Exchange Server 2003 Shifts to Extended Support
Exchange Server 2003 shifted into Extended Support on April 14, 2009. Details on the lifecycle policy for Exchange 2003 can be found at Support.com.
If you’re still using this version of Exchange Server, maybe now it’s a good time to upgrade to Exchange Server 2007… Or maybe start planning the deployment of the recently announced Exchange Server 2010.
What does this mean for customers?
The major differences between the Mainstream Support phase and the Extended Support phase are the following:
- No-charge Problem Resolution Support is not available
- Microsoft no longer accept product design change requests (CDCRs) or provide new feature functionality
- Microsoft no longer provide new non-security hotfixes without enrollment in Extended Hotfix Support
Customers have 90 days after 4/14/2009 to purchase an Extended Hotfix Support Agreement. One exception - customers who have Software Assurance can opt in for the Extended Hotfix Support Agreement at any time.
One of the important things to note is that Extended Support is still a publicly supported phase and no separate agreement is needed to obtain support. As long as customers are opening paid incidents, they will still be able to receive support. In fact, many Premier and Pro customers who already open paid cases with Microsoft will notice little difference in the support that is provided in this phase. They will continue to be able to open paid cases, receive security updates, obtain support assistance from their TAM, etc.