We conducted an extensive analysis and comparison of Google, Microsoft, and other options. We found that the Microsoft Office 365 solution integrates much better with our existing Microsoft Exchange infrastructure on campus than the Google solution would. Also, Microsoft allows us to provide e-mail to our users either on-premise or in the cloud, while Google is a cloud-only solution.

The combination of Office 365 and on-premise Microsoft Exchange will provide a seamless experience for students, faculty, and staff (including hospital users), regardless of which system they are on. With either solution, people will be able to easily send e-mail, schedule meetings, and find contacts in the directory.

Our users will encounter an access issue if Google documents or folders are shared with their University of Iowa email address. Google account creation for any @uiowa.edu domain is restricted. If you need to use Google services to collaborate with others, please contact the ITS Help Desk at 319-384-4357 or at its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu. The ITS Help Desk will work with the ITS-AIS Identity and Access Management (IAM) team.