As we have announced before, the Computing Services Centre (CSC) has a plan for the provision of Microsoft (MS) Exchange server as an alternative and supported email system for the university.

The MS Exchange System is more than an Email system. It is an enhanced, integrated and unified messaging system providing Email, Calendar, Meeting Scheduling, Resource Booking, Contacts (Address Books), Tasks, Notes, etc. on an integrated and unified platform. All those data and services can easily be accessed anywhere through MS Outlook, Outlook Web Access (OWA, the Webmail of Exchange with user interface very closed to Outlook Client) and mobile devices (via Exchange ActiveSync). The release of the MS Exchange system is not a replacement of the existing email system. Rather, this acts as an alternative for those users (initially for staff users) who find that the deployment of the Exchange server will benefit their academic and administrative work, particularly for those who find that mobile computing is a necessity for their daily work.

We are pleased to inform you that the installation and configuration of CityU MS Exchange 2007 server has come to the final stage. CSC colleagues are participating in the thorough test and fine-turning of the system. It is expected that a pilot run with selected department users involved will be started on January 2009, and the service will be formally launched to all staff users in March 2009. We will announce more details in due course.