Microsoft opens out Exchange 12 preview

Microsoft said Wednesday it plans to send out an early version of Exchange Server 12 to more than 200,000 customers and partners worldwide. The private Community Technology Preview of the planned e-mail server update is being expanded to tap TechNet and MSDN subscribers. MSDN members will be able to download it Wednesday, and the software will be sent to TechNet people this week, Microsoft said. The preview includes new features for round-the-clock access to e-mail and for mitigating data loss if a server fails.

In addition, Microsoft announced it will make the Beta 2 version of Exchange 12, planned for release in mid-2006, publicly available for testing. The completed update is expected to be delivered to manufacturing at the end of this year or early next year, the company said.