Email servers
 

Linux newbie here. I have a customer that is interested in a new email server. They are currently using Groupwise and are interested in moving from GW to MS Exchange. I want to be able to give them a Linux option to choose from just for kicks and grins. What would you guys recommend?

What about www.qmail.org ? I hear that is a replacement for sendmail. Anyone recommend one over the other?

qmail

None of the options about provide an adequate replacement for Exchange. They won't provide calendars, schedules, task lists or shared folders.

If you don't need any of these but are looking for a "plug and play" mail system you have many options.

Note the qmail and sendmail only deal with one very small (albeit significant) part of a mail system - i.e. delivering the mail to its intended destination.

Regards

Is there a package for Linux that does mimic the functionality of Exchange/Groupwise. Maybe a commercially available package?

There are several that have attempted to do so. I know of none that have achieved major success.

Perhaps the most hopeful current one is Ximian's Evolution.

Regards

Wait a minute you're talking about a client-side application there.

Yes, I am. But Evolution nails together several client apps to provide interaction with Exchange servers.

Ewww. It co-mingles with Exchange? I guess I understand why they would want to do that but I am looking for a UNIX/Linux server that behaves like Exchange but isn't Exchange or communicates with Exchange.

If Linux is going to make penetration into the business world someone needs to come up with this type of server ASAP.

Lots of good commercial Linux Groupware servers. (Note, this is important, do you want GroupWare or Mail Server.. Exhange calls itself a mailserver, but that's a minomer.) Lotus Notes and Domino Come to mind.... (Lotus Notes is supported on Linux via Wine as a client.)

Also worth Noting, if you client is small, and doensn't need WAN capable groupware. (say,, roughtly 20 clients on a Lan). I strongly suggest TIme and Chaos,, It's not expensive at all, and works *really* well. All data is concurently shared over a network file share. Nothing fancy, it just works, is easy to use, and has all the features (and more) people like of Outlook and friends. There's no need to purchase enterprise sorftware for small workgroups.

Yes, this will be for a small office. Probably about 20 or less users. TIme and Chaos support resource sharing ie calendar, contacts etc?

Yes, it does, do a quick search on Google and check it out. We've been using it in our small office for a few years....

They've just added an E-mail client. so together with the e-mail and T&C, you have a complete Outlook replacement, then all you need is a mail server to send/receive e-mail. Any of the Linux Distros should serve well for this purpose. (Note, Time and Chaos is a Windows program. I haven't tried running it in Wine yet). But don't just take my word for it Download T&C and try it out.