Microsoft is slated to launch the next-gen version of its communications product, Exchange 2010, this month. There’s been a lot of buzz about 2010 – everything from better archiving capabilities to improved interoperability between Outlook and Outlook Web Access (OWA).

The new release offers features that simplify administration, protect communications and meet users’ demands for greater business mobility. With new deployment and storage options, enhanced inbox management capabilities and email archiving built-in, Exchange 2010 can help lower costs and enhance business outcomes. Add in other functionality – including improved framework for high availability and disaster recovery – and this new release is attractive for IT administrators and users.

The new release is being billed as improving collaboration between users, both in the office and in the field. So that should be great for business continuity. CEOs will love that.

On the end-user side, Exchange 2010 will offer some cool features. In Outlook, users will be able to see text previews of voice mail. Conversation View lets users combine related email messages in a single conversation. An email “mute” button will allow people to ignore conversations and remove themselves from irrelevant email strings. So less unwanted email and runaway reply-all threads.

There are also customizable call-routing menus and a MailTips feature designed to prevent email “oops.” You know the one – you send the email and then realize it either went to people outside your organization or you sent it to the wrong employee.

On the OWA side, a newly renamed version of OWA works with a variety of browsers. Users will be able to see if others are at their computer, so they know if they should email, call, send a quick instant message or send an SMS text message – from within OWA. So employees can use the methods to communicate that are most convenient for them and receive their messages all in one place for easy retrieval, archiving and searching. Another cool enhancement is a scrolling feature. What’s that mean? Rather than having to go through pages and pages, you can navigate through emails by scrolling.

Microsoft is marketing Exchange 2010 as a unified communications solution. Is it your next-gen communications solution?