Upgrade to Exchange 2010 begins July 22
All Microsoft Exchange users will be upgraded to Exchange 2010 beginning on July 22. The upgrade will bring users full access to email and calendaring features on the web, regardless of the browser used. In addition, Exchange 2010’s more-efficient use of disk space will give us better performance at lower cost and increased capacity for new accounts.
On Exchange 2007, only users of the MS Internet Explorer browser can access all mail and calendar features through Outlook Web Access (OWA); users of other browsers get the limited functionality of OWA “Light.” On Exchange 2010, all users—including users of Chrome, Firefox and Safari—will get the full version of OWA. In addition, all users will be able to view multiple calendars side by side and make their calendars public on the web.
Users of Mac Mail and iCal will be moved first
Users of Mac Mail and iCal will be upgraded on Friday, July 22, beginning at 6:45 a.m. If you use Mac Mail and iCal, you’ll be unable to connect to your Exchange account through these programs as soon as the process begins, but the connections will come back automatically as your upgrade is completed.
It’s possible that the interruption could last a couple of hours, but you will be able to manage email through the web client, Outlook Web Access during that time.
You’ll receive two email messages, one the day before your upgrade begins (to remind you of the start of the process at 1 p.m. on Friday) and the other as the upgrade is completed.
Users of other mail clients, like Outlook, follow
Once the Mac Mail and iCal users are upgraded, OIT will begin upgrading other users, between 500 and 800 per day. You’ll get one email one day before your upgrade begins, and another immediately after the upgrade is completed.
On the day your account is upgraded, you’ll see a short period (no more than 15 minutes) during which mail and calendar aren't available, but the connection will re-establish itself automatically as the upgrade is completed. Again, you will be able to work in Outlook Web Access with little interruption.
All Exchange users should be upgraded to Exchange 2010 by the end of August. As always, if you have any questions about this upgrade, contact your local IT support or the OIT Service Desk.