[svlug] Exchange server for Linux?

[Karsten M. Self]

on Thu, Dec 23, 2004 at 07:39:32PM -0800, James Sparenberg (james at linuxrebel.us) wrote:
> On Thu, 2004-12-23 at 18:39, Karsten M. Self wrote:
> > on Wed, Dec 22, 2004 at 06:02:08PM -0800, Craig Oda (craigoda at gmail.com) wrote:

> > > Does anyone have any actual experience running a small office
> > > shared calendaring system where the clients are on Windows and the
> > > server is Linux?  Since we are a small office, we don't have
> > > technical staff on hand.  We have to do the best we can with our
> > > limited knowledge.
> > 
> > I've rarely seen small shops even use Exchange's calendaring,
> > frankly.
> > 
> > Most recent experience used Exchange for local mail only, stored all
> > mail on desktops, and used direct POP/SMTP access to a third-party
> > mailserver for external mail.  Go figure.

> Could it perhaps be that subconciously they don't have faith enough in
> the Exchange server to remain working and un-hacked to allow it to
> take on the challenge of handling their more important external mail?
> Sometimes it seems our actions betray us despite our professed
> beliefs.

No.

Here I'd chalk it up to complete ignorance of capbilities, and
sufficient competence only to run the system out-of-the-box.  My
recommendation, when the suggestion of putting the Exchange server
directly on the 'Net was pretty much "Hell no, that's not your core
competence".  Leaving tactically unstated as to just what _was_ the core
competence of the organization in question.

That said:  the situation isn't particularly different from most small
businesses.  They've got a product (in this case, Microsoft Small
Business Server, a rebranded MS Windows 2000 Server), pretty much
out-of-the-box configuration (in this case, short about 40-odd updates
and patches).  Which ran, mostly, without too much minding....

...but a number of issues basically lurking like sharks beneath the
surface.  And little inclination or support for addressing these.

I figured they were doing themselves a service keeping 'Net mail with an
ISP who had more clue.


Peace.

-- 
Karsten M. Self <kmself at ix.netcom.com>        http://kmself.home.netcom.com/
 What Part of "Gestalt" don't you understand?
   Remember Ed Curry!  http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry/
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