Microsoft announced enhancements to Web hosting messaging and collaboration and Windows-based hosting solutions, helping service providers maximize the benefits of Web 2.0

March 21, 2007 – (TopHosts News Brief) – Yesterday, Microsoft Corp. announced – at the Microsoft Hosting Summit 2007 – that it updated two solutions for Web hosts: Microsoft(R) Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration (HMC) Version 4.0 and Microsoft Solution for Windows(R)-based Hosting Version 4.5.

The tools facilitate new features in the recently launched Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint(R) Services 3.0. These are two key Microsoft products that improve communications and information sharing and increase worker productivity.

The enhancements allow Web hosting providers to have an expanded set of tools along with guidance to help them deliver a complete suite of hosted services to small and midsize businesses (SMBs).

“Hosting providers are at a critical crossroads as the demand for hosted services continues to increase exponentially, particularly from SMBs,” John Zanni, director of Worldwide Hosting at Microsoft, said in a PR Newswire release. “Successful hosters need to go beyond traditional hosting and cost-effectively develop and offer value-added services that will help deepen customer relationships and differentiate themselves from the myriad commodity options that currently exist.”

The new version of Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration utilizes Exchange Server 2007. Employees benefit from anywhere access* to their e-mail, voice mail, calendars and contacts from a variety of clients and devices. Exchange Server 2007 enables new levels of operational efficiency by optimizing hardware, networking resources and features that help make administrators more productive.

Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration Version 4.0 will be available worldwide in April 2007. More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/hostedmessaging and http://www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/solutions/windowsbasedhosting.mspx.