Microsoft Online Services – Online is not always Online
As a software engineer for a small Microsoft Partner – I have had a blast working with the enterprise technologies – especially since the release of the beta bits of MOSS 2007.
The firm I work for is also a Microsoft Hosted Services Partner, and we host key technologies like Exchange, MOSS, Dynamics CRM, SQL Server and the latest craze – the Business Productivity Suite. The following is a blurb from the MSFT Help About BPS Online:
The Business Productivity Online Standard Suite is a set of Microsoft hosted messaging and collaboration solutions including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and Microsoft Office Communications Online.
As a services corporation – I will be the first to tell you – this is an excellent offering, and I consider it a Flagship of online hosted services from the software giant.
HOWEVER… You have to love that part – HOWEVER…
I had the recent opportunity to experience the Microsoft flavor of this service – versus a partner’s similar offering of the hosted services.
Microsoft has scheduled maintenance programs – ones that literally take your Business Productivity Suite Standard hosting OFFLINE for 3+ hours – on a Friday evening. I found this not a little fascinating.
The clients that we (our company) provides hosted services to – well, a 3 hour window of maintenance downtime would pretty much run off the lion’s share of our business.
A lesson learned – not all things Online – are Online.
As you consider the suite of Microsoft Online (keyword, Online) hosted services – keep in mind – you are subject to that same unexpected downtime. I’m a bit perplexed that they do not shift services to one server farm or another during any maintenance plans. They did not – they literally took the online services OFFLINE for 3+ hours on a busy Friday night.
So… as you consider hosting options and hosting providers – keep in mind – even the biggest – is not the best.