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Microsoft Exchange Hosted Continuity

Microsoft Exchange Hosted Continuity is a business continuity solution that helps protect and provide continuous access to e-mail for a business and its employees.

E-mail has evolved from a simple communication tool into a mission-critical application that supports all aspects of a business. Without access to e-mail, productivity can grind to a halt, and the loss of critical information exchanged through e-mail can be disastrous.

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Exchange Hosted Continuity is one of four distinct services in the Microsoft Exchange Hosted Services (EHS) portfolio. The service provides a security-enhanced and intuitive Web interface through which users can access their previous 30 days of e-mail, as well as compose and send new messages in real time during a primary mail system outage. Exchange Hosted Continuity is deployed over the Internet, which helps minimize up-front capital investment, free up IT resources to focus on value-producing initiatives, and mitigate messaging risks before they reach the corporate network.

Microsoft Exchange Hosted Continuity diagram


How It Works

Features and benefits by organization role

Employee

Disaster Recovery Manager

End users can access their Hosted Continuity mailbox by logging into a security-enhanced Web browser from virtually anywhere. Whether the outage is planned or unplanned, users always have access to e-mail.

  • Compose, receive, and send messages in real time

  • Reference the last 30 days of sent and received e-mail

  • Transition to Web-based application easily, using familiar interface

  • Message repository is not burdened by unwanted content as Exchange Hosted Filtering* helps block spam and viruses

  • Restore messages to the primary mailbox if necessary

  • Access the entire company directory for addressing internal messages

  • No software or client-side changes required

*Exchange Hosted Filtering is required, and available in various CAL packages as well as standalone

Tools are available to IT staff to assist with communication, message management, and user administration.

  • Broadcast updates via the Announcement Board in the application. Posts are listed chronologically and unique expiration dates can be assigned

  • Designate Callers and their assigned Callees using the Call Tree feature. Use the Call Tree report in emergencies, as an alternate method for contacting employees

  • Restore mail with the Mass Restoration function. Just set the start and end timestamps for the outage

  • Issue secondary Disaster Password (globally) when users have forgotten their primary password

  • Gain usage insight from activity logs via easy to use reporting tool and a collection of printable reports

  • Measure user logon success rate with Readiness Test. Companion report reveals results



Features

  • Familiar Web-based interface minimizes the need for end-user training and enables access for end users from virtually any location

  • All system actions are logged and available through the Event Viewer online auditing tool

  • Communication tools and Readiness Test help enable preparedness

  • Easily restore messages for individuals or an entire organization

  • Choice of location for data storage (U.S. or non-U.S.)

  • 30-day rolling store provides recent messages for continuous productivity



Benefits

  • Service is always on

  • Captures messages in transit after they’ve been filtered, helping ensure that spam, viruses, and other unwanted content are kept out of the message store

  • Familiar Web-based interface helps minimize the need for end-user training and enable access for end users from virtually any locationn

  • All system actions are logged and available for auditing and investigative purposes

  • Searchable message store provides easy recovery and restoration of individual or all messages

  • Minimizes up-front capital investment

  • Easily integrates with existing e-mail infrastructure

  • Helps free up administrator time to focus on other projects



Next Steps