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Exchange Server vs Linux mail server

hi,

What would be the advantages/disadvantages on both options? thanks

Any email server can do basic smtp with pop3 or imap access and even webmail. The place where exchange stands out is with application integration and sharing capabilities. There are linux packages that rival exchange server like Zimbra, but exchange is very popular and therefore has a big user-base.

mcrmg

ASKER

1. but ES is more difficult to setup and maintain, right?
2. Zimbra looks good, it can even do blackberry sync, right?
3. what about the free linux email server, are they any good?

thx

rid

I think Exchange is finicky and hopelessly complicated, but, then again, I'm an amateur in the MS department.

I've been maintaining a Linux + Postfix mail server for some time and it's been very cost-effective. I think I've spent like one hour a year on unexpected adjustments during its 5 years of service and that's it. It has halted once.

The configuration of a postfix server is fairly simple and you can get lots of info and instructions from the postfix web site. The base is RedHat 8 (I know, old....) and it runs on a P III (yes, I know; old....) but it does its job with POP3, IMAP4 and SMTP, for no license fees or such. If you're not enthusiastic about config files and the command line, I suppose a lot could be done using webmin and I'm sure there are improvements in newer Linux distributions and Postfix versions.
/RID

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jar3817

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mcrmg

ASKER

is .imailserver any good?thx

jar3817

I don't know, never used it.

rid

IMail, for windows, has a farily good reputation (if that's what you mean) and I found it quite OK. That was like 5-6 years ago, though....
/RID