Office 365: Moving Microsoft to the Cloud

Familiarity with the interface format, coupled with pre-integrated solutions and a low list price has tempted many corporate IT professionals to investigate Office 365 as a viable alternative to current on-premise desktop, communications and productivity solutions. Timing is crucial, too, with the same organisations poised or planning to move to Office 2010 as part of their Windows 7 upgrade.

But do the costs stand up in the corporate environment, and are capabilities as good and integration as seamless as claimed? Or is this a straightforward case of cost vs. usability?

Microsoft's software-as-a-service offering of its Office productivity suite, Office 365, became available to all users earlier this year. With various subscription options combining Office web applications with elements of its former Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), and enterprise costs specified at a few pounds per user / per month, the service could not only rival established players such as Google but potentially Microsoft's current technology presence itself!

To share experiences of the pros and cons of the adoption of Office 365 in a large corporate setting and to define best practice in managing this transition.

The final agenda will be developed through consultation amongst delegates - provisional discussion areas include:

• Office 365 - What it is, what it isn't
• The Business Case
  • Real-world costs and licensing implications
  • Rights under existing contracts
• Functionality & user satisfaction
  • Presence, Communications and Collaboration
  • User interfaces for smart / mobile devices
• Service Management
  • Transitioning, security
  • Availability, business continuity
• Security