NHS moves to Microsoft Exchange 2007

Project TR (Technology Review) has consisted of an extensive assessment of the existing underlying email product provided by Cable & Wireless. The review has concluded that to meet the ever increasing demands of a centralised mail service for the NHS, NHS Connecting for Health will take steps to replace the existing technology with Microsoft Exchange 2007.

Cable & Wireless will continue to deliver the NHSmail service and will manage the transition to the Exchange platform. Microsoft will work with both NHS CFH and Cable & Wireless to design and architect a scalable, secure email solution capable of meeting the needs of the NHS today and for the future.

New, powerful functions and cost reductions

NHSmail on Exchange will also provide a range of new functionalities which will improve the user experience and productivity for NHS staff. For example, the move to Exchange will address many of the frustrations of the existing service such as calendaring and integration issues. 

"NHSmail on Exchange will also provide a range of new functionalities which will improve the user experience and productivity for NHS staff."New functionalities in Exchange 2007 such as push email to mobile devices, shared calendars and contacts, collaborative working and unified messaging will enable clinicians, mobile staff and management to deliver better patient care, higher productivity returns and quicker decision making.

NHSmail will be a phased implementation which will introduce new features over time; details of when these will be available are currently being agreed.

Architecture and performance improvements in Exchange 2007 have also lowered total cost of ownership (TCO) and increased hardware productivity. In essence it now will cost less for the NHS to meet daily demands and targets using Exchange than via any other platform.

Plans are still being finalised, and there is a lot of effort required to ensure the programme covers all aspects of delivering a world class email service. 

Next steps

When the platform goes live users of the existing service will be migrated across to Exchange and other Trust-based email systems will also be migrated onto the centralised Exchange platform. Behind the scenes work has already started and migrations are due to start in January 2009.

Users and systems managers can be reassured that all existing functionality will be carried forward in the migration, and that continuity of service for all active NHSmail accounts is paramount in the migration planning.

An introduction to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

E-mail is the mission-critical communications tool that allows their people to produce the best results. Today, employees look for rich, efficient access to email, calendars, attachments, contacts and more, no matter where they are or what type of device they are using.

Meanwhile, IT departments must contend with e-mail security threats that are wide ranging: continually evolving spam and viruses, non-compliance risks, the vulnerability of e-mail to interception and tampering, in addition to the potential harmful effects of natural and man-made disasters.

IT professionals look for a messaging system that addresses the needs of both NHS organisations and employees, while also being cost-effective to deploy and manage.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 has been designed specifically to deliver the advanced protection NHS organisations demand, the anywhere access employees want, and the operational efficiency IT managers need.

Exchange Server 2007 at a glance

Built-in protection

Exchange Server 2007 offers built-in protective technologies to keep your business moving, reduces spam and viruses, enables confidential communications, and helps your organisation to be compliant.

* Anti-spam and Antivirus
* Compliance
* Business Continuity
* Confidential Messaging

Anywhere access

Exchange Server 2007 allows employees get anywhere access to their e-mail, voice mail, calendars, and contacts from a variety of clients and mobile devices. Employees will have the ability to work from home, work, or on the go.

* Unified Messaging
* Web-Based Messaging
* Mobile Messaging
* Collaboration and Productivity

Operational efficiency

Exchange Server 2007 enables new levels of operational efficiency through capabilities that optimise hardware and networking investments and features that help make administrators be more productive.

* Performance and Scalability
* Administration
* Deployment
* Extensibility - enables rapid development for custom and third-party applications.

The Outlook experience

In addition to benefits and capabilities described above, Exchange Server 2007 offers the best integration with the broadest range of clients.

Exchange Server supports a complete email experience, from Outlook on the desktop to Outlook Web Access, Outlook Mobile, and the new Outlook Voice Access, a feature of Exchange Unified Messaging.

Exchange Server also integrates with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and other Office applications as well as third-party systems and devices.

Related Links

* Review further information about Microsoft Exchange Server 2007