So let's say you're a Hoster offering Hosted Exchange as a service to small and medium sized businesses (based on the Hosted Messaging & Collaboration 3.0 solution. What are the available options for your customer to use as a mail client? Here is a list:
- POP3/IMAP Clients - This includes support for Outlook Express. This will requires POP3/IMAP and SMTP Protocols deployed on the Front-End Servers.
- Pre-Outlook 2003 Clients - Requires directy access to Back-End mailstore. Thus client requires ISA or VPN access to hoster backend network.
- Outlook 2003 - Requires direct access to Back-End mailstore OR use RPC over HTTP (integration between Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003, and Outlook 2003)
- Outlook Web Access - Built into Exchange Server 2003. Deployed as a "Front-End" Server for Exchange.
- Windows Mobile Devices - ActiveSync support built into Exchange Server 2003 and deployed on the "Front-End" Server.
- Non-Windows Mobile Devices - Outlook Mobile Access (OMA) supports non-Windows mobile devices. This is implemented by the Exchange Front-End Server.
- Mac Clients - Requires Microsoft Entourage 2004, Microsoft Outlook 2001 for Mac, or Microsoft Entourage X or Entourage 2001 for Mac. Requires direct access to Back-End mailstore servers. Thus client requires ISA or VPN access to hoster backend network. http://www.microsoft.com/mac/support.aspx?pid=exchange
Now what if you don't want the hassle of supporting "Outlook 2003" clients? You can disable Exchange 2003 from supporting older clients.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=288894
What if customers only purchased OWA based sevices, but still want a "rich" email client? Tell you customer to purchase "ActiveSend 2003" from MessageWare. This will give the end user a "Rich Mail" experience, but with OWA.
http://www.messageware.com/products/activesend2003.html
For more information on Exchange Server 2003's support clients: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/clients.mspx