Chris,
I know what you mean. Recently finished a 12-15,000 seat migration from
MSMail, Exchange, Notes, GroupWise (about 50 different mail installations)
into a central Exchange system. Average server size (using clustered
servers) was 1500 users not the 300 odd they were touting as the 'Industry
Average'.
I really hope they weren't talking about Open Mail, for the reasons you
specified, but I wouldn't be surprised.
Basically the TCO analysis was way off, and I really think should be
discarded. There was so many issues / information missing, that:
a) They were done but removed to simplify the article
b) They were done, but they didnt like the numbers
c) They were never analysed (either because they didn't have time, or the
reviewer had no idea)
Guess which one I think is correct :)
I have yet to see a non-biased review of implementation of Linux System vs
NT / Netware / (insert os of choice), as all the articles seem to have been
written by someone with a barrow to push. I would actually like to see one
of these 'independent's ask for a configuration and get the Linux AND
Exchange sides to configure the system as best they can, and then compare
them, not get a Linux guy to configure an Exchange system, and visa versa.
One thing I did find interesting is that bynari software is preaching Open
Source etc, but you cant download a trial version (unless were both blind)
:) Even the 'Evil' Microsoft allows trial versions to be used prior to
purchasing, I found it strange that they did not.
Glenn.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scharff, Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Exchange Discussions" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2001 3:42 AM
Subject: RE: TCO - Linux vs. Exchange
> I was thinking that perhaps they might have been talkign about Insight
> Groupware from Bynari (http://www.bynari.net/), but I find it interesting
> they didn't bother to go into details or specifics at all.
>
> 2 years ago I worked as part fo an implementation team migrating 8,000
users
> from MSMail to Exchange and from personal experience I can say that there
> are a whole host of numbers which have been left out of this "TCO"
analysis.
> How much does it cost to deploy a client to the desktop.. are there
training
> materials for this suite, whatever it is? If so, how does the learning
curve
> compare to Exchange. <Insert 100 other cost related questions here>
>
> The only other possible decent collaborative mail solutions I can think of
> offhand which can scale to the sizes discussed in the article are OpenMail
> and Domino. If it's OpenMail, one wonders what crack the author was on to
> implement a product whose end of life cycle has been announced and if it's
> Domino, the administrative costs listed are completely off base IMHO.
>
> BTW, on the off chance it was Bynari I went to their website to see if I
> could download a demo version of the client and server to install on my
> Linux box. Can't seem to find one unfortunately.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Glenn Corbett
> To: Exchange Discussions
> Sent: 9/15/2001 5:53 AM
> Subject: Re: TCO - Linux vs. Exchange
>
> Chris,
>
> My additional assumption would be:
>
> h. Linux has an equivalent mail system to that of Exchange.
>
> Whilst all these numbers may be great to throw around (and based on the
> publisher they are biased towards a Linux implementation), the real
> question
> is "does Linux have a mail system that could go head-to-head, or
> toe-to-toe
> with Exchange" ??
>
> So far, the mail systems / packages / collection of unrelated
> applications
> on Linux that I've seen doesn't come close to what the Microsoft
> Exchange
> system offers. Most of the solutions seem to revolve around web-based or
> POP3, IMAP4 clients.
>
> Yes, there is web-based email for Linux, but no, most Exchange installs
> don't use this as the primary client.
>
> Yes, Exchange supports POP3, IMAP, but no, most exchange installs use
> the
> Outlook client, not Outlook Express.
>
> Looking at TCO number for servers and licensing is great, and is
> something
> that should be done regularly to ensure your company is receiving value
> for
> money, but unless the resulting solution provides the necessary
> functionality, what is the point ?
>
> I'll be the first to admit that I'm not 100% up on the offerings from
> the
> Linux community, but after recent investigations looking for a
> replacement
> for Exchange on the Linux platform for some smaller companies who see
> the
> cost of Exchange as prohibitive, I was unable to locate a complete
> solution
> that offered the same functionality. If someone would like to point me
> to
> such a solution, then maybe we can have a discussion about the TCO
> numbers /
> relative merits of such a solution.
>
> Glenn.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Scharff, Chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "Exchange Discussions" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 1:39 PM
> Subject: RE: TCO - Linux vs. Exchange
>
>
> > It's amazingly accurate if the following assumtions are made:
> > a. bandwidth is unlimited
> > b. bandwidth is free
> > c. MCSEs are all paper
> > d. Unix admins are all rocket scientists
> > e. The Unix community if full of messaging experts who are willing to
> drop
> > everything to run to the aid of anyone with a software issue.
> > f. The exchange community is not.
> > g. morons were hired to design the Exchange infrastructure
> >
> > I'd like the specs on Jimmy's Groupware application though. The T in
> TCO
> > includes more than what he's listed... I'd like to see how the product
> > enhances productivity in the Enterprise. That certainly has to be
> factored
> > in unless you're a SSM who isn't aware of how what they do and the
> services
> > they provide effects the bottom line.
> >
> > BTW, "Jimmy went out of his way to be fair to the Exchange/PC
> solution,
> > since the industry average is 350 mailboxes per server" is a perfect
> example
> > of zealotry blotting out rational thought processes.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Bob Razler
> > To: Exchange Discussions
> > Sent: 9/13/2001 6:35 PM
> > Subject: TCO - Linux vs. Exchange
> >
> > Hello:
> >
> > I am not advocating either side. I am just providing this as
> > some
> > related reading for Exchange Admins. Maybe you can even comment on it
> > and
> > let the rest of us know if you disagree with it and why.
> >
> > http://consultingtimes.com/Serverheist.html
>
>
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