Zimbra: the messaging alternative to Microsoft Exchange
Microsoft Exchange is well established in the enterprise. But needs are changing, and so are the players: there are publishers with very attractive offerings, such as Zimbra. How do you compare them? Read all our tips on corporate messaging.
Evolution of professional webmail publishers
Microsoft Exchange: the historic but obsolete player?
Microsoft applications are widely deployed in businesses and organisations. With its Office 365 suite and Exchange business email, Microsoft is still the benchmark. However, there are other publishers whose solutions have :
- equivalent functionality ;
- lower prices.
The revival
Companies need to cut costs. IT departments are under severe budgetary pressure. SaaS (Software as a Service) makes applications available in the Cloud. There is no longer any need for local installation, and deployment costs are saved. The trend is towards IT-as-a-Service. On the day of an Exchange upgrade, companies can legitimately ask themselves the question:
- Continue with Exchange?
or
- Switch to another vendor?
Zimbra messaging: the right alternative
Zimbra is suitable for all types of organisation: businesses, public authorities, associations, etc. It's a responsive, collaborative software package with :
- a messaging system (mailbox) ;
- instant messaging (chat, VoIP calls);
- a calendar
- an address book
- a task manager;
- a briefcase.
Mail software comparison
When we compare email software between Zimbra and Exchange mailboxes, the points that stand out are as follows:
Deployment
Exchange has two options:
- under licence: locally ;
- via a virtual appliance.
On the Zimbra side, one more:
- SaaS mode: online.
Accessibility
We work a lot on the move, both from a business device and with our personal equipment. This is known as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). To enable this, the company needs to ensure that employees can access their webmail, so that they can connect continuously to a secure personal cloud containing all their data and applications. This means installing applications on every device, unless it's SaaS. With Zimbra, mobility is a reality for employees and system administrators alike, with the web-based administration console, also SaaS and secure.
Compatibility
Exchange is only compatible with native installations, particularly for the web. To navigate, users have to use OWA (Outlook Web Access). However, interoperability between the Outlook email client and the OWA web client is uncertain. Appearance and functionality vary :
- from one operating system to another: depending on whether you're using Mac, Windows or Linux.
- from one browser to another: the Premium version of OWA, for example, will not be available on Chrome on Mac and Linux.
With Zimbra, the user experience is consistent whatever the operating system or web browser. What's more, the APIs for its extensions, Zimlets, are compatible with a wide range of tools. Exchange's APIs are limited, making plugins unavailable or unstable.
Support
These compatibility problems mobilise support: employees risk encountering technical blockages. They will have to call on support or the IT department. Between :
- lack of adoption of OWA by employees ;
- difficulties restoring Exchange data
- frequent server downtime;
Your IT department will be more stretched on Exchange. One IT manager estimates that Exchange results in 33% more administrative time and requires one more full-time person per year. And this remains true even if you have four times fewer users than if you were on Zimbra. With Zimbra, it's the integrator Ovea that provides support. It is less in demand, especially as users are directed to carry out certain simple tasks themselves. More autonomous, they are able to resolve their problems more quickly. And that means less time for support.
Total cost of ownership
Before changing tools, you need to assess the Total Cost of Ownership(TCO). While the hardware costs of storage and the price of the licence are significant, you also need to take into account the associated human capital. The time spent on the solution and the cost of support contracts work against MS Exchange, especially given their recurring problems with Outlook and PST files.
Extensions
The issue of administrative rights for extensions is another factor that overburdens support. Anyone can install a plugin. You can imagine the technical problems involved. With Zimbra, IT department supervision is provided to avoid this type of problem.
While Exchange has long been the tool of choice for businesses, more agile and high-performance solutions like Zimbra are catching up. The question arises as to how to make operating savings and work with a more efficient tool. If you're worried about the prospect of switching your data or your business mailbox, read our article on how to migrate your business mail successfully and your doubts will disappear.
Article translated from French