Microsoft 365 feature

Reliable business email with Exchange Online.

Exchange Online is the email, calendar and contacts service behind Outlook in Microsoft 365. We migrate you to it, secure it and keep it running.

What Exchange Online covers

Business emailShared mailboxesCalendars and roomsSpam and malware filteringMobile email
What it is

What is Exchange Online?

Exchange Online is Microsoft’s hosted email service. It gives each user a mailbox of up to 50 GB on your own domain, with calendars, contacts, tasks and shared mailboxes, available in Outlook on the desktop, the web and phones.

It replaces an on premises Exchange server or a basic email host. There is no server to patch, no storage to buy, and the service is backed by Microsoft’s data centres and a financially backed uptime commitment.

Email is also the number one attack route, and it is where fraud against your clients starts. Setting up SPF, DKIM and DMARC and tightening policies are essential parts of doing Exchange Online properly.

Behind the familiar Outlook window sits a large service. Exchange Online handles mail routing, storage, calendars, spam filtering, mobile sync and security. All of it is run by Microsoft, so you do not buy servers or patch software.

For many businesses the move to Exchange Online is also the moment to fix email security basics. Authentication records on your domain, shared mailbox permissions and mail flow rules can be set up properly, not copied from an old server.

Key features

What Exchange Online can do.

Mailboxes up to 50 GB

Large mailboxes in business plans, accessible from Outlook, web and mobile.

Shared mailboxes

Team addresses such as info@ or accounts@ that several people can read and send from, without paying for a separate user.

Calendars and room booking

Shared calendars, free and busy information, meeting rooms and equipment bookings.

Anti-spam and anti-malware

Exchange Online Protection filters inbound and outbound mail and quarantines suspicious messages.

Mail flow rules

Add disclaimers, route messages, block types of attachment or apply encryption by rule.

Groups and distribution lists

Send to a team with one address, and manage membership centrally.

Mobile and offline access

Outlook on iPhone and Android, and cached mode on desktop for patchy connections.

Hybrid and migration tools

Move from on premises Exchange, Google Workspace or IMAP hosts, with coexistence during the move.

How it works

How Exchange Online works.

01

Domain

Your domain’s DNS records point email to Exchange Online.

02

Mailboxes

Users, shared mailboxes, groups and resource calendars are created.

03

Protect

Filtering, authentication and policies guard against spam, spoofing and phishing.

04

Access

People use Outlook on desktop, web and mobile, with the same mail everywhere.

Under the hood

What happens behind the scenes.

Your domain’s MX record tells the internet where to deliver your email. When you move to Exchange Online, that record points to Microsoft. Incoming mail is scanned, then delivered to the recipient’s mailbox, which stays in sync with Outlook on all their devices.

Outgoing mail is signed with DKIM and checked against SPF and DMARC records published in your DNS. These records tell receiving systems that mail really came from you, and what to do with mail that does not. Without them, criminals can send convincing messages in your name.

Business impact

How it benefits your business.

Reliable email is a basic business need. Exchange Online gives you high availability and storage without the cost and risk of running your own server, and email continues even if your office loses power or internet.

Done well, it also protects your reputation. Correct authentication records stop criminals spoofing your domain and improve the chance that your genuine email reaches client inboxes and not spam folders.

Shared mailboxes, calendars and groups help teams respond faster and avoid email being locked in one person’s inbox. That improves service and continuity when someone is away.

Key benefits

The benefits at a glance.

No mail server to maintain

Microsoft runs and updates the platform.

Same email everywhere

Desktop, web and phone stay in sync.

Shared mailboxes and calendars

Teams can share info@ or support@ mailboxes and book rooms.

Built in filtering

Spam and malware protection are included.

Large mailboxes

50 GB mailboxes in business plans, with archiving options.

Business continuity

Mail stays available if your office is down.

Licensing: Included in Business Basic, Standard and Premium (50 GB mailboxes) and in the E plans. Plans and features change, so we confirm current licensing with you before you buy.

In practice

What this looks like day to day.

A company’s info@ address goes to one person’s Outlook, and enquiries wait when she is on holiday. By moving it to a shared mailbox in Exchange Online, three people see and answer messages, and replies come from the shared address. Nothing is missed, and no extra licence is needed.

This is an illustrative example of how the feature is used, not a description of a specific client.

Avoid the common problems

Mistakes we see, and how we avoid them.

01

Skipping DNS authentication

Without SPF, DKIM and DMARC, spoofing is easy and deliverability suffers.

02

Cutting over without a plan

Mail flow problems, missed messages and broken mobile profiles come from rushed migrations.

03

Weak shared mailbox permissions

Everyone ends up with Full Access. Define who needs to read and who needs to send.

04

No backup or retention plan

Deleted email beyond the retention window is gone. Plan backup and holds.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Call 416.235.0931 or send us a note.

Can we keep our email addresses?

Yes. Your domain and addresses stay the same.

How long does an email migration take?

Small teams can often move over a weekend. Larger ones migrate in stages. We plan around your hours to keep mail flowing.

What are SPF, DKIM and DMARC?

They are DNS settings that prove email really comes from your domain. Without them, criminals can send messages that look like they come from you.

Is email backed up?

Microsoft keeps the service available, but deleted items and ransomware are your responsibility. We recommend separate Microsoft 365 backup.

Can you move us from Google Workspace?

Yes. We migrate email, calendars and contacts and plan the cutover carefully.

Free consultation

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