Brian and I were talking recently to Ben Serebin, the founder and president of the New York Exchange User Group about Exchange Server topics his user group is passionate about. As we were chatting about all things Exchange, Ben mentioned that Exchange Server 2007 is definitely not a hot topic in his group. He said that most admins in the user group are still running Exchange Server 2003 and have no plans to migrate to Exchange 2007 in the near future.
As Exchange & Outlook Pro VIP readers know, we actively solicit your requests for article ideas. We’ve covered Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2007 SP1 extensively, and we’ve responded to your requests for more Exchange 2003 coverage with a number of practical how-to articles. But is this enough? And is it what you want?
Hey Exchange Admins: What’s Hot and What’s Not?
Brian and I want to hear more from you about what’s hot and what’s not in Exchange administration so we can give you the content you need. Exchange & Outlook Pro VIP has a common goal with Exchange user groups: We both exist to help you do your job better by providing hands-on content to help you migrate, deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot Exchange Server. Both user groups and Pro VIP also provide a place (either online or in the actual world) where Exchange admins can talk through tough challenges with each other.
So consider the following “What’s Hot and What’s Not?” questions a call to action! Please shoot us an email message with your take on what is and isn't hot in Exchange administration.
Exchange 2007: Hot or Not?
Most administrators in the NYC user group aren’t moving to Exchange 2007 any time soon. How about your organization? Is your organization running or planning to migrate to Exchange 2007 this year? If so, what migration issues topics are really hot? We’ve covered migrating from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007 in several articles. Where are the worst pain points in a migration and where do you want us to drill down?
If your organization isn’t running or planning to run Exchange 2007, what do you want to see covered instead? Do you want to see articles on troubleshooting Exchange Server 2000 or earlier?
Exchange 2007 SP1: Hot or Not?
This version restored, enhanced, and added features many Exchange admins wanted in the RTM version. Some people are still upset about missing GUI functionality in Exchange 2007 RTM, even though SP1 returns much of it. What do you think? Is your organization moving to SP1?
Administering Exchange on Hand-Held Devices: Hot or Not?
Serebin says Exchange management of mobile devices is hot. Everyone we talk to says it’s hot. But how many Exchange organizations are actually doing it? Is your organization implementing a mobile solution? We want to hear from you: consider writing an article on what worked and what didn’t. Your practical experience can help other Exchange admins through the process.
Unified Communications (UC): Hot or Not?
Microsoft says UC is the future. Exchange & Outlook Pro VIP and Windows IT Pro magazine have covered UC extensively over the past year, but is UC on your hot list? Where do you want to see more in-depth coverage?
Administering Exchange with PowerShell: Hot or Not?
Serebin's NYC user group feels that Windows PowerShell is definitely not hot. “Exchange administrators aren’t developers,” Serebin said. What do you think? Exchange & Outlook Pro VIP has published quite a few articles on PowerShell, and we have more in the works. Microsoft is strenuously promoting PowerShell use. Is a move to scripting languages in your future? Do you want to see more on PowerShell and other scripting languages or do you want more articles on GUI administration?
Disaster Recovery and Backup: Hot or Not?
Always hot! Disasters aren’t going away, so admins always need to know the best ways to cope with them. Where do you want to see more coverage? Serebin says there’s interest in practical information about disaster recovery in a virtualized environment. Do you want more in-depth product reviews? Even better: What step-by-step solutions can you share with other readers? We’d love to hear from you.
What Else Is Hot or Not?
We’re not nearly out of topics, but now it’s time to hear from you! Send email to Brian Winstead bwinstead@windowsitpro.com or me smolnar@windowsitpro.com. We’ll collect your feedback and report back to you. If you like to write and you have a solution or a script, we welcome your article proposals.
—Sheila Molnar, Exchange & Outlook Pro VIP Editor