Exchange Server Now Subscription-Based – What You Need to Know

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Das Wichtigste in Kürze

Exchange Server SE is available now as a subscription license. From autumn 2025 it will be the only on-prem option with updates and new features
An upgrade from Exchange Server 2019 CU15 is possible without new features; all old servers (2016, 2019) must be removed from the organization first

The offering is intended as an upgrade for Exchange Server 2019 CU15. No new features are planned, so the transition should go smoothly. No license keys are required for the update. These will only be needed from future Cumulative Updates (CUs) onward. Only the license terms and the product name change. Once support for the older versions ends this autumn, Exchange Server SE will be the only option for on-prem mail hosting. Only this version will continue to receive updates and new features. It is a transition into Microsoft’s “Modern Support Lifecycle”.

Review a switch to a cloud solution

We recommend switching to the subscription model quickly, because even Exchange Server SE version CU2 will no longer work if servers running the old Exchange versions are also operated within the same organization. Installation is therefore only possible once all Exchange 2016 and 2019 servers have been removed from the organization. You can read all the details in a Microsoft blog post.

In some cases, a switch to Exchange Online and Microsoft 365 – with additional innovations such as Microsoft 365 Copilot – may make more sense and relieve your on-site IT infrastructure. Hybrid operation is also possible. Our Baggenstos experts know exactly what optimizes your business processes and information flows.