Microsoft to Retire Office Online Server: A Shift Towards Cloud Solutions
Recent announcements indicate that Microsoft is phasing out Office Online Server, a hybrid solution that enabled users to host Office web applications on their own servers. This move aligns with the company’s strategy to prioritize cloud-first productivity tools, particularly emphasizing Microsoft 365. Despite this transition, Microsoft continues to support other on-premises products, notably Exchange Server, signaling an intent to modernize these solutions as well.
Survey to Gauge Interest in Copilot for On-Prem Exchange Server
In a bid to gauge customer demand for integrating Copilot with on-premises Exchange Server deployments, Microsoft is conducting a comprehensive survey. This survey contains ten questions that feature a variety of formats, including multiple-choice, single-choice, and open-ended queries.
The main objectives of the survey are to discern how organizations utilize Exchange Server—whether they prefer an on-premises or hybrid approach—and to understand the applications utilized for online communication. Additionally, it aims to assess the reasons organizations choose on-prem solutions and their interest in utilizing Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Potential Use Cases for Exchange Server Integration
When considering the integration of Copilot, Microsoft is keen to explore the ways in which organizations envision utilizing this technology if it becomes available within Exchange Server. Possible use cases include:
- Email summarization
- Email drafting assistance
- Natural language search capabilities
- Health monitoring and troubleshooting for Exchange Server
- Audit log monitoring
- Intelligent meeting scheduling
Essential Requirements for Building Trust
Crucially, the survey emphasizes the non-negotiable requirements that must be met to foster customer trust in the implementation of Copilot within Exchange Server. Respondents can indicate their preferences from the following options:
- Guarantee that email and user data remain within the organization’s boundaries
- Adherence to regional or industry-specific regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA)
- Administrative control over Copilot usage per user or role
- Functionality in isolated environments without direct internet access
- Other (respondents can provide additional details in follow-up questions)
Final Note
It’s important to note that the mere availability of this survey does not assure that Copilot will be integrated into on-premises Exchange Server configurations.
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