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ALTERNATIVES TO WINDOWS HOME SERVER 2011 SOFTWARE
The software just sits there and does its job,” says Express Minimix’s Jon Gordon.ĭoing a direct cost comparison is difficult, but Gordon points out that “Microsoft’s support costs tend to be a lot higher.” He adds that the entire system has also been far easier to maintain and administer than Exchange. “I’ve used Exchange before, and switching to Igaware and Zarafa is a no-brainer. The company’s staff accesses email using Zarafa webmail, Outlook clients or their mobile devices (using ActiveSync). “You can run on lower-spec hardware with just 1GB of memory, instead of a machine with 32GB.”Ĭoncrete supplier Express Minimix has moved to Igaware Small Business Server and Zarafa as an Exchange alternative. There are no user limits, for starters, “so the solution is completely scalable.” In addition, the cost per user is similar to Office 365, but the Linux-based options offer additional functionality and more efficient software, he says.
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There are other advantages to moving to a Linux-based SBS alternative instead of Windows Server Essentials, Sexton says. It’s not practical for them to move to a cloud-based solution, he says, because they lack fast enough or reliable enough Internet connectivity. If users don’t notice a difference, he says, “then … these Linux-based, SBS alternatives can work.” SBS, Server 2012 Essentials Alternatives Typically Cheaper, More EfficientĪccording to Tim Sexton, sales director of Linux server vendor Igaware, many small businesses have little choice but to find a Linux alternative to SBS. To successfully sway small businesses away from the Microsoft options, Miller says it’s essential that end users can continue to use their Outlook clients. “The only question mark is whether small companies will be willing to try them rather than what Microsoft is pushing them to do.” “These vendors are sensing that there’s an opportunity here,” Miller says. Many Linux small business server vendors bundle their software with Exchange alternatives - particularly Zarafa, which is seen as a very close alternative to Exchange - and are now specifically targeting small businesses that would otherwise have been obvious customers for SBS. Popular Linux small business server alternatives include Univention Corporate Server, the Zentyal SMB Edition and Igaware Small Business Server, while Linux-based Exchange alternatives include Scalix, Sogo and Zarafa. There are certainly no shortage of options. Linux-based Small Business Server Alternatives Aren’t Hard to Find These include using Google’s cloud-based Google Apps service for the mail, calendaring and other functionality that Exchange provides, or a Linux-based server that runs an Exchange-like service as well.
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ALTERNATIVES TO WINDOWS HOME SERVER 2011 PLUS
Microsoft is playing a risky game, Miller says, because plenty of other options available are aside from using Server 2012 Essentials plus Office 365 or hosted Exchange. “What Microsoft has done has upset customers (and VARs) - but Microsoft wants to push people to the cloud.” But what these guys were doing was not the model that Microsoft wanted,” Miller says. “SBS was traditionally pushed out by VARS and service providers who would put in a Dell or HP box with SBS. Why has Microsoft axed this popular product? Wes Miller, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft, says he believes that Microsoft was faced with a difficult decision: Continue to include Exchange in its entry-level server product or forge ahead with its strategy of moving customers to the cloud - and the recurring revenue streams that this strategy brings. For that functionality, you’re expected to subscribe to Microsoft Office 365, use a hosted Exchange service or buy and run your own Exchange server on a separate physical box - all at an additional cost. More importantly, one key attractions of SBS has been removed: Essentials doesn’t include Exchange at all.