Organization Sharing & Federation
Understanding the Concept
Organization sharing allows Exchange Online users to share calendar free/busy information with users in other Exchange organizations. This is configured through organization relationships and sharing policies.
Sharing policies define what calendar and contact information individual users can share with external recipients. Default sharing policies apply to all users, while custom policies can target specific groups.
Federation trusts enable secure sharing between Exchange organizations using the Microsoft Federation Gateway. This provides authenticated sharing without requiring VPN or direct network connectivity.
Key Points
Why This Matters
Cross-organization collaboration requires calendar visibility. Properly configured sharing policies enable business partnerships while maintaining security boundaries and controlling what information leaves the organization.