Ubuntu Unleashed 2013 Edition: Covering 12.10 and 13.04, Eighth Edition

Alternatives to Microsoft Exchange Server

One of the last areas in which a Microsoft product has yet to be usurped by open-source software is a replacement for Microsoft Exchange Server. Many businesses use Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange Server to access email and to provide calendaring, notes, file sharing, and other collaborative functions. General industry complaints about Exchange Server center around scalability, administration (backup and restore in particular), and licensing fees.

A “drop-in” alternative needs to have compatibility with Microsoft Outlook because it is intended to replace Exchange Server in an environment in which there are Microsoft desktops in existence using Outlook. A “work-alike” alternative provides similar ...