Topic: Exxchange/Outlook alternative on SME?

[Drew]

Hello everyone,

I've seen posts about Exchange/Outlook alternatives, but it does not seem as though there is a clear concise alternative for the SME environment.  I welcome opinions and thoughts about whatever alternative email/groupware configurations people are running instead of the M$FT stuff.

Seems to me that there is still plenty of room for a Linux based option to the Exchange server - might this be the Bynari set of apps and their server?

Drew

[ralph]

Hi Drew,

as in most of the cases : it depends on what you want to achive.
In case you want to use the full spectrum of exchange functionality, the bynari client ( which is payware but worth its money ) in combination with a modified sme ( have a look at the contrib how-to s on www.e-smith.org and especially on how to install courier imap ) might be a proper solution for you.

If it's "just" about having mail and calendar with some other nice stuff and having outlook calendar and contacts synched with something on the server, try phproject ( contrib or myezserver.com/downloads/mitel/contrib ... ) in combination with phpsync from www.ds-services.de/phpsync - works pretty smart although being a bit tricky to configure ( mysql stuff - but there is help on the phpsync forums ).

Something that at least sounds kind off promising is prochange ( sourceforge.net/projects/prochange ) - but it's still in planning stage ( although there were some rumours about close 2 first usable version ... ).

BTW : As you have mentioned bynari server --> this is to be installed onto a dedicated machine, not on a sme server ( needs some special ports freed up and close down etc. ).

hope that has shed some light on, best regards,

Ralph
Drew wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I've seen posts about Exchange/Outlook alternatives, but it
> does not seem as though there is a clear concise alternative
> for the SME environment.  I welcome opinions and thoughts
> about whatever alternative email/groupware configurations
> people are running instead of the M$FT stuff.
>
> Seems to me that there is still plenty of room for a Linux
> based option to the Exchange server - might this be the
> Bynari set of apps and their server?
>
> Drew

[Michael Smith]

I very recently tried & failed to set up a Bynari InsightServer on an SME 5.5 base ... the Bynari install failed with an illegal operation (not to be confused with the dreaded "illegal operation" in Windows, just a halt of the install).  I had already shut down all http and mail operations to get out of the InsightServer's way.  Even as I type, a SuSE FTP install is running, without webserver or mail components.  I'll install InsightServer on that.

[Drew]

Ralph,

Thank you for these thoughts/tips/ideas - very much appreciated.  Since the folks I'm supporting are currently running a full blown Exchange/Outlook config (and they have M$FT religion) I'm guessing your first option with Bynari's 'connector' client is my best option for at least getting away from the back end Exchange server.

Even better might be that this type of setup can co exist with the current Exchange server...which might give me a leg up when trying to sell this as a viable option.

Just curious - anyone running SME server along with a Bynari Insight server on the same network (2 diff machines) ?

The more I look at these Bynari products the more I am convinced there just may be real options to Exchange/Outlook...although convincing folks to ditch Lookout on their desks is like trying to send a man to Mars - almost impossible.  Anyone have any alternatives to Lookout for Windoze users?

Drew

[Ralph]

Hi Drew,

well, in the end it really depends on what you intend to achieve.
Do you have to replace the exchangeserver due to a customers demand or is it just a wish of yours to get rid off the microsoft stuff.

One should not be too religios in IT decisionmaking.
To point it out more clearly : if there is no demand on the customers side and they feel fine with Exchange and Outlook, why not leave it the way it is. Exchange and Outlook arent too bad for most customers.

If you really want to get away from M$, get rid of the backend component(s) - in your case Exchange and leave the front end on Outlook.

In my mind, there currently is no true alternative on the markets ( for windows desktops ) which gives you the full functionallity of Outlook.

And - as allready pointet out in my first post - bynari insight connector works great.

The only thing missing ( from my point of view ) on sme is a smart LDAP integration which allows you to do all of your usermanagement within LDAP instead of dealing with local linux users and groups.
Having LDAP fully integrated would also enable one to use other apps with a central directory service - e.g. samba, proftp, apache and many others. There is even an way to sync LDAP and mysql users

br, ciao,

Ralph