Hello all, I have a small business where I wear several different 'hats' each day to work from - what I need right now is: To be able to access my emails whether it be from my PC or Laptop - or anywhere else. And have my emails all synced. So for example if I delete 10 emails form ym laptop - this will reflect on my PC the following day. To share files with my employees who work freelance from home. Am using Dropbox - but not very happy so far. I'm looking for a solution to having files on 3 pc's and 4 email accounts on 2 pc's - so that we can access what we want whenever we want from wherever we are - without needing to make sure we've got it on flash drives etc. Does exchange come with Outlook? Can I have my multiple 'hats' emails all coming into my Outlook account? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Clair

There is a product called Small Business Server: http://www.microsoft.com/smallbusiness/products/server/default.aspx which will sit on your own network. It will accept messages from the Internet (you will engage someone to set this up) and send messages to the Internet. Your laptop will connect to this and synchronize email in real time, as it is sent and received. You will be able to share files - either using a web based portal (Microsoft call it SharePoint) or if you just want to keep stuff internal you can configure your laptop to sync files from your SBS server. Whenever you connect you can upload new files or modifications - seamlessly and without interaction by you. So, Exchange is not really the solution for the number of users you have. SBS may be the solution for you because you want to do other stuff as well and Exchange just happens to come along with that centralized product. "Clair Harwood" wrote in message news:56d16d62-6487-43e2-9c6e-2b077f78fbf5... Hello all, I have a small business where I wear several different 'hats' each day to work from - what I need right now is: To be able to access my emails whether it be from my PC or Laptop - or anywhere else. And have my emails all synced. So for example if I delete 10 emails form ym laptop - this will reflect on my PC the following day. To share files with my employees who work freelance from home. Am using Dropbox - but not very happy so far. I'm looking for a solution to having files on 3 pc's and 4 email accounts on 2 pc's - so that we can access what we want whenever we want from wherever we are - without needing to make sure we've got it on flash drives etc. Does exchange come with Outlook? Can I have my multiple 'hats' emails all coming into my Outlook account? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Clair Mark Arnold, Exchange MVP.

While I am a strong advocate for SBS 2008, you might also want to look into some sort of online service with Exchange and Sharepoint, for instance: Microsoft Exchange Online http://www.microsoft.com/online/exchange-online.mspx This is just one example. Microsoft has teamed with several partners. I do think this will become a lot cheaper in your case. MCTS: Messaging | MCSE: S+M | Small Business Specialist

Have to agree with Jon-Alfred on this one. BPOS sounds like a great solution for you. Plus you won't have to worry about maintenance, backups, email configuration, firewall, etc with the BPOS solution. Sounds like a fit if you are the wearer of many hats already. Tim Harrington - Catapult Systems - http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com

Just to elaborate a bit on my suggestion that you should consider "cloud computing." Actually, anything in the cloud that offers your required services could do. I guess Goggle (which I have no experience with) or Apple Mobile Me ("Exchange for the rest of us," which I do use with my Mac) could be a solution. Still I think you will be best off with a hosted Exchange / Sharepoint solution. Exchange will take care of all your mail, appointments, tasks and contacts. Sharepoint will be used for document sharing. You should make sure that Exchange 2010 is offered in the back-bone (at least an option in the near future). The web access, or Outlook Web App, is unsurpassed. Do also use Outlook 2010 as your main fat client. The iPhone works excellent as a mobile device, so do other smart phones Sign up for a trial and find out for yourself. The main benefit of this solution. You don't have to care about spam protection, virus in your mail, backups, disaster recovery and so on. So actually, my answer would be: Yes, your are looking for Exchange, but not in-house. MCTS: Messaging | MCSE: S+M | Small Business Specialist

Hi Clair, Jon gave a very good solution meet your target. Please learn more about BPOS refer to below: https://www.microsoft.com/online/default.mspx You also could try a Microsoft Online Service FREE for 30 days, and check it whether it is fit for your needs. And then, you could could spend cost on the lisence to continre use it, you could contact the partner. :) Regards! Gavin