Outlook Tutorials How to Series: A Review of Exchange Server Alternatives

Most businesses have to rely on some sort of server to keep their email going. Email has easily become the most important form of communication in not only business, but life. There is a huge reliance on email in businesses and the increased speed in communication allows businesses to move even more quickly. Amongst the requirement for email in the business world, you also need the tools that come with email software, like Microsoft Outlook. We use Microsoft Outlook for a lot more than email these days. We use it for calendars, contacts, notes, journals and attachments. With this much reliance on email, it also means that we rely heavily on our email servers. This is where Microsoft Exchange Servers come into play.

Microsoft Exchange Servers have been specifically designed to meet the communication needs and requirements of todays business world. Microsoft Exchange Servers provide protection, operational efficiency and, of course, the ability to send emails. Combine this with Microsoft Outlook and youre able to manage group folders, share contacts and even tasks. But, what if youre a small business and you use a third party company to manage your email and Internet? What if you need an alternative to Microsoft Exchange Server?

If this is the case then you have two types of Exchange alternatives:

. Full Messaging Platforms . Simple Sharing Alternatives

Full messaging platforms are available from several different companies. One option is Novell GroupWise. This is a collaboration and productivity software program that offers many features including email management, secure working systems, instant messaging, scheduling, contact management and task sharing. This sounds a whole lot like what you get with Microsoft Outlook doesnt it?

Another option you have in full messaging platforms is Scalix. Scalix provides similar options. You get an open source software that is Linux compatible. You get email, messaging, group calendaring, contacts, tasks and public folders. These are a lot of the same features that Outlook provides as well.

Both of these options could be viable for your business, but what if youre on a Windows-based system? Well, that means you sure cant use Scalix because its Linux based. How many employees do you have that even know the difference between Linux and Windows? Probably not many. That means that these viable alternatives are not going to be so viable for you and your small business, and lets not forget that you still dont have a Microsoft Exchange Server and you need another alternative, but you still want to keep the functionality that you can get from Microsoft Outlook. A lot of these are also difficult to operate and theyre not very user-friendly.

So, full messaging platforms are out. Lets look at Simple Sharing Alternatives. You have two options here:

. Net Folders . Office Calendar Net Folders is great if you have an older version of Outlook, meaning not Outlook 2007. A lot of businesses are still running on this software so Net Folders could be really useful. After all, you can have a folder that your employees and colleagues can share and use as a spot to share their information and tasks. But, guess what? This isnt a viable option anymore because Microsoft has discontinued Net Folders. If you were already set up with Net Folders you can still use the folder but youre the only one, who can access the information, but your colleagues will not be able to access what you put in the folder and the same is true for them.

This means OfficeCalendar is your only other option if you dont have a Microsoft Exchange Server and you dont have an IT department to train you on a full message platform. OfficeCalendar is a viable Exchange Alternative and it is excellent because it works with Microsoft Outlook, versions 2000 and higher. This means that you can be on the newest version of Outlook and you get to take advantage of everything that Outlook has to offer, and OfficeCalendar is an excellent alternative to Exchange because you simply dont need Exchange. All you need is a version of Outlook 2000 or higher on each users computer and be on a Windows-based network. Its really that simple. No hardware and no IT requirement, just you, your computer, Microsoft Outlook and your colleagues.

For more information visit http://www.officecalendar.com/products/exchange_alternative.aspx