(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Web hosting and cloud computing provider Rackspace Hosting (www.rackspace.com) has enhanced its Rackspace Hybrid Email offering -- a custom mix of Hosted Microsoft Exchange and the business-focused Rackspace Email platform on a single domain.

Rackspace hosts more than 1.7 million paid email accounts through its email platform, which includes Rackspace Email, Hosted Microsoft Exchange and its hybrid offering of the two services. According to the company’s Wednesday announcement, Rackspace Hybrid Email now features easy calendar viewing between Hosted Microsoft Exchange and Rackspace Email.

"We've learned from our customers that, on average, only a small percentage of employees really need and use the advanced features of Microsoft Exchange, yet many businesses are paying a lot more to run Exchange for every single user," Rackspace cloud applications product director Kirk Averett said in a statement. "With Rackspace Hybrid Email, companies can purchase a combination of Exchange and low cost Rackspace Email accounts on a single domain, without sacrificing features for any employee. Most businesses can realize a significant cost savings by utilizing this model because they have different types of email users." 

Rackspace has also launched a new webmail interface for Rackspace Email with improved search quality and speed to boost user productivity. It also features simplified company logo and background image customization for private label resellers. 

Solution partners and resellers have found Rackspace Hybrid Email appealing because it not only provides Rackspace's “Fanatical Support,” but it can also reduce businesses’ total costs by substituting even a fraction of their Exchange email accounts with Rackspace Email. Rackspace claims that using an 80/20 ratio of Rackspace Email to Hosted Exchange can save businesses more than 60 percent on email compared to using Hosted Exchange alone.

The transition shouldn’t be hard for many companies, considering that both Hosted Exchange and Rackspace Email are compatible with Microsoft Outlook, and provide mobile support for Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Mobile. 

Additionally, all Rackspace cloud email accounts have access to hosted SharePoint with up to 250MB of storage at no extra charge. SharePoint provides document management and team collaboration capabilities, and storage beyond the base of 250MB is available for purchase on a utility basis.

Denver-based web design and custom development firm Creative Flavor (www.creativeflavor.com) uses Rackspace Hybrid Email with iPhone support and SharePoint services for its clients. "Hosting our client sites, email and SharePoint with one provider improves our management capabilities, reduces hosting costs, gives us better service and makes us more efficient," Creative Flavor founder and president Bill Finch said in a statement. “There haven't been any hiccups or delays, the customer service is incredible, and the tools for managing the accounts allow us to be very responsive. All of which has made for a successful relationship."

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