Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/27653
FINDING SUCCESS WITH EXCHANGE 2010 • MailTips displays tips and warnings when sending messages • E-mail archiving (limited functionality available in Outlook 2007) • Improved performance with support for higher item counts and larger OST sizes Microsoft Exchange and Outlook have become a focal point for legal tools and add-ins. The number of integrated applications has increased in recent years, and it is important to consider all of these tools when planning a transition. It is rare for an Outlook-integrated application to complicate an Exchange deployment, but there are many back-end systems that will require updates such as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, e-mail archiving platforms, backup systems and unified messaging/voicemail systems, to name a few. It is no surprise that the rate of e-mail growth is accelerating rapidly for law firms. A DAG designed for high availability and disaster recovery will increase today’s storage requirement by three times. Combined with the fact that many firms have found limited success implementing e-mail quotas, archiving and retention policies, the storage requirements and costs associated with an Exchange transition might be significant. DAG design and planning should include consideration for various disk types/speeds, RAID configurations and tiered storage to accommodate these requirements, and potentially reduce storage costs. Hardware load balancers provide increased resiliency for Outlook connections to the Exchange Client Access role; however, they come with additional cost and complexity to the network. To offset the costs of implementing a load balancer, it is a good idea for firms to identify many other use cases to improve availability of other services such as document management, accounting systems and SharePoint. Many vendors will provide guidance on how to properly implement a load balancer with their products, but manipulating network traffic and host persistence could impact client behavior. HOP ON BOARD! Microsoft has released a feature-rich, scalable and resilient messaging platform that is being widely adopted in the legal industry. Exchange 2010 will provide an opportunity to simplify law firms’ e-mail environments, and improve the services IT departments can provide for e-discovery, high availability and disaster recovery. When planning for the transition to Exchange 2010, it is important to remember to measure twice, cut once. Proper planning and design is a critical step, and will ensure that the transition to Exchange 2010 goes smoothly. For complex transitions or migrations from other platforms, a proof-of- concept lab will help validate the migration methodology, and help establish expertise within the IT staff. Third-party integrations should be tested thoroughly — always start with a well-planned pilot group. Despite the unique e-mail challenges faced by law firms, Exchange 2010 is finding success at many, and is positioned well to meet the demanding needs of attorneys. ILTA www.iltanet.org Exchange 2010 15