Change of email system - free options?

We currently have a free LEA provided email system, desknow, but as we have exceeded our 3GB mailbox limit we are going to be charged £360 per annum and another £60 per Gig.

Now I know that that isn't too bad when you compare it to buying and installing an exchange server and adding all the spam/filtering to it BUT I have been informed that we have no money for this sort of thing and I need to find a free alternative!

Now we are a small secondary with about 150 staff who do not use the email that much at the moment as there has been no policy in place to ensure that they are using it, which I intend to change.

Can anyone suggest which way I could go with this?

Google mail for schools, Zimbra or something else?

Thanks :confused:

Either of those you've suggested would be fine.

I suppose it depends upon whether you have a stable internet connection which can take the load of the mail in/out etc or whether you want to outsource it to Google land which I find really nice :)

I second Zimbra.

I use and recommend Zimbra; we've been running it here since April.

Can I ask how easy Zimbra is to set up and filter?

I have set up proxies and the like on linux before but I am no expert with it!

Thanks

Zimbra :)

What linux distro will you be using?

I'd probably use ubuntu?

How To Install Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) On Ubuntu | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials should get you started.

If you're considering outsourcing for free (ie Google) then think about the Microsoft Live@edu programme - either hotmail based or using its new exchange labs you can have outlook web access too (as well as other standard clients)

As people have said choose Zimbra.

We are rolling it out to our students.... when the LEA gets round to opening up the necessary ports!