In a move to help administrators rid their networks of disparate personal email archives, Microsoft has released a tool for finding and importing Outlook PST files into modern Exchange environments. The tool will also help Microsoft rid itself of the archiving format, which it no longer sees as necessary.

External developers will be able to build much more sophisticated applications and tools for Office 365 once Microsoft releases the next upgrade of that cloud-hosted communication and collaboration suite, according to a Microsoft partner.

Seeking to transform the way its staff communicates and collaborates worldwide, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) will roll out Google Apps to its 110,000 employees, shedding along the way various legacy email systems, including Microsoft Exchange, a bank executive said in an interview.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) is adopting Google Apps for email and collaboration and expects to have its about 110,000 employees worldwide using the suite by the end of this year.

There's no question enterprises want messaging security -- the market for products and services worldwide reached almost $3.2 billion last year, up from $2.7 billion in 2010, and will grow to $4.78 billion in 2015, according to research firm IDC. But a fundamental shift is occurring that foresees businesses favoring virtual-security appliances over more traditional messaging security software.

BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) recently started shipping its brand new mobile operating system (OS), BlackBerry handheld OS 5.0. The new software packs a variety of cool new features and enhancements, including improved mail-folder management options; auto-correct and word-completion typing software; and a number of personal information management (PIM) feature-enhancements. (Note: Some of the new features require BlackBerry Enterprise Server BES 5.0.)

When Ben Fried left his post as IT managing director at Morgan Stanley and took over as Google's CIO in May 2008, he knew what he was getting into: supporting a user base full of technology experts and computer industry stars, like co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, CEO Eric Schmidt and Vice President Vint Cerf. In a recent interview with IDG News Service, Fried spoke candidly about his job and shared tips and advice for fellow CIOs, including the urgent need for tablet device strategies. An edited transcript of the interview follows.

Have you checked your work e-mailtoday? If you're like most employees in the United States and United Kingdom, the answer is yes despite the fact that it is not only the weekend, but an extended holiday weekend for most workers in the US. A day off is becoming an increasingly foreign concept as workers stay connected virtually 24/7.

With spam hampering staff productivity and increasing helpdesk calls, Sydney-based plumbing suppliers company Plumbers' Supplies Co-operative Ltd has replaced an open source e-mail security solution with an network gateway appliance.

Does your holiday checklist include sifting through hundreds of e-mails the day before you return to the office? Will your BlackBerry be as essential as your swimsuit? Do you fear your "staycation" will turn into writing e-mails each day?

If your car says something about you, so does your personal e-mail address. Here's a look at the message -- and perhaps age -- you're projecting.