Case study: Email goes up to the cloud
Organization: Association TRENDS
Challenge: TRENDS was using a typical Exchange Email platform provided by Intermedia. We wanted to migrate to a service with increased email storage capacity and needed a cost-effective solution. The new system also had to provide equal or better server stability and uptime, as well as features and functionality.
Action: After meeting with several vendors that offered an array of email services – from in-house hosted, to the cloud – TRENDS selected Microsoft’s cloud-based Office 365 Exchange platform with set-up and support by external consultant Cloudbearing. This system was chosen for seamless installation; the functionality is similar to Outlook, thus avoiding staff culture shock. A Gmail interface also was considered but ultimately rejected because staff, already oriented to Outlook, would have to adjust to Gmail’s interface when retrieving mail remotely. The old and new email systems were set up and sync'ed as a failsafe measure in case the organization decided to go back to the old system.
Outcome: After three months, TRENDS staff is pleased with the new cloud-hosted email system. Back-end administration is much easier and more robust. Routine tasks such as creating and managing distribution groups is a much more streamlined process. Storage increased substantially; where there was 25 gigabytes of space for the entire staff, there are now 25 gigabytes of space per person. Cost substantially went down, nearly half of what it was in the old system.
For more on Microsoft 365, go to www.microsoft.com/en-us/office365. For more on Cloudbearing, go to www.cloudbearing.com.
