mail server/software alternative?

[whispers]

hey gang..

gonna pick your brain9s) for a bit..

at my work...the customer service department is complaining about their email, its effectiveness, options and accessability.

I believe all reps use Outlook 2003 for their web clients...and we have use MAILMAX as our mail server software..

From what I gather (and I dont have a full list of features they want yet), MailMax just inst cutting it.

Now I am not knowledgable in the area of mail servers... so please talk to me as if you are fluent in retard.

They want to be able to:

sort emails
search emails
Flag emails
Tell who responded to what email..and when (or if it still un-read)
Junk/Spam mail filtering
Virus protection

but most importantly... they need a way to share and communicate notes about emails publicly or shared somehow.

I dont know enough abotu Exchange to know if this would be the best route/solution to look into..

I found something called www.FUSEMAIL.com which looks to have alot of the desired features..but looks to hold everything on THEIR server..instead of one in-house.

Like I said..Im nto sure what all is exactly needed..but these are a few of the requirements... I would liek to get something that has a communal or public calander or schedule so all the reps can see who does what at what time..and who goes where when. (breaks..days off..etc..etc) I think exchange has something like this maybe? (cant remember)

anyways...any ideas are welcome...looking for something soon...customizable for us and our needs preferably..and housed/installed on OUR mail servers we have in-house.

Public sharing of emails and who did what on each email I believe is the most important... I believe now they have tocheck the SAME email account..and try to see who did what.....no sorting..moving to public folders..nothing.


thanks

[JPnyc]

I had a similar problem at work. Switching from outlook to Thunderbird solved it.

[whispers]

?? Outlook is just the client to check your mail with correct? Thnderbird being the same alternative? I think this may have to be server based (like exchange)....

also MailMax has crappy virus protection.... and in OutLook...where is the public folder stuff?..Is this possible?

Each rep. will have their own personal accounts..as well as a PUBLIC Customer Service directory..that all cs@companyname.com emails go to..... I would also like to have folders/directories that we create dwe we can organize emails (such as un-read, follow-ups, returns..etc..etc) that are ALL public as well... (once they have been grouped and organized.. or even maybe put there by some sort of MAIL rule.

Also..what about the public calander stuff? anything? Thats just OutLook? nothing else?

thanks

[random_fool]

If you're going to run a WIndows server for email, you better use Exchange. All of the alternatives (all of them) are trash.

Linux (Sendmail + QPopper) is a much better alternative for POP heavy remote systems.

[robbmcaulay]

Thunderbird with AVG has been good for me

[whispers]

?? am I missing something? lol Im looking for some sort of COMMUNIAL (public) shared mail set-up.....

random-

I dont know much about exchange does exchange do want I need? Its not a problem of getting an smtp server..... or a way to retrieve their mail...

its about finding a solution so they can all share mail..leave notes about emails... about who updated what..or sent what. and sorting, searchable type of thing as well.


the www.fusemail.com link I posted has a feature called "Search Folders"..this is mor eliek what they are looking for... I have heard that exchange has some features they require as well...however I have no experience with it..and was wondeirng if anyone here does.


Thanks

[whispers]

Bump^^^

anybody have experience with Exchange?...Do you think it will provide the ability outlined above?

Thanks

[krona]

anybody have experience with Exchange?...Do you think it will provide the ability outlined above?

yup, and more.

[random_fool]

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/ev...2003intro.mspx

[whispers]

random-

thanks..I was actually at that page before..however..I missed the word doc. link in the right corner...

checking it out now.

Now asking from a technical stand point...(Not really a network admin...although I am forced to play one at work most of the time)

How hard would this be to implement? and set-up on a running domain with MANY user/email accounts already in use?

We are currently using MailMax (kaka).....on a "server"..... what are the recommendations? OS? etc..etc.. anything to watch out for? Im sure I'll be looking into this more...as I dont feel comfortable doing anything at the moment.

thanks

[random_fool]

If you already have active directory, it's not THAT hard.

If you don't have an active directory domain created, it's going to be a big change. In either event, a reasonably talented sysadmin will be able to beat their way through exchange in a month or so.

The OS will need to be Win2k3 server.

[whispers]

Yes..we are already on an Active Diretory network... (although in my opinion..half assed..but hell what do I know..Im the graphic designer geek..playing netadmin 'cause they're cheap)

We have something similar to roaming profile..although its more like profile re-direction..and I have moved all employees .pst file from the Application Data folder...etc...etc to their "My Documents" folder... (as this gets backed up with their profile every night)....

So I'll have to import all the .pst's to exhange?? (man some of these peeps have 3+GB .pst files)..LOL

OH?..It has to be Win2k3 server? 2000 wont work anymore? Or are you just loosing out on some features?

reasonably talented huh? (maybe I should pass this one up?) LOL

[random_fool]

2000 will work, but it's nearing EOL.

What'll happen is you'll add an Exchange account to each Outlook profile, and it'll add another mail section as if it were a separate PST. Once added, people can drag their own email between sections, and it'll upload to the exchange server via RPC without you having to do much yourself.

My one comment is this: I don't believe Exchange belongs on the public internet. In my company, we deliver through sendmail+virus scanning -> firewall -> exchange.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can always install the MSDN version, see how it works, and when it's acting how you expect, direct the mail towards it.