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E-mail: Client & Server

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by it_jp

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My Company is currently using GroupWise 4.1a. We're looking to upgrade or acquire a new e-mail system.

We're looking for something like Novel NetMail, but it has to work with Windows 2000 Server's Active Directory.

Any advice on this ?
Thanks.

7 replies

by lordinfidel

It is integrated with AD.

You can access it via the web thru the OWA.

It would definietly be an upgrade.

by tbragsda

I dont know much about NetMail yet. Read a couple of bits about it, but Im alwas a fan of NW soultions.

First, I know it runs on 2k. As for AD, I bet so, but NDS is sooo much better. How big is the enviroment?

Others will push for Exchange. I have nothing realy against it, but cant say much good about it either.

by lordinfidel

According to a white paper on Novells site, NetMail only integrates with Novell systems.

While it can run on top of windows, sun, linux etc. It did though state it can use NT permissions. But did not state that it is AD integrated.

I have used alot of e-mail systems and there is a reason why people advocate exchange.

It is the most stable of all MS products. It's the one of the few things that they got correct.
Even 5.5 was ahead of it's time. It is the hardest to master and learnand is not for the faint of heart. But it's also the premier mail exchanger out there, nothing comes close to it's adapability and use.

by it_jp

Thank you very much to everyone. Your repplies are very usefull.

NetMail can't work on AD. I tried it last week on a small testing LAN that I have created for this purpose. It has to have eDirectory. The company I work for is very small, 100 users and growing very slow. Which is the reason I need something efficient and not very expensive.

We've considered Exchange, but are affraid of all the vulnerabilities including outlook. Too many viruses outthere.

I would like to know of something that will run well on either environment, Novel or Windows Networks. And it doesn't have to be very sophisticated.

Thank you all for your input.
And if anyone has further advice, I will greatly appreciate it.

by lordinfidel

Don't always believe what you here.

A well written virus will dessimate any system, regardless.

Take the I Love you virus. It was written for outlook. While it did not destroy outlook, it used a mechanism in outlook to deploy. That same virus, when run in netscape, destroyed netscape to the point that you could not use it.

When deploying *ANY* mail client or gateway, you should employ virus protcetion/scanning software.

My long standing belief is that *ALL* attachments should be scanned/quarrantined/blocked at the mail gateway and not the client side.

There are several products that do this, NAI's groupshield and TredMicro are among the top ones. Norton also has a product, but I still have bitter feelings over norton andtheir aol style of octopi installations.

In any event, what ever you choose, make sure you get AV software with it and configure it for extenstion blocking.

What is extension blocking? It is the ability to block file extensions instead of just viruses. So if the latest and greatest .vbs virus is released and you have your gateway configured to block all .vbs extenstions, then it will not infect your netwk.

For a list of what I preach to block:
www.directionweb.com/nettools/extensions.txt

by it_jp

I did use GroupShield for Exchange 5.5 a while back. It worked great, but this was a private intranet/LAN. So I never got the chance to try it on an exposed system.

thank you very much for your input.

by c.barnhorst

While I like Exchange, don't you want to look at the work culture before deciding? What kind of business is this? Are workgroups closely knit or just grouped by administrative needs? I like Outlook's workgroup tools for routing, comment, and markup but this may not be a need in your setting. Define how your email needs to support your business plan and your answer as to what email system to use should follow pretty easily.

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