Microsoft delivers Exchange 2010 release candidate

Microsoft has made available a release candidate of Exchange Server 2010, the forthcoming version of its widely used email server platform. The release follows the availability of a beta version earlier this year.

Available to download from the TechNet site, Exchange 2010 RC is feature complete, according to Microsoft, and can co-exist with earlier versions such as Exchange 2007 and 2003, making it easier for customers to begin test deployments.

The company also said it will be possible to perform an in-place upgrade of pilot deployments once the final version is released, expected later this year.

With the release of the RC version, Exchange 2010 is also now supported on the 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

The latest version of Exchange brings enhancements such as high-availability functionality, messaging compliance policy controls over retention of emails, and other advanced features such as text-based previews of voicemail messages.

Further details are available from Microsoft's TechNet site.