Many, many SMB organisations use MicroSoft Exchange to handle their email. Most of us are in the same boat: Outlook, Exchange, email. Sorted. Well, not quite! Senior managers, here's something your IT boys aren't telling you.

Where you are today?

You back-up you email. Tick.

Everyone is smart, everyone is happy.

Disaster strikes

If you have a disaster: exchange server(s) dies, building dies, SAN dies etc, you may well have a problem on your hands.

Ah, but you have a back-up right?

So, you trot out your tape, feed it into your new server, fully expectant to be up-and-running in, well, not long.

Not so

To restore your back-up to a new server is a huge problem. And this maybe a little surprising. It is do-able: you can restore your back-up to a different server but it'll take time: ESEUtil.exe could take 15 hours to run and then there's other stuff to do before your business critical email is available once more. Why? I have absolutely no idea!

The alternative

Out source your exchange service, put all this hassle with an outsourced organisation and make sure you get a great SLA. And while you're at it, consider saving money by stopping your use of Blackberry Enterprise Server and switch to iPhone, Android or Windows Phone 7, you could save a packet in the process without compromising on functionality or security.

Solution? Remove your disaster recovery headaches, bin your Blackberry's, save some money and sleep better! Outsource MS Exchange. Job done