Hi
We are a small charity organization, have small network ??? Client / Server based network.
We have 6 workstations & 1 server (which acts as a Domain controller). Currently we are using our Isps Pop3 mail account configured in Outlook. We are thinking to get an Exchange server for managing emails. My question is it worthwhile spending money for an ne exchange server for only 6 or 7 users in the Office.
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Answers (7)
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I Wouldn't
What specifically do you want it for?
7th Mar 2011
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Well, why were you thinking of going with Exchange in the first place?
Is there any business or regulatory reason to do so? What sort of management does your email require?
Overall, I'd say that the cash you'd have to drop on Exchange server, the hardware, and the upkeep would probably be better spent elsewhere in a small charity, especially with only 6 email users.
Overall, I'd say that the cash you'd have to drop on Exchange server, the hardware, and the upkeep would probably be better spent elsewhere in a small charity, especially with only 6 email users.
7th Mar 2011
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Mercury free
This may be of help for you, is free and may function as the Exchange server, but it wont cost you.
Regards!
Regards!
7th Mar 2011
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Mercury Free
Sorry, I forgot the link: http://email.about.com/cs/winserverreviews/gr/mercury32.htm
7th Mar 2011
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Calendar, tasks, etc
Outlook offers more functionality then only mail, e.g. shared Calendar & task info. But it might be wortjh considering a service provider who could deliver you a this functionality as part of the service. I would not pay M$ for the entire licences-set with required hardware extensions, when it could be part of a monthly rental scheme, and would include support and (e.g. patch-)maintainance.
Such an option could seemlessly be integrated in your office environment.
Such an option could seemlessly be integrated in your office environment.
8th Mar 2011
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BPOS
If I were you, I would take a look at something like BPOS. It is Microsoft's hosted exchange solution. For 6 people, it is $30 a month and they take care of everything for you with 25gb of e-mail storage and full backups of everything. http://www.microsoft.com/online/business-productivity.aspx
8th Mar 2011
Replies
Agreed. Hosted Exchange would be more suitable and offer you greater control over your expenses. The maintenance and upkeep is not your responsibility. As long you review the SLAs offered by your provider to ensure there is sufficient redundancy to protect your operations and data as well minimal downtime (if any)
Andrew Marr
8th Mar 2011
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Not worth it
Consider the hardware, administration, updates and up front costs and it wouldn't make sense. There are free solutions, but would web based mail be sufficient? For under $100/year you can get all the email addresses you need with calendars etc from any number of hosted web providers. Plus you get a web site.
8th Mar 2011
