange charges anywhere between $3 to $10 dollar a month to enable the functionality. All in all, it goes without saying that Office 365 email hosting needs to power your email operations, if most of your business users prefer mobile.
3. Security and Compliance
Though Hosted Exchange is secure, Office 365 email hosting goes the extra mile in protecting your business data in the mailbox. Office 365 is probably the only email hosting solution so far to achieve both gold standards of security, the HIPAA and FISMA credentials, certifying it to be fit for any US Federal Government Agency. It is also EU Safe Harbor Compliant, EU Model Clauses Capable, SSAE 16, and ISA 27001 certified. It signifies that Office 365 email hosting fulfills every requirement it takes to be a reliable email hosting solution, but doesn’t mean Hosted Exchange is not secure.
Related read – How To Secure your Email Server
4. Extras
Most businesses factor add-on features before finalizing an email hosting solution or any other software solution. Having said that, Office 365’s comprehensive list of add-on features again outsmarts hosted exchange. Office 365 provides a host of additional features, whether it’s archiving ability, sharepoint or lync proficiency, making it the most flexible email hosting solution. Office web apps are another exclusive feature of Office 365 suite. They are browser based versions of MS Office, Excel and Powerpoint that are offered at reasonable price points. All in all, if your business requires additional features, such as legal archiving, lync capability, office web apps, active directory federation, and Desktop MS Office rights, without overhead costs, look no further than Office 365.
The Bottom Line
Both, Hosted Exchange and Office 365 dominate the email hosting segment with their distinct benefits. No doubt, Office 365 scores extra points in a number of areas but Hosted Exchange remains a solid choice for your business. You need to consider your requirements before deciding on the ideal email hosting solution for your business. Office 365, for instance, comes with a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee that is a vital factor for any business. Moreover, it receives more crucial upgrades as compared with the legacy Hosted Exchange platform and offers the highest level of control, with negligible downtimes. Go for Office 365 if your business requires flexible hosting without breaking the bank. If you are planning to switch to Office 365, i2k2 Networks can help. We have a team of IT experts that are ready to help you with the migration, troubleshooting, and maintenance. To learn more, fill out our contact form. You can also call us at +91-120-466 3031.