Office Online Server (OOS)

Office Online Server (OOS) provides browser-based file viewing and editing services for Office files within your private infrastructure. As an Assistant Technical Manager, I deploy OOS to ensure enterprise data remains secure while providing modern web-based productivity.

Core Features & Integration

📄 Browser-Based Editing

Enables full editing capabilities for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files directly within any modern web browser.

📫 Exchange Integration

Seamlessly integrates with Exchange Server 2019 to view and edit email attachments in OWA.

📂 SharePoint Connection

Powers the document preview and co-authoring features for on-premises SharePoint farms.

Licensing Requirements

The licensing for Office Online Server depends on whether users require only viewing capabilities or full editing rights:

Usage Type	Licensing Needed	Features Included
View-Only Mode	No specific OOS license	Opening and reading Office documents in the browser via SharePoint or Exchange.
Editing Mode	Office Suite Volume License	Creating, modifying, and saving changes to files directly within the web interface.
Enterprise Users	Software Assurance (SA)	Required for users to utilize editing features on-premises with OOS.

Deployment & Strategy

Component	Configuration	Benefit
Single Server	Standalone OOS instance	Cost-effective for small-scale production or dev labs.
Multi-Node Farm	Load-balanced OOS pool	High availability and scaling for large-scale enterprise traffic.
SSL Security	HTTPS (Port 443)	Ensures end-to-end encryption between servers and clients.