UA’s email system is changing; however, those affected might not even notice.

The current “on-premise” system, Microsoft Exchange 2007, will change to a new “cloud-based” system, Exchange Online. The current system has gone through various upgrades, but UA is still migrating to Exchange Online.

According to the UA’s Information Technology Services website, “After some testing, we are convinced that we can provide a better email service at a lower cost by taking advantage of this hosted environment.”

“Cloud-based” means a third-party—in this case, Microsoft—provides Internet applications that store data on its servers.

The new cloud-based email system has many benefits.  It will provide users 50GB of storage—100 times more capacity than the current on-premise email system. It will also increase stability and reliability. UA will save money due to lower power and cooling costs.

Email addresses will not change, but mobile users will have to reconfigure their devices to accommodate the system.

Despite the changes, data will remain safe in Microsoft’s servers. The data is encrypted when accessed, has the same reliability as the current on-campus server, and will “provide a user experience very similar to the current in-house system,” according to the Information Technology Services website.

A Zip Support Center representative said the system will change throughout April, department by department.

Beforehand, users will get an email notifying the change, which will start at 11:30 p.m. and finish by 7:30 a.m. the following day. Afterward, users should launch email to verify their access and check “Remember My Credentials.”

The Zip Support Center advised making a list of what devices a person uses to check email, such as laptops, desktops, iPhones or Android devices. The Center also provides guides to Exchange Outlook.

For more questions and support, visit <uakron.edu/training/mobilesetup.dot> or call the Zip Support Center at 330-972-6888.