Most businesses know Exchange Server because it is already deployed in their server rooms. It consists on server hardware, MS Exchange Software, Active Directory and Outlook 2003 - 2007. But when you do not have the money or know-how to sucessfully deploy the email solution... that is when people begin to look for Hosted Exchange Services.

Official information about this service is located here. It presents 5 flavors, as follows: Microsoft Exchange Hosted Filtering, Microsoft Exchange Hosted Archive, Microsoft Exchange Hosted Continuity, Microsoft Exchange Hosted Encryption and the most important one: Hosted Exchange E-mail. In order to use one of this features, your network admin just need to change MX records and the hosted service handles the rest of the configuration.

Until this moment, these services have not really been an option for most companies given the fact that they either install the server locally or resort to the use of plain and simple POP3 and SMTP. In one of her articles, Ann All discusses Exchange's software + service model.

One of the most solid players in the Hosted Exchange industry is Mail2Web. They offer several free tools that are very helpful if you are on the road or behind a firewall, such as a free, secure and anonymous web-based email retrieval application that allows you to pick up your email from almost any POP3 or IMAP4 email server and a free Hosted Exchange Service that goes beyond webmail to provide calendars, task management, contact lists, advanced rules for sorting messages, and even ActiveSync capability. Visit their website for very good information related to Hosted Microsoft Exchange.

Intermedia is offering a free copy of Microsoft Expression Web when you sign up for one their plans. Their backend infrastructure is very solid and the products fit almost any budget.