LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Andrew Reid <andrew.reid@plug.cx>
  To  : <adam.smith@sageautomation.com>
  Date: 04 May 2001 11:43:37 +0930

Re: "Exchange" solutions

On 04 May 2001 11:28:37 +0930, Adam Smith wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> My company is looking at some Linux solutions for some issues we have
> with our current network.  Take for example, the fact that our major
> company-wide enterprise management package is a Unix based program that
> had been ported to NT...  It's a dog :-)
> 
> We're going to move that over to RH Linux, of which I'm pleased - it
> should run like a charm now.
> 
> We're also looking to Linux to replace a few other services -- email,
> internet, etc.  Eventually even the whole lot perhaps.  I don't know.

NT on Internet-facing servers is like a red flag to a bull. You're
asking for trouble. UNIX on the Internet facing servers is the way to
go.

> As for e-mail, I keep hearing the words "Exchange" muttered around the
> place.  Well to implement that system we'd have to dedicate an array of
> super computers just to stop it from using all the system resources.

While I don't like Exchange in the slightest, it's not really that
resource hungry. You could easilly pickup a box (Say, Athlon 900, 256M
RAM) that would do the job for < $1600. Exchange isn't on my list of
favourite applications, but sometimes it may be the only solution.

> But anyway, I pursued the Exchange-type solutions around, and was
> referred to HP OpenMail which provided very similar functions.  This
> product is no longer supported by HP, and they will be no longer
> releasing new versions, and only providing bugfixes for the next 5
> years.

Yeah, that kinda sucks. OpenMail looked fairly cool.

> This basically throws that solution out of the Window in management
> eyes.  The remaining option is Exchange unless another solution can be
> found.  Really what they want is to be able to use Outlook for email,
> calendaring, scheduling, contacting 'n all that stuff Exchange and
> OpenMail do.

Hrmm.. Don't know about group-calendaring. Exchange is kind of good out
that. They use it at work. You install an MTA on the firewall and use
Mailertables to forward it to the internal Exchange box.

> What are your suggestions for Linux based solutions?  Otherwise it'll be
> Exchange.

IMAP + LDAP any good? I'm sure that you can whip something up. The
calendaring is the only thing that I think you might have trouble with,
especially if you want to share the calendars in realtime.

   - andrew

-- 
Andrew Reid                   email: andrew.reid@plug.cx
                              www:   http://www.plug.cx
"If ignorance is bliss        phone: +61 401 946 813
 why aren't there more 
 happy people?"


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