Apparently someone's been busy! In the past few days, there have been announcements about the launch of Microsoft-branded and -hosted online services for small biz - including Exchange Online - AND the availability of a preview releases of Essential Business Server 2008 and Small Business Server 2008, which bring Exchange Server capability to small businesses who don't want to run a full Exchange Server.
About the online services, the press-relase says
"Microsoft Online Services delivers enterprise-class Microsoft software
as subscription services to businesses of all sizes hosted by Microsoft
and sold with partners, and include Microsoft Exchange Online,
Microsoft Office SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office Communications
Online, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Online."
And about the Business Servers,
"Based on groundbreaking innovations that dramatically simplify the
deployment, ongoing management, and use of server technology, Windows
Essential Server Solutions are designed to provide an integrated IT
infrastructure to help save time, money, and significantly increase
productivity."