SuSE's OpenExchange and Windows Integration? 24
enrico_suave asks: "I work for a small-ish Non Profit Organization (less than 20 users) who would like to utilize 'groupware' (calendaring/contacts/etc) sharing software but aren't in a position to spend large amounts of cash on Microsoft Exchange Server. We currently use Outlook 2000's kludgey Net Folders which is often more trouble than it's worth. I've been looking at SuSE Linux's OpenExchange Server as a low cost groupware alternative, and wanted to know if anybody has used this package in a similar setting. A previous Slashdot article was more of an announcement, than a hands on review, and most of the reviews I've seen don't seem very objective or don't delve deep enough into details/practical usage.
Has anyone used SuSE's OpenExchange in a primarily Windows shop with Outlook as the desktop mail/groupware client? How is the Outlook integration?"
You're not alone in this search. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:You're not alone in this search. (Score:1, Funny)
I'd like to thank my family, especially my wife for leaving me alone long enough to read
Windows is windows, linux is linux, and cheaper. (Score:1)
Sure you can try a piecemeal approach.
But it is probably more effective to go the whole
9 yards. for twenty people, switch the clients over
to linux as well. Otherwise, you're going to be spending plenty on MS-Office & Virus software per year. There will be an initial pain of transition, but after the hump you will be way better off.
Re:Windows is windows, linux is linux, and cheaper (Score:1)
This of course doesn't contradict anything you've said in your post--I'm just thinking about the medium-largish companies.
Re:Windows is windows, linux is linux, and cheaper (Score:1)
In this guy's case, I assume he is IT, so I figured it
Project orgin and source code... (Score:1)
Re:Project orgin and source code... (Score:1)
We've used it (Score:5, Informative)
The outlook integration is handled via a system tray program that runs and sync's your outlook on a schedule (every 30 minutes I think by default), so it's not really "live" integration with outlook, but it seems to work ok. SuSE just released a new version of the sync program today.
The palm sync works ok too. It's implemented in Java/soap. Has a few bugs, mainly in all-day events (palm lists it as an all day event, OE shows it as an event that starts at 00:00:00. Every time I sync it pops up a change dialog for any all day events I have, and I have to click through each of them each time).
Backup is kinda kludgy... there is no built in way to back up all the groupware functionality, other than doing a full system backup, or backing up the PostgreSQL databases, the LDAP directory, etc separately.
Overall, it works well for what it does, but it could be cleaned up a bit. I'd really like to see an updated palm conduit.
I hear you. (Score:1)
Qmail-Toaster (Score:2)
Microsoft NFP programs (Score:4, Informative)
I provide IT services for two charities (30-40 users) and Exchange or SBS with Exchange works out pretty well.
Initial impression (Score:4, Informative)
It makes a complete desktop install (up to and including asking if you want to install 3D drivers).
I have also ran into some limitations in their installer WRT LVM and (software) RAID, and SW RAID and boot managers - which are really limitations in their installer and not in the actual technologies.
I have run into a few real bugs already in their web frontend, concerning no less than configuration of the thing.
I've reported two bugs two days ago in the morning; they are still unanswered as of now (~10AM here so that would be two full days by now[1]).
I've also encountered at least one "bug" which was a case of inaccurate error reporting, and took a while to figure out what was really going on.
I still have to look into that part yet, but from a superficial glance it will also take quite some work to integrate it into our existing network infrastructure (existing user accounts in LDAP, anyone? And migrating our mail configuration from our existing server.)
The support is not bad, but it's not fast (there are support upgrade programs for that) and the fact that I needed it a few times already is concerning (take my word on that).
When one deviates even the smallest amount from the SuSE set out configuration/environment, small things break everywhere. Which makes it a non-solution for anything beyond small upstart companies.
In the april issue of Linux Magazine [linux-magazine.com] there was a cover story about five candidate Exchange replacements, including OpenExchange, with an initial comparison and then individual articles about each of those five (of which, incidentally, the OpenExchange one is available online).
In their comparison, OpenExchange came out as the least fit Exhange replacement candidate. IIRC, there were two very good ones (ISTR easygate was one of them, can't remember the other and I don't have the mag at hand anymore), two still very good but not as good as the other, and then OE.
I'd suggest to order an evaluation version first, and see how it works out.
[1] As a matter of fact, replies to both just rolled in while I was typing this comment. So that would make up to 2 date reply time (another issue I reported about was more like one day)
Re:Initial impression - Eval (Score:1)
Evaluation version available for order ( no download ) here [suse.com] at a cost of $19.95
Mozilla can do that... (Score:1)
Re:Mozilla can do that... (Score:1)
Currently where I work we use Exchange 5.5 on NT4. I use Mozilla on my Linux de
I work for a Non-Profit (Score:2, Informative)
My manager is still open to something like Sendmail, but since we're a Microsoft shop, and it's cheap, it may be a hard battle when the time comes.
Other solutions (Score:2)
If you just need email, a shared directory service, and a shared calendar (and not the rest of the Exchange features) there are a number of solutions out there.
Check out setting up qmail with sqwebmail, and OpenLDAP for directrory service. You are still missing the calendar, and there are a few packages that should support the calendar (none of which I have used). Check out Amphora (Light) [amphora.ee].
Also, check out the free Exchange4Linux [billworkgroup.org] Bill and the not-so-free Exchange4Linux version. I believe that the
Choices. (Score:2)
SuSE OpenExchange is a combination of open source applications that have been nicely integrated with each other, by SuSe. It is built using Postfix for the MTA, Cyrus for IMAP, OpenLDAP
Look at donations (Score:2)
However, if you can't get what you need there, software donations are often easy to get. Research the commercial alternatives -- these will help you evaluate the OSS alternatives too. Then, once you have determined what would be the best alternative if you had the money, just ask for it.
Software donations in my experience are relatively easy asks, because the marginal costs of the donation to the donor are nearly zero. The procedures vary from company to company, but you
How about hosted Oracle Collaboration Server? (Score:2)
Re:How about hosted Oracle Collaboration Server? (Score:1)
Granted that its not certified on the platform I was trying (redhat 8.0), I find it hard to believe that AS2.1 is SO different that it wouldn't go through the installation...
Lots of fun if you have a month to spend on it
Another option (Score:2)
You may want to check out Samsung Contact (nee HP OpenMail) which is a more cohesive solution. I'm currently in the process of deploying it right now, so I won't give any opinion yet. A 45-day trial is available.
one thing i saw (Score:1)
Re:one thing i saw (Score:1)