Today at Microsoft� Tech�Ed 2003, Microsoft Corp. announced the broad availability of release candidate 1 (RC1) of Exchange Server 2003, the next edition of its messaging server. Customers can download the test code at http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/ti/. RC1 includes a comprehensive set of new and enhanced deployment tools to help Exchange 5.5 customers more easily upgrade while maintaining high availability. More than 200 industry partners are preparing to deliver solutions, giving Exchange customers the infrastructure they need to deploy and run Exchange 2003.

Starting with RC1, Exchange 2003 will be available in two editions: Standard and Enterprise. Standard Edition is an optimal solution for small to medium-sized organizations as well as branch offices of larger enterprises, while Enterprise Edition meets the needs of larger organizations with more-complex deployments and scalability requirements. For the first time, Standard Edition also can be used in a front-end scenario, allowing customers to deploy Outlook� Web Access without the expense of purchasing Enterprise Edition.