I have my own domain and various email addresses hanging off that domain. However, I need to enable ten remotely located employees to have full access to their shared global address book of recipients, from Internet cafes or hotels etc.

Of course the simple and obvious thing to do would be to buy a server put it in my office and get a license for Microsoft Exchange Server that will automatically enable Outlook Web Access Premium / OWA client....BUT...and this is the point....I like the idea of software as a service...managing hardware is not my core competency...I want the hardware to be some eles's headache. I just want OWA managed by a hosted service provider somewhere, anywhere, on the globe. Just not in my office!

We have a website that doesn't require me to have a server on the premises, so why should I want a physical server in my building when all I want is OWA access on the road?

You can look into outsourced exchange hosting. There are a number of providers that will host your exchange server for you much like they do for a website.

You can connect directly to the exchange server and use outlook with a vpn client or via rpc over ssl.

They will back up your mail and also spam filter it. They will also provide the OWA access you are needing. A list of sites that provide exchange hosting are:

http://www.appriver.com/exchange/?gclid=...

http://www.intermedia.net/it-professiona...

http://www.asp-one.com/exchange_hosting/...

http://www.mailstreet.com/is/outsource-e...

We do exactly what you're talking about. Including e-mail hosting/Exchange/OWA, spam/virus filtering, etc. There's a monthly fee, of course, but we do the hosting. Our own e-mail servers, DNS servers, etc. Package deal.

gee... this sounds like a sales pitch, doesn't it?? :)