Need alternative to Exchange Server

[chansen]

I have a client with an NT4 domain and about 20 Win98 and Win2K clients currently using MDaemon to forward their mail from their ISP and sort to the individual recipients. They are unhappy with the stability of MDaemon. I do not currently administer this server or MDaemon.

I am developing a VB6 C/S application with Access 2000 back end database for them (the Access 2000 .mdb stays on the server and is accessed by my client software).

My app is to have email and fax sending capability. Also, it is to access a central contact list (like a public folder in Exchange Server) that can be shared at the client machines with MS Outlook and my app so that these people don't have to enter this contact information twice.

Exchange is overkill for this instance, as the groupware and other features would go unused. Also, I understand that Exchange is more diffucult to secure.

Is there another mail server that would fill this need for an email server, and public address list at least? The fax server could be handled separately.

Regards,
Craig

 

[Nothinman]

You could probably use an IMAP server and LDAP for address lists on Linux or some other form of unix pretty easily. But it all depends on how much time you're willing to invest, Exchange, GroupWise (Novell) or Lotus Notes are probalby the easiest choices.

If the server is directly connected to the Internet there should be a go-between box running only a small smtp server anyway because you don't want any chance of leaving their mail accessable to the world.

OffTopic: I wish people would stop using mdb files as a backend database, they suck.

 

[mcveigh]

I remember a canadian company having a exchange like program that was supposed to integrate with outlook and other exchange server, and it could run on linux too. ($) can't remember the site though... sorry

 

[chansen]

We'll be porting the back end db to SQL Server later.

But I'm really looking for something I can use with NT and Win2K Server. Not Linux. Not UNIX.

On Nothinman's advice, I've started looking into IMAP and LDAP.

Specifically, at MDaemon 5 (hope it would be more stable than v4) and iMail.

Any experience with these?

 

[Nothinman]

But I'm really looking for something I can use with NT and Win2K Server. Not Linux. Not UNIX.

Like I said Exchange or Lotus are probably the easiest for someone in a MS background. I only mentioned LDAP/IMAP on Linux because that's what I would use, and you'll want a secure box in between the Internet and the Exchange box anyway.

We'll be porting the back end db to SQL Server later.

Not to take this any farther OT, but why even start with mdbs? Why not start directly with SQL?

 

[chansen]

It's a small app, with a reasonably small db. Maybe 3 concurrent users max (and rarely that). We're starting with .mdb files because it's cheaper than SQL Server. If Access starts to flake out, we'll move.

Like I said, their mail server (MDaemon 3 or 4) currently only forwards mail from their hosting company to the correct inbox. Is that considered a direct connection to the Internet? They need a central address book, which I could also attach to from VB.

Exchange looks like overkill here. I will explore Notes. There are also LDAP server components for MDaemon and iMail. I'm curious about those as well.

Thanks,
Craig

 

[Nothinman]

Like I said, their mail server (MDaemon 3 or 4) currently only forwards mail from their hosting company to the correct inbox. Is that considered a direct connection to the Internet? They need a central address book, which I could also attach to from VB.

If the server holding the Inbox is directly accessible from the Internet that's usually a bad thing and if mdaemon is forwarding from their ISP to them that's probably how it is. If they're pulling the mail from the ISP then it's not necessarily directly connected to the Internet.

Exchange looks like overkill here. I will explore Notes. There are also LDAP server components for MDaemon and iMail. I'm curious about those as well.

I know it's overkill, Notes and GroupWise probably also are but I don't know about anything smaller that isn't unix based.