Exchange comes with some anti spam tools particularly whats—theres the IMF filter which is free from Microsoft. Its not bad as a free product. But its nowhere as robust as some products really dedicated to the task. So exchange offer things like some building protection, what they call access anywhere. A lot of operational kind of efficiencies is built into it. Ive got a whole long list of features I wont get into it. But some are just kind of getting some of the main features of exchange. There is a build in online spamming and a virus scanning application with exchange 2007. Jersey Intelligent Message Filter or IMF filter increase things like distribution list in exchange. You have integration with the Microsoft Windows active directory which is kind of a daily basis of users and all the things that those users are allowed to do, what not allowed to do and you can build this distribution groups, add members to them and take them away all based and all that.There's attachment stripping in there; there's outlook web access which is a version of Outlook at you run through web browser. That has to be connected out with exchange server. Lets say theres whats called edge sink for recipient filtering, recipient filtering rather. Anti virus stamping, lets see, confidential messaging transport, layer security. A lot of things there as far as security on exchange server, there's—I believe that sounds as pronounced. Kubaros authentication in or there—and with that theres mailbox matching. I mean theres just all kinds of things, data base backup via shadow copy, theres recovery storage groups, database porter belly, all kinds of stuff there on the security side of things.On the anywhere access, you have public folder access from Outlook. A lot of people use public folders, not really heard about public folders. You can create folders that everybody or groups of that will allow you to have access to contain things sop you can give them email rights to those folders. You can have like a discussion list in these folders. There's a lot of cool things you can do with public folders. There's a resource bookings so you can you know if you have meeting rooms or equipment outsourcing, you can do that. Through there theres a voice messaging system. So it gives you kind of a consolidated for faxes, email, voicemail and all that in the users inbox. Thats really cool.Voicemail client integration with the web access version which is really cool, speech enabled auto attendant, automated attendant, thats available. Web based messaging the outlook web is on there. There's various compression techniques. There's a scheduling assistant out of the office assistant. If you can connect this thing to share a point, that is your point folders in there as well. Just think and do everything. I mean, exchange is a very, very potent application.The thing to bear in mind with exchange, I think this is most important and Ive got an exchanged server running here in our office. I installed that two years ago and it has run flawlessly for two years. Ive not had a hiccup one with my exchange server. And Im really, really glad because even though its not very difficult to set up or to install, if it breaks, it can be quite a complex beast. There is no doubt about it. there are some people that is very highly educated ion the ins and outs of exchange server because if you have issues with it, it can be a quite of proposition to get it repaired and get it going again. So you want to make sure that when youre looking and investing in an exchange server that you have a resource available to you in case you have issues with it.Well, I can say, mine is running really, really well for a couple of years but I manage my exchange server. I make sure that the data bases are kept to a reasonable size. We run maintenance on the server. We keep it all cleaned up with archive email using GFI mail archiver. So we kind a keep a real good tabs on the exchange server. Is it said and forget? No, its not a sudden forget but its—basically it is a pretty smooth running application. The more complex to the UN, the more your going to have somebody that really knows the ins and outs of exchange on your side.But theres things like direct push of the email, which you can use a windows mobile device and as the email comes in exchange, itll push it out to you, which is very cool. You can work with blackberries. You have to get a separate application note to work with the blackberry phones. Microsoft uses, was called active sink with active push technology to get those emails out there to you and that will push you no email context, calendar and all that for you as well.So as direct pushing of information out to your smart phone, out of office messaging or out of office responses, a lot of things there that you can do with exchange. It really takes your email to the whole new level, really. Thats what youre doing. Your really playing with the big boys once you have your own email server, specifically something as powerful as Microsoft exchange and now exchange server 2007.Exchange is a great tool. Its a little bit I think expensive. Now you can actually get hosted versions of exchange if thats what you want to do. I think a lot of small companies or realistically, or getting introduced to exchange server with by purchasing Microsoft small business server standard edition comes with exchange. Well, I think you have five client access licenses initially. As a matter of fact, Microsoft is just releasing a small business server 2008 and itll come out with the news version of exchange. That comes with five client access license then you buy a client access licenses for the whole small business server environment and those—Im not sure what the new pricing is going to be on that. Im kind of waiting to look at that but I know on the previous version, you are about a $100 per user for small business server.So, its actually mixed getting exchange, much more affordable deal because you get the server, software then you get exchange with it. Sure point all these wonderful stuff and Ill think thats a lot of small companies kind of get started with exchange and of course you can go in to the next level with exchange server. So its an extremely powerful application. You might hear that name tossed back and forth. There's a lot of great information in the internet about exchange. Weve been using it for a couple of years now. Its been great for us but if you just go out and buy it. Be prepared possibly for a little sticker shock when you hear what is going to cost but you know its an investment.If you can take advantage, allow these tools, unified messaging, collaboration, resource scheduling, distribution list, all these wonderful things that exchange can do. Push email and theyll make you money then thats investment.