The retirement of Microsoft's Exchange 2003 Server, the popular software that provides email, calendar, and contacts to businesses, creates a dilemma for its users, according to Giacom, the company behind MessageStream.
"This discontinuation brings the issue of migrating to the cloud or not to the fore," stated Giacom MD Nick Marshall.
"It also brings into focus an easier way to stay up-to-date with the latest server technology, and reminds us yet again that businesses are moving to the cloud for Exchange and that they're doing it quickly."
Marshall cited figures from the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) that point to a 27% increase in the number of first-time cloud computing user over the last 18 months. CIF also estimates that over 75% of UK businesses are using at least one cloud service formally and that 80% of current cloud users have increased their spending in this area.
"With this in mind, now is the perfect time for IT support companies to be selling cloud services such as Hosted Exchange 2013 to businesses as a successor to on-site Exchange 2003 or Microsoft's Small Business Server," urged Marshall.
"It's been amazing to see the change in the IT infrastructure for businesses since we entered the market more than 15 years ago.
"Now more than ever, businesses are recognising the need to move to the cloud. By doing so, they're making their business much more efficient while cost-effectively revolutionising their communications."
MessageStream delivers cloud-based IT solutions to over 2,000 IT support companies in the UK and Europe.