Exchange, Office, Lync, and SharePoint 2013 all reach RTM!

Everyone

If you haven't heard yet, the next version (15 aka 2013) of Exchange, Office, Lync, and SharePoint all got Release To Manufacturing (RTM) late yesterday afternoon.

Exchange 2013 RTM announcement: The New Exchange Reaches RTM! - Exchange Team Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Office 2013 RTM announcement: Office News - Office Reaches RTM!

Lync 2013 RTM announcement: Lync 2013 reaches RTM! - Lync Team Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

SharePoint 2013 RTM announcement: BlogPost


Keep an eye for these on TechNet/MSDN and start prepping for the next round of certifications! Don't forget to be on the lookout for Beta Exams too.

RomBUS

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up! I got some catching up to do...

cyberguypr

Looking forward to Lync. The minute we deployed it we got the "how can I see many people on screen at the same time?" The Gallery View will be a godsend for us.

ptilsen

Josh -- Do you know if migration methods between 2003 and 2013 versions (especially of Exchange) be drastically different that 2003 to 2010 versions? We are most likely replacing our Exchange 2003 infrastructure next year. We're already going with current-gen Windows client and server rather than 8/2012, but I'd just assume get Exchange 2013 in if migration from 2003 will not be anymore difficult to 2010 than 2013.

On that note, are you aware of any new issues 2013 can/will cause with Outlook 2003? I suspect will be on mixed 2003/2010 Office for a while longer.

it_consultant

From what I have read, there is no upgrade path from 2003 to 2013.

Everyone

Correct, no direct migration from 2003 to 2010. We only go 2 versions back for Exchange migrations, so you'll have to be on either 2007 or 2010 before you can go to 2013.

As far as Office goes... Mainstream support for 2003 ended in 2009, and extended support ends in 2014, so get off it already.

ptilsen

Hey, you're preaching to the choir. I only started in July, and it's a big(ish) company. It's going to take some time to get the upgrade-to-supported-products mentality pounded into people's heads and then actually get things upgraded. I will assure you, Office/Windows/Exchange 2003 are not the scariest products still in production here. If we're off of 2003-era software by Q1 2014 I will be thrilled.

No upgrade option is unsurprising, but I figured I'd ask. The fast product release schedule is a new thing, so I wouldn't have been shocked to see MS decided to go back more than two versions.