Servers can host nearly every type of software solution, including email and office support, of which Microsoft Exchange is widely considered to be the best. If you’re looking into a new email server solution, you’ve likely come across hosted Exchange. But what is it and how can it help?

What is Microsoft Exchange?

Microsoft Exchange is a messaging system that offers businesses a number of services, including email, calendar, task management, address lists, and more. By integrating Exchange into your business, you can access all of these servers from any location, on almost every device.

Many companies that purchase Exchange install it on servers that are usually on premises. This setup can be a bit expensive, especially for small businesses. Moreover, the server needed to host it can take up space that a business may not have. This is why many companies prefer to operate on cloud-based systems.

What is hosted Exchange?

To meet the demands of businesses of all sizes, many IT companies like Microsoft started to offer hosted Exchange. In this setup, your IT provider makes space available on one of their servers. They then install Microsoft Exchange in a space accessible only to your company, over an internet connection. They are in charge of ensuring the data stored within is secure and accessible to you at all times. Many hosted Exchange providers will also offer extra features like improved security, full-time management, and data backup.

In other words, hosted Exchange is the cloud-based version of Microsoft Exchange managed by the host company. You and your employees will still be able to access it as if it were hosted in your office.

Benefits of hosted Exchange

Companies looking to integrate hosted Exchange into their business can enjoy the following benefits:

1. Predictable and lower costs

Like many other hosted services, the majority of hosted Exchange services are offered on a monthly, per-user basis, inclusive of maintenance and hosting. This makes costs predictable as you’ll be paying a fixed fee.

Hosted Exchange also lowers overall costs. If a business were to calculate the cost of purchasing a new server, Microsoft Exchange, and the infrastructure required to use it, plus maintenance fees, the total and per-user cost will likely add up quickly. For many small businesses, paying a monthly fee will be far less expensive than hosting a Microsoft Exchange solution in-house. What’s more, you save money on maintenance overhead and future expenses.

2. Easier implementation

Implementing Microsoft Exchange in your office would require you to find space for the server, install the server and Microsoft Exchange. Once installed, you’ll have to manage Exchange and add new accounts and users. In case the service goes offline, you’ll have to fix it yourself. With a hosted Exchange solution, your IT partner will take care of hosting, management, and installation, so you can focus on running your business.

3. Flexible solutions

Growing businesses may find it tough to scale up or down on an in-house Microsoft Exchange solution because it’s limited by the capacity of the server. With hosted Exchange, you can just contact your provider, who can ensure that space and resources are available. The hosted Exchange provider can also help scale your solutions in case you move offices.

Looking to learn more about hosted Exchange and how your business can benefit from it? Chat with us today!

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The Windows 10 May 2019 Update is now available for download, and it brings a wealth of new features, tools, and apps that will help you and your team be more productive and efficient, as well as give you a better user experience. Read on to find out about Windows 10’s best new features.

Light theme

If Windows 10’s dark mode is, well, too dark for you, you’ll love the new light mode. You can enable light mode on your Windows 10 computer by tweaking the Colors settings. In the Settings app, click on Personalization > Colors, then select the Light option from the “Choose your color” drop-down menu.

Alternatively, you can enable light mode by changing your PC’s Themes settings. In the Settings app, click on Themes > Windows (light).

A cleaner Start menu

The May 2019 Update features a new, less cluttered Start menu. The tiles and shortcuts are now arranged in a single column instead of the default two columns in previous versions.

Also, for those using a new Windows computer or user account, the number of pinned apps on the Start menu has been reduced and grouped together in a single section. This way, you can quickly unpin all of them without having to remove tiles one by one.

Uninstall more built-in apps

Paint 3D, Groove Music, and Mail are just some of the built-in applications that you can now uninstall from your Windows 10 device. To uninstall one of these apps, go to the Start menu and right-click on the app’s shortcut and select Uninstall. If you change your mind, you can always get the app for free from the Microsoft Store.

Separate Cortana and search box

The May 2019 Update separates Cortana from the search box. The Windows 10 digital assistant now has its own icon on the taskbar, while the search icon keeps its place right next to the Start menu. Settings and group policies for these two functions have also been split up.

The split means you can use the search box for text queries and Cortana for voice queries. This is a change from previous Windows 10 versions, which showed Cortana every time you clicked the search box. The new search interface also lists your most used apps as well as recent files and activities along with options to filter search results by apps, documents, email, and web results.

Automatic backup for folders

Backing up your folders has never been easier with Windows 10’s new OneDrive option. You can now specify which folders you’d like to automatically sync to Microsoft’s cloud file storage service. To enable this option, click the OneDrive icon on the right side of the taskbar, then go to More > Settings. On the AutoSave tab, click Update folders and choose the folders you’d like to automatically sync.

Space for updates

A common problem when updating is not having enough disk space on your computer. When this happens, it’s likely that Windows updates won’t install properly. Microsoft has solved this problem by allocating 7 GB of your hard drive to Windows for updates and temporary files created by apps and processes. When it’s time to update your PC, these files will be automatically deleted to free up space for downloading the update files.

Note that reserved storage depends on other features and languages installed on your computer. If there are more of such on your system, more space will be reserved for temporary files.

Installing the latest updates ensures that you get the most out of your Windows 10 device. For more information on the latest Windows 10 updates and features, give us a call today.

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Since its release back in 2015, Windows 10 continues to receive updates and new features. This time, users are greeted with some new keyboard shortcuts that will make life easier. Here are our top picks that can be extremely helpful to your daily operations.

Windows Snapping

If you’ve never used Windows Snapping, you’re missing out on one of Windows 10’s key features. Known as Aero Snap on Windows 7, the snapping feature allows you to snap windows vertically on top of each other. You can even snap windows to a 2×2 grid for better multitasking. Simply use these keyboard shortcuts:

• Windows Key + Left – Snap current window to the left side of the screen
• Windows Key + Right – Snap current window to the right side of the screen
• Windows Key + Up – Snap current window to the top of the screen
• Windows Key + Down – Snap current window to the bottom of the screen

You can also combine these shortcuts to snap your current window into a corner like top left, top right, and more.

Task Views

This window management feature allows you to see all your opened windows so you can quickly return to a specific program or document. This is particularly useful if you have multiple windows open at once. In addition to clicking the Task View button on the taskbar to open it, these keyboard shortcuts will do the trick:

• Windows Key + Tab – Open a new Task View interface with windows from your current virtual desktop appearing in the Task View list. To switch between virtual desktops, simply use the virtual desktop switcher at the bottom of the screen.
• Alt + Tab – While not a new keyboard shortcut per se, it allows you to switch between open windows on all virtual desktops.
• Ctrl + Alt + Tab – This is similar to Alt + Tab but the thumbnails stay on the screen even after you release all the keys.

Virtual Desktop

A great way to stay organized, this nifty feature lets you use an unlimited number of virtual desktops so you can dedicate each of them for certain functions. For instance, one could be used solely for work with all your business software and the other for entertainment. Some keyboard shortcuts to help you quickly manage your virtual desktops include:

• Windows Key + Ctrl + D – Create a new virtual desktop and switch to it
• Windows Key + Ctrl + F4 – Close current virtual desktop
• Windows Key + Ctrl + Left/Right – Switch to the virtual desktop on the left or right

If you’re looking for ways to boost productivity, or have any questions about how Microsoft Windows can help streamline your operations, just give us a call. Our IT experts are more than happy to help.

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