Key Improvements and Compliance Features in MS Exchange 2016

In this article we look at several key improvements and compliance features introduced in Ms Exchange 2016, with emphasis on security, compliance and e-discovery

MS Exchange Server is the messaging platform that also provides its users with features like email service, calendar and other tools required for collaboration and messaging. The 2016 edition of MS Exchange comes after the 2013 edition and has improved a lot on its cloud capabilities. The latest edition of Exchange will provide you with a better cloud support and multiple other advancements. For regular users of the application, making out what all are the new features, would be easy. For those who are not regular users of the app, here is a list of all the new features you will find in Exchange 2016.

Server Roles

The number of server roles in 2016 has reduced to two, from three in the 2013 edition. The server roles present in the 2013 edition were Mailbox server role, Client Access server role and Edge Transport server role. Whereas the 2016 edition only consists of Mailbox server role and Edge Transport server role, both of which are described below.

• Mailbox Server Role:  In the 2016 edition, Mailbox Server Role is the combination of Client Access Server and Mailbox Server Role. This makes installation of the application easier.
• Edge Transport Server Role:  This is much like the Transport Role in the 2013 edition of MS Exchange. This gives users access to functionalities like anti – spam and anti – virus.

Clients

A lot has been changed for Clients in Exchange 2016.

• Outlook on the Web: The erstwhile Outlook Web app has been changed to Outlook on the web, still allowing users access to Exchange mailbox through any web browser, with an updated interface for mobile, tablet and desktop users.
• MAPI over HTTP: Introduced in 2013, it is now the default protocol used by Outlook for communicating with Exchange server. It now comes with an additional pause and resume feature. It also provides support for Outlook Anywhere, for those who do not support MAPI over HTTP.
• Document Collaboration:  When used with Sharepoint 2016, Exchange 2016 allows users of Outlook on the Web for linking and sharing files stored on Microsoft Cloud – OneDrive.

Office 365 Hybrid

The 2016 edition of Exchange, does not include Hybrid Configuration Wizard (HCW), it has now been converted in a cloud application. While installing Hybrid Deployment, you will have to download HCW in the form of an app, this will provide you with a wizard, with functions that will be similar as well as new.

Messaging Policy and Compliance

This is another key area where a lot of new features have been introduced.

• Data Loss Prevention: This is one of those features that protects sensitive information for companies, and prevent them from getting exposed. This includes information like credit card data, etc. With this feature in Exchange 2016, up to 80 different kinds of data can be protected.
• Retention, Archiving and E – Discovery: You can now perform tasks like e – discovery and holding public folders in the latest version of Exchange. This edition also provides you with a compliance tool that can be used for searching mailboxes. Further the new iteration of Ms Exchange has more measures in place to reduce data corruption and the need to recover Exchange files would go down.

Author Introduction:

Van Sutton is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including repair Outlook data and bkf recovery software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com