Understanding Versions of Exchange, Windows, and Outlook
After you assess your business requirements and document your existing environment, you can apply what you know about the capabilities of the messaging software and operating system software toward a design choice that meets your company's needs.
One of the biggest challenges in designing an Exchange messaging system is balancing business and user requirements against the capabilities of your existing system. To meet certain user requirements, you may have to recommend upgrades to the network backbone, server hardware, or operating system software. When planning your Exchange Server-based messaging system, keep in mind the features in the latest versions of Exchange, Windows Server, and Outlook that affect your design choices. They can help you determine whether technical upgrades may be necessary. Generally, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with:
Improvements in Windows Server 2003 that Benefit Exchange 2003 Windows Server 2003 includes several enhancements that enhance the reliability and availability of Exchange 2003.
Improvements in Exchange Server 2003 Exchange 2003 includes new features and enhancements for IT pros and information workers, such as added mobility features and an improved Outlook Web Access.
Improvements in Outlook 2003 Outlook 2003 includes new features that enable it to work better together with Exchange 2003, such as Cached Exchange Mode.