January 24, 2005
Next Exchange to Combine e-mail, voicemail
According to Cnet, the next Exchange Server will combine e-mail and voice mail for a "unified messaging" solution. I'm not sure exactly what this means for Microsoft partners that currently offer their own unified messaging solutions based on Exchange Server. Does this leave them out in the cold?
A little history lesson/perspective. First, Microsoft launches a built-in free browser, which results in a storm of controvery and ends Netscape's reign as the dominant browser. Next they add a built-in "free" firewall to the operating system which competes with the likes of the "paid" firewall companies - Zone Alarm, Norton, Mcafee, etc. Then they recently launched their Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware Beta (again FREE).
It really makes you wonder if the government will get involved with Microsoft yet again due to its anti-competitive nature. I mean you can't compete with free.
Ok, back to the Microsoft "unified messaging" solution story. I wonder how this solution will integrate with PBXs. There is no mention of the PBX integration and what sort of hardware will be used. Will the Exchange Server support telephony cards? I think it is more likely that it will be SIP-based and it will communicate with a SIP gateway which then integrates with a PBX.
Microsoft will probably partner with a SIP gateway manufacturer, until they decide to make their own SIP gateway and put them out of business, that is. 
Next Exchange to combine e-mail, voice mail | CNET News.com
Posted by tkeating at January 24, 2005 11:06 AM | TrackBack (0)
http://blog.tmcnet.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/1168
Good post Tom, I agree with your statement on Microsoft's excellent chances of dominating the Unified Communications (UC) market. Currently, Microsoft is soliciting partnerships with telephony equipment vendors to assist them with the hardware/telephony portion of the enterprise IPBX solution. Most notably, Siemens is a big partner with Microsoft in enterprise telephony. Siemens supplys the gateway/IPBX hardware while Microsoft provides much of the server and client software (LCS and Instanbul). I'm not sure where they draw the line on software. Siemens has their own software applications too.
I personally don't think Microsoft will become a telephone equipment vendor. I'm guessing they will continue to do what they have always done - provide the software, not the hardware. (For example, MS has never sold server boxes that run their server software.)
The big thing here is what you stated Tom. Since MS can integrate their UC application software into the Exchange Server, then they can easily dominate the UC software market. IT departments will just integrate MS's UC into their existing Exhange Server and get the hardware/telephony from a Siemens or other hardware vendor. Why wouldn't they? If MS offers the client features a company needs, it makes perfectly good sense.
Personally I wish MS didn't have the control over the enterprise they have, but they do.
Rick
Posted by: Rick at January 24, 2005 02:57 PM>>I personally don't think Microsoft will become a telephone equipment vendor.
Agreed. I'm sure you knew I was "tongue in cheek" when I said "Microsoft will probably partner with a SIP gateway manufacturer, until they decide to make their own SIP gateway and put them out of business, that is."
Your comments about MS becoming the dominant UC vendor certainly has a lot of merit and I also share that view.
Just today, Microsoft has been hit with the EU mandate to offer a Media-less version of Windows. This could set a precedent for future add-ons to MS's products.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/050124/eu_microsoft_4.html
Rick
