RE: [SLUG] exchange server functionality for Linux

From: Stephen Ames (sames@managedwebservices.com)
Date: Mon Jun 14 2004 - 22:51:48 EDT


-----Original Message-----
From: slug@nks.net [mailto:slug@nks.net] On Behalf Of Ian Blenke
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2004 10:16 PM
To: slug@nks.net
Subject: Re: [SLUG] exchange server functionality for Linux

Stephen Ames wrote:

>This is something that I spend plenty of time looking at. Right now I
>have seen three serious contenders:
>
>Samsung Contact (formerly HP OpenMail)
>Suse OpenExchange
>Stalker Communigate Pro
>
>All run the information store on Linux and have MAPI connectors to talk
>with Outlook. All also support SMTP, IMAP, etc. I have personally
>tried the first two and both are good but not great. I have not tried
>Stalker Communigate yet. I would be interested to hear what others
>think about these packages. Please note that just because you can
>install and run the mail package, that doesn't mean that you have a
>fully functioning mail system. You will need to engineer antivirus,
antispam, backup, etc. etc.
>
>I am interested in working together with others on the list to explore
>this concept because I feel that there is a great need for a non M$
>groupware mail system.
>
>If you (or anybody else) would care to take a few minutes to discuss
>this in detail, please feel free to call.
>
>
Samsung Contact (formerly HP OpenMail) is a very old commercial package
with questionable support.

SuSE OpenExchange (SLOX) is really nothing more than Postfix, Cyrus
IMAP, Apache, OpenLDAP, and SpamAssassin, with a web based
administration GUI and an Outlook replication plugin that uses
WebDAV/XML for groupware functions. The benefit is really in how they've
integrated these packages into a unified admin interface as well as the
support they offer.

You can get basically the same groupware functionality out of
Opengroupware.org (previously SKYRiX), and put the OpenSource pieces
together yourself, for free. We run an Opengroupware mirror at NKS
(http://opengroupware.mirrors.nks.net/)

If you don't need Outlook or other MUA support, and need something
primarily web based, there is always phpGroupWare.org, IMP/Horde (I can
hear the groans now), as well as numerous other great GPLed alternatives.

You know, it might be fun to make a Debian meta-package task with
appropriate dependencies and a postinst script to initialize a sane
setup of the typical OpenSource tools to this end. We have purposing
scripts to this end at NKS that do this, but they're really tuned to our
internal infrastructure.

I am always interested in talking about great alternatives to any form
of Microsoft software, primarily their back-office server solutions.

- Ian

Steve's reply:

So I guess we need clarification. What part(s) of MS Exchange are you
trying to replace? I made the assumption that you wanted a Linux > MAPI >
Outlook type of solution so the users could keep Outlook and you could
replace the back end and get better technology and save some $$$.

Thanks,

Steve

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