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Actually, they do offer 24x7 support: http://www.zimbra.com/support/support_overview.html On the other hand, this is not available with its free version, and in reality, Zimbra is not currently able to do everything that Exchange offers, but it certainly does the majority. It does though offer some features which MS did not offer the last I knew. Here's a link to what it does offer: http://www.zimbra.com/pdf/Zimbra%20Collaboration%20Suite%20Feature%20List.pdf Jon On Fri, Apr 20, 2007 at 11:56:03AM -0400, Laurence Bates wrote: When you say that Zimbra has all of the features of Exchange, does that mean that you can call for assistance with Zimbra 24 x 7 and receive a commitment to fix your problem via escalation if necessary - for $245 ? Don't get me wrong, I like free software but I also like a rock solid commitment to support whatever I need to have running. Exchange is cheap for what you get and I would support providing it for all MSU faculty and staff ASAP. There is a cost to having centralized email but my sense is that we are currently just scratching the surface of the efficiencies that we should be getting from email, calendaring, resource scheduling etc. That was fine for a relatively isolated university with little outside competition but those times are changing fast. -----Original Message----- From: Chris Pfeffer [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 2:01 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] google wants msu.edu? Instead of using Exchange, we use a program called Zimbra. It is linux based and has all the features of Exchange. Chris Kwiatkowski, Nicholas wrote: > I cringe at the thought that Google would be hosting our email. While > they have a great interface (and a pretty well defined spam-catcher), > they are an off-site corporation with no responsibility to our > university. Their privacy policy differs SIGNIFICANTLY from our privacy > statement and AUP. > > We have very talented staff here, whom can either create their own > solution, or procure one that is run and owned by the university. > Personally, I find the current solution very hard to use, but I realize > that it was a huge step forward from the elm solution we were using at > the time. > > There are lots of new technologies that can be explored to create a new > front-end to our email solution: AJAX, Flex, etc. There are lots of > varieties of front-end solutions that exist out there that can be > modeled after: GMail, Yahoo, Outlook Web Access, MailEnable, and > SmarterMail come to mind. > > As far as your last question of allowing some students to use gMail, > while others keep the existing system, that is possible today. All > students / staff need to do is do a mail-forward to their gmail account. > I know lots of people whom are doing it today with good results. > > -Nick Kwiatkowski > MSU Telecom Systems > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Peter J Murray > Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:03 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [MSUNAG] google wants msu.edu? > > Did anyone else see the half page ad in the State News today (bottom > half, page 7A)? Google is asking students to take a survey at > http://www.google.com/studentsurvey > > In the interest of science, I'm posting the questions asked below. > > How satisfied are you with your school's current email system, compared > to other systems you've used (like your personal mail)? > What would you like to change about your school's current email system? > (choose up to three) > I would prefer to use Gmail, Google Talk and Google Calendar instead of > my school's current systems? > What's the primary way that Gmail, Google Talk and Google Calendar could > > be better than your school's current systems? > Do you have a Gmail account? > How satisfied are you with Gmail? > > Once you've completed the short survey, it says you can click through to > > see how the other students voted. > > Is this something the university asked Google to do, or is Google trying > > to do an end run around the University? > > Also, is there any plans to increase quota/space and speed with MSU, or > is this the first step into having Google host MSU email? > > What do other NAGers think of the prospect of Google hosting MSU email? > > Would MSU consider letting students migrate their accounts over (but > maintain the current system for those who want to stay with MSU run > equipment?) > > __________ NOD32 2205 (20070419) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com