Microsoft’s next version of Exchange Server release delayed to 2025 after missing deadline

IT House June 4 news, according to Neowin, as early as September 2020, Microsoft announced that the next version of Exchange Server will land in the second half of 2021. However, Microsoft missed that deadline due to a global attack on local Exchange servers by malicious actors. With Microsoft’s renewed focus on Exchange security, it is now announcing that the next version of Exchange Server will be available in the second half of 2025 — a four-year delay from its original strategy.

The next version of Exchange Server (referred to simply as “Exchange Server 2025”) will be available only to customers with Software Assurance. It also requires a server and client access license (CAL). While we know it will be available via a subscription model, Microsoft says it will share more details on pricing, features, branding, and requirements in the first half of 2024.

As Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet pointed out,Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 will end support after October 14, 2025, after which only Exchange Server 2025 will be supported.Interestingly, there will be no end-of-support date for this version of Exchange Server, and Microsoft will continue to support it until “substantial market demand” arises.

Microsoft also hinted at an in-place upgrade for Exchange Server 2019. This suggests that users may not need new hardware or plan mailbox migrations when updating to Exchange Server 2025.

At the same time, Microsoft highlighted that it has introduced a series of improvements and features to Exchange Server 2019, which will continue as its latest release for at least the next three years.