Microsoft delays next Exchange Server release to 2025
- Reference: 1654496108
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/06/06/next_exchange_server_due_2025/
- Source link:
A [1]post opens with a reminder of Microsoft's previous promise to deliver a new subscription-only version of Exchange in late 2021, then details the many security improvements made to the messaging server during the same year – including plenty in response to the [2]four zero-day vulns that attackers used to plunder data from US-based defense contractors, law firms, and infectious disease researchers.
Microsoft's post doesn't admit that those efforts were the reason it didn't deliver the planned late 2021 update, instead stating the product's developers "continue to focus on security" but are "now also ready to share our long-term roadmap for Exchange Server."
You may not have to acquire new hardware or move mailboxes when upgrading.
That roadmap now promises a new version of Exchange Server in "the second half of 2025."
"The next version will require Server and CAL licenses and will be accessible only to customers with Software Assurance, similar to the SharePoint Server and Project Server Subscription Editions," the post adds.
[3]
The post explains that Exchange upgrades have previously meant new hardware and the need to migrate mailboxes. For the next version of Exchange, Microsoft suggests "you may not have to acquire new hardware or move mailboxes, and … upgrading to the next version will – by design – be much easier than previous upgrades."
[4]In record year for vulnerabilities, Microsoft actually had fewer
[5]Phishing operation hits NHS email accounts to harvest Microsoft credentials
[6]Cyber-spies target Microsoft Exchange to steal M&A info
Redmond's advice is that all Exchange users should get to version 2019 ASAP. That edition of the messaging server isn't standing still – Microsoft already has authentication and encryption updates in the works, and has promised it will add a dashboard that offers visibility of Exchange Servers across hybrid environments to assist identification of instances that need patches. The dashboard is promised to debut "early next year."
Those who fancy testing those features can apply to join a [7]Technology Adoption Program that offers early access to fresh cuts of Exchange. Microsoft has also revived forums for the software.
[8]
The post states that Microsoft will reveal the name, price, features, and requirements to run the next version of Exchange some time in the first half of 2024. ®
Get our [9]Tech Resources
[1] https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/exchange-server-roadmap-update/ba-p/3421389
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/03/hafnium_exchange_server_attack/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Yp3QQTtWXWEw83pdpvSzcQAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/25/microsoft_vulnerabilities_2021/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/05/phishing_campaign_nhs/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/04/microsoft_exchange_mergers/
[7] https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/open-enrollment-for-exchange-server-2019-tap/ba-p/3421627
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yp3QQTtWXWEw83pdpvSzcQAAAEU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Three years?
Surely all they need to do is make the installer run the uninstaller for the old version of Exchange, then display a message thanking you for "upgrading" to Office 365?
I suppose they'll also need to produce a second version titled "Exchange for Governments, Banks and Pharma" which is four times more expensive and is just the current product with the version number incremented, but those customers won't mind a delay so there's no rush.
Three years does seem rather a long time to accomplish these simple changes...
Re: Three years?
...run the uninstaller for the old version of Exchange, then display a message thanking you for "upgrading" to Office 365?
It's far more complicated than that: First it's got to merge all the private shared mailboxes into one massive open to all mailbox. Then it's got to trim all the unshared mailboxes to the default 250Mb limit. Ideally, it then needs to identify the CEO's mailbox(es) and remove the content of all messages older than 2 months but not the headers. Only then can it issue the message that it has successfully upgraded.
Oh Really?
"For the next version of Exchange, Microsoft suggests "you may not have to acquire new hardware or move mailboxes"...
Haven't they been promising that since V5.5 back in the late 1990's?
And what about hybrid setups? Still ignoring that, Microsoft?
If you have hybrid AD with the mailboxes on Exchange Online, you need an on-prem Exchange server to manage it propoerly. The last version where a license for this is 'free' is 2016 - which means it also has to run on Windows Server 2016 as it's not supported on newer versions.
The 2019 version of Exchange will apparently work, but you have to pay for the license, and it requires 128GB RAM minimum. I'm told that it works fine on less, but of course if there are issues that's an immediately escape clause for MS.
Are they ever going to produce a more lightweight management client for this purpose? Having to retain one Windows Server 2016 installation just for this is ridiculous, as is using something as heavyweight as Exchange just for management purposes.
Do keep up old chap.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/exchange-team-blog/removing-your-last-exchange-server-faq/ba-p/3455411
Thanks - very useful!
Given that was only published less than a week ago and seems to have been low-profile I think I can be forgiven for missing it!
Indeed.
I'd have thought they'd be trumpeting it from the rooftops as a separate article.
We said we would get to it, and it's only 3 years late so not too bad for us. :-)
I'm running Exchange 2019 on 12GB of RAM with 14 mailboxes, and it runs absolutely fine.
I previously had it on 8GB and it was a little slow but still very useable. I've got loads of free memory on my Hyper-V host so I let it have some of it.
Yah! Exchange 2019 is now supported on Server 2022 !
Apologies to those who keep a closer eye on such matters.
However, for those who last looked a couple of months back, there is some good news buried in the release.
For me this gives a client an upgrade path from WS2012/Exch2013 and who still need on-prem Exchange.
Aside: Yes I know there are alternatives, however, I've been unable to locate a business local to the client who would do the install and maintenance...
Re: Yah! Exchange 2019 is now supported on Server 2022 !
I moved it across to Server 2022 about a month after Server 2022 came out, and I've never had any problems other than the ones you usually get with Windows Server and Exchange. Did I miss something?
Re: Yah! Exchange 2019 is now supported on Server 2022 !
>Did I miss something?
Yes :) probably because you weren't using the bits that did not work !
Re: Yah! Exchange 2019 is now supported on Server 2022 !
Yup.
Only problem is Windows Server 2022 is a bit cutting edge for many clients so they want Exchange 2019 on Server 2019, and will then be confused when an in-place upgrade to vNext can't be done and why are those nasty Exchange people wanting double the storage, again.
How about Server 2019 or Server 2022 core I hear you ask?
Oh, we haven't tried all our security stacks on that and the BAU guys get confused without a GUI so just go with Desktop Experience 'k?
Fact that the BAU guys having to actually RDP to an Exchange server should be a once in a blue moon event cuts no ice.
Re: Yah! Exchange 2019 is now supported on Server 2022 !
> they want Exchange 2019 on Server 2019
Agree, however, back in March MS were only shipping Exchange 2019 and Server 2022 via their charity scheme and were very clear that Exchange 2019 on WS2022 was, at that time an unsupported combination and were giving no date for the availability of the next release of Exchange that would run on WS2022 etc...
Well thank Satan for that.
So you're telling me my next colonoscopy and all the various new misfeatures associated with the new version of this astonishingly corporate balls slapping in my face piece of shite have been delayed till at least 3 years from now.
Hell yeah. Thank you for taking longer to inevitably make this so much worse.