Opinions on migration from Exchange 2003 to Zimbra

[Ric_]

I am currently contemplating migrating away from Exchange to Zimbra.

 

I must admit that my main reason for doing this is because I am cheap and don't want to spend ridiculous amounts of money just to publish OWA for the 2 people that might use it!

 

Anyway... has anyone else made the evaluation? Does anybody have any good reasons for or against?

 

I have just installed a test VM with v5 RC1 today to have a play with a view to swapping a couple of people across to ti as a trial.

 

As a note, we have exactly 2 people that use the contacts and calandering features of Exchange (me and the bursar) so much of the clever stuff is wasted. I think that this would change with adoption of Zimbra though because the web interface is MUCH nicer than OWA.

[Oops_my_bad]

Not yet but seriously considering Zimbra when our exchange box comes end of life (about another year.. god dammit). luckily we have a large crowd of calendar and webmail whores, so it should be worthwhile

[Ric_]

@TeddyKGB: Have you considered performing a trial now? I would be interested in sharing comments so that we can all make an informed decision.

[webman]

I'm towards the end of testing Zimbra 4.5.X - just got email message migration to plan and test then arrange downtime to replace existing email server (Linux based though, not exchange). I'm documenting most of the process on our wiki.

 

We need to migrate pretty quickly now, and we can't really hold out for 5 - it will be an upgrade for us I think at a later date.

 

Zimbra will do everything we need, and we will be using the web client exclusively with a different Class of Service for staff and students. I'd also believe the manual when it mentions minimum specifications for RAM

[contink]

I'm debating a zimbra install for a private (non-school) client and for myself but the thorny issue of security is putting me off as I'm looking at VM OS's to handle it all.

 

The only down side to it all is the fact that Outlook doesn't get supported until you go with a commercial license which on small scales is just not cost effective.

[webman]

What thorny issues do you have regarding security?

 

If you go with Scalix you get 25 Outlook connectors for free if your users really must use Outlook and all of its features.

[contink]

What thorny issues do you have regarding security?

Oh they're unrelated to Zimbra itself, it's the question of putting things on a net facing box and making sure the whole thing is as bulletproof as possible. So more a generic security issue than anything specific to one app or OS.

[meastaugh1]

Out of interest, what are the ridiculous costs involved in publishing OWA for 2 users?

[Geoff]

I thought you were going come down here and look at our Zimbra setup Ric?

[steele_uk]

I am currently contemplating migrating away from Exchange to Zimbra.

 

I must admit that my main reason for doing this is because I am cheap and don't want to spend ridiculous amounts of money just to publish OWA for the 2 people that might use it!

 

.

 

Just Curious....

 

Why are you facing ridiculous amounts of money to publish OWA?

[Geoff]

Because for offsite access via the internet you need an 'External Connector' license. Which is hilariously expensive.

[meastaugh1]

As I understand it, you just need a Windows and Exchange CAL for each user. It's usually cheaper to purchase an external connector for Windows if you're exposing a Windows Server to potentially hundreds/thousands of users.

 

But as you say, the external connector for Exchange is never going to work out financially, so you just purchase user CALs.

[Geoff]

You misunderstand how Exchange licensing works. You can only buy CALs for employees. Students are not employed by the School thus can only be covered by a CAL when they are onsite. If you wish to allow external offsite access to OWA to students, the only way you can satisfy the license requirements is with an External Connector license.

[djm968]

You misunderstand how Exchange licensing works. You can only buy CALs for employees. Students are not employed by the School thus can only be covered by a CAL when they are onsite. If you wish to allow external offsite access to OWA to students, the only way you can satisfy the license requirements is with an External Connector license.

 

 

Are you sure?

 

Note: The External Connector license (EC) is an optional additional server license for external users that enables access to your servers running Exchange Server 2007. With this license, you do not need to buy individual Exchange Server CALs. The EC license is purchased for every copy of Exchange Server 2007 that can be accessed by the external user. An example of an external user is a person who is not an employee or similar personnel of the company or its affiliates. This license allows access to the Exchange server by an unlimited number of external users that can include, but is not limited to, business partners, suppliers, customers, retirees, and alumni. It is licensed per server.

[meastaugh1]

On the last price list I saw, Ramesys were selling Exchange 2007 Student Access Licenses. Don't know if this is something that's been introduced new with 2007.

[djm968]

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/evaluation/editions.mspx

 

Exchange Server 2007 Client Access Licenses

 

Exchange Server 2007 is offered in two client access license (CAL) editions: Standard CAL and Enterprise CAL.

 

• The Exchange Server Standard CAL provides access to e-mail, shared calendaring and Outlook Web Access (OWA). In addition you will get advancements that reduce the cost and complexity of the messaging system by giving IT Administrators the messaging protection their company demands, the anywhere access their end users want and the reliability they need.

 

• The Exchange Server Enterprise CAL is an additive CAL and requires that a Standard CAL is also purchased for each user or device. The Exchange Server Enterprise CAL provides access to Unified Messaging and advanced compliance, as well as Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Exchange Hosted Filtering for onsite and hosted antivirus and anti-spam protection.

 

 

A CAL is required for each user or device (depending on the license) accessing the server. Either version of the CAL may be run against either version of the server.

 

[Ric_]

@Geoff: I still want to come down and see it in action... I was waiting for you to get back to me with a time!

 

Quickly, so not to further go off topic, I have device CALs for Exchange which means I have licensed all our kit. If I want to allow somebody to access it from any other computer I would either need to switch to user CALs or buy an ECL.

 

Anyway... what I think is important to discuss is the features required by a school... from my limited playing so far the Zimbra web interface is far nicer than OWA however the web-based administration tool can be annoying and common tasks may take longer.

 

The Zimlets in Zimbra look good too... the calendar zimlet is handy too - clicking a date in an email takes you to that date in the calendar.

[djm968]

the Zimbra web interface is far nicer than OWA

 

 

Betterr than OWA 2007?

 

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/code/OWA/index.html

[CyberNerd]

http://www.zimbra.com/products/screenshots.html

 

I think exchange owa 2007 is starting to catch up with zimbra, Exchange still misses a few features but its getting there. I guess MS were just waiting for some innovation to copy

[webman]

Nice one OWA2007 - use a better browser but get a crapper interface? Nice.

[Ric_]

@djm968: I am comparing with 2003 but I think that the Zimbra client is still nicer than that of 2007 (not least because of the superior compatibility across browsers... the non-IE version of OWA 2007 looks a little pants).

 

Check out http://www.zimbra.com/demos/zimbra_overview.html to find out more.

[nicholab]

You just need a Zimbra MIS mashup and a way you go.

[contink]

I think part of the reason I'm a little reluctant to go with Zimbra without Outlook is because I like having a physical file of my emails, etc.. on my machine offline..

 

I've gone with a MS Partners install of Exchange to test it out and that works ok too but going the whole hog with everything residing on a single machine and potentially going bye-bye as a result makes me nervous... I know backups are the key here but still.. I like a little redundancy

[Geoff]

@Geoff: I still want to come down and see it in action... I was waiting for you to get back to me with a time!

 

Come whenever you want.

[djm968]

@djm968: I am comparing with 2003 but I think that the Zimbra client is still nicer than that of 2007 (not least because of the superior compatibility across browsers... the non-IE version of OWA 2007 looks a little pants).

 

While I will concede that you have fair point about browser compatibility, I thought the original poster was looking at the pros and cons of migrating away from Exchange 2003.

 

What I fail to understand is why anyone would even consider moving their entire organisations email infrastructure to a completely different platform when E2K7 is now available and a far superior product to E2K3, other than the “licensing cost” savings.

 

E2K7 CALS are around £3.00 each (with OWA) and the Enterprise CALS (with UM) are and additional £4.00.

 

AFAIK an E2K7 external connector license will cover staff and students (perhaps someone can clarify this) I know WTS 2003 ECL does and in any case if you provide access to the Exchange server using OWA or another email client internally you would have already bought an Exchange 2003 CAL for each user or device anyway.

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