Microsoft Office 365 Integration Module Beta for Windows Small Business Server Essentials now available for download

 

David Fabritius, Senior Product Manager from Windows Server and Cloud Marketing just posted on the SBS blog that the Office 365 Integration Module is available for download in beta form. If you haven’t signed up for Cloud Essentials, or activated your Office 365 benefits, this is a good reason to jump in now.

Here’s a few excerpts from David’s post, for full details hit the link.

The Office 365 Integration Module for Windows SBS 2011 Essentials extends the features of the server Dashboard by providing seamless integration with Office 365 services. When you integrate Office 365 with the server, you can:

  • Subscribe to Office 365 or configure the server to use an existing subscription.
  • Perform the following Office 365 account management tasks from the Dashboard:
    • Bulk create Office 365 accounts for network user accounts.
    • Assign new or existing Office 365 accounts to network user accounts.
    • Manage the Office 365 account assigned to a user account throughout the lifecycle of the user account. For example, deactivating a network user account also deactivates the Office 365 account that is assigned to the user account.
  • Synchronize passwords for network user accounts and Office 365 accounts. This allows network users to sign in to Office 365 using their Windows password.
  • Link a professional Internet domain that you have set up on Window SBS to Office 365.
  • View information about your Office 365 subscription.
  • Access your Office 365 management portal from the Office 365 page of the server Dashboard.

You can install and configure the Office 365 Integration Module at any time after completing the server installation.

Office 365 helps drive productivity by giving employees virtually anywhere access to professional-grade email, web conferencing tools, documents, shared portals, contacts, and calendars delivered through the cloud. At a glance, Office 365 includes (click here for more details):

  • Microsoft® Exchange Online, offering email, calendar and contacts
  • Microsoft® SharePoint Online, a central place to share documents and information
  • Microsoft® Lync Online, a next-generation cloud communications service
  • Microsoft® Office Web Apps, convenient online companions to the Microsoft® Office suite