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Exchange Team Blog
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Exchange Server TechNet Library URLs updated

bsuneja's avatar
bsuneja
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Nov 08, 2012

We’ve heard your concerns and take them seriously. We’re looking into what we can do to improve this situation for you, nothing definitive yet but be assured we’re working on it and will post an update asap.
 
Update 11/30/2012: Please note, ExBPA content does not have multiple versions. Content (links from the ExBPA tool) may currently display "Exchange 2013" as the version, but it's the same content the ExBPA tool linked to earlier. The CMS team is working to fix this.

Quick note to inform you that we've updated Exchange TechNet Library. Starting today, if you've bookmarked an Exchange 2010 article in the library (for example, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124558.aspx), it'll take you to the Exchange 2013 version of the article.

Note, if an Exchange 2013 version of the article does not exist, the URL will still take you to the Exchange 2010 version.

How do I get to documentation for previous versions?

  1. Other versions menu You can still reach the Exchange 2010 version of a particular article by using the Other versions option right below the page title.

  2. Append version info You can also get to the Exchange 2010 version of a particular article by appending version information (EXCHG.141) for Exchange 2010) at the end of the URL, right before the file extension (.aspx). So the Exchange 2010 version of the above URL will be http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124558(EXCHG.141).aspx. Please update your browser favorites/shortcuts and links in any blog posts if you still want them to point to the Exchange 2010 versions.

  3. Navigation tree You can use the navigation tree (on the left side of each page) to easily navigate to documentation for each Exchange Server version.

  4. Short URLs You can also get to the main documentation page for each Exchange Server version by using the following short URLs:

  5. Download help files You can also download the standalone help files in compiled HTML format (aka CHMs) from the following locations:

Bharat Suneja

11/12/2013: Post updated to show additional navigation options and links to help file downloads.

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  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 09, 2012

    Why would you do this?

    What is the logic behind punishing your techs by making them edit / update their links?

    Wouldn't it be much easier to leave the existing links, and adding a link or pop-up to the Exchange 2013 updated article.

    This is very poor support.

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 09, 2012

    Just leave the existing links they way they were and add the one specific to Exchange 2013. This is WAY too confusing now. I'm never going to remember to type in v=exchg.141 at the end of the URL.

    Is this REALLY the best way you could have handled this? Is this how other companies handle things? No.

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 09, 2012

    Yea - like that's not going to confuse the heck out of people trying to find information. Change the URLs back!

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 09, 2012

    everything I have bookmarked is now no longer valid? why did you do this? change it back please.

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 10, 2012

    Why does Microsoft feel that anything that we have linked to from internal training and have in our bookmarks should change to the latest version, which is not what we are running? WTH???

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 10, 2012

    I must admit, this is a very odd way of handling documentation. Basically all the old content is not going to be a pain in the ass to find unless we remember to modify the URL string on our bookmarks. Are you also going through all the Windows 7 links and replacing them with Windows 8 material too? Why keep the craziness limited to Exchange, let's just descend into total anarchy while we are at it..

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 10, 2012

    noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 10, 2012

    In the same way most other consultants and admins would track articles for the products they work on I have a favorites folder for each version of Exchange, 5.5, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 so that I can look and see if I have pulled an article for a particular issue or process before. Why would you point everything for one version to another version, thats the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. Why don't YOU put a pop up asking if we WANT the 2013 version of the article before pushing us there automatically. Its like you guys do this stuff to piss your customers off on purpose.

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 10, 2012

    Why on earth would you think that breaking previous established URLs was a good idea? What nutjob at Microsoft decided on this approach? Regardless, change it back to how it was NOW. All you needed to do was put a link in to help us go to the new Exchange 2013 articles under a different URL. Why are you making this so complicated and obfuscated? You picked the WORST possible option you could have chosen to do this.

  • Deleted's avatar
    Deleted
    Nov 10, 2012

    I'm certainly glad everyone else had the exact same reaction as I did.  Why on Earth would you do this???  There's is virtually NEVER a time I would want to look up an old article but get sent to the new version. That is just stupid. Think about your customers Msoft, not what is easiest for you.