Exchange Server Replacement Options on Linux

emailexchangelinux

I've worked as a sysadmin for some years and what I keep coming back to is that users like Microsoft Outlook and want to use its Exchange features. I have tried my fair share of commercial alternatives but usually there is either a fundamental feature missing or there are stability issues.

In short I am looking for a Microsoft Exchange Alternative with the following features:

  • Authentication through SQL or LDAP
  • Has a solid, comfortable web interface for the users when they are off-site
  • Supports replication and load balancing (if one fails, the second one should be already running)
  • Outlook client support (or a really good alternative client)
  • Resource booking (meeting rooms, projectors, company jet, etc)
  • Calendar (shared/private) and Email (if that wasn't obvious)
  • (Optional) A cross-platform client for us *nix users.
  • (Optional) Corporate support contracts available
  • (Optional) An open-source software is a plus

Please keep your answers as detailed as possible to determine that you've successfully deployed the software and it fulfills the needs. If I wanted a list of claimed alternatives , I would simply Google it.

I've personally tried Binary Server, Novell Groupwise, homegrown Postfix/Cyrus stuff and in the end the 'real thing' because those users just love Exchange.

Please help me find a good alternative.

Best Answer

Zimbra is an excellent opensource, linux based alternative to Exchange. It combines Apache Tomcat, Postfix, MySQL, OpenLDAP and Lucene in a single, well defined package. It offers:

  • LDAP Authentication
  • Calendaring, resource booking and free/busy info
  • Ability to connect using outlook, and its own Zimbra client
  • Excellent web interface
  • Allows multi server setup and replication

It is available for free, with the option of paying for a supported version. I have used Zimbra for a number of organisations who did not, or could not pay for Exchange, and they have all been very happy with it.

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