Opinions on migration from Exchange 2003 to Zimbra

[webman]

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

 

Because alternative non-MS products offer better benefits, features, compatability and cost savings and/or don't want to be tied into a proprietary platform?

[Geoff]

To clarify my previous post. If you have User CALs you don't need a connector license. If you have Device CALs and want to allow external access to OWA, you do need a connector license.

[qhortense]

contink wrote:

"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.. "

 

contink, have you seen the Zimbra Desktop client, which is currently available for beta testing? http://www.zimbra.com/products/desktop.html The next update, scheduled for mid-December, will also allow the Zimbra Desktop client to serve as an IMAP or POP client -- meaning you can also pull in mail from other IMAP or POP services into the Zimbra Desktop client.

[contink]

contink, have you seen the Zimbra Desktop client, which is currently available for beta testing?

I had but first to correct your slightly... It's still very much Alpha which as a developer I know means "BUGS!"

 

Still, it's a good option for the future and thanks for pointing it out

[DMcCoy]

To clarify my previous post. If you have User CALs you don't need a connector license. If you have Device CALs and want to allow external access to OWA, you do need a connector license.

 

I have yet to work out what the external connector is actually for. It doesn't cover users within the organisation. To quote MS

 

"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"

 

It's really not very useful for schools as far as I can see, so you will need to license all your uses or all the devices that will connect to it, which can be expensive if you want staff and students to access it without using terminal services (which itself is also expensive).

[Ric_]

Can we please get back oon topic.... rather than analysing the MS licensing schemes we will just say that there are 'potential cost benefits' in switching to Zimbra. Further points (both for and against) are welcomed.

[DMcCoy]

I'm just pointing out an important factor. Many schools misuse the external connector for exchange when it doesn't apply to reduce costs significantly.

 

Personally I would serious consider buying zimbra with support if I were changing now (already implemented 2003). I use it for my home mail system and prefer the web client to OWA (2003). I prefer the AV and filtering system in Zimbra too.

 

I'd love to get rid of outlook for staff use, especially now that 2007 has a crippled search feature if you don't use Microsoft Desktop search.

[contink]

I'd love to get rid of outlook for staff use, especially now that 2007 has a crippled search feature if you don't use Microsoft Desktop search.

Me' thinks you've just put me back on track for Zimbra in the new year.. I'd forgotten about that... MS Dire Search is one reason I'm really not enjoying Outlook.

[Oops_my_bad]

Looks like OWA 2007 has caught up with Outlook 2003 (just my opinion of course).

 

Ric I'm not due to start any sort of movement on this until about 2nd half of next year im afraid Looks like Geoff will be your best bet for that

[DMcCoy]

I hate to do this to you Ric but I really don't think you need any more licenses just for these users (apart from a device or user CAL as usual). Bare with me as it does relate to the original post

 

 

Exchange 2003 user CAL

 

The Exchange 2003 user CAL is required for each user gaining access to the server and entitles access rights to both editions of Exchange. Each Exchange 2003 CAL also includes Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 and permits access from Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access, Outlook Mobile Access, Exchange Server ActiveSync®, or any standard Internet-messaging client.

 

 

Exchange 2003 device CAL

 

The Exchange 2003 device CAL is required for each device accessing the server and entitles access rights to an unlimited number of users sharing this common device. An example of such a device is a kiosk running Outlook Web Access that is shared by several e-mail users.

 

From: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windowsserversystem/exchange/how-to-buy.mspx

 

The only choice with Exchange is going user or device CALs.

 

Back to the topic, I don't like the way Exchange works, I don't like its address lists.

 

I don't like the fact that you can't use outlook without being able to see yourself in the address list

 

I don't like the way outlook works with exchange, the way it searches for exchange accounts with a wild card. Mostly I don't like outlook and never have.

 

Zimbra is built primarily around the web interface that is better than the exchange one, it doesn't take over AD and has much better ways of moving your data if you want to move to anything else. I do find exchange easier to backup, although zimbra is easier to backup in its entireity.

 

The downside is its now owned by Yahoo :|

[webman]

Although it is owned by Yahoo, I see this is a benefit. I'm hoping they will invest heavily in the technologies behind Zimbra and Zimbra itself to make it even better and quicker than it is now. I read that they are still as committed as ever to the open source version.

 

What would be even better though would be a Google Email Appliance - with simple AD integration, shared address lists and calendaring

[CyberNerd]

What would be even better though would be a Google Email Appliance - with simple AD integration, shared address lists and calendaring Smile

 

 

they did make a gmail skin - but didn't release it

http://www.zimbra.com/blog/archives/2007/06/we_call_it_zmail.html

[webman]

Yeah that looks good.. a real shame they didn't release it

[pete]

*pokes Ric*

 

Any updates on your progress with this?